Bark Busters Greater San Diego Reviews

Reviews

140 Reviews ★★★★★(Average 5 out of 5)

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  • Tess S.
    7 years ago — San Diego, CA

    Photo of Lily I rescued my Great Pyrenees/Shepard mix about 2 years ago. I take her everywhere and she is definitely a very social dog. She always had her quirks but recently I noticed a shift in her behavior. She became very territorial and possessive over me and her space. She would bark at dogs on walks, go crazy when a person or dog walked past our fence and I was afraid to have her at dog parks which was terrible because she LOVES playing. I just had my first session with Justin 2 days ago and I already see a drastic change. She listens to me and understands that I am her leader. Justin breaks down "dog language" into very simple exercises that don't take much time but really help. Lily walks right next to my side and lets dog pass by with ease. She seems so relaxed and happy which makes me that happiest dog mama ever. I am forever grateful for Justin and these Bark Buster techniques. I will continue to work with her and Justin so I can continue to see progress. I can't say enough wonderful things about Justin! He truly loves the dogs and cares so much about creating a safe and loving environment for them.

    • #Aggression
    • #Barking
    • #Recall
  • Chanda K.
    7 years ago — San Diego, California

    The skinny:
    The bottom line is the Bark Buster technique is extremely effective and easy to understand. Justin is incredibly personable, obviously understands and loves dogs and takes the time to listen. It was like he had done a root cause analysis of LeRoi's behavior after spending less than 20 minutes talking about it. And that was prior to meeting him.

    Some of the details for color:
    Not only did his technique work within minutes on my 70lb Olde English Bulldog, his technique on me was probably faster. I was worried that I would need to change the way I treated my dog or that everything I have been doing is wrong--since I spoil LeRoi. He explained the difference between spoiling your dog and having a spoiled brat for a dog. That immediately put me at ease.

    LeRoi is a 3.5-year-old Olde English Bulldog that is extremely sweet but skittish. He's scared of grocery bags or people coming into the house with anything in their hands, but put the stuff down and his little butt wiggles 80 miles an hour. He gets over excited, levitates all four paws off the ground, runs buck wild for the first hour people are visiting, finds the person with black pants to wipe the slobber on, and recently started to jump up on anyone holding a baby.

    While always having a little leash aggression towards dogs and a desire to get in a human's way so they could pet him more easily (he's considerate that way), he recently growled at a little neighborhood girl who was trying to pet him. I knew I needed to make sure that this type of behavior was curbed.

    Justin treated my dog like it was his own and demonstrated the ability to shower your dog with affection and attention while still maintaining boundaries. Within the span of the first training exercise, LeRoi's behavior began to modify. After successfully completing a series of exercises, a training plan was written up, highlighted and explained to me--all within 2 hours.

    As the day went on, I had questions pop up and Justin answered them all within minutes of them being sent. The next day, I received a personalized email checking in on the training, including a summary of key points and the reiteration of his availability should any problems or questions arise.

    Several years ago, my ex-husband and I sent our dog to one of the areas 2-week behavioral boot camps--I wish I had known about Justin and Bark Busters then, it would have saved us thousands with quicker and better results.

    • #Aggression
    • #Barking
    • #Jumping up
    • #Pulling
  • Savannah M.
    7 years ago — San Diego, California

    I've had my dog Beamer since he was a puppy. He has always been an absolute sweetheart, but he had a lot of behavioral problems. My dog was, dog aggressive, would bark at anything that would walk by our porch, he would try and eat his leash, he would pull on his leash so bad that he has actually made me fall down the stairs and pulled me down. I was at my ultimate lowest when he tried to attack and kill two dogs at the dog park, I was lucky that he was wearing his muzzle. I was so absolutely stressed, and overwhelmed and scared. I was terrified taking my dog out to go to the bathroom, I was terrified that something bad was going to happen and I would have had to put down my best friend. At Beamer and I's all time low, my mom found justin.

    Beamer and I have only had one session so far, and got the lifetime guarantee. But all I can say is he is wonderful! I saw improvement in my dog with the first 45 minuets. I was able to walk him around the neighborhood with a loose leash, and him staying right by side. His attitude has changed, he is back to being my sweet boy I used to know. Earlier today he watched another dog walk by on the porch and did nothing about it. This morning I've been able to leave the sliding door open to my porch, while dogs have been walking by, and he has continued to stay by me instead of running out their and barking. This was all in the first session! I'm so happy to see such improvements in my best friend. I'm very excited to see what the future holds for me and Beamer and I look forward to more sessions! Thank you so much, Justin! I recommend him to anyone that thinks that their dog is un-fixable, I thought mine was, and now I finally have hope!

    • #Aggression
    • #Barking
    • #Hyperactivity
    • #Jumping up
    • #Pulling
  • Kate M.
    7 years ago — San Diego, California

    I wish I could give Justin from Bark Busters more than 5 stars. He is truly the dog whisperer. He helped us work through our Cane Corso named Bruno's food aggression. He walks into a room and the dogs are immediately calm. I've never seen anything like it. He even gave us his personal cell phone number so we can text or call anytime we have questions or concerns. Our dog displayed food aggression and resource guarding since he was about eight weeks old and about 6.5 lbs. he's now 6 months old and 80 lbs. His dad was between 130-150 lbs so we were extremely concerned about this behavior. Justin is not only a trainer but also a behaviorist and was able to get down to the root of the problem. I don't know what we would've done without Justin! His training program was easy to follow and work on daily.

    • #Aggression
    • #Barking
    • #Puppy management
    • #Other
  • Kevin K.
    7 years ago — San Diego, California

    Justin is amazing!!!! He transformed our dog in 1 hour!!! My dog was rescued and was also attacked twice. With few traumatic experiences she developed some bad behaviors. She would tug while walking, growl at other dogs/ people and bark at anyone who entered our place. With my wife expecting in 3 months, I was genuinely concerned about our dog's behavior.

    Justin used his behavioral techniques and really changed her and most importantly my dog seems happier than ever. I now enjoy walking her and taking her in public settings. She is the fun loving dog that I adopted!!!!

    He is the Jedi of dogs!!!! I am a firm believer in his technique. Justin is genuinely passionate about dogs and reconnecting the owner/dog bond. Thank you.

    • #Aggression
    • #Barking
    • #Jumping up
    • #Pulling
  • Jeff G.
    7 years ago — San Diego, California

    I honestly don't even know where to begin. We rescued a puppy at 10 weeks old from Tennessee who over the years (he's now 6) has developed fear aggression and territorial issues. We had worked with a number of trainers over his life thus far, and after he was attacked by 3 dogs in 2015, we were told that we just needed to adjust and "manage" his behavior. That meant, if anyone came over to our house, he needed to be crated in our bedroom with the door shut. We heard about Justin on a community message board and decided to give it a try. Justin arrived on time and from the minute they walked through our front door, everything changed! There was no judgement on what we had or hadn't done for Rocky, only tips and tools to help us going forward. It was amazing to see the transformation in Rocky from a stressed out, red zone dog to a calm, "in vacation mode" dog. Justin and Mike helped us see that Rocky just needed to learn that he didn't need to be the protector or the leader and at the end of our session, Rocky was actually laying down in his bed in the living room which all of us talked and moved around! Before they came, he couldn't have even been in the same room with us. Bark Busters (and Justin!) have given us and Rocky a new lease on life and for that we are so grateful! Take it from someone who has spent years and a lot of money trying to fix the symptoms - hiring Bark Busters is the best investment we've ever made! Thank you Justin :)

    • #Aggression
    • #Barking
    • #Jumping up
    • #Pulling
  • Natalia W.
    7 years ago — San Diego, California

    We just had our second training session with Justin and it's hard to explain what this has meant for us. Here's a little background. We purchased our dream dog, a gorgeous pick of the litter springer spaniel. She was meant for a life of show but had the terrible luck of having her parents be aggressive with her which in the dog world is about as traumatic of an experience as you can have. This went on for 4.5 months so by the time we got her, her dog aggression was out of control. She attacked our senior cocker spaniel any time I pet her or if she went near her food or toys and any other dog she would see she would instantly want to attack and I'm talking straight for the face and neck until she saw blood. I have never seen a puppy be so aggressive in my life. It was heartbreaking and so stressful to live in fear of when she'd snap at our other dogs and not know if we'd ever be able to live in harmony.
    Enter Justin- the most mellow, positive energy, ray of sunshine you'll ever meet. Instantly the room changes because the dog knows someone is in charge now and she relaxes knowing it's no longer her job to protect the pack. He explains to us how she came from trauma and I got her right after the trauma of losing our 10 year old Tibetan terrier so together we were the perfect mess of wanting to save each other but instead creating unstable havoc.
    It was time to teach her that she was safe with her new leaders and that although I was unstable when I got her it was not her job to protect me or the home or anything. It takes a minute to understand that everything we do as humans with nothing but the best intentions actually hurts our animals in these situations. The second you implement the BAH and you start with corrections the dog instantly starts looking to you for guidance and the transformation almost makes you feel like an idiot because the science behind it is so simple. You are now communicating with your dog like a dog instead of trying to have them know how to understand human.
    Back to today. The scene is the Little Italy farmers market where there's a million dogs and people. Showing leadership we walk by everyone with no attacks because I'm in control. Here's the real kicker, we are working the Justin's perfect boy Luca who is the example of a calm , submissive, respectful dog. Addie is shy and fearful but every block she is learning to gain confidence and trust in us and in Luca. By the end of the hour we are chatting on a corner and Addie keeps checking Luca out. She's on her back getting a belly rub and he comes to sniff her and she puts out a paw to his face to engage in play. In my head harp music plays, white doves fly and in real life I start crying because to see her do that instead of trying to rip him open is an experience that couldn't really be felt in any other way other than raw emotion. You know what makes you feel right about a situation like that? When your trainer has tears in his eyes knowing what just happened and what he did for a family that just weeks ago was so broken. I can't sell this service any more genuinely than this.
    I'll be completely transparent, when I first called bark busters the price took me back and I said no way. It took 2 weeks of bloody attacks to hit rock bottom and decide that's what budgeting and credit cards are for. After today I'd hand over my home and car keys for such effective training, in a heartbeat!

    • #Aggression
    • #Barking
    • #Jumping up
    • #Pulling
    • #Sibling rivalry
  • Gerry W.
    8 years ago — San Diego, California

    My 5 year old male Boxer (Max) was acting very aggressively, knocking, biting down and not releasing my 14 yr old female Staffordshire terrier mix (Cinnamon). Max had done it in the past while on walks or when he heard something in the neighbors yard it triggered him to attack her. In the past it would be a short lived outburst and Max would listen to me and release Cinnamon very quickly and it would be over with, but not 2 weeks ago. Max kept attacking and would not release her, it scared her and worried me so much that I was ready to take him to the pound. Luckily I didn't and took them both to the Vet the next day, luckily no serious injuries to either one. That is when the Vet tech recommended Justin at Bark Busters.

    I made an appointment with Bark Busters. I kept them separated for 4-5 days for safety until Justin came out.

    After the first 2 hour training session where both Max and I got trained, I noticed a positive change and was able to get the 2 dogs together again.

    It's only been a week of Max and I following Justin's training regimen, but I am extremely pleased at the change in Max. He has become a lot more submissive and has not attacked her since. I know the training will have to be ongoing for a while, and then maintenance of what we both learned with be life long, but I am feeling more comfortable having both dogs together again. Walking them both or Max solo is now pleasurable because Max no longer pulls on the leash, he walks right next to me. He does not jump up on people or get overly excited when he sees another dog.

    As a dog owner I was able to give Max the basic training, sit, stay, shake, down but after time Max realized that he could get away with a lot and unfortunately I allowed it. With Justin's training both Max and I realized that limits are a good thing and need to be adhered to.

    We have a ways to go but I am confident Max will continue to learn and do great and Cinnamon will live the remainder or her life not worrying about Max attacking her.

    • #Aggression
    • #Barking
    • #Pulling
    • #Sibling rivalry
  • Amber E.
    8 years ago — San Diego, California

    Justin is remarkable!

    I have a 1 1/2 year old Boston Terrier, Bentley, who has had growing leash aggression, anxiety around other dogs, whimpering at home when dogs would walk by and just generally thought he was the boss. I had come to the point where I was scared to even walk past a dog not knowing how he would react, which in turn was creating more anxiety and aggression in Bentley.

    Within one session, Bentley was a changed dog, and I was a changed person. Justin showed me how to speak dog - and it worked! He adjusted the training to be specific to Bentley, who was very sensitive and needed lots of praise after he heard the "BAH" (You'll know what that means and how it works soon enough!). The very next walk Bentley and I went on, I wanted to walk by dogs, just to see how awesome Bentley was doing. I've now heard "what a well-trained dog" on my walks a few times and share Justin's information on the street!

    As Bentley became more comfortable with his new boss (me!), he started to push the boundaries a little more while walking. Justin and I met again and we went through how to proactively manage each situation. Justin even brought his own dog and mine together so that I could understand how I should handle introductions. Instead of growling and jumping, Bentley was submissive and sweet. He took his time meeting Justin's dog and before the end of the lesson was giving dog kisses and rolling on his back around the other dog.

    Bentley is now happier and more importantly, stress and anxiety free. Having worked with other trainers in the past without sustained improvement, I can tell you that Justin's passion and knowledge are beyond worth the investment. I am now armed with the tools to be prepared for any situation and know that Justin is there if I need him! I highly recommend him - you will be amazed at the change you will see!

    • #Aggression
    • #Barking
    • #Hyperactivity
    • #Pulling
  • Randi H.
    8 years ago — San Diego, California

    If you want to have a well behaved, calm, happy dog then call Justin!
    He's not only the BEST trainer, he genuinely cares about me and my dog. My puppy was so anxious, scared and attached to me when I first got him. I could barley take a step without him walking in front of me, making it impossible to walk anywhere. After one training session, Koda is a new dog, he walks right beside me and continues to become stronger and more confident everyday with the techniques that Justin has taught us. He was so reassuring and patient with me while I was learning the techniques to establish leadership with my dog. The best part is he is ALWAYS there for us whenever we need him. Koda loves him and so do I! I think every dog owner should invest in their dog by hiring A great trainer like Justin. Thank you Justin for truly caring and helping us have the best relationship possible. The results have been amazing, you really are the dog whisperer. We appreciate you so much! :)

    • #Pulling
    • #Puppy management
    • #Other