Bark Busters Greater San Diego Reviews

Reviews

152 Reviews ★★★★★(Average 5 out of 5)

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  • Andre P.
    5 months ago — San Diego, CA

    Photo of Miles We got our German Shepherd at 9 weeks old, and as time went on, we knew we had to be proactive dog parents to prevent reactivity issues. We love adventure, and one of our biggest priorities was being able to take our fur baby with us to explore the world.
    In the beginning, Miles struggled with leash pulling, lacked boundaries and social skills, and was highly reactive to other dogs, bikes, and motorcycles. We quickly realized that structure was essential for him, so we reached out to Bark Buster Home Dog Training - that turned out to be the best decision we could have made.
    From our very first session with our trainer, Justin, we saw an immediate difference. He set the tone right away, and it felt like night and day. One of the things we appreciated most was Justin’s ability to simplify the learning process. He didn’t just train the dog—he trained us too. He helped us understand canine behavior and taught us how to communicate our expectations in a way that made sense to our pup (instead of just speaking English and hoping for the best!).
    After just three weeks, our dog is so focused on walks that I actually enjoy walking him now. At only six months old, he’s become so much more mature. He’s learning to socialize, he’s calm, and his reactivity has drastically reduced.
    The best advice I can offer: trust Justin to help build a strong foundation, but be prepared to put in the work. This isn’t a quick fix—it’s a commitment and a beautiful journey.
    Thank you again to Dog Buster Training for giving us peace of mind and a better life with our dog!

    • #Hyperactivity
    • #Jumping up
    • #Pulling
    • #Puppy management
  • Alec .
    10 months ago — Greater San Diego

    Photo of Balto I could not be more happy with the service provided by Justin. In just one session my dog was transformed and I haven’t stopped smiling since! I would 100% recommend everyone to go with Justin and bark busters!

    • #Hyperactivity
    • #Jumping up
    • #Pulling
  • Tina D.
    19 months ago — El Cajon, CA

    Photo of Max Our family selected Bark Busters for our in-home training needs and it was the best decision we made. Max is 4.5 years old Pitbull, Beauceron, Lab mix, 80lbs & was adopted into our home 2.5 years ago. We were discussing the process of re-homing our beloved dog Max when I found Bark Busters on google. Max was aggressive when visitors came to the home and we had to keep him lock in a crate or separate room. He would incisively bark at mail man, delivery persons, neighbors walking by the house on the sidewalk. Max began becoming aggressive with my oldest son and his girlfriend over the last 8 months. After doing a ton of research and reading countless reviews regarding correcting aggressive and protective dog behavior I was willing to give it a try in hopes we could enjoy many more years with our dog. From the first phone call to the first visit; the service was 10/10. Marcus called and completed a thorough intake of Max and the behaviors we had experienced. We were sent instructions to follow leading up to the first consultation. We sent videos of Max prior to first meeting to allow our assigned behavior specialist an opportunity to observe Max behavior. The first visit was extremely educational. The trainer went into depth about why Max behaves the way he does and helped us develop communication skills with Max that he understood that would allow us to correct these behaviors. Within in the first 2 hours Max went from a dog that would jump through a window to guard this house from anyone passing by on the sidewalk or attempting to approach the door, now he sits calmly on the floor not triggered in the slightest by the Fed Ex delivery people. Our walks have become more enjoyable and easier now that Max understand that I am his pack leader. There is respect, boundaries, trust and communication. All things that were lacking for the last 2.5 years since we had adopted Max from the shelter. Our first visit with Bark Busters was 2 weeks ago and Max continues to build on his confidence daily in learning to trust his humans and that we will handle any situation. Max is much friendlier, calmer, respectful, playful, chill. The family is learning to exhale and trust Max again and the children are also building confidence in correcting Max when if he is triggered.

    • #Aggression
    • #Barking
    • #Hyperactivity
    • #Jumping up
    • #Pulling
  • Tina D.
    19 months ago — El Cajon, CA

    Photo of Max Our family selected Bark Busters for our in-home training needs and it was the best decision we made. Max is 4.5 years old Pitbull, Beauceron, Lab mix, 80lbs & was adopted into our home 2.5 years ago. We were discussing the process of re-homing our beloved dog Max when I found Bark Busters on google. Max was aggressive when visitors came to the home and we had to keep him lock in a crate or separate room. He would incisively bark at mail man, delivery persons, neighbors walking by the house on the sidewalk. Max began becoming aggressive with my oldest son and his girlfriend over the last 8 months. After doing a ton of research and reading countless reviews regarding correcting aggressive and protective dog behavior I was willing to give it a try in hopes we could enjoy many more years with our dog. From the first phone call to the first visit; the service was 10/10. Marcus called and completed a thorough intake of Max and the behaviors we had experienced. We were sent instructions to follow leading up to the first consultation. We sent videos of Max prior to first meeting to allow our assigned behavior specialist an opportunity to observe Max behavior. The first visit was extremely educational. The trainer went into depth about why Max behaves the way he does and helped us develop communication skills with Max that he understood that would allow us to correct these behaviors. Within in the first 2 hours Max went from a dog that would jump through a window to guard this house from anyone passing by on the sidewalk or attempting to approach the door, now he sits calmly on the floor not triggered in the slightest by the Fed Ex delivery people. Our walks have become more enjoyable and easier now that Max understand that I am his pack leader. There is respect, boundaries, trust and communication. All things that were lacking for the last 2.5 years since we had adopted Max from the shelter. Our first visit with Bark Busters was 2 weeks ago and Max continues to build on his confidence daily in learning to trust his humans and that we will handle any situation. Max is much friendlier, calmer, respectful, playful, chill. The family is learning to exhale and trust Max again and the children are also building confidence in correcting Max when if he is triggered.

    • #Aggression
    • #Barking
    • #Hyperactivity
    • #Jumping up
    • #Pulling
  • Michele S.
    19 months ago — Chula Vista, CA

    Photo of Ellie Mae We are absolutely amazed! We have a 3 year old Cockerpoo that we purchased during COVID. Because of that, she didn't get the socialization that she would have received. Ellie Mae was anxious, barked all the time at anything, people walking their dogs by our house, delivery trucks, basically anything or for no reason. We have had 4 trainers for Ellie Mae in 3 years and we never saw a difference in her behavior. That is until we found Jenna at Bark Busters!!
    Oh my goodness! What a huge difference! Our home is so much more peaceful! We now have the tools to stop the barking before it escalates. Now when she barks, which is less and less, we stop it! Bark Busters are dog behaviorists and that makes all the difference.
    There are still some things that we are working on, like when people come to the house and how to keep Ellie Mae in her place when we open the door to let our guests in, but we have such harmony and Ellie Mae seems so much happier! She's not on guard all the time and not on high alert. She is much more relaxed!
    We had friends over the other night and they couldn't get over the change in Ellie Mae. It's so noticeable.
    We are absolutely thrilled and so grateful to have found Jenna and Bark Busters. We are clients for life!
    JENNA, YOU ARE AMAZING!
    Thank you so much,
    M~ & M

    • #Barking
    • #Hyperactivity
    • #Jumping up
    • #Pulling
    • #Other
  • Melanie T.
    21 months ago — La Mesa, CA

    Photo of Mochi My 4 year old Pomeranian had a lot of behavioral issues that I was struggling so hard to correct. He was always territorial of his food, places in the house and me and would even resort to biting to guard these things. He would also bark nonstop in the house when he heard dogs outside and no command could stop him. He would also be very reactive to other dogs in public which would always stress me out when we were out to the point where I wasn’t able to enjoy being out with him. This always made me so sad to have to leave him in the house all the time because of his reactivity. I was desperate for change and was so scared that he wouldn’t be able to change since he is already almost 4 and has very severe habits. However, Justin has completely changed him. I was skeptical when they said we would see results within the first session but it was absolutely true. After just one session, he became the quietest dog on our block. He wouldn’t respond at all to the dogs barking around our neighborhood. He became so well behaved, some family members became worried because of how quiet he stayed. The biggest miracle is him not being territorial anymore. This has ensured my family of complete safety around the house. I never thought my dog would be able to learn how to heel, but Justin showed him how in the first session which completely astonished me. A few days after our first session, I was able to take my dog out to the mall and it was the first time I was able to enjoy being out with him. He would quietly wait under the table while we ate and didn’t react to dogs he would come across while we were walking. Justin has been absolutely amazing. It is so comforting to have someone of his caliber and expertise guiding you and genuinely caring about you and your dog. He makes every effort to make sure he is able to help with whatever you need and always emphasizes that he is only one text away. He always finds a way to fit you into his schedule and is a complete joy to be around. When they say he is the last trainer you’ll ever need, they mean it. Investing in training my dog has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. Both me and my dog have become less stressed and are both now able to enjoy life to the fullest.

    • #Aggression
    • #Barking
    • #Hyperactivity
    • #Jumping up
    • #Pulling
    • #Toileting
    • #Other
  • Arah S.
    22 months ago — Greater San Diego

    There aren’t enough words to express how grateful I am for Justin’s help with training Ranger. Here’s a bit about Ranger when we first started:
    - He was 90 lbs and pulled on a leash, even with a prong collar.
    - He was extremely reactive and could not contain the malamute in him. He just HAD to say hi (bark) at every person and dog to meet them.
    - He was constantly on high alert, and his solution for every situation was the craziest solution.
    Walks were unpleasant for both of us, I would constantly just yell and be frustrated and he didn’t have the correct guidance.

    The first session with Justin, he was able to get Ranger to loose leash walk next to him in 5 seconds. That’s when I realized, it’s not Ranger. It’s my fault and our miscommunication. I didn’t know how to tell him properly that he shouldn’t be pulling on the leash. I didn’t know how to tell him that he has to be calm to be able to great people and dogs.
    We’ve only had about 4-5 sessions, 30 mins each. His teaching style is very clear and super EASY! Ranger and I now have better communication and work better as a team. Ranger is now my service dog in training, he comes to my classes with me every week and flies with me. He can now:
    - Loose leash walk, and heel properly.
    - Ignore people and dogs when we’re out
    - Be CALM everywhere we go.
    - Realize the difference between play time and work time.

    Justin doesn’t teach service dog tasks, but he WILL make sure your dog can become calm and confident. He was able to help me turn my reactive dog into a service dog. I am so so grateful for everything Justin did for us!
    I highly recommend BarkBusters. This is the best decision we ever made! Both Ranger and I now have a better and happier life with better training and communication.

    • #Barking
    • #Chewing
    • #Hyperactivity
    • #Jumping up
    • #Pulling
    • #Other
  • Joe M.
    23 months ago — San Diego, CA

    Sharing some tail-wagging success I’ve had with my fur son, Maverick (Maviboy) and our dog behavioral therapist, Justin! Maverick was a bit of a wild child (rescue pup -- got him @ 8 weeks old) with his barking, crazy walks (zig zagging all over the place), and his knack for turning every greeting into a jumping party. Spoiler: Justin came in and worked some serious magic.

    First off, let's talk about the barking situation. Maverick is an excited pup and would 'play bark' at almost any dog that was bigger than him (50lb Boxer Pit) to get their attention, but Justin gave us the tools to dial this down tremendously.

    Secondly, our walks… Maverick really bodied the, "I'm gonna pull you everywhere on our walks" mentality. Justin came with a game plan that turned our strolls into a focused dog walk that didn’t involve any pulling (on our very first session). Night and day difference.

    Lastly, when it comes to Maverick’s greetings… he is a big lover and would jump on every guest that entered the house. With a bit of ‘pawsitive reinforcement’ and some corrections (‘Bah’s and throw pillows’), now Maviboy greets our friends without turning everyone into his personal launchpad.

    But what really sets our therapist apart is the ‘Scher’ love he has for animals/genuienly wanting to understand ‘YOU’ and your furry friend as individuals and a team. It's not just a job for Just; it's a passion, and you can tell. He is truly a dog whisperer.

    So, if your fur baby needs a behavior boost or if you just want to understand how to communicate with your pup best friend, Justin is the man, hands down. Thanks for all that you do for pups, Justin! Big licks from Maviboy.

    • #Barking
    • #Hyperactivity
    • #Jumping up
    • #Pulling
  • Juliana De B.
    2 years ago — Vista, CA

    I am astonished! My trainer JD accomplished a miracle within the first three hours (1st visit). I have 2 behemoth american bulldog puppies weighing in at 220lbs total at 18 months--strong willed and protective. Pre JD, they walked all over me: I wasn't able to take them in my car, go on hikes with them, or walk them together.
    I am in control now of their barking and behavior. Today, my dream of walking them together at Calavera Lake came true--3 months later. I am so grateful for JD teaching ME how to be the alpha and thereby giving them more than a backyard life.
    juliana de beers, vista I am astonished! My trainer JD accomplished a miracle within the first three hours (1st visit). I have 2 behemoth american bulldog puppies weighing in at 220lbs total at 18 months--strong willed and protective. Pre JD, they walked all over me: I wasn't able to take them in my car, go on hikes with them, or walk them together.
    I am in control now of their barking and behavior. Today, my dream of walking them together at Calavera Lake came true--3 months later. I am so grateful for JD teaching ME how to be the alpha and thereby giving them more than a backyard life.
    juliana de beers, vista

    • #Aggression
    • #Barking
    • #Hyperactivity
    • #Jumping up
    • #Pulling
  • Denise H.
    2 years ago — Encinitas, CA

    I contacted Bark Busters after seeing changes in my Frenchie that weren't resolving, regardless of what I tried. It seemed my girl was probably experiencing some type of anxiety. She had admittedly been spoiled along the way. She had become aggressive on a leash, frequently barking at the door, jumping up & down during her food prep & acting out when she didn't get what she wanted. Walks had become stressful, as I found myself regularly apologizing for her behavior.

    I'd be lying if I said I wasn't initially a bit skeptical. I appreciated the time Justin took to talk me through why their methods were successful, as it really helped reassure me. I also appreciated that Justin didn't blame me for what was happening. I felt enough guilt as it was.

    It was truly amazing seeing how quickly CoCo responded! Within an hour of Justin arriving, she was responding well to my cues. She immediately walked well, with no leash aggression. She now sits quietly at my side as I prepare her meal. It's rare for her to bark at the door.

    The greatest outcome has been seeing CoCo more relaxed! Frankly, I'm more relaxed. It's also incredibly reassuring that Justin is a text or phone call away! He's been very supportive.

    • #Aggression
    • #Barking
    • #Hyperactivity
    • #Jumping up
    • #Pulling

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