Bark Busters Reviews
What Bark Busters clients have to say about our dog training services
- 4.97 Average Rating Average rating 4.97 out of 5 based on 18369 reviews.
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99.7% 4 or 5 stars 99.7% rate their experience with Bark Busters as 4 or 5 out of 5 stars.
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99.6% Would Recommend 99.6% would recommend Bark Busters to their friends and neighbors.
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99.5% Dog Responded 99.5% think their dog responded well to the training.
Looking to leave some feedback on your Bark Busters experience? Find your trainer, to add a review.
MBS
21 days ago
— North County San Diego
Here's the biggest takeaway from our experience: while our dogs benefit from training, it's really us who need to learn how to better understand them.
PermalinkAfter just the first visit, we saw a dramatic change in our 5-year-old Maltipoo, Louie. He had always been highly reactive--pulling on the leash with surprising strength for a 14-pound dog, barking at every dog we passed, reacting to every outside noise, and going into a frenzy whenever someone came to the front door.
Having guests over was stressful and uncomfortable because he would bark nonstop at anyone unfamiliar. It honestly caused me a lot of anxiety.
Then in March, we brought home Norman, our 5-month-old puppy, and I quickly realized I didn't want him picking up Louie's bad habits. The thought of managing two reactive dogs--and double the stress--was overwhelming.
I found Bark Busters through a stranger I struck up a conversation with about my new puppy. She had dealt with similar challenges and shared how much it helped--not just her dog, but her own anxiety as well.
I reached out to James right away, and his response time was incredibly fast. We've now had three sessions with him. The first is a thorough three-hour session, packed with eye-opening and incredibly useful information. Follow-up sessions are about an hour.
What stands out most is how much this process focuses on retraining us. It's about changing our instincts and reactions, and learning how to communicate more effectively with our dogs.
James is patient, supportive, and excellent at explaining not just what to do, but why it matters.
This isn't a quick fix. It takes time, consistency, and commitment.
If you don't practice daily, progress can stall--l've seen that firsthand when we've gotten a bit inconsistent. But when you stay committed, the results are absolutely worth it.
We're already seeing such positive changes. Walking Louie is now enjoyable--something I never thought I'd say. Neighbors who used to see his reactivity can't believe how calm he is now.
We can actually stop and chat during walks.
If you're willing to put in the work and want a calmer, happier dog--and a more peaceful home--I highly recommend James.
He's kind, knowledgeable, and truly supportive throughout the process. Stick with it, and you won't regret it.
Cherie F.
23 days ago
— Greater San Diego
I just want to think Justin for being there for myself and Lily for helping me overcome the stress of walking her on a daily basis he was Justin was patient sincere to the point and made me feel confident and good about myself taking care of my dog in a very positive and helpful way. I have called him numerous times and he’s always made me feel good and comfortable so thank you for being so good at what you do Lily is a big 93 pound Rottweiler and we fostered her then we adopted her and now she is ours and I wouldn’t want any other way but for a while there I was so afraid to walk her, but Justin came through for me and helped me on this journey. Thank you so much, Justin.
PermalinkAJ B.
23 days ago
— North County San Diego
James worked with us and our dog Mia and we observed a ton of progress after a single session. Mia has a tendency to jump on us at the door, dinner table, etc and generally get overexcited. She was also getting reactive to other dogs on walks. James helped us address both challenges and it’s honestly like we have a new dog. I appreciate James for his friendly and confident approach. I’m excited for future sessions with James and certainly would recommend his services to others.
PermalinkDavid
23 days ago
— North County San Diego
James is an amazing dog behavioral trainer. He’s insightful, professional and truly cares about animals. We have two dogs that we wanted to make sure they were well trained and behaved and responded to our commands. James was very professional and thorough in his explanations and assistance in making sure our dogs received outstanding Training. I highly recommend James from bark busters If you want an exceptional experience.
PermalinkApril V.
24 days ago
— North County San Diego
I honestly cannot say enough good things about working with James. Dealing with behavioral issues with dogs you love can be stressful and emotional, and one of the biggest things for me is that James has never made me feel judged or like I did something wrong. He looks at the situation for what it is, figures out what is actually going on, and focuses on the best way to move forward.
PermalinkJames has also gone above and beyond in a way I haven't experienced with other trainers. He checks in, asks for updates, and makes himself available for calls when something comes up or I need help figuring out how to handle a situation. It really feels like he cares about the progress being made outside of the actual training sessions rather than just showing up for an appointment and leaving you to figure out the rest.
His approach to training is probably what sets him apart the most for me. He is very gentle and patient with the dogs, but everything he does has a reason behind it. A lot of what he teaches is actually about how you, as the human, are communicating with your dog and how to better understand what your dog is communicating back to you. He explains the “why” behind things, which has helped me understand my dogs and their behavior so much better.
He has also taken extra steps that other trainers haven't to make sure everyone is comfortable and that the dogs are being assessed fairly. He pays attention to their personalities and body language and doesn't immediately make assumptions based on a behavior. There is no one-size-fits-all approach with him.
More than anything, I really appreciate how professional and nonjudgmental James is. There is never any blame or making you feel bad about how you got to where you are. He takes the situation in front of him and works with you to figure out the best approach for your dogs. I feel so much more confident understanding and communicating with my dogs since working with him, and I am genuinely grateful for how much time, care, and effort he has put into helping us.
Peter F.
26 days ago
— Winchester, MA
PermalinkBonnie was amazing with our dog. She was a rescue dog that was super anxious, was trying to be the leader of our pack, and was aggressive at times. She came in and taught us how take control, of her and how to correct her behaviors. She also worked with my kids to be able to control our dog as well. Highly recommend Bonnie
Clark F. .
27 days ago
— Saint Paul, MN
We seeked out dog training primarily due to our dog’s reactivity to other dogs on walks. Roxy is over 100 pounds and my wife was not comfortable walking her independently. We have reached this goal and then some. Omar is an expert and goes above and beyond to be sure you are comfortable with settings expectations for your dog. He was patient with all our questions. Roxy has come a long way as we continue to work on all the skills of an obedient dog. Omar also is making sure we have all the tools we need. The harness we were given is perfect and I have recommended it to friends.
PermalinkJennifer B.
29 days ago
— Staten Island, NY
Rob was efficient thorough and a pleasure to work with , we were left feeling confident and excited to learn the skills that were taught to us, Highly recommend Five Star!!! Bark Busters Thank you from the Bavaro's
PermalinkVijay
29 days ago
— Burlingame, CA
As first-time dog owners, bringing home our Bernedoodle puppy felt equal parts exciting and overwhelming. She was quiet and a bit confused in those early days, and we honestly didn’t know what “normal” even looked like.
PermalinkWe started working with Jared literally the day after we brought her home, and that made all the difference. What stood out right away is that he doesn’t just train the dog, he helps you understand your dog’s psychology. That shift was huge for us. Instead of guessing or reacting, we started to feel like we actually knew what she needed and how to respond.
He guided us through the basics like potty training and getting her to sleep through the night, and once those clicked, life got dramatically easier. More importantly, he gave us a framework we can keep using as new challenges come up.
Our puppy still has some separation anxiety and chews stuff and can be a bit needy, but now it feels manageable. We’re making steady, incremental progress and feel confident we have the tools to keep going.
Jared has also been great with our whole family. He builds trust quickly, explains things clearly, and makes everyone feel comfortable and capable. You never feel judged or overwhelmed.
If you’re a first-time dog owner, especially with a young puppy, I’d strongly recommend working with him early. It sets the right foundation and saves you a lot of stress down the line.
Andrea
30 days ago
— Greater San Diego
We called Bark Busters two days after we adopted Sarge from a family that had saved him from going to the pound.
PermalinkJustin had a variety of tools to use with Sarge. He met with us multiple times to fine tune how we worked with Sarge. Our biggest challenge was leash reactivity towards other dogs.
The technics used require the owner to gain the respect of the dog so there is work involved on the owners part. Justin was a cheerleader/teacher in this process. He was very responsive to our questions and willing to meet with us for multiple follow up sessions. Sarge is a great dog for our family and we’ve learned a lot about how to be the strong owners that Sarge needs. With the right tools, I now enjoy my daily walks with Sarge!! Thank you Justin!