Bark Busters

I adopted my about 5 year old dog Watson only to find out he was reactive to other dogs. I called Jeanie to work with us in November and am already seeing a huge change in Watson. Jeanie is very knowledgeable and eager to help. All her methods are dog friendly, which was super important to me since my boy had been through previous trauma. Just today I called Jeanie about Watson counter surfing and she was there and ready to help us work through it!

I adopted my approximately 6 year old Lab mix ("Fletch") in early November 2021 and he soon began displaying some behaviors that concerned me. I knew that he was really smart and sweet but didn't understand the root of the behaviors and where to begin with training. I was impressed with the many positive reviews of Jeanie with Bark Busters VA Beltway and after an introductory call with her I knew she was the right fit for Fletch and me. Fletch responded to the techniques and exercises shown to me by Jeanie immediately and by the end of the first session he was like a different dog.

He was listening and respecting me in a way that he had not previously. Jeanie gave me several exercises to practice with Fletch in between our first and second session and he has continued to make progress every day. Subsequent sessions have built out further training goals such as loose leash walking, ignoring other dogs/critters/people while out on a walk, and being respectful and calm when guests are over my house.

Her positive approach to training, experience in working with a range of different behaviors, and clear love for the dogs she works with has really made a difference for Fletch and me. Highly recommended!

Fantastic experience with Jeanie from Bark Busters! She helped me get my stubborn, independent girl heeling beautifully and responding to my commands in just two weeks. Can't say enough good things, it was well worth it!

This review is long overdue. Our dog, Charlie, is a 6-year-old German Shepherd mix. We called Jeanie because he had grown increasingly protective of us (reacting aggressively towards people and dogs while on the leash walking in hallways through our apartment building), more vocal (barking loudly anytime someone walked past the hallway outside of our front door - our downstairs neighbor even complained to management about his barking), and demanding (we'd have to secretly put on our shoes when we were getting ready to take him outside because the minute he saw us he'd bark non-stop and act crazy, running around and trying to usher us out the door as quickly as possible).

We also struggled anytime guests came over our apartment - he would bark non-stop and annoy them anytime they were not petting him. Similarly, whenever we would come home from work, we'd have to race to pet him, so he'd stop barking and calm down. It grew to the point where we needed to research local trainers and came across Bark Busters. We were encouraged by the reviews, although most were for younger dogs and new puppies, so we were skeptical.

We had our first session with Jeanie virtually where she briefed us on all the foundational Bark Busters philosophies and techniques. At first, many were eye-opening to us but as we implemented some of the active and passive techniques, they made a lot of sense. Once we started working on the different exercises that Jeanie explained to us, we saw results very quickly.

She understands dogs and their needs and makes it very easy for us to understand as well during the training process. She was available to answer any questions we had via email or phone and stayed very flexible for appointments. Charlie is a very quirky dog, and she was able to quickly adapt some training techniques to fit his personality and needs as well, which was a concern for us prior to beginning the training.

In just a few weeks, we noticed a huge improvement in his attentiveness and obedience. "Stay" actually results in him staying. "Sit" actually results in him sitting. Us coming home after work is no longer a huge ordeal - he sometimes doesn't even get out of bed when we walk in the door. There has been a huge difference when guests come over - we follow Jeanie's guidance and now he no longer barks non-stop and bothers them.

He rarely barks when people walk in the hallway outside our front door - all we get are low grumbles or a single bark now. We don't have to secretly put on our shoes when we are getting ready to take him out - he is calm and waits for us to be ready to put his harness on. An essential part of the Bark Busters method is that the key to achieving long-lasting change is consistency - you must be dedicated to employing Bark Busters' practices 24/7/365 with your dog.

There are active training techniques and also passive ones that help the dog understand that you are in charge, not them. Even though Charlie has some struggles some days, we have seen so much improvement and are looking forward to continuing to work with Jeanie. One of the best things about Bark Busters is that the training is good for the entire lifespan of the dog - that way we can call Jeanie whenever we have a question, need a refresher, or want to concentrate on something new.

That gives us peace of mind. All of this to say - we encourage anyone whose dog has similar issues to Charlie to reach out to Jeanie. She is an amazing trainer, and we are very thankful to Bark Busters and Jeanie for the help and continued guidance.

Jeanie is phenomenal! I was struggling with my dog Benny for 2-3 years. I had tried every bark collar and calming tool I could find. I spent thousands of dollars at doggy day care and he'd STILL come home barking. He was constantly barking and had awful separation anxiety. I am now able to leave my house without him barking and his separation anxiety has become SO much better. I cannot thank Jeanie enough for all the support and help! The BAH method is life changing. Thank you Jeanie!

Jeanie is amazing! Nothing but praise for Jeanie and Bark Busters. Our Pickles is a rescue dog whose past history was completely unknown to us. She is naturally skittish and fearful, and has had many challenging traits, like pulling on the leash, nipping at men and barking, etc. Literally one session with Jeanie and we saw 80-90% improvement in Pickles' behavior.

During our second session, Jeanie shared additional methods that we are currently working on to complete the training. It is nothing short of a miraculous transformation. The techniques work. Follow Jeanie's instruction and you will be very satisfied with the progress!

Jeanie is an incredible dog trainer! We have seen a night and day difference in our puppy's demeanor and listening abilities even after our first session with her. She came to our apartment to begin puppy training for our new 14 week old beagle. She is very calm and brings a really positive energy to our home. She spends the time reviewing our routines and how we interact with our dog. She provides easy to follow instructions on how to train our new pup.

We got in touch with Bark Busters at the start of the new year in January. Our dog Luke was such a sweet boy in our home, but he had developed awful leash-reactivity issues. We live in an area with a lot of other dogs walking around, and our walks with him were absolutely miserable. It was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Inside, our sweet pup respected boundaries and was very polite. Outside, he was out of control.

We had just one session with Jeanie back in February. Jeanie explained exactly how dogs communicate with each other, and how we can use those methods to communicate with our dogs. She helped us set boundaries with Luke, and she showed us how to correct him while we're walking. No treats, no e-collar, just communication and redirection. I'm not exaggerating when I say that it was like a switch had been flipped.

Ever since that one session with Jeanie in February, our daily walks are completely different. Luke walks calmly by our side, and he follows commands. He knows not to growl at other dogs, and he will wait patiently by our side until we allow him to "go free" and sniff in the grass. I honestly cannot recommend this service enough. Thank you so much, Jeanie!