Bark Busters Stamford & Greater Fairfield County Reviews
Reviews
210 Reviews ★★★★★(Average 4.98 out of 5)
Cathy C.
8 years ago
— Stamford, CT
I met with Mike last week, and I couldn't be happier. I have a 2 year old French bulldog, who in my opinion has a very complex personality. He can be the sweetest, most playful guy but would sometimes snap for sometimes no reason, and I couldn't understand it. Mike had explained to me that he felt he was the boss of the house, and basically felt that he needed to protect me all the time. Which is not a job that I want my dog to feel he needs to uphold.
In one hour of some very simple training skills, my dog immediately started to realize that he was no longer going to be in charge. Of course I know that I will have to consistently work at training him, but I have no doubt that Mike's methods will work. The best part, is that I don't have to inflict pain or bribe my dog to get him to do what I want.I'm looking forward to seeing more of his progress. Also Michael is always available whenever I have questions, and when I ran out of food...he supplied me with some more until I was able to get it!!! What a guy!
Bottom line up front: I whole heartedly recommend Mike the dog trainer to anyone who has a dog.
This is my first and only review I've written and it is because I strongly believe in Mike's training program and teaching style. My dog is a little 30-pound shepherd mix named Arnie and was having increasing aggression, barking, and jumping as he was entering his adolescence. He is my first dog that I raised from a puppy and I thought I was doing everything right. I read the puppy books, went to puppy school through the ASPCA, socialized him early and often, but as he got older he got more and more aggressive, especially on the leash. I became discouraged with training assistance form most sources because most of what you find out there is positive reinforcement only, which is fantastic for training a wanted behavior, but not effective for removing unwanted behaviors. Mike had a unique approach from what I read with his style focusing on training the human, rather than the dog. I figured that Arnie's issues were coming from anxiety with him being so small and Mike agreed and also added in a very tactful manner that my dog didn't truly respect me and is the primary reason why he doesn't listen and didn't feel calm and comfortable with me when we were out together.
I would summarize Mike's style as dog whispererish, but without ever laying your hands on your dog as punishment. As Mike says, "hands are for petting". It is very much about continually reinforcing your dominance through every interaction with your dog so that your dog respects you in a 100% humane manner. There are no treats, there is no violence, and no pain brought upon your dog in any way. His method is based off of continuous communication. What does that mean you ask? Mike taught me the tools to communicate with my dog through body language, a modified growl (sounds silly and takes some getting used to but is extremely effective) and a couple of tricks. Mike walks you through the process every step of the way and gives continuous feedback on how to improve.
Within 1 day of implementing Mike's teachings my dog's unwanted behaviors almost entirely vanished. I was able to loose leash walk him in a distraction free environment and he did not bark or jump on guests when they entered the house. I'm now about 6 months out of Mikes session (which only took about 2 and 1/2 hours and he came to our house) and I can loose leash walk him through a high distraction area with passing cars and barking dogs and Arnie will calmly walk through with only minimal corrections on my part. This is because Mike taught me how to forge a relationship of trust and respect with my dog, so even though he is an anxious little fella, he knows that if there is a threat to him (which is almost everything in his eyes) that I will take care of it and so he remains calm and happy and thus I remain calm and happy. I have found that through the brilliance of the basics that Mike teaches you most of the problem behaviors just go away, and when a problem behavior does emerge, because your dog trusts and respects you he will actually listen even if there is a great big distraction.
I will emphasize that this is by no means a "magic bullet". Mike will give you the tools to communicate with you dog and then it is on you to continuously and consistently use these techniques, but Mike is readily available to take questions or even come back for additional training sessions if ever needed. I can't recommend his services enough.
I am a volunteer with Pack Leaders Rescue of CT and I reached out to Michael for assistance with Arwyn, a dog we rescued from a local shelter in Nov. 2015. Shortly after Arwyn went to his foster home, he began exhibiting aggression when meeting new people. We have consulted with several different trainers and while Arwyn has learned many basic commands, he has not improved in his ability to socialize with people.
Michael generously agreed to provide training to both Arwyn & Autumn, the foster's personal dog. He came prepared with all the tools needed to teach Arwyn & Autumn that their foster mom is "top dog" in the house. I was so impressed with Michael's knowledge, ability to teach the foster how to be a leader with both dogs, and was amazed by how quickly the dogs responded to the training. I am optimistic about the future for Arwyn and am so grateful for the training Michael provided. I would highly recommend him to others experiencing behavior issues with their dog.
Its been a little over two weeks since Michael came to train Winston, my first time rescue dog who is a pit/american bull dog mix. First off, Michael was very impressive, and broke down a lot of information for me in a common sense way to understand it. But more importantly, more than two weeks later, the methods he taught me are working. The issue I have with Winston is his distraction with other dogs when I walk him. To say that he pulls on the leash doesn't do justice to what really happens on the leash when we walk, just ask my back. I had been using a prong collar with some success, but with the training we got, I have not had to use that collar and even though it was effective, I believe that over time, a simple voice command will be enough keep Winston's attention on me, and not the nearby dog. Curing Winston of being distracted by other dogs will be a process, for sure, and depends a lot on me putting my time and energy in and probably will always be an issue to some extent, but in two weeks, not only have I seen real progress, but I am very confident that I have been taught the methods necessary to improve Winston's behavior when we go on walks for the long term. I could go on and on about what has become a very successful experiment in adjusting Winston's behavior but I will just add that the discipline, or "communication" as Michael called it has not made Winston resentful of the walks we go on or the time we spend together but quite the opposite. He enjoys the communication and works really hard to give me what I am asking from him. Its been an amazing experience. One more thing: the tips on diet have been implemented, partially, not fully, but even still, the results that Michael predicted would result in a healthy coat are already noticeable. Thank you, Michael.
I was referred to Michael By BARC after I reached out for help for my 3 yr old female pit bull Zoey. Zoey has always been a little unpredictable and very territorial. Over the last 4/5 months things with Zoey had gotten worse to the point I had thoughts of giving her up or putting her down. Zoey was becoming very hardheaded to the point where she wouldn't listen to commands from my husband or I. She would run up to the gates and scare neighbors and people walking by. It was hard for me to have people come over because she will run up to the door and proceed to bark aggressively. Zoey would jump on people and when we would let our second dog out to play who is another Pit Bull named Royalty they would both get so hyper they would knock people and things over. Royalty also had the problem with jumping on people, extremely hyper, running up to our fence and barking at people passing our home. Michael showed us a few strategies to help with all the areas listed above within one hour we had our home back!!! We could open the door with out them charging to get out or at people, they were walking side by side in the yard , less barking and must importantly they were not charging at the gates when people walk by. We couldn't believe it, they were different dogs by the end of the session. With consistency and patients after working with Michael we no longer feel we need to give Zoey up. We gained control of our home and in future if we ever need help I know exactly who to call. Thank you Michael!!!
In an hours time Mike helped us to completely change the way our puppy reacts and responds to the door bell, visitors and us! We learned so much from Mike and are grateful for his time and energy in helping us communicate more effectively with our lovely puppy! The training he did was easy to understand, explained well and is easy to follow through with at home leading to great results so far! Would recommend Mike to anyone who'd like the simplest or most complicated dog issue sorted! Thank you SO much, Mike 😊
I am a veterinarian and consulted with Michael on some issues with my puppy. She was having some fear issues, as well as pulling on the leash etc. Michael was very friendly and professional and worked with my dog and I to communicate effectively and give her more confidence. She responded to his methods right away and has continued to do well since. I strongly recommend Michael to my clients for a variety of behavioral problems.
Michael impressed us immediately with his knowledge and clarity about proper training of our goldendoodle puppy. He instilled a renewed confidence in us that this can be managed by our being consistent. We are more optimistic now knowing that we have an expert just a phone call away!
I wanted to wait a while before I posted a review too see how effective the training was. And with Michaels help it made my family's life and dogs life way better. My dog Julian was aggressive, jumping up a lot, and the worse of them all pulling on a leash. In one session we started to see a change and then when my family and I started to do it ourselves I started to finally see the results and I couldn't be happier. Not only did he give us tips about teaching my dog proper manners, he gave us advice about feeding and about socializing and I really appreciated that. Michael, from The Dumay Family, thanks again for all your help and we will definitely be seeing you soon for a follow up!
Cathy C.
8 years ago
— Stamford, CT
I met with Mike last week, and I couldn't be happier. I have a 2 year old French bulldog, who in my opinion has a very complex personality. He can be the sweetest, most playful guy but would sometimes snap for sometimes no reason, and I couldn't understand it. Mike had explained to me that he felt he was the boss of the house, and basically felt that he needed to protect me all the time. Which is not a job that I want my dog to feel he needs to uphold.
PermalinkIn one hour of some very simple training skills, my dog immediately started to realize that he was no longer going to be in charge. Of course I know that I will have to consistently work at training him, but I have no doubt that Mike's methods will work. The best part, is that I don't have to inflict pain or bribe my dog to get him to do what I want.I'm looking forward to seeing more of his progress. Also Michael is always available whenever I have questions, and when I ran out of food...he supplied me with some more until I was able to get it!!! What a guy!
Ben F.
8 years ago
— Norwalk, CT
Bottom line up front: I whole heartedly recommend Mike the dog trainer to anyone who has a dog.
PermalinkThis is my first and only review I've written and it is because I strongly believe in Mike's training program and teaching style. My dog is a little 30-pound shepherd mix named Arnie and was having increasing aggression, barking, and jumping as he was entering his adolescence. He is my first dog that I raised from a puppy and I thought I was doing everything right. I read the puppy books, went to puppy school through the ASPCA, socialized him early and often, but as he got older he got more and more aggressive, especially on the leash. I became discouraged with training assistance form most sources because most of what you find out there is positive reinforcement only, which is fantastic for training a wanted behavior, but not effective for removing unwanted behaviors. Mike had a unique approach from what I read with his style focusing on training the human, rather than the dog. I figured that Arnie's issues were coming from anxiety with him being so small and Mike agreed and also added in a very tactful manner that my dog didn't truly respect me and is the primary reason why he doesn't listen and didn't feel calm and comfortable with me when we were out together.
I would summarize Mike's style as dog whispererish, but without ever laying your hands on your dog as punishment. As Mike says, "hands are for petting". It is very much about continually reinforcing your dominance through every interaction with your dog so that your dog respects you in a 100% humane manner. There are no treats, there is no violence, and no pain brought upon your dog in any way. His method is based off of continuous communication. What does that mean you ask? Mike taught me the tools to communicate with my dog through body language, a modified growl (sounds silly and takes some getting used to but is extremely effective) and a couple of tricks. Mike walks you through the process every step of the way and gives continuous feedback on how to improve.
Within 1 day of implementing Mike's teachings my dog's unwanted behaviors almost entirely vanished. I was able to loose leash walk him in a distraction free environment and he did not bark or jump on guests when they entered the house. I'm now about 6 months out of Mikes session (which only took about 2 and 1/2 hours and he came to our house) and I can loose leash walk him through a high distraction area with passing cars and barking dogs and Arnie will calmly walk through with only minimal corrections on my part. This is because Mike taught me how to forge a relationship of trust and respect with my dog, so even though he is an anxious little fella, he knows that if there is a threat to him (which is almost everything in his eyes) that I will take care of it and so he remains calm and happy and thus I remain calm and happy. I have found that through the brilliance of the basics that Mike teaches you most of the problem behaviors just go away, and when a problem behavior does emerge, because your dog trusts and respects you he will actually listen even if there is a great big distraction.
I will emphasize that this is by no means a "magic bullet". Mike will give you the tools to communicate with you dog and then it is on you to continuously and consistently use these techniques, but Mike is readily available to take questions or even come back for additional training sessions if ever needed. I can't recommend his services enough.
Jennifer K.
8 years ago
— Andover, CT
I am a volunteer with Pack Leaders Rescue of CT and I reached out to Michael for assistance with Arwyn, a dog we rescued from a local shelter in Nov. 2015. Shortly after Arwyn went to his foster home, he began exhibiting aggression when meeting new people. We have consulted with several different trainers and while Arwyn has learned many basic commands, he has not improved in his ability to socialize with people.
PermalinkMichael generously agreed to provide training to both Arwyn & Autumn, the foster's personal dog. He came prepared with all the tools needed to teach Arwyn & Autumn that their foster mom is "top dog" in the house. I was so impressed with Michael's knowledge, ability to teach the foster how to be a leader with both dogs, and was amazed by how quickly the dogs responded to the training. I am optimistic about the future for Arwyn and am so grateful for the training Michael provided. I would highly recommend him to others experiencing behavior issues with their dog.
Matt V.
8 years ago
— Bridgeport, CT
Its been a little over two weeks since Michael came to train Winston, my first time rescue dog who is a pit/american bull dog mix. First off, Michael was very impressive, and broke down a lot of information for me in a common sense way to understand it. But more importantly, more than two weeks later, the methods he taught me are working. The issue I have with Winston is his distraction with other dogs when I walk him. To say that he pulls on the leash doesn't do justice to what really happens on the leash when we walk, just ask my back. I had been using a prong collar with some success, but with the training we got, I have not had to use that collar and even though it was effective, I believe that over time, a simple voice command will be enough keep Winston's attention on me, and not the nearby dog. Curing Winston of being distracted by other dogs will be a process, for sure, and depends a lot on me putting my time and energy in and probably will always be an issue to some extent, but in two weeks, not only have I seen real progress, but I am very confident that I have been taught the methods necessary to improve Winston's behavior when we go on walks for the long term. I could go on and on about what has become a very successful experiment in adjusting Winston's behavior but I will just add that the discipline, or "communication" as Michael called it has not made Winston resentful of the walks we go on or the time we spend together but quite the opposite. He enjoys the communication and works really hard to give me what I am asking from him. Its been an amazing experience. One more thing: the tips on diet have been implemented, partially, not fully, but even still, the results that Michael predicted would result in a healthy coat are already noticeable. Thank you, Michael.
PermalinkKimberly S.
8 years ago
— Bridgeport, CT
I was referred to Michael By BARC after I reached out for help for my 3 yr old female pit bull Zoey. Zoey has always been a little unpredictable and very territorial. Over the last 4/5 months things with Zoey had gotten worse to the point I had thoughts of giving her up or putting her down. Zoey was becoming very hardheaded to the point where she wouldn't listen to commands from my husband or I. She would run up to the gates and scare neighbors and people walking by. It was hard for me to have people come over because she will run up to the door and proceed to bark aggressively. Zoey would jump on people and when we would let our second dog out to play who is another Pit Bull named Royalty they would both get so hyper they would knock people and things over. Royalty also had the problem with jumping on people, extremely hyper, running up to our fence and barking at people passing our home. Michael showed us a few strategies to help with all the areas listed above within one hour we had our home back!!! We could open the door with out them charging to get out or at people, they were walking side by side in the yard , less barking and must importantly they were not charging at the gates when people walk by. We couldn't believe it, they were different dogs by the end of the session. With consistency and patients after working with Michael we no longer feel we need to give Zoey up. We gained control of our home and in future if we ever need help I know exactly who to call. Thank you Michael!!!
PermalinkChelsea M.
8 years ago
— Stamford, CT
In an hours time Mike helped us to completely change the way our puppy reacts and responds to the door bell, visitors and us! We learned so much from Mike and are grateful for his time and energy in helping us communicate more effectively with our lovely puppy! The training he did was easy to understand, explained well and is easy to follow through with at home leading to great results so far! Would recommend Mike to anyone who'd like the simplest or most complicated dog issue sorted! Thank you SO much, Mike 😊
PermalinkKatherine B.
8 years ago
— Stamford, CT
I am a veterinarian and consulted with Michael on some issues with my puppy. She was having some fear issues, as well as pulling on the leash etc. Michael was very friendly and professional and worked with my dog and I to communicate effectively and give her more confidence. She responded to his methods right away and has continued to do well since. I strongly recommend Michael to my clients for a variety of behavioral problems.
PermalinkKate M.
8 years ago
— Stratford, CT
Michael impressed us immediately with his knowledge and clarity about proper training of our goldendoodle puppy. He instilled a renewed confidence in us that this can be managed by our being consistent. We are more optimistic now knowing that we have an expert just a phone call away!
PermalinkMcgill D.
8 years ago
— Stamford, CT
I wanted to wait a while before I posted a review too see how effective the training was. And with Michaels help it made my family's life and dogs life way better. My dog Julian was aggressive, jumping up a lot, and the worse of them all pulling on a leash. In one session we started to see a change and then when my family and I started to do it ourselves I started to finally see the results and I couldn't be happier. Not only did he give us tips about teaching my dog proper manners, he gave us advice about feeding and about socializing and I really appreciated that. Michael, from The Dumay Family, thanks again for all your help and we will definitely be seeing you soon for a follow up!
PermalinkMark M.
8 years ago
— Norwalk, CT
Michael was extremely knowledgeable, understanding and compassionate. It was amazing how quickly our dogs responded to his methods.
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