Bark Busters San Francisco and Marin County Reviews
Reviews
54 Reviews ★★★★★(Average 4.88 out of 5)
Wendy M.
11 years ago
— San Rafael, CA
Absolutely fantastic. Without a doubt - makes so much sense and easy to understand why Bark Busters methods work, My dog Archie responded not only to Karen but to me as well. Karen's approach was in keeping with my dog training philosophy, Gentle, non-threatening and positive - without the treats. I learned more from Karen in 3 hours than I had with classes that I had taken and another trainer. The approach is so gentle yet so effective. My dog was a biter when people entered our home, now he just waits and decides if he just wants to go into another room and watch TV. Our whole family has loved working with Karen, she was professional and yet friendly , we all feel so comfortable with her.
I contacted Bark Busters and it could not have been soon enough. Karen Gaines was great. She took the time to get to know all our issues and we addressed them all one by one. Bark Busters methods are so adaptable, especially as we have 2 highly hyperactive schnauzers. Sparrow, the female is aggressive to strangers and very territorial so that it haw been almost impossible to walk them. WIth the techniques Karen has given us, we have been practicing and it has been such a difference. As soon as we call her, she either answers her phone or returns our call within a few hours. Karen has been so helpful and makes sure we follow her instructions that she has made so easy for us to follow. We signed on not knowing if it would really work, and we are so happy with our success only after a few months, We really appreciate Karen and look forward to more wonderful walks in San Francisco.
Karen from Bark Busters is simply wonderful in every way. She has a way with dogs and the owners alike. I am a big believer in her system. Two years ago I found a rescue Golden Retriever named "Hank" and it was very hard. He was UN-neutered male and we had a lot of issues to work through. Karen is patient and gives real life instructions for how to deal with problem behaviors. She genuinely cares about each dog and each family. Wonderful person, wonderful program.! Well worth it!
We brought home a little rescue puppy, who came with such a bad rep that she was kicked out of the Humane Society program with San Quentin! Apparently she tried to nip the nose off an inmate. After a relaxing couple of hours with our trainer, Karen, our unsocialized little pup was paying attention, sitting calmly, and even walking on a leash. And all of this without having to use treats. I highly recommend Karen and the Bark Busters' training approach.
I was at the end of my rope with Cheech my 90lb. beyond stubborn pit bull and made numerous calls to dog trainers. I was surprised by the lack of response to return my calls but... Bark Busters did and I scheduled an appointment with Karen for our free consultation. I was concerned that a female trainer would not be able to control my disobedient hulk of a dog. I was very impressed by Karen when she came to our home for the free consultation. Karen spent so much time with us and just on that first visit made a huge improvement and gained our trust. Cheech and I both love Karen and he has made great improvements in his training, he still has a ways to go and Karen is the ONE! I absolutely recommend Karen she is wonderful, patient, & understanding.
I rescued a non-socialized 6 month old Boxer, who was a total wreck ! Karen Gaines has made miracles with Tudy and me. I strongly recomend Karen Gaines, she is top notch and loves her work. We were very fortunate to have found Karen as I was considering returning Tudy.
Karen Gaines from Bark Busters has been for my blind dog what Annie Sullivan was for Helen Keller: extraordinary and life changing. I met Karen Gaines at a pet adoption fair. I was toting a 10-year-old foster dog I'd been caring for who was blind, nervous about people (especially men), had a barking problem and was also having accidents in my house. Her fear and her blindness made her bark at everything, likely compounded by the fact that she'd been living an isolated life in someone's backyard 24/7. Karen spoke to me for a few minutes, and her insights and suggestions made me realize that I'd been doing everything wrong! It was my first experience with a blind dog, and I immediately knew that Karen Gaines would be this little dog's big chance to actually get a forever home. To add to the pot, I had my own little dog, so I wondered how the little blind dog would know that any behavioral corrections meant HER and not my own dog. Karen's kindness, patience and consistency were inspiring. It was more than training the dog, as I needed training, too. And get this: On the first session she even had the little dog going up and down a ramp which butted up to the doggie door which soon allowed her access to the yard by herself-voila! No more accidents. The end of the story is that I adopted little Peggy Sue myself, and she is now 13. What started out as, "What have I gotten myself into?" ended up being, "How did I ever live without this little dog?" Seeing what she has become has been one of the most satisfying experiences of my life-and I couldn't have done it without Karen Gaines. Karen has been back on occasion for follow-up visits, and she is prompt about returning calls and about making appointments. I can't recommend her enough.
I can't recommend Karen Gaines of Bark Busters enough for anyone with a dog (and potentially family) in need of training. Karen not only effectively addressed our concerns with our puppy but also educated our whole family on effectively training and using proper behavior methods with our Wheaten Terrier. An example of her commitment to her clients is one day, she went for a long walk with myself and our dog, searching for other dogs while I explained our latest challenge. I am also always amazed how quickly our dog responds to Karen's training suggestions.
It was absolutely amazing. We observed immediate results. Karen was so patient working with us and our two small children, who had so many questions. Our biggest concern was Tessa being overly excited when someone would come to visit; she'd jump and have accidents. Having two small children, kids are constantly coming and going, so we needed to work on the training immediately. Karen put us on a simple regimen; it made so much sense. It was simple. She gave us clear and concise "homework" that we could stick with, and now we feel we have control over the situation. It's been a blessing.
We loved the natural training techniques vs. bark collars, clickers or treats that we used with another trainer. Amelia came from Hurricane Katrina, and she was afraid of everything! Wind, trucks, cars, and major separation anxiety. We felt that all the cookies in the world weren't helping. We actually thought of giving her up for adoption. But we were recommended by a friend to call Bark Busters. Not only was the training from Bark Busters at the dog's comfort level, but it matched ours. Bark Busters' training methods were easy to follow and understand. Karen worked with us over a period of weeks and months, and we feel it was well worth the expense and effort.
Wendy M.
11 years ago
— San Rafael, CA
Absolutely fantastic. Without a doubt - makes so much sense and easy to understand why Bark Busters methods work, My dog Archie responded not only to Karen but to me as well. Karen's approach was in keeping with my dog training philosophy, Gentle, non-threatening and positive - without the treats. I learned more from Karen in 3 hours than I had with classes that I had taken and another trainer. The approach is so gentle yet so effective. My dog was a biter when people entered our home, now he just waits and decides if he just wants to go into another room and watch TV. Our whole family has loved working with Karen, she was professional and yet friendly , we all feel so comfortable with her.
PermalinkLarry & Susan F.
11 years ago
— San Francisco, CA
I contacted Bark Busters and it could not have been soon enough. Karen Gaines was great. She took the time to get to know all our issues and we addressed them all one by one. Bark Busters methods are so adaptable, especially as we have 2 highly hyperactive schnauzers. Sparrow, the female is aggressive to strangers and very territorial so that it haw been almost impossible to walk them. WIth the techniques Karen has given us, we have been practicing and it has been such a difference. As soon as we call her, she either answers her phone or returns our call within a few hours. Karen has been so helpful and makes sure we follow her instructions that she has made so easy for us to follow. We signed on not knowing if it would really work, and we are so happy with our success only after a few months, We really appreciate Karen and look forward to more wonderful walks in San Francisco.
PermalinkAnonymous
11 years ago
— San Francisco & Marin, California
Karen from Bark Busters is simply wonderful in every way. She has a way with dogs and the owners alike. I am a big believer in her system. Two years ago I found a rescue Golden Retriever named "Hank" and it was very hard. He was UN-neutered male and we had a lot of issues to work through. Karen is patient and gives real life instructions for how to deal with problem behaviors. She genuinely cares about each dog and each family. Wonderful person, wonderful program.! Well worth it!
PermalinkAnonymous
12 years ago
— San Francisco & Marin, California
We brought home a little rescue puppy, who came with such a bad rep that she was kicked out of the Humane Society program with San Quentin! Apparently she tried to nip the nose off an inmate. After a relaxing couple of hours with our trainer, Karen, our unsocialized little pup was paying attention, sitting calmly, and even walking on a leash. And all of this without having to use treats. I highly recommend Karen and the Bark Busters' training approach.
PermalinkAnonymous
12 years ago
— San Francisco & Marin, California
I was at the end of my rope with Cheech my 90lb. beyond stubborn pit bull and made numerous calls to dog trainers. I was surprised by the lack of response to return my calls but... Bark Busters did and I scheduled an appointment with Karen for our free consultation. I was concerned that a female trainer would not be able to control my disobedient hulk of a dog. I was very impressed by Karen when she came to our home for the free consultation. Karen spent so much time with us and just on that first visit made a huge improvement and gained our trust. Cheech and I both love Karen and he has made great improvements in his training, he still has a ways to go and Karen is the ONE! I absolutely recommend Karen she is wonderful, patient, & understanding.
PermalinkAnonymous
12 years ago
— San Francisco & Marin, California
I rescued a non-socialized 6 month old Boxer, who was a total wreck ! Karen Gaines has made miracles with Tudy and me. I strongly recomend Karen Gaines, she is top notch and loves her work. We were very fortunate to have found Karen as I was considering returning Tudy.
PermalinkAnonymous
14 years ago
— San Francisco & Marin, California
Karen Gaines from Bark Busters has been for my blind dog what Annie Sullivan was for Helen Keller: extraordinary and life changing. I met Karen Gaines at a pet adoption fair. I was toting a 10-year-old foster dog I'd been caring for who was blind, nervous about people (especially men), had a barking problem and was also having accidents in my house. Her fear and her blindness made her bark at everything, likely compounded by the fact that she'd been living an isolated life in someone's backyard 24/7. Karen spoke to me for a few minutes, and her insights and suggestions made me realize that I'd been doing everything wrong! It was my first experience with a blind dog, and I immediately knew that Karen Gaines would be this little dog's big chance to actually get a forever home. To add to the pot, I had my own little dog, so I wondered how the little blind dog would know that any behavioral corrections meant HER and not my own dog. Karen's kindness, patience and consistency were inspiring. It was more than training the dog, as I needed training, too. And get this: On the first session she even had the little dog going up and down a ramp which butted up to the doggie door which soon allowed her access to the yard by herself-voila! No more accidents. The end of the story is that I adopted little Peggy Sue myself, and she is now 13. What started out as, "What have I gotten myself into?" ended up being, "How did I ever live without this little dog?" Seeing what she has become has been one of the most satisfying experiences of my life-and I couldn't have done it without Karen Gaines. Karen has been back on occasion for follow-up visits, and she is prompt about returning calls and about making appointments. I can't recommend her enough.
PermalinkAnonymous
14 years ago
— San Francisco & Marin, California
I can't recommend Karen Gaines of Bark Busters enough for anyone with a dog (and potentially family) in need of training. Karen not only effectively addressed our concerns with our puppy but also educated our whole family on effectively training and using proper behavior methods with our Wheaten Terrier. An example of her commitment to her clients is one day, she went for a long walk with myself and our dog, searching for other dogs while I explained our latest challenge. I am also always amazed how quickly our dog responds to Karen's training suggestions.
PermalinkAnonymous
14 years ago
— San Francisco & Marin, California
It was absolutely amazing. We observed immediate results. Karen was so patient working with us and our two small children, who had so many questions. Our biggest concern was Tessa being overly excited when someone would come to visit; she'd jump and have accidents. Having two small children, kids are constantly coming and going, so we needed to work on the training immediately. Karen put us on a simple regimen; it made so much sense. It was simple. She gave us clear and concise "homework" that we could stick with, and now we feel we have control over the situation. It's been a blessing.
PermalinkAnonymous
14 years ago
— San Francisco & Marin, California
We loved the natural training techniques vs. bark collars, clickers or treats that we used with another trainer. Amelia came from Hurricane Katrina, and she was afraid of everything! Wind, trucks, cars, and major separation anxiety. We felt that all the cookies in the world weren't helping. We actually thought of giving her up for adoption. But we were recommended by a friend to call Bark Busters. Not only was the training from Bark Busters at the dog's comfort level, but it matched ours. Bark Busters' training methods were easy to follow and understand. Karen worked with us over a period of weeks and months, and we feel it was well worth the expense and effort.
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