I was referred to Bark Busters by a good friend that specifically recommended Andy. This experience has been not only wonderful but life-saving for me. I am a first-time dog owner and was completely clueless on how to properly train a puppy. Andy was amazing. He created a plan, showed me exactly what to do and even shared his contact information for me to continue to update him on progress and to ask further questions. He still supports me and my pup on his continuous growth. I would highly recommend Bark Busters and I assure you it is well worth the investment! read more

Hi. Let me start out by saying Please forgive all typos and grammar errors as this isn't what my review is about. I come to tell you all the truth as to what my experience with Bark Busters is like. I got in touch with Bark Buster on August 15, 2021. What sold me on them is the guarantee life time of your dog. My puppy at meeting his trainer was a little over 9 months old. The trainer is Andy who was extremely nice. As that is to be expected when you're charging $1400 and you're trying to make a sell which I bought. Although he did give a $55 discount. Well, the truth of the matter is I feel like a fool to have given up that much money for what I received. Andy, as sweet and as professional as he was didn't do much. He gave my husband and I this sound to make which is "egh". You know like you would say to a child when they're about to get into something they shouldn't, or that could harm them. Anyway, that was it. Although Andy mentioned that we could call or text him and he said texting would be better. When I did, I felt I was being made the reason for why my dog is not doing what I want him to do. For the cost, I feel the trainer should contact you at least once a month to see how training is coming along and or make a monthly house visit to reinforce his training. Also in my opinion and what's happening in our house is, my husband and I have taken notice that your puppy will pretty much follow you and if you just be patient enough you will see his/her progress or him/her growing up as they get older mimicking your household. Needlessly to say, we probably used that "egh" sound for maybe a week when we thought about using it which wasn't often. Not because my puppy wasn't just being a pup but that you just didn't think about it. I don't know if the fact of living in SE, DC had or has any bearing on how my visitations we're going to be but after reading some other reviews, I see Andy came out somewhat frequently to you. My bottom line is keep your money. I just gave you the word to use if you choose too. Or as I stated earlier just be patient and the pooch will fall in line in time. Also, I went on the Better Business Bureau website to file a complaint and to let people know of this company's practice. What I found on the BBB website is that I'm not alone in my complaint and it's state wide. From state to states. Check it out for yourself. I know some would probably call this buyer's remorse and you would be right. However, if just a little more was done for my money then there would be no need for the negative review. Best wishes to you and your good boy (s) or girl (s). Save your money! I wish I had and that someone would have put this information out there for me. Also, Andy asked me to give a good review on our first day of meeting. I told him that I would. However, from my practice I'm in the habit of waiting to see how things go before giving a review this way you'll get the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Most things are always good in the beginning or at first meeting but how is the follow through? This is what people want and need to know. Save your money and enjoy your ball of fur! Bye. read more

If there was a "6 star" option, Andy with Bark Busters has been exactly that! Prior to engaging Andy, we struggled with walks (pulling and seeming aggression towards other dogs), barking & front door reactivity. To our surprise, both dogs made significant progress in only our first session, and it's just improved from there. We can now comfortably walk them without feeling like we need to turn in another direction when we see a dog and we've been able to move away from an over-reliance on treats for redirecting attention. While the investment (of both time and money) might feel like a lot upfront, we can say with absolute certainty that it's the best investment we've made in improving our relationship with our beloved pets. I hope we have the opportunity to recommend Andy to other dog owners with similar challenges :)! read more

Andy is fantastic. He really knows his stuff and is a pleasure to work with. I have two small dogs and Andy helped us a couple years ago. They regressed (due to our lack of discipline sticking to what Andy taught us) and he came back for a refresher. Very dedicated to his work! read more

PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY: I am a long time dog owner and started working with Andy Poscoe at Bark Busters, paying him $1,800. I wish I had known how terrible this experience would be. My puppy is my baby and I regret using Bark Busters. This is what I wish I'd known before signing up: - Responsiveness: Andy is slow to respond, if he responds at all. I've had to call the main office multiple times to get him to respond. His availability is extremely limited even when he does respond. Please read the other customer reviews. - Cost: I've only had two session with Andy, to the tune of $900 a session. You have to schedule sessions weeks in advance because Andy is so "busy" and at times that may not work for you as a working day professional. He tends to only be available in the middle of the day and does not accommodate his schedule to meet the client needs. - Professionalism: I expressed my frustration to Andy about his tone when responding to me, as the client, simply asking questions. He comes across as arrogant and dismissive of customer questions and feedback. In fact, he turned the table on me after receiving negative feedback- which felt like total gaslighting. This is jarring, particularly when considering that he is training my dog who is quick to pick up on negative energy (he's a sensitive golden doodle). - Cost: My dog continues to run away and have behavioral issues after multiple sessions. It's actually embarrassing. Given the cost of the service, this is unacceptable. - Customer Service: If you have an issue with a specific trainer, you can call at 800 customer service line that is nothing more than a call center. They are not an actual company, their is no manager or owner to speak with. As Andy told me, he is the final stop - being the owner and manager. - The Catch: While there are multiple trainers using the Bark Buster brand, if your trainer is not a good match, you are locked in as they use a franchise model that offers no flexibility. - Lack of focus on customer experience: I heard more from Andy about how proud he is about setting up his business than how happy his clients are. The focus is not on your dog, rather what feels like a pyramid scheme in which customers pay significant fees for a limited number of classes. read more

I LOVE Andy! He was able to show me so many valuable tools as a new dog owner. I have already implemented them into my daily routine with my pup and can tell it will work with patience and care. Thank you Bark Busters for this amazing service! And thank you to Andy for all he provides. He. Is. Worth. The. Money. read more

Not really impressed. 1600 for a squirt bottle and training on how to say "aht" to your dog. Could have saved my money‍. Was expecting wayyy more follow up/follow through but the one follow up appointment that was scheduled got cancelled due to traffic. And for the money, I shouldn't have to reach out for more training. Andy's a great guy so it seems, just no real training given. Still have to find another trainer. read more

My puppy is only 4 lbs, she is a lot of work. Since we got her during COVID, I tried training her myself. I was not seeing any consistency in her behavior. That's when I turned to Bark Busters. The staff is professional. Andy did a terrific job showing us how to get our pup's attention and communicate with her. I saw an immediate change in her behavior. I highly recommend Bark Buster and Andy. read more

Andy worked with us and our Chihuahua Diego. He has helped us to understand our dog better. The training was simple and hands on. We can already see a change for the better. We highly recommend Bark Busters. read more

After only a three hour session, my Juno was like a whole other dog! I used to worry about her lunging at dogs/runners/bikers on our walks and she ignores everything. Andy gives you great tools to continue to reinforce and train good behavior in your dog. I take my dog to work and people keep remarking how well behaved she is. Andy is also very responsive as other behavior emerges. Highly recommend! read more

Bark Busters - Pet Training Near Me

My beagle, Tyson, and I had a great first session with Andy. Tyson had been in a medical lab before I adopted him in October, and he has still been very fearful of the sights and sounds of my noisy neighborhood. Andy taught me some tools to use and I look forward to working with him to make my dog feel safe and secure. read more

Andy saved me and my pup! I have trained 4 dogs, big and small, in my lifetime and none of the techniques I had used in the past worked with Mobi. She was bitting me so much, (not in a playful or teething way) that my arms were scratched and scabbed. Not to mention having to deal with the other usual puppy issues. I was hesitant to spend the money for Bark Busters because I am self-employed and the pandemic has hit me hard financially. But I was starting to think I had made a mistake adopting my puppy! It broke my heart to think I might have to give her back. Andy came to my home and spent over 3 hours with me and Mobi. She hasn't bitten once since that day!!! Andy showed me several techniques to use to make Mobi understand that I am the leader and she needs to follow my commands. We are working on her leash walking skills and it's amazing to see her looking to me for direction. I believe Mobi is a happier dog since we are communicating so much better with each other. I am finally having fun with my puppy! It's been 4 weeks since Andy's first visit and Mobi and I are truly a bonded pair now. I know this would not have been possible if I hadn't called Andy. Thank you Andy and Bark Busters! read more

We had our first Bark Busters experience this Monday and it was amazing! Andy successfully transformed our high energy, crazy biting shiba inu to a calm, relaxed kitty in less than two hours! Our neighbor recommended Bark Busters to us, and we couldn't believe how quickly the changes could happen until we saw it! Not only our shiba is more calm and reduced his barking dramatically, we feel more relaxed and can finally enjoy being happy dog parents. Andy is great! We are so lucky to have him guiding us through this journey with his love and passion toward dogs and his job! We highly recommend Andy and Bark Busters! read more

I haven't had a pet/puppy in our home in over thirty years, but since I retired I thought I would like the company. I wanted a puppy but each time I thought about it I became overwhelmed with the process. I went online to find a dog training, I was told with the COVID-19 no one was willing to come out until I found Bark Busters, I spoke with Andy over the phone and I must admit I was still a little skeptical! Now, I say all of that to say, I now have a new family member and I also have a first rate trainer! Thank you Andy, Bentley and I are so appreciate for your experience, he and I are glad to have you in our life. read more

They lure you with a nonrefundable deposit fee then they tell you is 2000 for 3 hours + lifetime. The lady in my local office was rude and pushy. I wouldn't recommend them. read more

Andy takes the time to get to know you, your family, your home, and your dog in order to set a personalized plan for success. He asks insightful and positive questions that makes it clear he understands your issues. Our dog has experienced separation anxiety for years and Andy helped us understand the root of the issue and gave us specific exercises to help reset his behavior. Helping our dog is a long-term effort, but with Barkbuster's lifetime guarantee, we have no doubt we will have the support we need to be successful. Thank you for your patience and positivity, Andy! read more

As soon as Andy arrive the training began and he was a true professional by observing and talking us through our concerns. After an observation period, he commenced with an outline and briefing into the systems techniques. Throughout the whole process he was informative and the training was both theory and practical. We look forward to working further with Andy and already seeing remarkable improvements with our dog. read more

Andy was very knowledgable, patient and thorough with us and our puppy. We would highly recommend him!

We've been working with Andy since late September, one week after we adopted our then nine week old Cavachon puppy, and we are thrilled with the results. This is our third puppy and we self-trained the other two. After reading the other reviews, we decided to hire a professional to help us train our puppy right from the start and it was a great decision. Andy spent about three hours during our first session and he's been back three other times for about an hour each time. The training is nearly all positive reinforcement focused with tips on how to correct or disincentive behaviors that you don't want. After the first session, we had the tools to have her only chew on the things she's allowed to chew on - thus, all of our furniture, rugs, hands, etc. are free of bite marks. Each session, he gives us great tips on how we can communicate and work better with our dog and everything he has taught us works. For example, before our last session with Andy, walking our dog was an event. She careened from side to side, pulled on the leash, sat down unexpectedly, etc. In short, it was a bit like walking a bat out of hell (although she does not have an evil bone in her body. :-) At this most recent session, Andy asked how we wanted the walking to work with her, gave us suggestions on how to accomplish it, and then showed us how to do it. We then practiced with our puppy while Andy watched so that he could coach us. In less than a week, it was like walking a different dog. Now, she mostly keeps at our pace, does not careen, no hard pulling, etc. In short, she's a pleasure to walk with now. We still have work and the training is fun because we have the right tools for it. I thoroughly and wholeheartedly recommend Andy and Bark Busters. We are so grateful we called him right away and didn't struggle through trying to train our puppy on our own even though we had successfully trained two previous dogs. This time we are training our puppy much more quickly, effectively, and positively - and that's all due to hiring Andy to help us. read more

Cannot recommend Bark Busters training enough! Our dog was a terrible leash puller. We tried multiple training methods / YouTube tutorials and could not get him to stop. However, we saw results within the first hour of working with Andy. Andy gave us a new way of thinking about training and adapted to our dog's specific needs & motivations. Absolutely worth the investment! read more

Andy is an absolute lifesaver. My puppy was chewing on everything and wasn't able to understand the word "no." The tones and body language I learned yesterday are already working. She now knows not to chew the remote and my slippers, will stay at a distance if I'm cooking on a hot stove, and will come to me whenever I want. This has all happened in the last 36 hours. I couldn't be happier with the program and feel incredibly confident that my puppy will be a respectful, loving, well trained dog. read more

I would have never thought a dog could be trained so well and so quickly, without the use of treats! I feel like finally we are not being controlled by the dog. We are enjoying him, and he is living anxiety free because he doesn't have to worry about things that he doesn't need to worry about, like noises outside and people coming to the door. For the last 18 months we have had to restrain our dog whenever people came to the door and then came in the house. No more! He obeys and stays put! I used to dread when people came over because of the dog. After one training visit, I am confident he will not jump or whine the next time we have friends over. read more

Andy was very professional and knowledgeable. He taught me how to communicate with my dog, and the results became apparent almost immediately. My dog would become aggressive/excited at the mere sight of a dog on our walks. After our training session we went out on a walk to test his training, and he was totally calm. Andy teaches you how to train your dog without treats or physical punishment so the training is applicable in all environments. I would highly recommend Bark Busters since their training can be used with any unwanted behavior, and if you ever need any help they offer lifetime support read more

We've been working with Andy for a little over a month now, and are so happy we decided to work with him! We have a 10 month old Akita - overall he's a good dog, but it's a headstrong and independent breed. We had done puppy and basic obedience, but still, we were noticing behaviors we wanted to address before they became worse (leash reactivity, pulling, not listening). Even during the first session we started seeing big changes. It was an intense first session (both the dog and the owners worked hard!), but by the time Andy left, I already felt a stronger bond with my dog. We've continued with the homework Andy assigned for us, and have seen the results. The methods are straightforward and easy to understand. We now understand more about dog behavior and communication, and have the confidence to be the leaders that our dog needs. Definitely recommend Bark Busters and Andy, in particular! read more

Andy was really good with Ellie.

Andy is a top notch trainer and dog whisperer! We had our first 3hr session yesterday and it was fun, informative, and we have noticed immediate results. Andy changed the way I communicate with Rogue and I learned so much on how to be a better leader for my dog and create a stress-free environment for him both in the house and on our walks. Andy and Bark Buster's philosophy is unlike any I've seen, and I love it. We've already told several friends at the park and in our rescue group to go check him out! We can't wait for our next session. read more