Gusty came in and totally blew our minds. She gave us a great foundation for our 10 week old puppy and helped us feel confident in being able to train and manage. Really looking forward to more sessions!
Gusty has completely transformed both my life and my dog Benny's--after just two sessions.
Benny is a one-year-old mixed-breed rescue who had experienced significant trauma before I adopted him. When we started working with Gusty, we were dealing with several behavioral challenges: barking and biting, leash reactivity, and difficulty adjusting to my two resident cats--whom Benny felt the need to "protect" me from. He was also very territorial on walks, often lunging and snapping at anyone with an unusual appearance--people in big jackets, those with a unique gait, or wearing medical masks. He even reacted to other dogs wearing sweaters. On top of that, he had a habit of scavenging and displayed food aggression.
Gusty not only helped me see that Benny is an incredibly intelligent dog, but also gave me the tools and structure to bring out the best in him. With just a few consistent rules, Benny has blossomed into a calm, focused, and eager-to-learn companion. Thanks to Gusty's guidance:
- Benny no longer barks at people passing our apartment.
- He's calm and responsive on leash--no more lunging.
- He sits at crosswalks, comes when called, and no longer demands attention by barking.
- I no longer need to rely on endless chew toys or treats to keep him occupied.
- He drops trash when asked and responds beautifully to direction.
- Most importantly, our bond has grown stronger than ever.
While he still occasionally reacts to the cats' presence, he is MUCH calmer, only barks and them once or twice and then immediately goes to lay down after I tell him to. The fact that he can disengage from something that once distracted him so totally that I was concerned about his safety and the cats is actually incredible.
With Gusty's encouragement, I'm now excited to take things further--we're starting agility training, and I'm working on getting Benny comfortable in busier environments with the goal of certifying him as an emotional support animal so he can eventually travel with me.
Thank you, Gusty and the Bark Busters team! Your dedication to educating dog owners is inspiring, and the results speak for themselves. This has been one of the best investments I've ever made.
Wow - Gusty is truly an incredible trainer and we saw significant improvements in our dog's behavior after just 1 session. My husband was hesitant about Bark Busters since we have tried so many different techniques with moderate success. But after Gusty left our house, my husband said "That was AMAZING!". We have a 3 year old pitbull (Moo) who is super smart and trainable, but we struggle to redirect her barking when guests come over/people come in our yard, she jumps on guests, and she has some leash reactivity. Gusty immediately tuned into Moo's needs and established her role as a trainer - truly training my husband and I to better train/support our dog. Using the Bark Busters harness, Moo is walking right next to us and is much calmer on walks. She is also responding well to respecting the front door as a "no go zone" and relaxing after she's notified us that there is a visitor. I highly recommend Gusty - we wish we would have found her years ago!!
Thank goodness for Randy, or Burke may have ended up back at the shelter. I live in an apartment, and the neighbors were complaining about the incessant barking. Burke's separation anxiety and anxiety in general was off the charts. Thanks to Randy's methods, Burke is much calmer and can stay at home happily by himself. I really liked that it didn't involve prong collars or anything harsh. 10/10!
We adopted an adult dog in March, reached out to Bark Busters for information, and spoke with Paula, who was so generous with information that very first call. We got the training started, and have learned so much. We've been delighted with Paula herself, her training style, knowledge of what dogs are telling us, and seeing the results. She has made training fun and positive every time we meet, so much so that we've recommended Paula to several friends. Great experience, thank you.
I don't know what I would have done without Paula Hinz's help. In fact, I was thinking I might have to give up my dog for adoption, because he was not getting along with my other dog. In just one lesson, Paula taught me how to speak dog and position myself as the leader of the pack. I really liked there was no shock or prong collars. My only regret I waited so long!
Don't give up ... call Paula.
I got Gable when he was 18 months old. First time dog owner starting off with a Doberman Pinscher. I did my research for years, read books, watched dog training videos and we were doing pretty good I thought. Gable however was acting very aggressively around other dogs and I made little to no progress on my own, as a matter of fact things were getting worse. I started searching online for trainers and I stumbled upon Bark Busters. Middle of Covid, our first training was over zoom, and even so it was a game changer! I earned my dog's respect in 3 days and in return he did everything I asked of him. Our relationship got to a new level super fast. Soon he earned my unconditional trust and become a real family member. I got to a point with him that I can trust him off leash most of the time, too! We are still working on some dog reactivity, but the before and after can't even be compared. I started off with him pulling on the leash, and whenever he saw another dog I had to hold him back, and he would bark and be up his hind legs. Soon it toned down to staring (which we are still working on), and he never pulls on the leash, and he does everything I ask from him.
I'm truly grateful for Ms. Paula for helping me understand Gable's language, and giving me the best dog ever!
Thank you Jonas. I have loved training Gable and you. You are so good with him. I believe he is already an outstanding dog and he will become even more with you as his owner. Thank you for inviting me into your lives and for giving me the opportunity to train you. It has been a pleasure.
Vince T.
4 years ago
— San Jose, CA
Paula has been an excellent, and very knowledgeable dog trainer. We started off with some Zoom meetings and have now moved to meetings at a dog park. I'm a first time dog owner and it hasn't been easy get all of my family on board with accepting our puppy, Taco. Paula has been wonderful in reinforcing and enhancing the Bark Buster training material. Specifically, the 1 on 1 training for programming/conditioning exercises have worked very well. Additionally, she is very understanding, patient, and a good listener in helping me overcome my challenges in being a dog owner. Our training lessons are not rushed and are most beneficial. For me and my dog Taco, we always look forward to our training sessions.
Thank you Vince. "Taco" is an amazing pup and is progressing wonderfully. I love seeing the dogs improve, better yet seeing you become a great dog handler is so satisfying.
Devon C.
4 years ago
— Morgan Hill, CA
Night and Day Difference!
Paula was able to help correct our 10 month old golden doodle's behavior in a matter of weeks. He went from terrorizing our household to listening and respecting us. We were able to take down our stairway gate which allows him to spend more time with us. Bark Busters methods are incredible, I would highly recommend to anyone interested!
Paula is wonderful! It only took one session for her to show me how to work with my energetic 11 month old hound/ collie pup, Murphy! She went above and beyond because she is someone who cares deeply about helping to create a bond between owner and dog, and understanding how the relationship can benefit both. She reassured me, was attentive to my dog and his needs, and I already feel so much support from her! It takes a village, and Paula is the village!
Dani
55 days ago
— Los Gatos & Morgan Hill, CA
Gusty came in and totally blew our minds. She gave us a great foundation for our 10 week old puppy and helped us feel confident in being able to train and manage. Really looking forward to more sessions!
PermalinkAlison
3 months ago
— Los Gatos & Morgan Hill, CA
Gusty has completely transformed both my life and my dog Benny's--after just two sessions.
PermalinkBenny is a one-year-old mixed-breed rescue who had experienced significant trauma before I adopted him. When we started working with Gusty, we were dealing with several behavioral challenges: barking and biting, leash reactivity, and difficulty adjusting to my two resident cats--whom Benny felt the need to "protect" me from. He was also very territorial on walks, often lunging and snapping at anyone with an unusual appearance--people in big jackets, those with a unique gait, or wearing medical masks. He even reacted to other dogs wearing sweaters. On top of that, he had a habit of scavenging and displayed food aggression.
Gusty not only helped me see that Benny is an incredibly intelligent dog, but also gave me the tools and structure to bring out the best in him. With just a few consistent rules, Benny has blossomed into a calm, focused, and eager-to-learn companion. Thanks to Gusty's guidance:
- Benny no longer barks at people passing our apartment.
- He's calm and responsive on leash--no more lunging.
- He sits at crosswalks, comes when called, and no longer demands attention by barking.
- I no longer need to rely on endless chew toys or treats to keep him occupied.
- He drops trash when asked and responds beautifully to direction.
- Most importantly, our bond has grown stronger than ever.
While he still occasionally reacts to the cats' presence, he is MUCH calmer, only barks and them once or twice and then immediately goes to lay down after I tell him to. The fact that he can disengage from something that once distracted him so totally that I was concerned about his safety and the cats is actually incredible.
With Gusty's encouragement, I'm now excited to take things further--we're starting agility training, and I'm working on getting Benny comfortable in busier environments with the goal of certifying him as an emotional support animal so he can eventually travel with me.
Thank you, Gusty and the Bark Busters team! Your dedication to educating dog owners is inspiring, and the results speak for themselves. This has been one of the best investments I've ever made.
Morgan
3 months ago
— Los Gatos & Morgan Hill, CA
Wow - Gusty is truly an incredible trainer and we saw significant improvements in our dog's behavior after just 1 session. My husband was hesitant about Bark Busters since we have tried so many different techniques with moderate success. But after Gusty left our house, my husband said "That was AMAZING!". We have a 3 year old pitbull (Moo) who is super smart and trainable, but we struggle to redirect her barking when guests come over/people come in our yard, she jumps on guests, and she has some leash reactivity. Gusty immediately tuned into Moo's needs and established her role as a trainer - truly training my husband and I to better train/support our dog. Using the Bark Busters harness, Moo is walking right next to us and is much calmer on walks. She is also responding well to respecting the front door as a "no go zone" and relaxing after she's notified us that there is a visitor. I highly recommend Gusty - we wish we would have found her years ago!!
PermalinkAngela J.
13 months ago
— Los Gatos, CA
Thank goodness for Randy, or Burke may have ended up back at the shelter. I live in an apartment, and the neighbors were complaining about the incessant barking. Burke's separation anxiety and anxiety in general was off the charts. Thanks to Randy's methods, Burke is much calmer and can stay at home happily by himself. I really liked that it didn't involve prong collars or anything harsh. 10/10!
PermalinkLynn M.
2 years ago
— Gilroy, CA
We adopted an adult dog in March, reached out to Bark Busters for information, and spoke with Paula, who was so generous with information that very first call. We got the training started, and have learned so much. We've been delighted with Paula herself, her training style, knowledge of what dogs are telling us, and seeing the results. She has made training fun and positive every time we meet, so much so that we've recommended Paula to several friends. Great experience, thank you.
PermalinkKellie E.
2 years ago
— Los Gatos, CA
I don't know what I would have done without Paula Hinz's help. In fact, I was thinking I might have to give up my dog for adoption, because he was not getting along with my other dog. In just one lesson, Paula taught me how to speak dog and position myself as the leader of the pack. I really liked there was no shock or prong collars. My only regret I waited so long!
PermalinkDon't give up ... call Paula.
Janos E.
4 years ago
— San Jose, CA
I got Gable when he was 18 months old. First time dog owner starting off with a Doberman Pinscher. I did my research for years, read books, watched dog training videos and we were doing pretty good I thought. Gable however was acting very aggressively around other dogs and I made little to no progress on my own, as a matter of fact things were getting worse. I started searching online for trainers and I stumbled upon Bark Busters. Middle of Covid, our first training was over zoom, and even so it was a game changer! I earned my dog's respect in 3 days and in return he did everything I asked of him. Our relationship got to a new level super fast. Soon he earned my unconditional trust and become a real family member. I got to a point with him that I can trust him off leash most of the time, too! We are still working on some dog reactivity, but the before and after can't even be compared. I started off with him pulling on the leash, and whenever he saw another dog I had to hold him back, and he would bark and be up his hind legs. Soon it toned down to staring (which we are still working on), and he never pulls on the leash, and he does everything I ask from him.
PermalinkI'm truly grateful for Ms. Paula for helping me understand Gable's language, and giving me the best dog ever!
Vince T.
4 years ago
— San Jose, CA
Paula has been an excellent, and very knowledgeable dog trainer. We started off with some Zoom meetings and have now moved to meetings at a dog park. I'm a first time dog owner and it hasn't been easy get all of my family on board with accepting our puppy, Taco. Paula has been wonderful in reinforcing and enhancing the Bark Buster training material. Specifically, the 1 on 1 training for programming/conditioning exercises have worked very well. Additionally, she is very understanding, patient, and a good listener in helping me overcome my challenges in being a dog owner. Our training lessons are not rushed and are most beneficial. For me and my dog Taco, we always look forward to our training sessions.
PermalinkDevon C.
4 years ago
— Morgan Hill, CA
Night and Day Difference!
PermalinkPaula was able to help correct our 10 month old golden doodle's behavior in a matter of weeks. He went from terrorizing our household to listening and respecting us. We were able to take down our stairway gate which allows him to spend more time with us. Bark Busters methods are incredible, I would highly recommend to anyone interested!
Stephanie P.
4 years ago
— Santa Cruz, CA
Paula is wonderful! It only took one session for her to show me how to work with my energetic 11 month old hound/ collie pup, Murphy! She went above and beyond because she is someone who cares deeply about helping to create a bond between owner and dog, and understanding how the relationship can benefit both. She reassured me, was attentive to my dog and his needs, and I already feel so much support from her! It takes a village, and Paula is the village!
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