Any info on "Bark Busters"

[TheRedQueen]

I've got a former puppy class student that is looking for in-home training...and asked me about Bark Busters. She's too far for me to go...but at least is asking about this company before hiring them. She's got a VERY, VERY timid, fear-aggressive mini Aussie. All I know is that BB is very big on dominance, down on treats...but I don't have any other info to tell her. Anyone know anything more?

[mnp13]

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=23412

Has anyone heard of/know anything about/worked with Bark Busters?

They are trainers that come out to your house to help you address problems with your dogs.

They apparently have worked through my clinic before and came in today to drop off some more brochures and whatnot.

I got to talking to the trainer about Bunny's leash issues and fear aggression.

He said he would be happy to work with me on that stuff this weekend some time, and would only charge me for the materials (the collar, (he called it a training collar, and said part of it is a chain), leash, and 30 ft. lunge line, which all come out to be about $60.). He said that they correct this issues by teaching you how to be "dominant over the dog".

Are they all nutsy cuckoo? Anybody know?

I'm not thinking a fear aggressive dog needs a choke-[i]anything[i], or anything involving dominance.

[TheRedQueen]

Thanks Michelle! I forgot to search first!

This was the vibe I was getting...I just like to have some cards in my hand when I talk bad about others.

[pitbullmamaliz]

I believe they also use throw chains and/or a weird growly noise to discipline the dogs.

[katiek0417]

I wouldn't use Bark Busters for a fear aggressive dog...they are pretty big on dominance, and their methods are questionnable...

Where are they located?

[TheRedQueen]

I wouldn't use Bark Busters for a fear aggressive dog...they are pretty big on dominance, and their methods are questionnable...

Where are they located?

Not sure...waiting to hear back. They used to come to Laurel for training...but not sure from what direction!

[katiek0417]

I wouldn't use Bark Busters for a fear aggressive dog...they are pretty big on dominance, and their methods are questionnable...

Where are they located?

Not sure...waiting to hear back. They used to come to Laurel for training...but not sure from what direction!

oh, ok...well, let me know

[BullyLady]

Aren't they the ones that have the "lifetime guarantee" where if the behavior they "fixed" ever returns you get free re-training? I think that ends up being a big draw for them, but I have heard from some members on another forum that they are big into corrections (I seem to remember that their preferred method is e-collars?) and use little to no positive reinforcement techniques at all. Not that I so much mind corrections, but it disturbed me that they didn't also use positive reinforcement to teach new behaviors.

[mnp13]

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 705AAr2irl

They send trainers to you. It is $595 for 2-10 sessions, depending on what you need.
They guarantee it for life.
They come to your home. Is it best to have a trainer come to your home to help you with your situation, rather than just take your dog to classes?
Is trying to be the "alpha dog" the solution to many problems?
Please let me know your own personal situation and experience.
Thanks.

a few people on that page RAVE about it, a few people don't.

This is the kind of thing that tells me to steer clear:

Being 'Alpha Dog' or being a good Leader is most important because the dog understands pack law. Your dog needs to see you as Leader in order to trust you, respect you, and learn from you. Bark Busters teaches you a ton about the principles of dog behavior...how to show leadership in a dog way - it's kind of like a Harvard Education in dog psychology!

[mnp13]

http://www.associatedcontent.com/articl ... tml?cat=53
Review of Bark Busters Dog Trainers

An International Dog-Training Miracle
We were at our wits end with our American Staffordshire Terrier. She did not listen when called, she would obey our commands for all of five seconds, and she constantly insisted on eating our things, her favorite being
our daughter's pacifiers. My husband had been underway with the military twice in the time we had her, and both times I came close to getting rid of her by the time he got back. We were facing a seven month separation, and I knew that I would not be able to handle the stress that dog, Mocca, gave me on a day-to-day basis. We talked about bringing her to a pet store trainer, but did not have the money to pay for it, and frankly did not think it would be effective. Finally, after the umpteenth time I complained about the dog to my mom, she did a search on the internet and found Bark Busters Home Dog Training. She gave us a session with them as a Christmas present.

Bark Busters has a different approach to dog training. They believe it is better and more effective to train the dog in her own environment, her "den". After all, that is where the problems occur, and where her humans will be working with her. Their techniques are gentle and hands-off, taking advantage of how the dog communicates-body language and voice control-utilizing unique approaches such as "growling" at the dog with a deep BAH, and using a training aid that is a sack with some metal pieces in it. Thrown near (not at) the dog, it mimics a dog's snap, which in dog language is the final warning before a real fight ensues.

The Bark Busters' "Therapists" spend quality time in the clients' house, first with a sit-down presentation covering everything from what is mentioned above, to how nutrition can affect the dog, and what the best foods are. Then they do hands-on training with the dog, and also with the owners. At our session, we worked on her response to people at the front door, we learned how to be "leaders of the pack" by teaching her that we always lead through doors, and worked on leash control ("heel"). We were then assigned "homework" with a chart for five weeks of working with Mocca on the problems he perceived. He also gave us plenty of handouts detailing training methods.

Overall, our experience with Bark Busters has left us with the confidence that we can make Mocca better behaved. We have noticed drastic differences in the first couple days, including the fact that we can finally sleep with the dog outside of our room, and the door shut, something we have not been able to do since she arrived four months ago. There are still some problems, but now we have the tools we need to work on them. We also have the confidence of having our Therapist to rely on. We know he is coming back in a few weeks, and if there is any problem in between, we can call or email him. Bark Busters is very involved, very family-friendly, and very supportive.

This review is specifically of the Bark Busters Therapist in the Tidewater area of Virginia. There are Bark Busters representatives all around the United States, as well as Australia (where Bark Busters began), New Zealand, the UK, China, Canada, Israel, and Taiwan, and they are always expanding. You can view their American website at http://www.barkbusters.com, and there are links to the other nations' sites there. Though they are around the world, their training methods are the same, and effective. The hardest part of training our dog has been keeping constant with it every day. It does take commitment on the part of the owners, but if you are looking for a trainer who will be there to support you in that commitment, Bark Busters is an excellent choice.

This is an old thread, but a pretty good one:
http://community.southernliving.com/sho ... php?t=7468