Bark Busters has been AMAZING! I cannot tell you just how much I appreciate the talented and helpful staff at Bark Busters. I reached out to them about a month ago because I had a dog that was dog aggressive. I say "had a dog" because he no longer is outwardly aggressive and he is controllable, which has literally changed our lives! My lab mix, Walter, is 6 years old and he has been dog aggressive since he was about 6 months old. His behavior just got worse and worse as he got older and it got to the point where he would not just bark and growl at other dogs, but he would try to do any thing and everything he could to get to the other dog (even if the other dog was way down the street and even if he could not see the dog but could hear it somewhere in the distance) which included lunging, barking, crying/yelping, jumping, and even pulling me down to the ground. I got so fed up that I stopped walking him because it was such a stress not just on him, but on myself as well. I tried everything from different collars and halters that went over different parts of his body, to treats, to other distraction methods, to different vocal cues ... but nothing worked. Nothing helped. It just got worse and worse. I even tried group training at a local chain pet store but that did not help in the least.
It was not until I met Justin with Bark Busters that I realized what the real cause of Walter's behavior was, what I was doing wrong with him and what I could do to fix it. Justin came to my house and clearly explained to me the root of the problems and what I could do to help Walter and myself. By the end of the first lesson, Walter was a much calmer and happier dog (in just that one hour!).
After our first session, I diligently worked on my "homework" with Walter and the next time that I met with Justin at a dog park, Walter was a completely different dog. He was calm, relaxed, happy to be out and ignored all the other dogs around him. Walter will never be the "sociable type" but I can at least walk him without having to worry about him getting all worked up and potentially attacking another dog. This calming behavior has even crossed over to other areas that used to stress me (and Walther) out. For example, without even working on this directly, Walter started to relax during car rides. Before Bark Busters, he would pace back and fourth, cry the entire ride, bark at people and dogs on the street and just be a nervous wreck. Just by working on his other issues, Walter started to behave differently in other situations, like the car rides. He has calmed down and he even sleeps in the car now! He still has the same lovable personality that I fell in love with, but he is so relaxed and so happy all the time and looks to me for reassurance.
I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am with Bark Busters. They were worth every penny. The trainer, Justin, was absolutely amazing. He was professional, supportive, and clearly explained everything. Walther really liked him and even enjoys his training sessions.
I will continue to use them (as they have a lifetime training guarantee) as needed and I can honestly say that this program has literally changed my life with Walter for the better! I highly recommend this company (and Justin) to anyone experiencing dog issues.
Thank you Bark Busters & Justin!
After rescuing Bruce 4 years ago (7 months old pitbull/boxer mix) from the pound I realized the challenge I was up to was too hard to handle. Bruce's emotional damage was too deep and he was extremely scared of everything. He did not want to come out of the house. And his separation anxiety made him literally destroy my home. I was so desperate I even called Cesar Milan but I was ignored.
When I saw Justin's brochure at the vet I decided to give it a try.
Justin is exactly like all these reviews say: such a good guy with a deep passion for dogs and helping families be happy with their dog. I decided to buy the lifetime training for Bruce as this kind of problem is very slow to resolve and it takes lots of patience.
Justin came to see us for several lessons. Also, I would call him every time I had a doubt and he was always there for us, after hour and weekends included.
Needless to say, with Justin's help Bruce came out of his shell within a few months and today he is A PEFECT DOG!
Moreover, Justin opened my eyes to a brand new way of looking at dogs and interacting with them. Now I feel like I understand better all dogs.
Both my dogs, Bruce and Vasco, are simply perfect. Thanks to Justin's teachings, now I have a channel of communication with them.
I recently called Justin to ask him for an advice (3 years later) and he immediately remembered me and Bruce like we saw each other the day before.
Justin is genuinely concerned about dogs and I believe he has the skills to resolve most situations. He will help you if you are willing to work with your dog. Because after all, dog training is more for dog owners to understand how to communicate with their dog and how to be understood from them. It does take lots of love, time, work and dedication from the owner. Dog training does not exactly work with a 'magic wand' to fix issues immediately, but with Justin and a bit of work on your part, it sure works! Justin makes training fun and bonding with your dog. I enjoyed this experience and the results.
All I can say is: thank you, Justin!
My wife and I just met with Justin for our first session, and we were both blown away with the results that we saw from just a couple of hours together.
First off, Justin arrived early, which I think is awesome this day and age. My first impression was that he was extremely professional, personable, and his love for our dogs came out immediately after he met them.
The first part of our session was spent with Justin getting a little bit of background information on what we had been experiences with our dogs. We have two yorkie/schnauzer mixes, Nala and Trip. Both of them have been suffering from some level of separation anxiety. When we would leave the house, they would go crazy. You couldn't open a drawer to grab a pair of socks, pull out your shoes to throw them on, or touch your car keys. If the dogs were picking up on the fact that you were leaving, and they were experts at picking up on this, then they were going to start jumping, whining, barking and spinning around in circles. They have also had a lot of problems in the car with scratching, lots of panting, whining, and barking. This was mostly Trip, but both of the dogs experienced it. Trip has been good on walks with us so far, and didn't require much work today, but Nala has really always tried to be out in front on her walks. She would basically, at her four and a half pound weight, try and pull you along for the ride. She had to always be out in front.
After going through the background information Justin started talking to us a little about his background, the creation of the company and their philosophy, and then about the approach that we would take for really interjecting and stopping these behaviors that were unwanted. He taught us how make a growling sound while saying "bah" to try and speak to the dogs in a language that they can understand and respond to.
We then went upstairs to put these methods into practice. He had me go upstairs, throw a pair of socks and shoes on and intentionally try to get a reaction of them. When they reacted, we reacted, and started working with them on these behaviors. We saw results instantly. They seemed to not understand what was going on, since we had not ever done anything with them like this before, but they were new dogs.
We then worked on walking all the way down the stairs with them, very slowly, so that we would feel like we didn't have to rush out the door (we used to always throw on our shoes, rush out and grab our keys and try and leave so they wouldn't get worked up). We had success in this area, as well. Don't get me wrong, we are correcting their behavior, but I have never seen them respond to us this well and this quickly.
The next thing we did was practice going inside and outside a few times, and then got them on their leashes to go on a walk. For Nala he gave her a special collar, which he included in the price of his visit today. She had been on a harness before, but did wonderfully with this on her. It gave her a lot more freedom to walk on her own, so she wouldn't have to feel so restricted, and I can't even begin to describe the 180-degree change in her from one session of walking. We walked around the neighborhood trying to find other dogs for them to interact with, because Nala has always just barked her head off when other dogs come around, but couldn't find any dogs anywhere.
After the walk went well, we then through a Thundershirt that we had already had on Trip before and was still in the house to try and take him on a ride in the car. Justin explained to us that you have to have it on there really snug for it to be effective, and helped us to see how to correctly put it on him. I had put it on securely before, but we got it on there tighter this time and actually saw results. We went on a ten minute drive and Trip barely made a peep. Not only was he quiet, but both of them just seemed happy throughout the entire day.
We came back, Justin reviewed everything with us and left us with the instructions and things that we need to continue to work with our dogs on. He probably told us ten different times to call him if ANYTHING comes up so that he can help us on it. My wife and I could both tell that he truly wants to see these dogs succeed. She was tearing up on the walk, almost making me tear up on the walk, because all we want is these guys to just be happy. The way that Justin handles himself, too, just shows you that he loves each and every one of these dogs that he is interacting with and will do whatever he can within his power and means to help you with them. At the beginning of our session, while speaking to the anxiety, he never promised to be able to fix everything, but I can't tell you how different these guys seem already. My wife and I feel a wave of relief after two hours together.
My wife and I adopted a shepherd-mix puppy at 8 weeks last year. We quickly realized we were in over our heads and immediately signed up for obedience classes. Simultaneous to these courses - we "enrolled" Kazi in doggie day-care because we knew we wanted him to be socialized with other dogs. Neither of us wanted to have a dog that didn't get along with other dogs.
We never anticipated that he would become a dog that showed aggression towards PEOPLE!
We began to notice at about 5 months, Kazi not only was becoming fearful of a lot of things he had never been fearful of before (our friends, neighbors) but that he was becoming aggressive in general. He also discovered his bark - a bark that sounded 'cute' initially eventually became explosively aggressive In general - he was exhibiting these signs towards men, tall people, children. When he saw something he was afraid of hi hackles shot up, his ears shot forward, and his body stance appeared ready to attack all the while with maniacal barking and baring of his teeth. It was scary even for us! Worse we never knew when they would occur - so we were tense any time anyone approached us.
I kept telling my wife he would outgrow it, but eventually it just got to be so stressful for us that she insisted we find someone to help. I humored her, but I did not have much hope that anyone would be able to fix this behavior especially since it has escalated to this level.
She did a little research via yelp and decided Justin at Bark Busters sounded promising. She left a message, and we scheduled our first visit within the week.
Justin's ad promised results in the first visit. We had our doubts - but we were just desperate for help.
When he arrived at the house, Kazi had to be contained in the backyard while Justin explained his background and methodology. The entire time Kazi was barking like Cujo and throwing his body against the sliding doors/windows trying to get in the house. We just remember barely being able to focus on Justin's words because of how Kazi was acting. And we both recall thinking: Good Luck Justin! This dog will never change!!!
After less than hour Kazi was on his back, begging for belly rubs from him! It was nothing short of astonishing then and to be honest even today we marvel that Justin's simple and kind training methods /tools could get results like these. We felt like we were given the best kept secret for getting Kazi to listen, obey, and understand his position in our 'pack.'
The change was immediate and amazing. We felt utterly drained from the initial stress of not believing he could help us to nothing but joy that he gave us our home and peace of mind back. Justin told us that Kazi was going to be a lot happier now - now that he wasn't trying to be the pack leader and not having to protect us - and we see that he was right about that every day.
For us - apart from his complete flip to a docile personality - the best part was that Justin does not use any methods that hurt/choke/shock your dog. We had trainers tell us not to hug on Kazi or love him as much - which really bothered us - what's the point of a dog that you can't hug on and love?!
If you're having a very difficult time with aggression/fear/not listening to commands/pulling on his leash/not coming when you say to - Justin is your guy to turn to! His training is simple yet incredibly effective!
Kazi has turned into the World's Best Dog Overnight! THANK YOU JUSTIN ! - Mario / Amy / Kazi
My dog Hendrix was having horrible separation anxiety. He would bark nonstop, drool excessively, shake and pant. I tried everything, including the thundershirt, with no improvement. My neighbors were starting to complain about his barking and I was told if it wasn't corrected we would have to move. I understood that his barking was an issue, but more importantly I needed help managing his anxiety so that I could have a healthy, happy pet. I took Hendrix to the vet, who recommended bark busters. I was very nervous initially about correcting his behaviors. I didn't want someone to come to my home and hurt my dog with shock collars or other negative reinforcement techniques. After my first phone conversation with Justin I knew that he would be able to help me and my dog in a way that I would be comfortable with. After his first visit and several phone conversations and a follow up, I now have a dog who isn't barking and most importantly is happy and basically anxiety free. Justin truly knows what he is talking about and how to effectively teach you how to communicate with your animals. I cannot thank him enough for helping me and Hendrix! I would recommend him a million times and will always use him in the future when issues with my pet arise. THANK YOU JUSTIN!
My wife and I have an 11 month old Boxer puppy. He is the sweetest, cutest dog you can find. We got our puppy when he was very young, and as sweet as he was/is, man did he have crazy energy! And I wish it was the high-energy that was the problem...Dexter (our dog) began jumping on guests, getting too rowdy, not listening, showing zero respect, etc, etc. We got to a point where we really felt that we could not do all of the things that we dreamed we would be able to do with a dog. Due to the fact that we could not get his attention, and he did not respect us, we could no longer: take him on walks, take him to dog parks, invite guests over who did not appreciate a dog jumping all over them the whole time, take him on trips, and pretty much everything else fun! His lack of respect and attention resulted in us being frustrated and stressed out, but more importantly it resulted in him getting himself in positions where he could be harmed.
So, we decided to get serious and find help for Dexter. And after a long and careful research process, we landed on enlisting the services of Justin and Bark Busters. We did not know what to expect, but we knew that we did not want to take Dexter to a class with a bunch of other dogs, we wanted personal attention. We wanted a professional to come to our house, meet our dog, learn about all of his behavior issues, and create a training curriculum that is specific only to my dog! And I will tell you we have not regretted it one bit! Justin has not only helped our pup, but he has helped us be able to implement the training on our own. We can now enjoy our dog for the sweetheart that he his, and we can take him fun places that he too can enjoy!
If you are anything like me, and you need more than just a great review in order to make a decision, let me tell you a bit more about our experience:
Justin will be the first to tell you that he is not a miracle-maker dog whisperer. If there are issues between us and our dogs, it is mainly because we do not understand how to communicate with them, and they do not understand anything we are saying/doing. Justin taught us how to talk to our dog, how to establish control, and how to understand Dexter's personality so that we are correctly teaching him what is right and what is wrong. We used to get so frustrated with Dexter, he wouldn't listen, he did not have any respect for us, and he had no boundaries. I remember the most rewarding moment was after Justin's first visit; right after he left the house, we saw immediate improvement in Dexter's behavior. That moment where my wife and I looked at each other and said "Look at this! Dexter is totally minding us, and he is respecting our boundaries!" Each time Justin came over we worked on something new. He always came prepared with his next exercises, but he also made sure that we worked on anything else that we felt like working on as well. He always answered his phone, and he was picked right up where he left off the time before. Best money we ever spent! We started using Bark Busters in late August, here we are 2 months later, and our puppy has improved by leaps and bounds! Justin has mad us happy, and he has made our Dexter very happy!
Harry was acting like Cujo until we met Justin! Our Chinese crested is fear aggressive and insecure, but in two hours Justin transformed him into a calm and relaxed pooch. Perhaps more importantly, he taught us how to keep him that way! Justin was our last hope as we were agonizing over whether Harry needed to be put down as he had already bitten someone. We shuddered to think of what would happen if he ever escaped! With a 5 year old child who loves to have friends over, we also knew the chance of Harry biting a child was a huge liability.We got Harry when he was 7 months old from a private party. He has always been male aggressive but he gradually started disliking everyone outside our family. We started to feel as though we were being held captive by our vicious little dog. Having friends over would mean non stop barking from the crate. We have spent thousands of dollars on vets, dog psychologists and trainers in the past 3 years but nothing has ever worked. Trainers would tell us that he was too old to change or that he was just born aggressive. In desperation, we went to a dog boot camp in North County and met the owner who professed to be an expert with large hostile dogs. One look at my barking and snarling little guy and he told us he would take $2000 and shock him into submission, but he wasn't sure he could make him a "nice" dog. He told us to put him down when we refused to pay him to hurt our dog. After one lesson, Justin was able to knock on our door, ring the doorbell AND sit on our couch with Harry out of his crate! Not only that, Harry let Justin pet him!! I cried...literally!! This was our first lesson and the next one is leash walking (he's a leash puller). I will update my post after lesson 2. Thank you Justin!!!!!!! I didn't know what to expect because your reviews seemed "too good to be true" but they were spot on!!!! You rock!
When I first got my puppy I knew that I wanted training for him (or actually me) so that i would have a well behaved dog and in turn both of our lives would be less stressful. I hire a trainer to work on your basic dog stuff like walking on a leash, getting accustomed to the crate and he was having separation anxiety. Basically, when I would leave the house he would freak out, barking, howling etcetera, to the point where I received notes from neighbors complaining. The trainer I originally hired simply did not to the trick. Hundreds of dollars spent and although he got a little bit better, but it was not enough. That's when I got a note from my neighbor. At this point, I had become a prisoner of my own home. I literally could not leave my place and leave him there. I was really frustrated... So, I decided I needed to try something different... SOMEONE different... Someone with a different approach. That's when Justin was referred to me.... And my life was forever changed.
Justin came to my home at a convenient time for me (which was ASAP) and immediately gave my something new to try. One week later of implementing his exercises... I was FREE!!! My dog no longer has separation anxiety! How do I know this? Easy, I had set up a camera so that I could view him when I was gone, in case he freaked out... NOPE... Nothing. He goes right to sleep for the most part. HUGE lifesaver. Another thing, before Justin, I had a huge playpen overtaking my entire place, not to mention the wee wee pad holder. I told him I wanted to get rid of this stuff and just keep the crate and get him used to going outside (because I live downtown)... That day, the playpen was gone and it has been two weeks since and he is potty trained! Not only that but on our walks, I am leading him instead of him leading me all over the place. Justin really helped me get my life back, my place in order and most important, relieve the anxiety my puppy used to have... I would recommend Justin to anyone for any obedience issues.
Justin is amazing! We had issues with our 4 yr old Pomeranian, Jack. Like many other small dog owners, we catered to his needs and allowed him to take over. We didn't realize it at the time, but we created a little monster. Jack had severe separation anxiety and socialization issues with other people, kids, dogs, skateboards, you name it. Anytime we would leave, Jack would start to bark and as soon as we would close the door he would howl as if he was calling to his wolf pack. When approaching other people or dogs, he would tug, growl and bark nonstop. We tried everything to address these issues; obedience classes, the Thundervest, aroma therapy (a device that plugged into the wall and released pheromones similar to a mother's), specialized treats, we even turned to doggy Prozac. Nothing worked. Justin was our last hope.
I can't imagine what Justin was thinking watching our 5 lb. Pomeranian jump and run around our loft while barking continuously. Justin started with a subtle approach with the spray bottle to see if this would defuse the barking, didn't work. Justin recognized this right away and changed his approach. To our surprise, Jack seemed to respond to the training immediately and Justin was able to calm Jack down within a matter of minutes. In another session, we worked outside and Jack was put to the test. There was a kid on a skateboard with his father and dog outside, four things that triggered Jack's "crazy" behavior. I admit I was anxious as I started to walk toward them and expected Jack to start his erratic behavior. Jack allowed the dad and son to pet him and didn't budge when the dog approached him, something that rarely ever happens. We were all quite surprised and I was one proud mama!
The only thing we regret is not trying Bark Busters sooner. Justin is a life saver! He is definitely a dog guru. He answered all the questions we had and taught us and Jack to work together. The result is a happier dog and owners. We highly recommend Justin, his passion for dogs shows through his line of work and the end results. Jack isn't completely fixed yet, but we are confident that Jack will be fully cured of his separation anxiety and behavior issues. I guarantee you'll be asking yourself why didn't I try this sooner!
Serena G.
12 years ago
— Greater San Diego
Bark Busters has been AMAZING! I cannot tell you just how much I appreciate the talented and helpful staff at Bark Busters. I reached out to them about a month ago because I had a dog that was dog aggressive. I say "had a dog" because he no longer is outwardly aggressive and he is controllable, which has literally changed our lives! My lab mix, Walter, is 6 years old and he has been dog aggressive since he was about 6 months old. His behavior just got worse and worse as he got older and it got to the point where he would not just bark and growl at other dogs, but he would try to do any thing and everything he could to get to the other dog (even if the other dog was way down the street and even if he could not see the dog but could hear it somewhere in the distance) which included lunging, barking, crying/yelping, jumping, and even pulling me down to the ground. I got so fed up that I stopped walking him because it was such a stress not just on him, but on myself as well. I tried everything from different collars and halters that went over different parts of his body, to treats, to other distraction methods, to different vocal cues ... but nothing worked. Nothing helped. It just got worse and worse. I even tried group training at a local chain pet store but that did not help in the least.
PermalinkIt was not until I met Justin with Bark Busters that I realized what the real cause of Walter's behavior was, what I was doing wrong with him and what I could do to fix it. Justin came to my house and clearly explained to me the root of the problems and what I could do to help Walter and myself. By the end of the first lesson, Walter was a much calmer and happier dog (in just that one hour!).
After our first session, I diligently worked on my "homework" with Walter and the next time that I met with Justin at a dog park, Walter was a completely different dog. He was calm, relaxed, happy to be out and ignored all the other dogs around him. Walter will never be the "sociable type" but I can at least walk him without having to worry about him getting all worked up and potentially attacking another dog. This calming behavior has even crossed over to other areas that used to stress me (and Walther) out. For example, without even working on this directly, Walter started to relax during car rides. Before Bark Busters, he would pace back and fourth, cry the entire ride, bark at people and dogs on the street and just be a nervous wreck. Just by working on his other issues, Walter started to behave differently in other situations, like the car rides. He has calmed down and he even sleeps in the car now! He still has the same lovable personality that I fell in love with, but he is so relaxed and so happy all the time and looks to me for reassurance.
I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am with Bark Busters. They were worth every penny. The trainer, Justin, was absolutely amazing. He was professional, supportive, and clearly explained everything. Walther really liked him and even enjoys his training sessions.
I will continue to use them (as they have a lifetime training guarantee) as needed and I can honestly say that this program has literally changed my life with Walter for the better! I highly recommend this company (and Justin) to anyone experiencing dog issues.
Thank you Bark Busters & Justin!
Barbara S.
12 years ago
— Greater San Diego
After rescuing Bruce 4 years ago (7 months old pitbull/boxer mix) from the pound I realized the challenge I was up to was too hard to handle. Bruce's emotional damage was too deep and he was extremely scared of everything. He did not want to come out of the house. And his separation anxiety made him literally destroy my home. I was so desperate I even called Cesar Milan but I was ignored.
PermalinkWhen I saw Justin's brochure at the vet I decided to give it a try.
Justin is exactly like all these reviews say: such a good guy with a deep passion for dogs and helping families be happy with their dog. I decided to buy the lifetime training for Bruce as this kind of problem is very slow to resolve and it takes lots of patience.
Justin came to see us for several lessons. Also, I would call him every time I had a doubt and he was always there for us, after hour and weekends included.
Needless to say, with Justin's help Bruce came out of his shell within a few months and today he is A PEFECT DOG!
Moreover, Justin opened my eyes to a brand new way of looking at dogs and interacting with them. Now I feel like I understand better all dogs.
Both my dogs, Bruce and Vasco, are simply perfect. Thanks to Justin's teachings, now I have a channel of communication with them.
I recently called Justin to ask him for an advice (3 years later) and he immediately remembered me and Bruce like we saw each other the day before.
Justin is genuinely concerned about dogs and I believe he has the skills to resolve most situations. He will help you if you are willing to work with your dog. Because after all, dog training is more for dog owners to understand how to communicate with their dog and how to be understood from them. It does take lots of love, time, work and dedication from the owner. Dog training does not exactly work with a 'magic wand' to fix issues immediately, but with Justin and a bit of work on your part, it sure works! Justin makes training fun and bonding with your dog. I enjoyed this experience and the results.
All I can say is: thank you, Justin!
Brett H.
12 years ago
— Greater San Diego
My wife and I just met with Justin for our first session, and we were both blown away with the results that we saw from just a couple of hours together.
PermalinkFirst off, Justin arrived early, which I think is awesome this day and age. My first impression was that he was extremely professional, personable, and his love for our dogs came out immediately after he met them.
The first part of our session was spent with Justin getting a little bit of background information on what we had been experiences with our dogs. We have two yorkie/schnauzer mixes, Nala and Trip. Both of them have been suffering from some level of separation anxiety. When we would leave the house, they would go crazy. You couldn't open a drawer to grab a pair of socks, pull out your shoes to throw them on, or touch your car keys. If the dogs were picking up on the fact that you were leaving, and they were experts at picking up on this, then they were going to start jumping, whining, barking and spinning around in circles. They have also had a lot of problems in the car with scratching, lots of panting, whining, and barking. This was mostly Trip, but both of the dogs experienced it. Trip has been good on walks with us so far, and didn't require much work today, but Nala has really always tried to be out in front on her walks. She would basically, at her four and a half pound weight, try and pull you along for the ride. She had to always be out in front.
After going through the background information Justin started talking to us a little about his background, the creation of the company and their philosophy, and then about the approach that we would take for really interjecting and stopping these behaviors that were unwanted. He taught us how make a growling sound while saying "bah" to try and speak to the dogs in a language that they can understand and respond to.
We then went upstairs to put these methods into practice. He had me go upstairs, throw a pair of socks and shoes on and intentionally try to get a reaction of them. When they reacted, we reacted, and started working with them on these behaviors. We saw results instantly. They seemed to not understand what was going on, since we had not ever done anything with them like this before, but they were new dogs.
We then worked on walking all the way down the stairs with them, very slowly, so that we would feel like we didn't have to rush out the door (we used to always throw on our shoes, rush out and grab our keys and try and leave so they wouldn't get worked up). We had success in this area, as well. Don't get me wrong, we are correcting their behavior, but I have never seen them respond to us this well and this quickly.
The next thing we did was practice going inside and outside a few times, and then got them on their leashes to go on a walk. For Nala he gave her a special collar, which he included in the price of his visit today. She had been on a harness before, but did wonderfully with this on her. It gave her a lot more freedom to walk on her own, so she wouldn't have to feel so restricted, and I can't even begin to describe the 180-degree change in her from one session of walking. We walked around the neighborhood trying to find other dogs for them to interact with, because Nala has always just barked her head off when other dogs come around, but couldn't find any dogs anywhere.
After the walk went well, we then through a Thundershirt that we had already had on Trip before and was still in the house to try and take him on a ride in the car. Justin explained to us that you have to have it on there really snug for it to be effective, and helped us to see how to correctly put it on him. I had put it on securely before, but we got it on there tighter this time and actually saw results. We went on a ten minute drive and Trip barely made a peep. Not only was he quiet, but both of them just seemed happy throughout the entire day.
We came back, Justin reviewed everything with us and left us with the instructions and things that we need to continue to work with our dogs on. He probably told us ten different times to call him if ANYTHING comes up so that he can help us on it. My wife and I could both tell that he truly wants to see these dogs succeed. She was tearing up on the walk, almost making me tear up on the walk, because all we want is these guys to just be happy. The way that Justin handles himself, too, just shows you that he loves each and every one of these dogs that he is interacting with and will do whatever he can within his power and means to help you with them. At the beginning of our session, while speaking to the anxiety, he never promised to be able to fix everything, but I can't tell you how different these guys seem already. My wife and I feel a wave of relief after two hours together.
Thanks, Justin!
Amy C.
12 years ago
— Greater San Diego
My wife and I adopted a shepherd-mix puppy at 8 weeks last year. We quickly realized we were in over our heads and immediately signed up for obedience classes. Simultaneous to these courses - we "enrolled" Kazi in doggie day-care because we knew we wanted him to be socialized with other dogs. Neither of us wanted to have a dog that didn't get along with other dogs.
PermalinkWe never anticipated that he would become a dog that showed aggression towards PEOPLE!
We began to notice at about 5 months, Kazi not only was becoming fearful of a lot of things he had never been fearful of before (our friends, neighbors) but that he was becoming aggressive in general. He also discovered his bark - a bark that sounded 'cute' initially eventually became explosively aggressive In general - he was exhibiting these signs towards men, tall people, children. When he saw something he was afraid of hi hackles shot up, his ears shot forward, and his body stance appeared ready to attack all the while with maniacal barking and baring of his teeth. It was scary even for us! Worse we never knew when they would occur - so we were tense any time anyone approached us.
I kept telling my wife he would outgrow it, but eventually it just got to be so stressful for us that she insisted we find someone to help. I humored her, but I did not have much hope that anyone would be able to fix this behavior especially since it has escalated to this level.
She did a little research via yelp and decided Justin at Bark Busters sounded promising. She left a message, and we scheduled our first visit within the week.
Justin's ad promised results in the first visit. We had our doubts - but we were just desperate for help.
When he arrived at the house, Kazi had to be contained in the backyard while Justin explained his background and methodology. The entire time Kazi was barking like Cujo and throwing his body against the sliding doors/windows trying to get in the house. We just remember barely being able to focus on Justin's words because of how Kazi was acting. And we both recall thinking: Good Luck Justin! This dog will never change!!!
After less than hour Kazi was on his back, begging for belly rubs from him! It was nothing short of astonishing then and to be honest even today we marvel that Justin's simple and kind training methods /tools could get results like these. We felt like we were given the best kept secret for getting Kazi to listen, obey, and understand his position in our 'pack.'
The change was immediate and amazing. We felt utterly drained from the initial stress of not believing he could help us to nothing but joy that he gave us our home and peace of mind back. Justin told us that Kazi was going to be a lot happier now - now that he wasn't trying to be the pack leader and not having to protect us - and we see that he was right about that every day.
For us - apart from his complete flip to a docile personality - the best part was that Justin does not use any methods that hurt/choke/shock your dog. We had trainers tell us not to hug on Kazi or love him as much - which really bothered us - what's the point of a dog that you can't hug on and love?!
If you're having a very difficult time with aggression/fear/not listening to commands/pulling on his leash/not coming when you say to - Justin is your guy to turn to! His training is simple yet incredibly effective!
Kazi has turned into the World's Best Dog Overnight! THANK YOU JUSTIN ! - Mario / Amy / Kazi
Bethany D.
12 years ago
— Greater San Diego
My dog Hendrix was having horrible separation anxiety. He would bark nonstop, drool excessively, shake and pant. I tried everything, including the thundershirt, with no improvement. My neighbors were starting to complain about his barking and I was told if it wasn't corrected we would have to move. I understood that his barking was an issue, but more importantly I needed help managing his anxiety so that I could have a healthy, happy pet. I took Hendrix to the vet, who recommended bark busters. I was very nervous initially about correcting his behaviors. I didn't want someone to come to my home and hurt my dog with shock collars or other negative reinforcement techniques. After my first phone conversation with Justin I knew that he would be able to help me and my dog in a way that I would be comfortable with. After his first visit and several phone conversations and a follow up, I now have a dog who isn't barking and most importantly is happy and basically anxiety free. Justin truly knows what he is talking about and how to effectively teach you how to communicate with your animals. I cannot thank him enough for helping me and Hendrix! I would recommend him a million times and will always use him in the future when issues with my pet arise. THANK YOU JUSTIN!
PermalinkEric L.
12 years ago
— Greater San Diego
My wife and I have an 11 month old Boxer puppy. He is the sweetest, cutest dog you can find. We got our puppy when he was very young, and as sweet as he was/is, man did he have crazy energy! And I wish it was the high-energy that was the problem...Dexter (our dog) began jumping on guests, getting too rowdy, not listening, showing zero respect, etc, etc. We got to a point where we really felt that we could not do all of the things that we dreamed we would be able to do with a dog. Due to the fact that we could not get his attention, and he did not respect us, we could no longer: take him on walks, take him to dog parks, invite guests over who did not appreciate a dog jumping all over them the whole time, take him on trips, and pretty much everything else fun! His lack of respect and attention resulted in us being frustrated and stressed out, but more importantly it resulted in him getting himself in positions where he could be harmed.
PermalinkSo, we decided to get serious and find help for Dexter. And after a long and careful research process, we landed on enlisting the services of Justin and Bark Busters. We did not know what to expect, but we knew that we did not want to take Dexter to a class with a bunch of other dogs, we wanted personal attention. We wanted a professional to come to our house, meet our dog, learn about all of his behavior issues, and create a training curriculum that is specific only to my dog! And I will tell you we have not regretted it one bit! Justin has not only helped our pup, but he has helped us be able to implement the training on our own. We can now enjoy our dog for the sweetheart that he his, and we can take him fun places that he too can enjoy!
If you are anything like me, and you need more than just a great review in order to make a decision, let me tell you a bit more about our experience:
Justin will be the first to tell you that he is not a miracle-maker dog whisperer. If there are issues between us and our dogs, it is mainly because we do not understand how to communicate with them, and they do not understand anything we are saying/doing. Justin taught us how to talk to our dog, how to establish control, and how to understand Dexter's personality so that we are correctly teaching him what is right and what is wrong. We used to get so frustrated with Dexter, he wouldn't listen, he did not have any respect for us, and he had no boundaries. I remember the most rewarding moment was after Justin's first visit; right after he left the house, we saw immediate improvement in Dexter's behavior. That moment where my wife and I looked at each other and said "Look at this! Dexter is totally minding us, and he is respecting our boundaries!" Each time Justin came over we worked on something new. He always came prepared with his next exercises, but he also made sure that we worked on anything else that we felt like working on as well. He always answered his phone, and he was picked right up where he left off the time before. Best money we ever spent! We started using Bark Busters in late August, here we are 2 months later, and our puppy has improved by leaps and bounds! Justin has mad us happy, and he has made our Dexter very happy!
Melanie H.
12 years ago
— Greater San Diego
Harry was acting like Cujo until we met Justin! Our Chinese crested is fear aggressive and insecure, but in two hours Justin transformed him into a calm and relaxed pooch. Perhaps more importantly, he taught us how to keep him that way! Justin was our last hope as we were agonizing over whether Harry needed to be put down as he had already bitten someone. We shuddered to think of what would happen if he ever escaped! With a 5 year old child who loves to have friends over, we also knew the chance of Harry biting a child was a huge liability.We got Harry when he was 7 months old from a private party. He has always been male aggressive but he gradually started disliking everyone outside our family. We started to feel as though we were being held captive by our vicious little dog. Having friends over would mean non stop barking from the crate. We have spent thousands of dollars on vets, dog psychologists and trainers in the past 3 years but nothing has ever worked. Trainers would tell us that he was too old to change or that he was just born aggressive. In desperation, we went to a dog boot camp in North County and met the owner who professed to be an expert with large hostile dogs. One look at my barking and snarling little guy and he told us he would take $2000 and shock him into submission, but he wasn't sure he could make him a "nice" dog. He told us to put him down when we refused to pay him to hurt our dog. After one lesson, Justin was able to knock on our door, ring the doorbell AND sit on our couch with Harry out of his crate! Not only that, Harry let Justin pet him!! I cried...literally!! This was our first lesson and the next one is leash walking (he's a leash puller). I will update my post after lesson 2. Thank you Justin!!!!!!! I didn't know what to expect because your reviews seemed "too good to be true" but they were spot on!!!! You rock!
PermalinkDiana F.
13 years ago
— Greater San Diego
When I first got my puppy I knew that I wanted training for him (or actually me) so that i would have a well behaved dog and in turn both of our lives would be less stressful. I hire a trainer to work on your basic dog stuff like walking on a leash, getting accustomed to the crate and he was having separation anxiety. Basically, when I would leave the house he would freak out, barking, howling etcetera, to the point where I received notes from neighbors complaining. The trainer I originally hired simply did not to the trick. Hundreds of dollars spent and although he got a little bit better, but it was not enough. That's when I got a note from my neighbor. At this point, I had become a prisoner of my own home. I literally could not leave my place and leave him there. I was really frustrated... So, I decided I needed to try something different... SOMEONE different... Someone with a different approach. That's when Justin was referred to me.... And my life was forever changed.
PermalinkJustin came to my home at a convenient time for me (which was ASAP) and immediately gave my something new to try. One week later of implementing his exercises... I was FREE!!! My dog no longer has separation anxiety! How do I know this? Easy, I had set up a camera so that I could view him when I was gone, in case he freaked out... NOPE... Nothing. He goes right to sleep for the most part. HUGE lifesaver. Another thing, before Justin, I had a huge playpen overtaking my entire place, not to mention the wee wee pad holder. I told him I wanted to get rid of this stuff and just keep the crate and get him used to going outside (because I live downtown)... That day, the playpen was gone and it has been two weeks since and he is potty trained! Not only that but on our walks, I am leading him instead of him leading me all over the place. Justin really helped me get my life back, my place in order and most important, relieve the anxiety my puppy used to have... I would recommend Justin to anyone for any obedience issues.
BT N.
13 years ago
— Greater San Diego
Justin is amazing! We had issues with our 4 yr old Pomeranian, Jack. Like many other small dog owners, we catered to his needs and allowed him to take over. We didn't realize it at the time, but we created a little monster. Jack had severe separation anxiety and socialization issues with other people, kids, dogs, skateboards, you name it. Anytime we would leave, Jack would start to bark and as soon as we would close the door he would howl as if he was calling to his wolf pack. When approaching other people or dogs, he would tug, growl and bark nonstop. We tried everything to address these issues; obedience classes, the Thundervest, aroma therapy (a device that plugged into the wall and released pheromones similar to a mother's), specialized treats, we even turned to doggy Prozac. Nothing worked. Justin was our last hope.
PermalinkI can't imagine what Justin was thinking watching our 5 lb. Pomeranian jump and run around our loft while barking continuously. Justin started with a subtle approach with the spray bottle to see if this would defuse the barking, didn't work. Justin recognized this right away and changed his approach. To our surprise, Jack seemed to respond to the training immediately and Justin was able to calm Jack down within a matter of minutes. In another session, we worked outside and Jack was put to the test. There was a kid on a skateboard with his father and dog outside, four things that triggered Jack's "crazy" behavior. I admit I was anxious as I started to walk toward them and expected Jack to start his erratic behavior. Jack allowed the dad and son to pet him and didn't budge when the dog approached him, something that rarely ever happens. We were all quite surprised and I was one proud mama!
The only thing we regret is not trying Bark Busters sooner. Justin is a life saver! He is definitely a dog guru. He answered all the questions we had and taught us and Jack to work together. The result is a happier dog and owners. We highly recommend Justin, his passion for dogs shows through his line of work and the end results. Jack isn't completely fixed yet, but we are confident that Jack will be fully cured of his separation anxiety and behavior issues. I guarantee you'll be asking yourself why didn't I try this sooner!
Thanks so much, Justin!
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