Bark Busters Rockland and South Orange Counties Reviews
Reviews
166 Reviews ★★★★★(Average 5 out of 5)
Jodi B.
7 years ago
— Monroe, NY
Michelle is amazing! She is kind and patient. She really took the time to explain things to the entire family. We had immediate results with our 7 year old dog who usually does not listen to anyone. Our new puppy is also learning! I highly recommend Michelle!!!
Thank you Jodi! I really enjoyed working with your family! You guys did great and I look forward to seeing your progress as you continue to work with your pups! I'm always here to help when you need me! ~Michelle
Lauren D.
8 years ago
— Suffern, NY
We adopted an excitable Pointer mix (Felix) who we thought would settle in with our family. After almost a year, he was still barking at my husband, lunging at people and dogs on walks, and greeted anyone who came to our house with incessant barking and jumping. We were at our wit's end and my husband was ready to give Felix back to the foster family.
I picked up a Bark Busters card at my Veterinarian's office with Michelle McCarthy's name and title of Dog Behavioral Therapist and Trainer. Can I say that that was a most superb decision?
Michelle came to our home and spent time with us, educating our family on everything from the different ways dogs communicate to our own body language and voice tones. After "training" us, we trained with Felix both inside and outside of our house using solely natural methods. We worked on everything from reclaiming our front door and his constant barking to walking on a leash. The improvement was immediate! Already the lunging at passersby (We live on a cul-de-sac.) has stopped. Our neighbors were shocked!
I highly recommend Michelle McCarthy at Bark Busters if you are looking for a trainer, and I have already referred her to a neighbor down the street after he complimented Felix's leash behavior and responses to my commands. She was thorough with "training" us humans, incredibly patient, and we felt she genuinely cared about Felix. She was so wonderful that our elderly dog took some training tips just by listening and observing her with Felix!
We look forward to our future sessions with Michelle and we are grateful for the lifetime support!
Thank you Lauren! Your dedication to Felix is amazing and I am so happy to hear how well you have done with him! I'm always here if you need help! ~Michelle
Samantha G.
8 years ago
— Suffern, NY
Michelle did a great job! Felix learned the skills and behaviors quickly. Even a day later, he is a much calmer dog! Thank you so much for your help!
Thank you Samantha! It was my pleasure working with all of you and Felix! I'm always here to help if you need me! ~Michelle
Jessi A.
8 years ago
— Pearl River, NY
After we adopted Spikey, our handsome pit-bull mix, we realized he had some neurological issues, and was eventually diagnosed with a brain tumor. With these medical concerns, combined with the negative stereotype pit-bulls often have, it was very important that we find a trainer who was not biased and who was willing to work with our family. We contacted Michelle to try and address the new behaviors, aggression and stress that he was showing and she was more than happy to work with us! She personalized the training methods to fit our household as well as to Spikey's specific needs, and was able to distinguish between the behaviors he could and could not control. Unfortunately we recently had to make the hardest decision of all to allow Spikey to cross the rainbow bridge, but with Michelle's help, Spikey's last few months were stress-free and happy. When our family is ready to save another dog we will definitely be calling Michelle to help the 'pack' stay happy and stress-free!
Thank you Jessi. It really was my honor and privilege to work with you guys and Spikey. He was an awesome boy and so very lucky to have you guys come into his life and make his last few months ones filled with love and happiness. I look forward to working with you both again, when the time is right for you. ~ Michelle
Jeff C.
8 years ago
— Suffern, NY
Michelle was very knowledgeable on the issues we asked her to address and had a passive yet firm approach to how to figure out our dog's issues. From just the first visit (which was only a few hours long) Karma responded positively with results and with the training provided, she also progressed over the next couple of weeks. I found the training to be very helpful and I'd recommend it to others without hesitation. Thank you Michelle!
Hi Jeff, Thank you! Karma is a smart girl and you guys have done so well with her! Well done to all of you! I'm here to help anytime you need me. ~ Michelle
Robert A.
8 years ago
— Rockland & South Orange Counties, New York
Michelle is an expert on dog behavior and dog training. She has helped me solve several behavior problems I was having with my puppy. She is an excellent teacher who clearly makes sure you understand and practice the skills of the training session.
Thank you Robert! It's been such fun helping you with your puppy. He's got a strong will, but is cute as can be and is such a loving companion. It was a good decision to start working with him now to ensure he starts off heading in the right direction. As always, I'm here anytime you need me to help you with training!
Jennifer S.
9 years ago
— New City, NY
Michelle McCarthy from Bark Busters is a miracle worker! I first called her in May of 2015 when I got my 8 week old Havanese, who was a terror. Lily was chewing everything, having accidents everyday, ruining everything she came into contact with. After our first session, I saw such a change in her personality and demeanor. As the weeks progressed she became my little angel. One of the major problems that Michelle and I were working on was Lily's separation anxiety. It seemed to get better, but was not perfect. She still was having accidents almost everyday when left alone. After a year, I decided that she needed a companion. In May of 2016 I adopted Fenway, a 3 year old Minpin/Beagle mix. From the first day of them meeting, Lily has not had a single accident. Using the tools Michelle gave me, I started training Fenway, a hyper untrained dog. He was very receptive and I got him to a place that I felt comfortable with.
In July of 2016, there was an incident in which they were being abused by a significant other. After removing them from that situation, I was left to pick up the pieces. Both dogs became afraid of strangers walking towards them. They both would bark and growl to protect themselves due to fear of being hurt. It was Michelle to the rescue! With one visit I took control back and Lily and Fenway trust me again to know that I will protect them. I would highly recommend Michelle from Bark Busters! Not only is she an amazing trainer, she's a compassionate person who truly loves what she does!
Hi Jennifer, Thank you! I enjoyed working first with you and Lily and now again with your new little guy, Fenway! It is wonderful to see how far you have come with them both and I am glad that I could be a part of their life with you! Michelle
alexandria m.
9 years ago
— Stony Point, NY
I have an existing 8yr old male mixed breed 55lbs and introduced an 8lb female pit bull puppy and it didn't go well. The 8yr doesn't like small dogs and the house was in complete chaos. Michelle came and I saw an immediate improvement. The baby started learning her boundaries and the older dog became more tolerant. In 1 session the baby was able to sit, stay and set free on command as food was being placed down. The puppy chewing decreased dramatically. We moved on to work on door boundaries and walking skills. Over the course of 2 months Michelle was there to support and reassure that we were capable leaders. Today, the puppy and the older dog both are wonderful. They are working on their door boundaries and have come a long way. They are playing like two siblings while respecting each others private space (sleeping and eating). They know their basic commands. I am amazed at Michelle's calm ability to give me the skill sets to manage these furbabies. Was worth every penny. But you have to be ready to take the skills you are taught and incorporate them in to your everyday life.
Hi Alex, Thank you! It was such a pleasure to work with your family and help your puppy fit in. It has been such a joy to receive the pictures you send of your younger and older dog getting along so well together, as brother and sister :-) Well done to you guys! Michelle
Matthew P.
9 years ago
— Pomona, NY
We called Bark Busters over two years ago to help train our then 7-year-old dog Baxter... We've tried other trainers years before but the difference was night and day. Michelle not only taught Baxter, but she really taught us how to understand him and be the leader. We couldn't believe how fast and willing he was to be led by us. The difference was immediate. We had to call again recently as we are having a baby and wanted to learn how to ease Baxter into this change. Since Baxter was covered by the Bark Busters lifetime guarantee, Michelle was more than happy to come over right away, for no additional charge, and show us how to help him easily adapt. We highly recommend Bark Busters and Michelle if you need help with not only training your dog, but learning yourself on how to be the leader.
10 years ago
— Rockland & South Orange Counties, New York
We got a new puppy and were having a hard time adjusting her into the family. We called Michelle as recommended by other family members who also loved her. Michelle is outstanding; she taught us how to be the Leaders of our Pack and now both our dogs live together great!!!! They play and sleep in the same room without any difficulty. The puppy is noticeably different. She is so much easier to manage and listens great. We can't recommend Michelle enough. You will never have regrets if you use her; 5 STARS all around
Hi Estee and Herb, I have loved working with both of you, and ALL of your family. You are all so dedicated to your furry family members and I'm grateful to have been there to help. Michelle :-)
Jodi B.
7 years ago
— Monroe, NY
Michelle is amazing! She is kind and patient. She really took the time to explain things to the entire family. We had immediate results with our 7 year old dog who usually does not listen to anyone. Our new puppy is also learning! I highly recommend Michelle!!!
PermalinkLauren D.
8 years ago
— Suffern, NY
We adopted an excitable Pointer mix (Felix) who we thought would settle in with our family. After almost a year, he was still barking at my husband, lunging at people and dogs on walks, and greeted anyone who came to our house with incessant barking and jumping. We were at our wit's end and my husband was ready to give Felix back to the foster family.
PermalinkI picked up a Bark Busters card at my Veterinarian's office with Michelle McCarthy's name and title of Dog Behavioral Therapist and Trainer. Can I say that that was a most superb decision?
Michelle came to our home and spent time with us, educating our family on everything from the different ways dogs communicate to our own body language and voice tones. After "training" us, we trained with Felix both inside and outside of our house using solely natural methods. We worked on everything from reclaiming our front door and his constant barking to walking on a leash. The improvement was immediate! Already the lunging at passersby (We live on a cul-de-sac.) has stopped. Our neighbors were shocked!
I highly recommend Michelle McCarthy at Bark Busters if you are looking for a trainer, and I have already referred her to a neighbor down the street after he complimented Felix's leash behavior and responses to my commands. She was thorough with "training" us humans, incredibly patient, and we felt she genuinely cared about Felix. She was so wonderful that our elderly dog took some training tips just by listening and observing her with Felix!
We look forward to our future sessions with Michelle and we are grateful for the lifetime support!
Samantha G.
8 years ago
— Suffern, NY
Michelle did a great job! Felix learned the skills and behaviors quickly. Even a day later, he is a much calmer dog! Thank you so much for your help!
PermalinkJessi A.
8 years ago
— Pearl River, NY
After we adopted Spikey, our handsome pit-bull mix, we realized he had some neurological issues, and was eventually diagnosed with a brain tumor. With these medical concerns, combined with the negative stereotype pit-bulls often have, it was very important that we find a trainer who was not biased and who was willing to work with our family. We contacted Michelle to try and address the new behaviors, aggression and stress that he was showing and she was more than happy to work with us! She personalized the training methods to fit our household as well as to Spikey's specific needs, and was able to distinguish between the behaviors he could and could not control. Unfortunately we recently had to make the hardest decision of all to allow Spikey to cross the rainbow bridge, but with Michelle's help, Spikey's last few months were stress-free and happy. When our family is ready to save another dog we will definitely be calling Michelle to help the 'pack' stay happy and stress-free!
PermalinkJeff C.
8 years ago
— Suffern, NY
Michelle was very knowledgeable on the issues we asked her to address and had a passive yet firm approach to how to figure out our dog's issues. From just the first visit (which was only a few hours long) Karma responded positively with results and with the training provided, she also progressed over the next couple of weeks. I found the training to be very helpful and I'd recommend it to others without hesitation. Thank you Michelle!
PermalinkRobert A.
8 years ago
— Rockland & South Orange Counties, New York
Michelle is an expert on dog behavior and dog training. She has helped me solve several behavior problems I was having with my puppy. She is an excellent teacher who clearly makes sure you understand and practice the skills of the training session.
PermalinkJennifer S.
9 years ago
— New City, NY
Michelle McCarthy from Bark Busters is a miracle worker! I first called her in May of 2015 when I got my 8 week old Havanese, who was a terror. Lily was chewing everything, having accidents everyday, ruining everything she came into contact with. After our first session, I saw such a change in her personality and demeanor. As the weeks progressed she became my little angel. One of the major problems that Michelle and I were working on was Lily's separation anxiety. It seemed to get better, but was not perfect. She still was having accidents almost everyday when left alone. After a year, I decided that she needed a companion. In May of 2016 I adopted Fenway, a 3 year old Minpin/Beagle mix. From the first day of them meeting, Lily has not had a single accident. Using the tools Michelle gave me, I started training Fenway, a hyper untrained dog. He was very receptive and I got him to a place that I felt comfortable with.
PermalinkIn July of 2016, there was an incident in which they were being abused by a significant other. After removing them from that situation, I was left to pick up the pieces. Both dogs became afraid of strangers walking towards them. They both would bark and growl to protect themselves due to fear of being hurt. It was Michelle to the rescue! With one visit I took control back and Lily and Fenway trust me again to know that I will protect them. I would highly recommend Michelle from Bark Busters! Not only is she an amazing trainer, she's a compassionate person who truly loves what she does!
alexandria m.
9 years ago
— Stony Point, NY
I have an existing 8yr old male mixed breed 55lbs and introduced an 8lb female pit bull puppy and it didn't go well. The 8yr doesn't like small dogs and the house was in complete chaos. Michelle came and I saw an immediate improvement. The baby started learning her boundaries and the older dog became more tolerant. In 1 session the baby was able to sit, stay and set free on command as food was being placed down. The puppy chewing decreased dramatically. We moved on to work on door boundaries and walking skills. Over the course of 2 months Michelle was there to support and reassure that we were capable leaders. Today, the puppy and the older dog both are wonderful. They are working on their door boundaries and have come a long way. They are playing like two siblings while respecting each others private space (sleeping and eating). They know their basic commands. I am amazed at Michelle's calm ability to give me the skill sets to manage these furbabies. Was worth every penny. But you have to be ready to take the skills you are taught and incorporate them in to your everyday life.
PermalinkMatthew P.
9 years ago
— Pomona, NY
We called Bark Busters over two years ago to help train our then 7-year-old dog Baxter... We've tried other trainers years before but the difference was night and day. Michelle not only taught Baxter, but she really taught us how to understand him and be the leader. We couldn't believe how fast and willing he was to be led by us. The difference was immediate. We had to call again recently as we are having a baby and wanted to learn how to ease Baxter into this change. Since Baxter was covered by the Bark Busters lifetime guarantee, Michelle was more than happy to come over right away, for no additional charge, and show us how to help him easily adapt. We highly recommend Bark Busters and Michelle if you need help with not only training your dog, but learning yourself on how to be the leader.
PermalinkEstee and Herb S.
10 years ago
— Rockland & South Orange Counties, New York
We got a new puppy and were having a hard time adjusting her into the family. We called Michelle as recommended by other family members who also loved her. Michelle is outstanding; she taught us how to be the Leaders of our Pack and now both our dogs live together great!!!! They play and sleep in the same room without any difficulty. The puppy is noticeably different. She is so much easier to manage and listens great. We can't recommend Michelle enough. You will never have regrets if you use her; 5 STARS all around
Permalink« previous 1 2 3 4 next »