Bark Busters San Francisco and Marin County Reviews
Reviews
54 Reviews ★★★★★(Average 4.88 out of 5)
Karen C.
2 years ago
— San Rafael, CA
Bark Busters saved us. We were at the decision to use a ‘boot camp’ style training facility or locate a home trainer, and Bark Busters/Karen Gaines was the right choice. It didn’t feel right to send our little guy away. What were we going to learn from doing that? Our little puppy is intelligent and started to not respond to treat training, and sometimes used the treat training for his benefit. Yum! Training without food is so much better. Also, it’s based on our individual needs, and those needs can change. That’s the benefit of Bark Busters, customized attention and solutions for the unique challenges presented now and thereafter.
I have only glowing, positive comments about Karen! She has helped us with our very rambunctious, energetic 7-month old Pit bull. As he grew from a little, frisky puppy into an enormous 65-lb dog made of solid muscle, he began to get aggressive as a fear response to cars, other dogs and even small children. We knew we had to act fast and ensure that our dog remained just as gentle and lovable outside the home as he was inside the home with our family and older, smaller dogs. Karen's approach was methodical and we mastered it quickly and easily. Our dog took a little longer and over several weeks we graduated to more restrictive - but never painful or punitive - leashes and training methods. Finally, we found the perfect solution! Here is a recent text I sent to Karen in joy and gratitude for her help: "OMG thank you so much for the gentle leader leash and the training your provided us! I just returned from a 45-minute walk around the neighborhood with Smokey, what a difference! At first I stayed close to the house, but as I grew more confident because he remained so calm, I ventured further and further out. We passed cars, children, even other dogs - and he got excited, but he did not lunge or bark and remained close to me the entire time. Occasionally he tried to paw off the gentle leader leash, but I was attentive and distracted him immediately. I talked to him the entire time, I gave him frequent treats but always at random intervals. The contrast was stunning. Thank you for transforming our walks from ordeals into pleasurable excursions!" She has given us our lovable puppy back - inside and out outside our home!
Karen is an incredible dog whisperer! She just has to enter the room and my daughter's puppy turns into a little angel....and stays that way long after she is gone. Karen offers wonderful advice to overcome any behavioral issue you might be encountering - demand barking, counter surfing, separation anxiety, and more. Her techniques are easy to implement and immediately effective. She is a fabulous resource and has made the whole process of rearing a puppy manageable and enjoyable. It is so helpful to have one person that you can contact for tips as new issues come out. I am confident that Murphy will develop into a well-trained companion for my daughter!
Karen came to help us with our two dogs. We have an older dog and a puppy and they were not getting along. Our puppy was constantly barking at our older (highly anxious) dog. We were at our wits end with what to do. Karen spent 2+ hours with us and once she left, the dogs behavior was almost 100% improved. We now have tools to use to deal with issues that come up. But, honestly, the dogs have been incredible since our meeting with Karen. We were all on edge and stressed from the dogs before Karen came. Now, the house is calm and the dogs are so much better. Thank you, Karen. After only 1 session, you have turned the dogs around. We still have to work on some problems that we didn't address but I am certain we will figure it all out in future meetings.
Adam was amazing! Our dog Bernie was showing signs of resource guarding (spoiled only dog child problems) and being a little brat. He was also getting aggressive with some dogs at the dog park when he had been super friendly for the first year of his life. He is only 16 months and we new we wanted to get it under control right away. We are super social and wanted to feel comfortable taking Bernie with us places and not having to worry. Adam helped us establish boundaries and we saw a noticeable difference after one session. Seriously one session. It was great. We have had follow up sessions since and Bernie continues to improve. We are so thankful for Adam and his work with us and Bernie. I would highly recommend Adam and we are so pleased with our progress.
Karen was terrific, hire her! Honestly, Karen is the best dog trainer; she is kind, easy to talk with; her techniques are gentle and easy to learn. Karen walked me through everything I needed to do and she followed up after every session.
I was surprised how easy the training was for my dog and me. It's worth every penny, don't hesitate these guys are the real deal.
As a vet, I am perhaps more concerned about dog behavior issues than the average person since I see the worst case scenarios on a daily basis of what can happen when a challenging situation isn't addressed properly. I should also note that many of us vets end up with dogs that come from hard places. Here's the thing though, we're good at medicine and spoiling our pups, but we're not always great at training. When I recently took in a one year old foster pup, I immediately identified some behaviors (dominance, guarding, over-exuberant barking at other dogs) that I knew could morph into a much bigger challenge down the line. Cue Karen and bark busters. Karen is incredibly patient and down to earth, and her recommendations are practical, gentle, and easy to follow. By the end of the first session, I had several new training tools that immediately alleviated many of the behaviors our little foster pup was dealing with which left me with an incredible sense of relief. The foster pup is now officially ours, and we couldn't be happier. Karen continues to check in and offer advice. I couldn't recommend Bark Busters and Karen more! She's great.
We’ve been working with Karen @ Bark Busters for about 3 months now. When we reached out to Karen our puppy Remy was about 6 months old. We had success training her on some basics (potty training, sit/stay, etc) but were really struggling to make progress on some larger items. Remy’s friendliness & curiosity often got the best of her when we would take her out on walks. When she wasn’t picking up trash from the sidewalk, you could find her jumping on other dogs or their owners. Yikes! Needless to say, we were frustrated. Karen met us in our home (huge perk) but more importantly took the time to listen & really get to know us & Remy. She catered her training program around our areas of focus & within a couple of weeks, Remy had learned to contain her excitement! We’ve continued regular training lessons with Karen & have been able to move on to more advanced things like airplane behavior & off leash training. Working with Karen has been a dream & it’s so reassuring to know that we have her as a resource throughout Remy’s life!
Let me start by saying I was not a dog person. I am a cat person. I have two Siamese cats. When my Mom passed away, I promised her I would take her chihuahua which was VERY important to her. Unfortunately Maizy did not like my cats and chased them all over the house and . I thought I was going to have to give her to the shelter, but then I remembered my promise to my Mom and I just couldn't do it. In desperation, I called Karen. I was pretty skeptical that anything would change but I had to try because I couldn't break my promise to my Mom. What a difference one lesson can make! Maizy no longer chases my cats, no longer barks uncontrollably, and no longer steals their toys. It's been one week and I don't even have the same dog. Karen is fun, knowledgeable, patient, answers every single question I have, and is always available. Her technique to say the least is amazing. Thanks to Karen, not only did I keep my promise to my mother but I think I’m becoming a bit of a dog person. If I could give her 10 stars I would.
Karen is truly a lifesaver! We used to walk down the street scared of how our dog luke would react with other dogs, he was always such a sweetheart in our house, but on the street, it was a different story! Hed either spiral out of control or just lunge. The way people looked at us was so embarrasing. After just one visit Luke was a different dog! The techniques that Karen uses are simple but effective, Luke has become the dog we always knew he could be. He is a pleasure to walk on a leash now and is so much better in the house in terms of barking at the door and leaving us alone while we eat. We were skeptical at first but desperate to try anything, and I am so glad we did. I promise you after one meeting with Karen, your dog will be a different dog as well! The best part is that Karen is just a phone call or text away and is always willing to help.
Karen C.
2 years ago
— San Rafael, CA
Bark Busters saved us. We were at the decision to use a ‘boot camp’ style training facility or locate a home trainer, and Bark Busters/Karen Gaines was the right choice. It didn’t feel right to send our little guy away. What were we going to learn from doing that? Our little puppy is intelligent and started to not respond to treat training, and sometimes used the treat training for his benefit. Yum! Training without food is so much better. Also, it’s based on our individual needs, and those needs can change. That’s the benefit of Bark Busters, customized attention and solutions for the unique challenges presented now and thereafter.
PermalinkDaniel K.
3 years ago
— Corte Madera, CA
I have only glowing, positive comments about Karen! She has helped us with our very rambunctious, energetic 7-month old Pit bull. As he grew from a little, frisky puppy into an enormous 65-lb dog made of solid muscle, he began to get aggressive as a fear response to cars, other dogs and even small children. We knew we had to act fast and ensure that our dog remained just as gentle and lovable outside the home as he was inside the home with our family and older, smaller dogs. Karen's approach was methodical and we mastered it quickly and easily. Our dog took a little longer and over several weeks we graduated to more restrictive - but never painful or punitive - leashes and training methods. Finally, we found the perfect solution! Here is a recent text I sent to Karen in joy and gratitude for her help: "OMG thank you so much for the gentle leader leash and the training your provided us! I just returned from a 45-minute walk around the neighborhood with Smokey, what a difference! At first I stayed close to the house, but as I grew more confident because he remained so calm, I ventured further and further out. We passed cars, children, even other dogs - and he got excited, but he did not lunge or bark and remained close to me the entire time. Occasionally he tried to paw off the gentle leader leash, but I was attentive and distracted him immediately. I talked to him the entire time, I gave him frequent treats but always at random intervals. The contrast was stunning. Thank you for transforming our walks from ordeals into pleasurable excursions!" She has given us our lovable puppy back - inside and out outside our home!
PermalinkLisa P.
3 years ago
— San Francisco, CA
Karen is an incredible dog whisperer! She just has to enter the room and my daughter's puppy turns into a little angel....and stays that way long after she is gone. Karen offers wonderful advice to overcome any behavioral issue you might be encountering - demand barking, counter surfing, separation anxiety, and more. Her techniques are easy to implement and immediately effective. She is a fabulous resource and has made the whole process of rearing a puppy manageable and enjoyable. It is so helpful to have one person that you can contact for tips as new issues come out. I am confident that Murphy will develop into a well-trained companion for my daughter!
PermalinkSusanne C.
3 years ago
— Greenbrae, CA
Karen came to help us with our two dogs. We have an older dog and a puppy and they were not getting along. Our puppy was constantly barking at our older (highly anxious) dog. We were at our wits end with what to do. Karen spent 2+ hours with us and once she left, the dogs behavior was almost 100% improved. We now have tools to use to deal with issues that come up. But, honestly, the dogs have been incredible since our meeting with Karen. We were all on edge and stressed from the dogs before Karen came. Now, the house is calm and the dogs are so much better. Thank you, Karen. After only 1 session, you have turned the dogs around. We still have to work on some problems that we didn't address but I am certain we will figure it all out in future meetings.
PermalinkKesley T.
4 years ago
— San Francisco, CA
Adam was amazing! Our dog Bernie was showing signs of resource guarding (spoiled only dog child problems) and being a little brat. He was also getting aggressive with some dogs at the dog park when he had been super friendly for the first year of his life. He is only 16 months and we new we wanted to get it under control right away. We are super social and wanted to feel comfortable taking Bernie with us places and not having to worry. Adam helped us establish boundaries and we saw a noticeable difference after one session. Seriously one session. It was great. We have had follow up sessions since and Bernie continues to improve. We are so thankful for Adam and his work with us and Bernie. I would highly recommend Adam and we are so pleased with our progress.
PermalinkLynda G.
4 years ago
— Fairfax, CA
Karen was terrific, hire her! Honestly, Karen is the best dog trainer; she is kind, easy to talk with; her techniques are gentle and easy to learn. Karen walked me through everything I needed to do and she followed up after every session.
PermalinkI was surprised how easy the training was for my dog and me. It's worth every penny, don't hesitate these guys are the real deal.
Thank you, Karen.
Kate S.
4 years ago
— Sausalito, CA
As a vet, I am perhaps more concerned about dog behavior issues than the average person since I see the worst case scenarios on a daily basis of what can happen when a challenging situation isn't addressed properly. I should also note that many of us vets end up with dogs that come from hard places. Here's the thing though, we're good at medicine and spoiling our pups, but we're not always great at training. When I recently took in a one year old foster pup, I immediately identified some behaviors (dominance, guarding, over-exuberant barking at other dogs) that I knew could morph into a much bigger challenge down the line. Cue Karen and bark busters. Karen is incredibly patient and down to earth, and her recommendations are practical, gentle, and easy to follow. By the end of the first session, I had several new training tools that immediately alleviated many of the behaviors our little foster pup was dealing with which left me with an incredible sense of relief. The foster pup is now officially ours, and we couldn't be happier. Karen continues to check in and offer advice. I couldn't recommend Bark Busters and Karen more! She's great.
PermalinkWalker W.
4 years ago
— San Francisco, CA
We’ve been working with Karen @ Bark Busters for about 3 months now. When we reached out to Karen our puppy Remy was about 6 months old. We had success training her on some basics (potty training, sit/stay, etc) but were really struggling to make progress on some larger items. Remy’s friendliness & curiosity often got the best of her when we would take her out on walks. When she wasn’t picking up trash from the sidewalk, you could find her jumping on other dogs or their owners. Yikes! Needless to say, we were frustrated. Karen met us in our home (huge perk) but more importantly took the time to listen & really get to know us & Remy. She catered her training program around our areas of focus & within a couple of weeks, Remy had learned to contain her excitement! We’ve continued regular training lessons with Karen & have been able to move on to more advanced things like airplane behavior & off leash training. Working with Karen has been a dream & it’s so reassuring to know that we have her as a resource throughout Remy’s life!
PermalinkMary K.
4 years ago
— San Rafael, CA
Let me start by saying I was not a dog person. I am a cat person. I have two Siamese cats. When my Mom passed away, I promised her I would take her chihuahua which was VERY important to her. Unfortunately Maizy did not like my cats and chased them all over the house and . I thought I was going to have to give her to the shelter, but then I remembered my promise to my Mom and I just couldn't do it. In desperation, I called Karen. I was pretty skeptical that anything would change but I had to try because I couldn't break my promise to my Mom. What a difference one lesson can make! Maizy no longer chases my cats, no longer barks uncontrollably, and no longer steals their toys. It's been one week and I don't even have the same dog. Karen is fun, knowledgeable, patient, answers every single question I have, and is always available. Her technique to say the least is amazing. Thanks to Karen, not only did I keep my promise to my mother but I think I’m becoming a bit of a dog person. If I could give her 10 stars I would.
PermalinkLisa F.
4 years ago
— Daly City, CA
Karen is truly a lifesaver! We used to walk down the street scared of how our dog luke would react with other dogs, he was always such a sweetheart in our house, but on the street, it was a different story! Hed either spiral out of control or just lunge. The way people looked at us was so embarrasing. After just one visit Luke was a different dog! The techniques that Karen uses are simple but effective, Luke has become the dog we always knew he could be. He is a pleasure to walk on a leash now and is so much better in the house in terms of barking at the door and leaving us alone while we eat. We were skeptical at first but desperate to try anything, and I am so glad we did. I promise you after one meeting with Karen, your dog will be a different dog as well! The best part is that Karen is just a phone call or text away and is always willing to help.
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