Bark Busters Stamford & Greater Fairfield County Reviews
Reviews
206 Reviews ★★★★★(Average 4.98 out of 5)
Nicole M.
9 years ago
— Stamford, CT
I have 3 dogs and have tried various trainers and methods, and the bottom line was that NOTHING worked effectively for the long term. I was very frustrated with the other approaches, because they either involved food extortion (no food nearby & you're out of luck!!) or using things like choke collars which I thought would hurt/scare them. Previously, a walk with Daisy would have consisted of HER dragging ME down the road on the leash and barking crazily at any dogs that approach. I knew I needed to address it, but I didn't want to have to keep bribing her with food. Finally, a few months ago, when I had a larger group of people over, I realized that the mayhem was not just on the leash but also at home (barking incessantly at the drop of a hat, charging anyone who tried to come in the door, jumping up on EVERYONE's lap and demanding to be played with, bursting in and out of the doors and almost knocking people over, and scaring people who did not know the dogs were friendly). I searched online and read Michael's excellent reviews, but I was still skeptical. I heard a friend rave about how good he was, and I decided if anyone could help us, it would be him. The short version is that the money paid for Michael to train US (yes, us!) was, without a doubt, the best money I have EVER spent in my ENTIRE life!! Within MINUTES, he was well on his way to provide what I can happily say are LASTING RESULTS. It was amazing to see the transformation in my dogs both within the first visit and over the next weeks as I continued to work with them. I can now let people into my house without worrying about them being charged and knocked over or having them fear being 'attacked'. The dogs walk into and out of the house in a calm and orderly fashion. I do not get barked at to pick up an antler or to fetch them cookies. I'm finally the leader of the pack :-) Daisy and I can walk and run at the park without her pulling and having crazy temper tantrums. On the second visit, Michael met with me and my now-ex-boyfriend and made adjustments to clarify some of the things we had practiced; this fine tuning was extremely helpful. A few weeks ago, I put Daisy and Paco through a real test: spending 4 nights with me in a hotel. Using what I learned from Michael, I thought through how to make sure that their new good behavior came with us; that's one of the great things about the training… it really makes you think like a dog and thus communicate more effectively with dogs. I was absolutely amazed by how well they did. The entire trip, I could hear dogs in other rooms barking and carrying on, but not mine! They even remained completely calm and silent when people from housekeeping, etc. came into the room. I could not believe my eyes and ears; it was just amazing!!!!!!! Michael is nothing short of a canine wizard!! He's professional, obviously a first class expert in what he does, and, on top of that, a genuinely nice person, engaging, funny, and very pleasant to talk to and work with. I cannot say enough good things, but I am probably driving every dog owner I know nuts by telling them to quit bribing their dogs and just call this magic man!!
Michael was compassionate, professional, informative, and made training my dog fun! I have struggled with my dog's behavioral issues for many years before deciding to use Mike. The transformation I saw in my dog, Dublin was almost instant. Finally, I am able to relate to my dog in a way he understands and he is now much more relaxed. I love how Mike uses gentle, non contact, easy to understand techniques and exercises. My first lesson was a year ago and recently I needed help introducing my dog to my roommates dog to ensure they got along. Mike came over on his day off to help me! He has been extremely easy to get a hold of and very supportive. He really goes above and beyond and is passionate about what he does. Highly Recommend!!
My husband and I were amazed at how something so simple and easy could create such a change in our dogs. In one second both dogs stopped barking and jumping at the door And laid down calmly for the rest of the night. We are following Michael's directions and practicing daily with great results.
My dog is 1 year old German Shepherd. We had problems with his behavior (jumping on guests and us, going on our counters, pulling on the leash, to mention a few). I'd like to say that after seeing Mike my dog is behaving SO MUCH BETTER! It's amazing to see how he can handle things so quickly & easily. Thank you so much Mike!!!
We just saw Mike yesterday and what an amazing difference we saw in our 6 month old dog, Darcy. She's already about 60lbs and a challenge to handle, but Mike gave us the tools we needed to work with her, rather than Darcy running the show. I'm so happy and relieved considering that she's still young and only going to get bigger. We practiced later in the evening after seeing Mike and this morning, and already she's following my lead, stopped jumping on me and my son, she even relaxed in the kitchen outside of her kennel while we had dinner! That's something we couldn't do at all before. I'm really excited to continue working with Mike. Well worth it!
I contacted Michael to help up with our new yellow lab puppy Lola. Having had Frank our 13 year old shih tzu "untrained" I was determined that the new pup would be trained right. I was amazed when Michael told me that he could also help us with our 13 year old shih tzu Frank who barks when people come to the door and snaps at my kids when they get in his way. He even said he guaranteed 1000% he wouldn't be barking at the door by the time he leaves the first session. I was doubtful. Shocked and amazed, within 5 minutes of training us(!!) Frank was calm, not barking and Lola wasn't nipping, jumping up, pulling on leash or taking shoes etc that she was attempting to an hour earlier. I am very pleased to say that I have 2 dogs that are more relaxed and happy. Thank you soooo much Michael!!!
The feedback and guidance I have gotten from Michael has been invaluable. From Skype lessons to in person the raining has been fantastic and always accessible. I know his training techniques have made me a better owner and Sammy a happy, comfortable and obedient dog. He really has changed our lives. From the time Sammy was a puppy till now Michael has helped me so many great tips from toileting to barking to jumping up and leash training. Michael always checks in too unexpectedly to make sure all is good. I dont know what i would have done without his guidance and friendship. Thank you Michael! I highly recommend Michael. He will change your lives.
Mike was amazing! First off he came in and gave us a game plan on what he was going to do and why we were going to do it by showing how our actions would mimic those of the canine world. Then came putting theory into practice. We always knew Ella was showing signs of dominance, but when the dog is under 5 pounds it is more cute than a hazard. But in order to get her to stop barking and chasing the cat we knew she had to be demoted. Mike gave us the tools to do so in a caring and professional manner and who at all times put the physical and mental safety of Ella paramount.
Wow! I am so impressed in the amount of progress that Michael made within such a short amount of time. After just one session I feel like I have two new (and happier!) dogs at home. We had tried a few other trainers before without much luck, so I was very skeptical that someone could come in and train my dogs without use of treats or physical punishment. Within half an hour I was sold! Thank you so much Michael for making our home a much happier place for us and our dogs!
I would like to start out by saying that at first i was a little skeptical when Michael told us that he would be able to fix any of the issues we had with Kora in the first session. Not only did he he fix basically all our problems but it literally happened in 5 minutes or less. Our biggest problem with Kora was that every time someone came to the front door and she heard it she would take off like a bat out of hell and bark aggressively until she gets a chance to sniff out any visitors that came into our home. This made some of our guests as well as myself a bit uncomfortable. Kora is a one and half year old hound retriever pit bull mix and weights about 50 pounds. She can be very intimidating and because of the fact that she is a rescue we have no way of knowing her past history other than what the SPCA told us. Using the techniques that Michael taught us Kora now knows that I am the pack leader and she looks to me to make the decisions instead of her taking charge. Kora is my first dog and Michael was the first dog trainer i have ever worked with and all i can say is i am so unbelievably pleased with the outcome in the first day that i would recommend his services to anyone and everyone. In fact i have already told all my fellow dog owning friends that if they have any issues they need to call him up and buy the training. There is no need to look any further for a dog trainer. Michael Konstantaras is the trainer you MUST have. Thank you for your professionalism as well as your amazing talent! I look forward to scheduling a second appointment soon! Thanks again!
Nicole M.
9 years ago
— Stamford, CT
I have 3 dogs and have tried various trainers and methods, and the bottom line was that NOTHING worked effectively for the long term. I was very frustrated with the other approaches, because they either involved food extortion (no food nearby & you're out of luck!!) or using things like choke collars which I thought would hurt/scare them. Previously, a walk with Daisy would have consisted of HER dragging ME down the road on the leash and barking crazily at any dogs that approach. I knew I needed to address it, but I didn't want to have to keep bribing her with food. Finally, a few months ago, when I had a larger group of people over, I realized that the mayhem was not just on the leash but also at home (barking incessantly at the drop of a hat, charging anyone who tried to come in the door, jumping up on EVERYONE's lap and demanding to be played with, bursting in and out of the doors and almost knocking people over, and scaring people who did not know the dogs were friendly). I searched online and read Michael's excellent reviews, but I was still skeptical. I heard a friend rave about how good he was, and I decided if anyone could help us, it would be him. The short version is that the money paid for Michael to train US (yes, us!) was, without a doubt, the best money I have EVER spent in my ENTIRE life!! Within MINUTES, he was well on his way to provide what I can happily say are LASTING RESULTS. It was amazing to see the transformation in my dogs both within the first visit and over the next weeks as I continued to work with them. I can now let people into my house without worrying about them being charged and knocked over or having them fear being 'attacked'. The dogs walk into and out of the house in a calm and orderly fashion. I do not get barked at to pick up an antler or to fetch them cookies. I'm finally the leader of the pack :-) Daisy and I can walk and run at the park without her pulling and having crazy temper tantrums. On the second visit, Michael met with me and my now-ex-boyfriend and made adjustments to clarify some of the things we had practiced; this fine tuning was extremely helpful. A few weeks ago, I put Daisy and Paco through a real test: spending 4 nights with me in a hotel. Using what I learned from Michael, I thought through how to make sure that their new good behavior came with us; that's one of the great things about the training… it really makes you think like a dog and thus communicate more effectively with dogs. I was absolutely amazed by how well they did. The entire trip, I could hear dogs in other rooms barking and carrying on, but not mine! They even remained completely calm and silent when people from housekeeping, etc. came into the room. I could not believe my eyes and ears; it was just amazing!!!!!!! Michael is nothing short of a canine wizard!! He's professional, obviously a first class expert in what he does, and, on top of that, a genuinely nice person, engaging, funny, and very pleasant to talk to and work with. I cannot say enough good things, but I am probably driving every dog owner I know nuts by telling them to quit bribing their dogs and just call this magic man!!
PermalinkMichelle C.
9 years ago
— Stamford, CT
Michael was compassionate, professional, informative, and made training my dog fun! I have struggled with my dog's behavioral issues for many years before deciding to use Mike. The transformation I saw in my dog, Dublin was almost instant. Finally, I am able to relate to my dog in a way he understands and he is now much more relaxed. I love how Mike uses gentle, non contact, easy to understand techniques and exercises. My first lesson was a year ago and recently I needed help introducing my dog to my roommates dog to ensure they got along. Mike came over on his day off to help me! He has been extremely easy to get a hold of and very supportive. He really goes above and beyond and is passionate about what he does. Highly Recommend!!
PermalinkMary C.
9 years ago
— Milford, CT
My husband and I were amazed at how something so simple and easy could create such a change in our dogs. In one second both dogs stopped barking and jumping at the door And laid down calmly for the rest of the night. We are following Michael's directions and practicing daily with great results.
Permalinkagnieszka t.
9 years ago
— Stamford, CT
My dog is 1 year old German Shepherd. We had problems with his behavior (jumping on guests and us, going on our counters, pulling on the leash, to mention a few). I'd like to say that after seeing Mike my dog is behaving SO MUCH BETTER! It's amazing to see how he can handle things so quickly & easily. Thank you so much Mike!!!
PermalinkDarice C.
9 years ago
— Bridgeport, CT
We just saw Mike yesterday and what an amazing difference we saw in our 6 month old dog, Darcy. She's already about 60lbs and a challenge to handle, but Mike gave us the tools we needed to work with her, rather than Darcy running the show. I'm so happy and relieved considering that she's still young and only going to get bigger. We practiced later in the evening after seeing Mike and this morning, and already she's following my lead, stopped jumping on me and my son, she even relaxed in the kitchen outside of her kennel while we had dinner! That's something we couldn't do at all before. I'm really excited to continue working with Mike. Well worth it!
PermalinkElena M.
9 years ago
— Darien, CT
I contacted Michael to help up with our new yellow lab puppy Lola. Having had Frank our 13 year old shih tzu "untrained" I was determined that the new pup would be trained right. I was amazed when Michael told me that he could also help us with our 13 year old shih tzu Frank who barks when people come to the door and snaps at my kids when they get in his way. He even said he guaranteed 1000% he wouldn't be barking at the door by the time he leaves the first session. I was doubtful. Shocked and amazed, within 5 minutes of training us(!!) Frank was calm, not barking and Lola wasn't nipping, jumping up, pulling on leash or taking shoes etc that she was attempting to an hour earlier. I am very pleased to say that I have 2 dogs that are more relaxed and happy. Thank you soooo much Michael!!!
PermalinkEdward G.
9 years ago
— Fairfield, CT
The feedback and guidance I have gotten from Michael has been invaluable. From Skype lessons to in person the raining has been fantastic and always accessible. I know his training techniques have made me a better owner and Sammy a happy, comfortable and obedient dog. He really has changed our lives. From the time Sammy was a puppy till now Michael has helped me so many great tips from toileting to barking to jumping up and leash training. Michael always checks in too unexpectedly to make sure all is good. I dont know what i would have done without his guidance and friendship. Thank you Michael! I highly recommend Michael. He will change your lives.
PermalinkAmi L.
9 years ago
— Bridgeport, CT
Mike was amazing! First off he came in and gave us a game plan on what he was going to do and why we were going to do it by showing how our actions would mimic those of the canine world. Then came putting theory into practice. We always knew Ella was showing signs of dominance, but when the dog is under 5 pounds it is more cute than a hazard. But in order to get her to stop barking and chasing the cat we knew she had to be demoted. Mike gave us the tools to do so in a caring and professional manner and who at all times put the physical and mental safety of Ella paramount.
PermalinkKate L.
9 years ago
— Darien, CT
Wow! I am so impressed in the amount of progress that Michael made within such a short amount of time. After just one session I feel like I have two new (and happier!) dogs at home. We had tried a few other trainers before without much luck, so I was very skeptical that someone could come in and train my dogs without use of treats or physical punishment. Within half an hour I was sold! Thank you so much Michael for making our home a much happier place for us and our dogs!
PermalinkMarco M.
9 years ago
— Monroe, CT
I would like to start out by saying that at first i was a little skeptical when Michael told us that he would be able to fix any of the issues we had with Kora in the first session. Not only did he he fix basically all our problems but it literally happened in 5 minutes or less. Our biggest problem with Kora was that every time someone came to the front door and she heard it she would take off like a bat out of hell and bark aggressively until she gets a chance to sniff out any visitors that came into our home. This made some of our guests as well as myself a bit uncomfortable. Kora is a one and half year old hound retriever pit bull mix and weights about 50 pounds. She can be very intimidating and because of the fact that she is a rescue we have no way of knowing her past history other than what the SPCA told us. Using the techniques that Michael taught us Kora now knows that I am the pack leader and she looks to me to make the decisions instead of her taking charge. Kora is my first dog and Michael was the first dog trainer i have ever worked with and all i can say is i am so unbelievably pleased with the outcome in the first day that i would recommend his services to anyone and everyone. In fact i have already told all my fellow dog owning friends that if they have any issues they need to call him up and buy the training. There is no need to look any further for a dog trainer. Michael Konstantaras is the trainer you MUST have. Thank you for your professionalism as well as your amazing talent! I look forward to scheduling a second appointment soon! Thanks again!
Permalink« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 next »