Reviews

Michelle was extremely knowledgeable and patient. The first session has already made such a difference in Pixie's puppy habits, and there are quite a few. I'm positive it will only get better using the training and tools Michelle has given us.

Our first training session was very helpful! Michelle was excellent. She was patient, and committed to helping my pup improve his manners. Bocce is already responding to the training, and with practice I am confident my investment will pay off.

Oh, where to begin! Milo is the most loving dog we've ever had. He's a rescue from Puerto Rico and has a case of separation anxiety. So much so that unless the kitchen area, where he is confined while we're at work, is "Milo-proofed" he'll destroy everything. Alas, after searching for trainers and behaviorists we came across Bark Busters. Michelle had stellar reviews going back years! We called. Michelle is nothing short of a miracle worker! Her understanding of dogs and how to train "us" to communicate with them, become the leader, and relieve them of that stress is just downright amazing! A simple "Bah!" and we saw it right away! Our understanding and communication has increased ten fold. Milo is responding so well to being fired from his old job and is even sleeping better. We are still training but the tools Michelle provides are priceless. The understanding, psychology, and instruction are like nothing we've ever seen. And the fact that she's always there to help is a major bonus! If I could give a million stars I would!

Michelle was extremely professional, full of knowledge! She taught me so much with the first 3hrs. She gave me the tools to start correcting a few of the problems I am having. I am seeing immediate results.

Michelle was great! We learned a lot from her how to train Bella she was with us 3 hrs It was very beneficial and educational.

After one 3 hour session my dogs were completely different! It takes work but it works! Much happier household!

I cannot say enough about Michelle! She is an awesome trainer who is working with us and our 3 dogs! From DAY 1 we have seen major improvements in behavior- learning to speak dog is life changing!

We knew we made the right decision in contacting Bark Busters from the moment Michelle walked through our front door! An impact was made as Michelle’s immediate guidance helped us to navigate how we reacted to our beagle Jules’ howling at the doorbell/unknown person in the house which ultimately settled Jules a bit; normally no easy feat! Michelle had a calm, self-assured demeanor in her approach to guiding our family in the relearning of how our behaviors affect Jules’ behavior which was eye opening! Putting the skills Michelle gave us into practice and under her supervision during our first session and seeing the difference in our interactions with Jules right away offered us the confidence and encouragement to continue and be consistent in this journey. Michelle has armed us with the knowledge and tools to be successful in our relationship with Jules, alleviating Jules’ anxiety and stress as we all claim our new roles in the Pack Hierarchy. Huge mahalos Michelle – we are so appreciative of everything we have learned and implemented thus far and for your support in our success!

Impressive! Truly impressive. But so simple. Our collective jaws dropped to the ground during our first session. Michelle was amazing and so were our 2 dogs. That session was two day ago and our transition has been dramatic. We still have work to do but Barkbusters’ Michelle was phenomenal. She was respectful of our home, kind, personable, proficient, on-target accurate, and clear in our instruction. By the way, it was the humans who got trained. The dogs enthusiastically responded. Amazing changes in one session. What blessing! Thank you Michelle!

I would strongly recommend Barkbusters to anyone searching for a dog trainer. We met with Michelle last week for our first training session. We learned so much and we have seen a huge difference in our dogs behavior already. Highly recommend!!

We had Michelle McCarthy from Bark Busters out to assist us with our little guy, Barney. He had been living in constant fear and stress because we, as dog owners, simply didn't know what we were doing - we didn't know how to communicate with him. I am embarrassed to say, but also happy to understand, that it wasn't our dog who needed training - it was us. After four hours with Michelle, I really can't fully articulate all the "aha" moments or the wave of guilt that washed over me when I realized that my lack of awareness was stressing my dog out keeping in a state of high alert where his only mission was to lead the pack and keep it safe. The straight forward - but profoundly impactful - TTPs (Tools, Tactics, and Procedures) that Michelle imparted had an immediate impact on Barney. Michelle's meeting structure is very deliberate; she focused on on us (the owners) for the majority of the time, trained us up to "speak dog" and leverage straightforward, effective tools for getting Barney's attention and cooperation. By the time Michelle was done with training us and the moment arrived to practice lessons with Barney, I was pretty sure she already knew what the outcome would be: immediate impact. Immediate responsiveness. Yes, your best friend will go through an adjustment period as the Pack Hierarchy changes, but if you take in the lessons and apply them as instructed, you will likely see immediate results, as we did. I can tell already, that if applied calmly and consistently, the lessons we've learned will change our dog forever. Today I walked my dog without him barking at neighbors or other dogs for the first time in two years. We did so with very few corrections. In fact we past within feet of another dog and Barney just looked at me and continued trotting at my side. The experience was shocking, encouraging, and categorically justified every penny we spent with Bark Busters. We've decided to live these lessons, because that is the only guaranteed way to ensure continued success - and we are very much looking forward to doing so with full confidence that the Bark Busters' method works. Michele McCarthy is a well-traveled, confident Dog Trainer. A true professional we are thankful to have met. If you are on the fence, don't be. She's got you.

Michelle helped us to take charge of an alpha diva dog. The tools and skills that she gave us have made a huge difference in our family. Our dog is more relaxed and we are in charge. I highly recommend Michelle. The tools she gives you will work if you are willing to commit the time it takes to program your dog.

We were amazed by how easily and quickly Michelle showed and taught us how to begin to become the leaders of our pack. Looking forward to our next visit after practicing what we’ve learned

Contacting Bark Busters was one of the best decisions I made. Michelle is a talented, knowledgable and motivating trainer. Learning how to "speak dog" and learning the basics of dog psychology is key to having a happy, healthy relationship with your pet. My main concern was with my reactive English Shepherd but after 1 session I was able to see issues with my other dogs and how they interact as a pack. My dogs response to Michelle's excercises were nothing short of amazing, and I'm happy to report we are progressing every day. Michelle also checks in to see how things are going and answer any questions that may arise. Being in the veterinary field I am frequently asked for recommendations for behaviorists and trainers. Bark Busters will be at the top of my list.

After Michelle left we saw immediate improvement in Boscoe's behavior. He was way more obedient. He's not rushing at the door whenever I open it like he was previously. He's not jumping to grab food. We're still at the beginning phases of the separation training, but so far he's been responding well. He's not following me into every room any longer and I'm happy to see he's finally starting to relax when I'm not in his sights.

Simply amazing! Michelle was absolutely amazing, she really does teach you how to speak dog! Honestly I didn’t think I’d see any changes in my dog after 1 session like all the reviews claim, but I was wrong! After a thorough 3 hours 1st in person session, my dog is a new pup. My boy was displaying some major leash reactivity….walking him during the dog walking hours was something I dreaded. But honestly, her methods work. She explains how dogs communicate and understanding what’s going on in their mind can help us humans help them be their best. Highly recommend! I’ve now walked Exodus 3x and encountered other dogs and had minimal issues. Will continue practicing to help solidify.

Simply amazing! Michelle was absolutely amazing, she really does teach you how to speak dog! Honestly I didn’t think I’d see any changes in my dog after 1 sessions like all the reviews claim, but I was wrong! After a thorough 3 hours 1st in person session. My dog is a new pup. My boy was displaying some major leash reactivity….walking him during the dog walking hours was something I dreaded. But honestly, her methods work. She explains how dog communicates and understanding what’s going on in their mind can help us humans help them be their best. Highly recommend! I’ve now walked Exodus 3x and Encountered other dogs and had minimal issues. Will continue practicing to help solidify.

Wonderful experience! Training is already changing how our Willow acts.

I am absolutely amazed with all I learned from Michelle. Lucky is much calmer and relaxed. The training is simple but you must be consistent. She is like a different dog after one day. She is a much happier and content dog now that I am the leader. I honestly can’t believe how quickly she is taking direction. I’m sorry I waited 4 years to finally train her. I highly recommend Bark Busters and Michelle!

Michelle was so informative and knowledgeable. One session made a huge difference.

We were looking for a trainer for our good boy Schnitzel and found Michelle McCarthy with Bark Busters. Michelle has been such a life changer for us even after just a couple of sessions. We have been so impressed with the training and only wish we had found her sooner. Schnitzel is now much calmer and less stressed, no longer barks out the window all day, and is a true gem while out on walks. I highly recommend Michelle! The training has been so worth it for us.

Calling Bark Busters was the best decision we could have possibly made. After only just one session with Michelle, we saw an immediate change in our 'pack' dynamic! Michelle helped us understand what was going on from Milo’s perspective and how to address issues in a manner dogs actually respond to. Our house overnight felt calmer and continues to this day - it's been such a relief.  For a dog that could not sleep in his crate a day in his life, Milo immediately slept through the night in the crate and didn't bark ONCE after our first session. We were shocked - we never thought this would be possible! Milo is also showing progress with strangers knocking our door / ringing the doorbell, which would previously set him off. Thanks to the exercises Michelle gave us, Milo now walks behind us in the house and with practice in just over 3 weeks he’s starting to do so out on the street on our walks (where there are lots of distractions!). instead pulling and charging ahead. We ALL feel a lot more relaxed (our cat, too!) and in control. We can’t recommend Michelle enough! We're looking forward to our next session!

Lilly is a young German Shepard. She has a very dominate personality. She would not respond when called outside and we live on a dangerous road. She also needed to learn manners inside the house. The first session really started a positive change. I have learned what I need to work on to improve her behavior

Michelle has been so helpful. She is there to give you, the pet owner, all of the tools to best communicate with your pup and therefore build a greater bond! Bowie is my first dog and in a few short months he's become a completely different dog because I've become a better owner thanks to Michelle. We haven't covered everything yet, but we are on our way!

Michelle truly is the best of the best!

Michelle was great! Never realized how much we were doing wrong! I am still shocked at how quickly we saw and continue to see improvements in Oliver’s behavior everyday. He still has always to go but way better!!

This was our second shot at trying to tackle my dog's anxiety and stress issues, and from the 1st day we noticed a big change in Luna's personality. Michelle was great, really took the time out of her day to completely focus on us and our needs/wants with training. She was very kind as well as knowledgable in what she does. Would definitely recommend to anyone.

Michelle was wonderful to work with! Penny is a rescue dog with anxiety issues that tend to lead to aggression. Within the first session, Penny had begun responding to and respecting commands even during her barking/aggression episodes. I am very impressed with the difference I already see! Penny has already become a more relaxed dog, and I am more confident in having her out in public. Thanks Michelle!

Wow! Michelle was amazing. We have a 5.5 month old German short haired pointer with plenty of energy and fun loving excitement. We really wanted to receive help to train our puppy to be calm around guests, stop jumping, learn to drop it, and not pull our arms off when we tried to walk him on his leash. The tips, help and training we received from Michelle in the first session was incredible! Truly unbelievable to see the way Cooper responded to this training and the progress he is making by following their guidelines! I read plenty of reviews before selecting bark busters and saw how many people said that Michelle speaks dog, and she really does! We’ve only had one session and it’s night and day with our puppy. Trust me, selecting bark busters will be the best decision you make for success with your puppy!

wow I cant believe the transformation our dogs went through on the first night of training. Michelle was so knowledgeable, kind and respectful. I didn't feel judged or uncomfortable even though there were things as a owner that I should have been doing differently. It was surprising to see how ornery and challenging our belgian malinous was when we thought he was such a sweet heart. Once training began we noticed how much disrespect he had for us as owners. Michelle taught us how to gain that respect in one night in a loving way. In just two days it has been a complete transformation and we are all very happy! I highly recommend reaching out to Michelle for the best training ever!

We had our first session with Michelle and our dogs are doing great. Great training, very helpful it really helps you make sense of what your dog is thinking and how to get them to listen to you. 10 out of 10 would definitely recommend.

Michelle has been working with me and my Australian Shepherd puppy (Koda) for a couple of sessions now and I am so pleased with our results. I needed Michelle’s help for Koda’s pulling on the leash and for his barking at other dogs while on the leash. After one month of consistent training homework Koda and I have nearly eliminated his leash pulling. We still have a lot of work to do as we move forward but following through with the daily training exercises is key. The amount of respect Koda showed to Michelle the second he met her was unbelievable and very evident. I am confident that if I am consistent with our training exercises every day we will crush our goals together! Michelle has taught me how to speak dog and show Koda that I am a reliable and trustworthy leader. The success that you witness when working with Michelle truly makes you excited to try out the new exercises and achieve improvement and when you do, it feels so good! I highly recommend Michelle for any dog training-just make sure you are committed to putting in the time and effort every single day.

Michelle McCarthy saved our dog's life. Simply put. Before I found out about Bark Busters, we had contemplated putting our mixed pup, Tanner, down for aggressive behaviors. He had attacked me and more importantly, my children for the past few months on and off. We had spoken to SEVERAL trainers, watched dozens of videos, and even bought a shock collar as a last result. Nothing worked. We didn't know what else to do. The vet (at the time) said that 'nobody should feel scared from a pet in their own home." While I wholeheartedly agreed with this statement, my gut said there was something we were missing. Was it organic? Was it 'fixable'? That's when we called Bark Busters. We were assigned to Michelle McCarthy due to our 'area', and now, I wouldn't have anyone else. Within 15 minutes of Michelle entering, we had begun to see what we were doing wrong all along: we weren't speaking his language. I cannot go into all that Michelle did for us that first night. When Tanner tried getting our attention by pulling down a whole roll of paper towels, Michelle corrected his behavior in 10 seconds, without getting up, raising her voice, or giving unnecessary treats. Michelle saved Tanner's life. Michelle eased our hearts and minds. Michelle IS the dog-whisperer! NOT ONLY is she affordable, she is here with us for the life of Tanner. I can honestly say though it is my opinion that the reason that is the 'guarantee' is because her techniques are SO good, we probably won't require her for that long! Having a 'treat free' behavior plan is epic for us. No more junkie treats that were upsetting his belly, and PROVEN not to have any lasting effect with behavior management. I can't wait for our next lesson. I am so blessed to have this woman in Tanner and our lives. ONE note. DO NOT call if you do not plan on following: the daily homework, working with your dog, or following the new behavior plans. Families have to be 100% on board. You CANNOT have one person doing it, while the others ignore it. THIS IS CRUCIAL. Tanner is a different dog in just 14 days. Why? Because we ALL use the techniques. All 4 of us are doing what Michelle recommends. We are 'tally-marking' the strategies daily. DO NOT hesitate. Call/schedule immediately. Like I stated in the beginning, Michelle saved Tanner's life. We are so grateful.

Michelle from Bark Busters really changed our lives yesterday!! We were feeling lost and out of control with our sweet almost 4 month old deaf puppy Ghost, he was definitely running the show and we were overwhelmed by how much our lives had been taken over by this adorable little terror! We were especially overwhelmed once we learned that he was deaf, and realized we couldn't use our voice to train him. We didn't know how to manage the "puppy crazies" when he would become a lunatic, do laps around the house, chew everything he wasn't supposed to, and bite any body part he could find of ours (and those puppy teeth are super sharp)! Yelling at him and saying "NO!" was doing nothing as he couldn't hear us haha We also felt lost in terms of how to leash and house train him. We received him from foster care just 3 weeks ago and he was wee-wee pad trained but he's a clumsy puppy so we've been constantly cleaning up pee and poop spillage when he misses the wee-wee pads since he got here, and we desperately wanted to get him to only go outside! Michelle changed all of this in the matter of a few hours, and gave us guidance and a concrete plan for how to move forward. She taught us how to hold ourselves and how to train him to not do these puppy crazy behaviors like biting, jumping and chewing everything in sight! She was patient and made sure we understood how dogs communicate so that we could truly understand the world from Ghost's eyes, especially considering that his eyes were the main way we were going to communicate with our deaf puppy. She explained everything so that it made sense to us, and practiced with us until we felt we could practice with Ghost. She addressed all of our concerns and I feel full of hope and confidence now that we will have a different puppy soon! In fact, he already was truly a different puppy after just the initial session- the dynamics changed thanks to Michelle and we became the leaders, rather than Ghost calling all the shots and making the decisions! Last night he slept THROUGH THE NIGHT, which is a miracle after 3 weeks of waking up between 2-4am to take him to the bathroom because HE asked us to!! Not anymore, we're in charge and that allows Ghost to have rules, structure and respect for us as his parents and feel safer in this world. Michelle trained us to be good parents and leaders for Ghost and we are eternally grateful and can't wait to keep working with Michelle! The initial training session was truly so thorough I've already recommended Bark Buster services to a few friends with puppies!

Michelle McCarthy is a truly fantastic trainer and we have had a successful training experience from the start with her. Our dog changed his ways from the first day that we started to work with her homework and her training style was motivating and supportive. We really appreciate the approach of understanding the dog mindset, which has been enormously helpful as we continue to work daily to reinforce lessons learned. We are now on week 4 and the changes are profound in our dog and in our family dynamic, with a deeper sense of peace and true opportunities to enjoy Bamba. We cannot thank you enough Michelle!

My dog Gipper is a 1 year old English Bulldog. Gipper is an amazing dog with a very distinct personality however you could not get through our front door without him jumping all over our guests as well as getting carried away and nipping at them as well. Also walking him was more of a battle or a drag than an actual walk. After just one session I see a complete change in Gipper. The way Michelle explained to us what was going on in his head was so clear and made it so much easier for us to see the world through his eyes. She gave us plenty of tips on how to make those experiences so much easier on him. You are trained just as much if not more in this program than your dog. We are doing our homework with him daily and constantly seeing improvement. We learned so much and look forward to continued positive changes through additional sessions with our boy Gipp.

Our dogs are both very misbehaved. We were feeling defeated, as we had tried every technique on our own with no changes. Michelle came and worked first with me and showed me how I needed to act as a leader. Within minutes of trying these new skills there was a significant change in both dogs. Michelle worked with me and my husband and gave us the necessary tools to train our own dogs. We found this to have a significant impact because they learned to listen to US, rather than someone else. I didn't think it was possible for them to show signs of obedience and calm down enough to listen. Michelle and the training techniques are incredible! I would highly recommend her and her services to anyone in need of dog training!

Michelle is the best! She has the patience of a saint! I didn't think that anyone could train me!!! ❤

Michelle is awesome! After the very first session we learned so much and saw a change with Beau right away. By the second session 3 weeks later, he was doing so much better! We still have some work to do, but Michelle has been so good with helping us stay consistent with training and I continue to see positive results every week. She is so knowledgeable and helpful. Definitely would recommend

I was so impressed by the progress we made after only one session! I would highly recommend Michelle and Bark busters!

We had used Bark Busters over 10 years ago for our previous dogs and had great success then. We just adopted a new dog, a 5 year old rescue Boston terrier named Rocky. He is an amazing dog but had a rough history. We needed to get him more comfortable with children and other dogs and my first thought was Bark Busters! To my surprise Michelle was still there! I was even more pleasantly surprised that the program had evolved over the years, with better handouts and a color-coded guide to how your dog is reacting at a given moment. I loved that. Michelle spent a lot of time with us. She was patient and supportive and we got an email the next day checking on us. Great value, since it is for the life of the pup. Rocky is already doing better and we've only been working with him for 3 days! Thank you Michelle! You're the best!

We had used Bark Busters over 10 years ago for our previous dogs and had great success then. We just adopted a new dog, a 5 yo Boston terrier named Rocky who is amazing, but has had a rough history. We needed to get him more comfortable with children and other dogs and my first thought was Bark Busters! To my surprise Michelle was still there! I was even more pleasantly surprised that the program had evolved over the years. Better handouts and a color coded guide to how your dog is reacting at a given moment. I loved that. Michelle spent a ton of time with us and she was patient and supportive and we got an email the next day checking in on us. Great value, since it is for the life of your pup. Rocky is already doing better and we've only been working with him for 3 days! Thank you Michelle! You're the best!

Michelle helped us so much with Bagel, even with just one session! He was nipping constantly and was so difficult to get in his crate at night. He was also sneaking into small places and refusing to come out. After a few hours with Michelle (virtually), the nipping was basically gone, no more crate issues, and he comes when called. She’s amazing!

Our 23 month old Labradoodle had some behavior issues that we needed to correct and we are so glad we found Michelle. Turns out we were her first "virtual" customers due to Covid-19. We've had 3 weekly calls so far and have seen a big improvement. It's reassuring to know Michelle is available for us at anytime and we will have her out to the house when it's safe to do so. Important: Michelle will give you the tools to improve but it's up to you and your family to implement them with repetition. There is no magic cure.

We have been working for a while with Michelle and she is absolutely amazing. She has been to the house a few times to show us the ropes, empower us, but this training is really more about the daily exercises. She always makes herself available to answer any questions and has been enormously helpful. This training has really changed my relationship with my dog, Leo. Thank You Michelle!

Hi my name is David, I rescued my Pit mix Logan from NYC.  I was told he was tested with cats but when I picked Logan up and brought him home I was very upset to see saliva pouring out of his mouth as he tried to get at my friendly tabby cat!!  He was so aggressive that I absolutely couldn't believe it!!! I tried everything,  introducing them through a gate, a door with a window, on a leash. Logan wanted to get at him in the worst way. The horrible thing is my cat is like a dog and gets along with all animals.  Logan got along with my other pit mix and my cooker spaniel so I feel like he never saw a cat in his life. One day I came in from outside and Logan had his head on a swivel trying to locate my cat.  I reached out to the person who fostered Logan and he told me Logan had a very high prey drive and has brought back some dead animals.      I would cry at night as a grown man not knowing what to do and I didn't want to give up on Logan as he was already on the kill list at the ACC and he really became close with my other pittie.   I begged people to please take him as I feared for the safety of my cat. I was given a name of a trainer by a woman in the county that does rescue work with dogs and she gave me a dog trainer's name so I called him. When we spoke he basically said I'm not going to waste my time and I'm not going to take your money because he has a high prey drive and it's in his DNA, nothing you can do. He was very pleasant but just felt as their was nothing that could be done. I cried all night and called my sister and she felt so bad. A few days went by and my phone rang and it was my sister, she says David I think I found someone who can help you!!  I said dude please who?  She said this lady Michelle Mccarthy from Barkbusters and I said OK please send me the info and she did. So I called and spoke to Michelle and went over everything and she made an appointment with Logan.      So the day comes and Michelle comes to my house to work with Logan.  Here is the end result, after just 3 sessions I can leave the cat alone with Logan AND I even rescued a 2nd cat. Logan no longer tries to kill anyone but he does lick them to death,  lol but when I call him he leaves the cats and comes. Michelle is AMAZING!!!  we still have so much work to do with Logan but the home front is great regarding the cats.  I'll be calling Michelle over for some other issues but the main issue has been nipped in the bud.  I would tell anyone if your dog has any issues Michelle Mccarthy is the only 1 to call.  I give her 5 stars. She's professional,  caring,  very knowledgeable,  honest and she takes her time and has a phenomenal personality.  She even found me a great dogsitter!!!  THANK YOU MICHELLE!!!

We rescued our Chi-Pin, Austin, when she was about 4 months old. The first few weeks were challenging to say the least. She was destructive, barked incessantly, kept us awake at night, terrorized our two cats, frequently went to the bathroom on the carpet and she demanded constant attention. Contacting Michelle was truly the best decision we made. She really took the time to understand and evaluate our pup’s needs. Most importantly, she taught us how to effectively communicate with Austin both verbally and through body language. Remarkably, Austin’s behavior changed after only one session. Using the tools Michelle showed us, Austin has become more obedient, quiet and calm. She’s even been able to bond with the cats, which we never expected to happen. During our session, Michelle did warn us that future changes in the household could disrupt her progress. We didn’t understand how true this was until we moved into our new home. After months of perfect behavior, Austin began to revert to her old ways. We immediately contacted Michelle again and she was eager to help. It's incredibly reassuring to know that should any problems arise in the future, she is just a call or text away. We can’t even begin to express how thankful we are for all of her help. Michelle McCarthy is a wonderful trainer and we highly recommend her for any dog owner!

Zucc responded right away to training! We are still a working progress but even my other dogs are beginning to follow his good behaviors. Michelle truly worked her magic with my boy Zucc.

Michelle empowers dog owners to speak the same language as their puppies and is a wealth of knowledge. My little Doberman is learning his manners thanks to Bark Busters' tools & techniques. Of course it is a work in progress with a puppy, but I know Michelle is with us every step of the way.

Ok so I am not even exaggerating Michelle came into our home at about 4 Pm — and met us and our dogs , we discussed the issues and she taught us the techniques and JUST like on TV when you see these shows my dogs ALL 4 of them were behaving like they were supposed to ! We had a major barking issue and I was actually able to sit and watch tv without interruption. The next morning it was the same thing — I had a quiet cup of coffee and was able to watch the news in peace and quiet with no barking and no demanding pups - i NEVER in my life would believe it if I didn’t see it with my own eyes — my dogs listen - it’s a miracle! Thank you Michelle !!

Michelle could feel how much we wanted Spanky back to his old self. She promised she would do everything to make that happen.

Michelle is a great trainer! Her patience and competence are wonderful assets. She is always there for follow up! Kudos!

Michelle empowered me to take training into my own hands and improve both of my dogs behavior. I am grateful to her commitment and genuine desire to truly help me understand their language and regain my role as the pack leader. For the past couple of years my English Bulldog, Jerry, would act aggressively towards visitors, barking and growling and even trying to nip them if they went to pet him at all. Within a day of training with Michelle, we had him obeying our commands and remaining away from new guests until I called him over to say hello. His disposition seemed to change immediately as soon as Michelle taught me how to refocus him and maintain control over the situation. Not only did these strategies work for Jerry, but they also did wonders for our stubborn, noisy beagle Stella. She remains calm before walks now instead of barking like crazy and acting out of control. Michelle gave me the skills and knowledge to effectively train my dogs by keeping them focused on me and my leadership ability. I am utterly amazed at the results. I look forward to continuing my homework with both of them to further their improved behaviors. Thank you Michelle!

Marco is a 2-year old Morkie rescued from the streets just hours before being placed in our home. He is house-trained and very affectionate but he is also very frightened of other people and dogs. His response to this fear is aggression and uncontrollable barking. Michelle McCarthy came to our home and helped us to better understand the motivations and triggers behind Marco's aggressive behavior. She patiently worked with us and him to customize training exercises to help redirect his behavior and make him more comfortable in his new home. In just one day there was a noticeable difference in his demeanor and we continue to work with him, confidently, knowing that we can call Michelle at any time for support and advice. We would highly recommend both Bark busters and Michelle McCarthy.

We had lost all hope with our Australia shepherd. He was becoming increasingly aggressive against the family and strangers and every day was a struggle. We had used another trainer before and done multiple private lessons with little to no improvements. We could not take him out of the house anymore and we're also scared to have guests over. As our last chance decided to try Michelle based off the reviews. I was honestly doubtful at first but after the first lesson I was amazed. This is a whole different approach to training that I never imagined. We saw improvements immediately! After working with our dog for the last 4 weeks he has greatly improved. We now have respect from and control over our dog. I recommend Michelle over any other training programs out there

Michelle was amazing!! I highly recommend her. She was patient with our entire family. It was well spent money. My puppy stopped jumping and nipping and pulling on the leash with a few simple commands.We need to follow through on everything Michelle taught us. Thanks so much Michelle!!

Michelle is amazing! She is kind and patient. She really took the time to explain things to the entire family. We had immediate results with our 7 year old dog who usually does not listen to anyone. Our new puppy is also learning! I highly recommend Michelle!!!

Michelle really understands how dogs think, and how and why they respond to us humans in the ways they do. We spent a lot of time practicing what I need to do with him so that his behavior is appropriate.

Totally awesome, Michelle was amazing! In just a few hours I had a totally different dog.

Michelle is absolutely wonderful and has helped us so much with our dog!

AMAZING RESULTS IMMEDIATELY First off let me say Michelle is an angel. She has such a calming demeanor that will bring confidence to any dog owner with any kind of issue. Upon our first encounter, Michelle was very attentive as well as engaging and completely in tune with exactly what issues we were having with our great Dane, Harley. She really took the time to completely understand the scope of what the issues were that I was desperately struggling to address. Before Michelle came, Harley showed overprotective, dominant, and assertive behaviors to the point that we couldn’t even invite friends or relatives into our house. We were not able to introduce him to anyone without it ending in growling and barking. Which brings me to the barking, both dogs would bark from dawn to dusk at anything and everything. For the last 2 years, we have not had much of a social life nor have we been able to have guests over because the dogs were essentially running the household. Within 1 hour Michelle gave us the tools we needed to communicate with the dogs to begin reclaiming our household. By the second hour, Michelle was able to enter our home and have a conversation standing in our living room. Normally Harley would have charged towards her but he stayed put in the other room. She is the first person in 3 years to enter own home without the dogs being secured via gates, crates, or closed doors; and it not because she trained the dogs. Instead, she taught us how to change our behavior. My husband and I were both shocked and amazed! We didn’t expect those kinds of results in a few hours. The best investment we have yet to make!

We adopted an excitable Pointer mix (Felix) who we thought would settle in with our family. After almost a year, he was still barking at my husband, lunging at people and dogs on walks, and greeted anyone who came to our house with incessant barking and jumping. We were at our wit's end and my husband was ready to give Felix back to the foster family. I picked up a Bark Busters card at my Veterinarian's office with Michelle McCarthy's name and title of Dog Behavioral Therapist and Trainer. Can I say that that was a most superb decision? Michelle came to our home and spent time with us, educating our family on everything from the different ways dogs communicate to our own body language and voice tones. After "training" us, we trained with Felix both inside and outside of our house using solely natural methods. We worked on everything from reclaiming our front door and his constant barking to walking on a leash. The improvement was immediate! Already the lunging at passersby (We live on a cul-de-sac.) has stopped. Our neighbors were shocked! I highly recommend Michelle McCarthy at Bark Busters if you are looking for a trainer, and I have already referred her to a neighbor down the street after he complimented Felix's leash behavior and responses to my commands. She was thorough with "training" us humans, incredibly patient, and we felt she genuinely cared about Felix. She was so wonderful that our elderly dog took some training tips just by listening and observing her with Felix! We look forward to our future sessions with Michelle and we are grateful for the lifetime support!

Michelle did a great job! Felix learned the skills and behaviors quickly. Even a day later, he is a much calmer dog! Thank you so much for your help!

My husband and I were at our wits end with our 10 month old puppy; he would walk nicely on a leash until encountering another dog on the street and than become an absolute menace; barking, pulling etc. We contacted Michelle after seeing the positive reviews online and also receiving recommendations from both our vets office and our dog walker and I am so happy we did. She was kind and very professional and her positive approach to training was a breath of fresh air. We are very satisfied with the training so far, and cannot wait to see what our puppy can accomplish with the training guided by Michelle! Can't recommend her enough!

After we adopted Spikey, our handsome pit-bull mix, we realized he had some neurological issues, and was eventually diagnosed with a brain tumor. With these medical concerns, combined with the negative stereotype pit-bulls often have, it was very important that we find a trainer who was not biased and who was willing to work with our family. We contacted Michelle to try and address the new behaviors, aggression and stress that he was showing and she was more than happy to work with us! She personalized the training methods to fit our household as well as to Spikey's specific needs, and was able to distinguish between the behaviors he could and could not control. Unfortunately we recently had to make the hardest decision of all to allow Spikey to cross the rainbow bridge, but with Michelle's help, Spikey's last few months were stress-free and happy. When our family is ready to save another dog we will definitely be calling Michelle to help the 'pack' stay happy and stress-free!

This week training session Our puppies hit a milestone this week six months old. I was having issues with walking them on a leash because they were walking me! I contacted Michelle for a revisit and indeed she came to my rescue. With the proper guidance and tools, our boys are walking like show dogs now! They also learned the stay command which I was having issues with. Thanks to you Michelle they are doing great!

We were at wits end managing two rescued terriers, (aged 6 and 5) with serious issues. Tucker has been aggressive with visitors to the home and had begun to turn his aggression on us. Roscoe reverted to messing in the house. Both were leash pullers and had assorted problems while on leash. Barkbusters was recommended to us by friends who had used the service and had great success with their rescued pitbulls. Our trainer, Michelle, came to our home, the site of the problems, and we began our education about behaviors...ours of course! By the end of the 4 hour session, we learned how to correct our pets, with body language, voice, and some tools. None of the techniques are hurtful to the dogs and we especially appreciated that. The next day we began the re-education and reorganization of our pack, with us as the leaders for the first time. We are already amazed at how relaxed the dogs are, and how much their quality of life has improved. (not to mention ours). We understand that it is just the beginning of weeks and months of reinforcing and praising the new behaviors. We are committed to becoming the Pack Leaders and giving our dogs a better life. Michelle was knowledgeable and patient, demonstrating everything for us and then letting us have a go. She coached us through the behaviors until we felt ready to try on our own. The BARKBUSTERS guarantee is for an entire year and she will be back in a few weeks and always available to us for questions, tips, relapses, or any issues going forward. We are so thankful and excited to have the Barkbuster resource for happy dogs and humans.

Michelle was very knowledgeable on the issues we asked her to address and had a passive yet firm approach to how to figure out our dog's issues. From just the first visit (which was only a few hours long) Karma responded positively with results and with the training provided, she also progressed over the next couple of weeks. I found the training to be very helpful and I'd recommend it to others without hesitation. Thank you Michelle!

You can teach an old dog new tricks! Our 9 yr old boxer was getting aggressive towards strangers both in and out of our yard and barking all of the time. He is a totally different dog after one session! It is like he quit his job as full time protector and is taking it easy now. The weight of the world is off his shoulders and he is relaxed. He is listening, attentive and responsive to our commands. I highly recommend Michelle and her techniques - she truly is a dog whisperer.

Michelle is an expert on dog behavior and dog training. She has helped me solve several behavior problems I was having with my puppy. She is an excellent teacher who clearly makes sure you understand and practice the skills of the training session.

Michelle McCarthy is wonderful to work with. She helped me train our 4 month old mini goldendoodle in easy steps, and Reilly was accident free in no time. She has a terrific way with dogs; she is calm and knowledgable. Michelle has continued to work with me and Reilly--training Reilly to walk on leash, come, sit, stay, leave it, and currently, keeping her off the kitchen table. She is reliable and professional. I give Michelle my highest recommendation as an excellent trainer.

Michelle is great. She is very personable and informative with both humans & dogs 😊

Let me start from the beginning, my boyfriend and I brought home a shelter pit mix with a history of aggression, we knew that we were his last shot for making a home work as he had been returned multiple times already for biting. We brought him home and within the first two days he bit my boyfriend and attacked me. We had Michelle scheduled for the third day he was home and let me say that she truly saved our dog's life, without her training our Brix would have ended up back at the shelter and probably put down for his aggression. Brix had extreme territorial aggression and would not let me or my boyfriend near him when he had a toy or blanket or anything really. Within the first session with Michelle we saw a huge improvement with him, he started listening to us and truly looking at us as his leaders, and not the other way around. We've seen Michelle a few times now and have now moved on to working on his leash walking (he's a puller) as he now the ideal dog inside, he's better behaved then any dog I've ever had now! He now enjoys his blanket, toys, and snuggles without fear or aggression. Michelle is always reachable for questions in between training, and her methods work. I have seen a complete transformation from the dog we brought home to our dog now, and so have my friends, family, and our vet who have all praised his training and complete 180. Words cannot express how thankful we are for what Michelle has done for us, without her we would not have been able to handle Brix and probably would have ended up having to bring him back. We now have a loving, adorable dog who listens to us and is continuing to learn!

Our family had had a dog before but we had gotten her after her puppy stage so we had no experience with puppies. Then we got Tuck and Gabbie who were 5 and 4 months old respectively, and had A LOT to learn. Even though they were the cutest dogs on earth they still needed to be taught good behaviors. Heaven sent us Michelle (actually we called Bark Busters...) Michelle has a vast amount of experience and explained and showed us the best way to control the pups. I am not the disciplinarian in our house but Michelle showed me how important it was to help control them and make them feel safe. My brother told me all a dog wants to be happy is one good non-confusing command and praise and love after successfully completing it. Michelle taught us the principles behind Bark Busters and the methodology for successfully training our dogs. Within days Tuck and Gabbie were adhering to our commands for not teething on my arms, going outside (calming the big excitement at the front door) and Gabbie not stealing Tuck's food and treats. Michelle is the epitome of calm which translates into calming the pups and helping them learn the tasks at hand. And she taught us all this. Even though we asked her to come live with us so the puppies would always be on their best behavior she declined and assured us that we would learn to be able to do it ourselves. And we did. After 3 visits we are in great shape and just KNOWING that we can call Michelle anytime for any reason gives us enough security and confidence. Every dog-owner should have a Michelle in their lives. Thank you Bark Busters and Michelle.

I finally got the dog I always wanted- a French mastiff. I bought Duke for my kids last Christmas and was looking forward to a calm family dog. Unfortunately, it's difficult to manage a dog as muscular and heavy as this breed when they're an excitable puppy. I had Michelle from Bark Busters come to my house for some one-on-one training for Duke and I was impressed after just the first session. She showed me how to take control of such a large dog and correctly motivate him towards proper behavior. I made the right choice by calling Bark Busters and Michelle has been able to promptly answer all of my questions. Duke is always going to be a big lovable handful, but now I feel like Michelle and Bark Busters has given me the right tools to keep him on track.

Michelle McCarthy from Bark Busters is a miracle worker! I first called her in May of 2015 when I got my 8 week old Havanese, who was a terror. Lily was chewing everything, having accidents everyday, ruining everything she came into contact with. After our first session, I saw such a change in her personality and demeanor. As the weeks progressed she became my little angel. One of the major problems that Michelle and I were working on was Lily's separation anxiety. It seemed to get better, but was not perfect. She still was having accidents almost everyday when left alone. After a year, I decided that she needed a companion. In May of 2016 I adopted Fenway, a 3 year old Minpin/Beagle mix. From the first day of them meeting, Lily has not had a single accident. Using the tools Michelle gave me, I started training Fenway, a hyper untrained dog. He was very receptive and I got him to a place that I felt comfortable with. In July of 2016, there was an incident in which they were being abused by a significant other. After removing them from that situation, I was left to pick up the pieces. Both dogs became afraid of strangers walking towards them. They both would bark and growl to protect themselves due to fear of being hurt. It was Michelle to the rescue! With one visit I took control back and Lily and Fenway trust me again to know that I will protect them. I would highly recommend Michelle from Bark Busters! Not only is she an amazing trainer, she's a compassionate person who truly loves what she does!

I have an existing 8yr old male mixed breed 55lbs and introduced an 8lb female pit bull puppy and it didn't go well. The 8yr doesn't like small dogs and the house was in complete chaos. Michelle came and I saw an immediate improvement. The baby started learning her boundaries and the older dog became more tolerant. In 1 session the baby was able to sit, stay and set free on command as food was being placed down. The puppy chewing decreased dramatically. We moved on to work on door boundaries and walking skills. Over the course of 2 months Michelle was there to support and reassure that we were capable leaders. Today, the puppy and the older dog both are wonderful. They are working on their door boundaries and have come a long way. They are playing like two siblings while respecting each others private space (sleeping and eating). They know their basic commands. I am amazed at Michelle's calm ability to give me the skill sets to manage these furbabies. Was worth every penny. But you have to be ready to take the skills you are taught and incorporate them in to your everyday life.

Today's lesson was nothing short of remarkable, I could not believe with my own eyes how my animals refrained from inhaling all the snacks I threw on the floor, amazing is what it was. With guidance from Michelle McCarthy, I was able to train them not to charge out of the crate but wait to be asked out while in the sit position ... unbelievable! Coming when called and staying by my side was a new treat for me, they would never stay by my side on a daily basis, they would meander wherever and whenever, that was corrected in literally minutes. Michelle is our miracle worker, I would/will highly recommend her. Looking forward to future training. Thanks Michelle! 😊😄

Michelle McCarthy was a life saver. We decided that one Corgi puppy was not enough and decided to have two from the same litter. This brought on a lot of challenges from feeding to walking. Michelle was kind, patient, and extremely knowledgeable. We have been training with her now for 2 months and have seen a remarkable difference in our puppies. She is also available in a crisis. A few times I called with issues, and her prompt response and her help walked me through to correct the behavior. Truly a great experience!

We have a 1 year old female cockapoo and a 7 month old male micro mini goldendoodle puppy. Our cockapoo showed aggression towards us at times, lashing out when we would pet her, try to move her off of a seat, etc. She also gave us a difficult time coming back in the house at night time. We are currently working on basic training with our other 7 month old puppy. We have had two training sessions with Michelle, and we began to see a change in our puppies immediately. She changed our dog's aggressive behavior and she has been so much more loving and mellow. We are now working on leash training with both puppies and it is challenging, but Michelle is the true "pack leader" and teaches you and everyone in the family how to also be the leader to change your dog's behavior. She is wonderful and I'm so glad we contacted Bark Busters. Our puppies are friendlier and happier than ever! I would definitely recommend Bark Busters to others who are experiencing a difficult time taking control and training their dog.

We called Bark Busters over two years ago to help train our then 7-year-old dog Baxter... We've tried other trainers years before but the difference was night and day. Michelle not only taught Baxter, but she really taught us how to understand him and be the leader. We couldn't believe how fast and willing he was to be led by us. The difference was immediate. We had to call again recently as we are having a baby and wanted to learn how to ease Baxter into this change. Since Baxter was covered by the Bark Busters lifetime guarantee, Michelle was more than happy to come over right away, for no additional charge, and show us how to help him easily adapt. We highly recommend Bark Busters and Michelle if you need help with not only training your dog, but learning yourself on how to be the leader.

We got a new puppy and were having a hard time adjusting her into the family. We called Michelle as recommended by other family members who also loved her. Michelle is outstanding; she taught us how to be the Leaders of our Pack and now both our dogs live together great!!!! They play and sleep in the same room without any difficulty. The puppy is noticeably different. She is so much easier to manage and listens great. We can't recommend Michelle enough. You will never have regrets if you use her; 5 STARS all around

Bark Busters is a great training program. Michelle has helped our family work with Charlie on many occasions, each with a successful, happy outcome. She is easy to contact, responds to our questions and continues to support our training with Charlie.

Michelle is amazing. As soon as she met our beuatiful Minature Australian Shepherd Ferri we knew that she would be great to work with and that Ferri would be in good hands. Her methods are teachable, not only to our dog but to us. She is calm, thoughtful, clear and very caring. If you follow her training schedule you will see clear results. She provides weekly updates and really makes you and your dog feel special.

Michelle is the real deal. Our five month old Shepard puppy is a pleasure to hangout with, now that we have learned how to communicate with her. If you follow Michelle's advice you will not go wrong. After 5 sessions with Michelle we are amazed at how our bouncing jumping puppy can actually sit and wait for us to welcome our guests in to our home without a leash. For me the best thing is the off leash control. What a great feeling to be able to stop a ball chasing very playful puppy in her tracks. Thank you Michelle.

First I have to tell you, I've never owned a dog, I was a cat person. I got a 4 month old chocolate Lab for my 12 yr old son. The first week was hell, I had no clue about the "leader of the pack" thing. I was putting her in her crate all the time because my son and I were sometimes afraid or she was out of control. I wanted to give her back. I can now honestly say calling Michelle was the best decision/investment I made. I can now say I have a wonderful well behaved 6 month old puppy. I've read some reviews from other people that have used Bark Busters in other locations. I will say, if you made the commitment to take care of a dog, make the commitment to train them properly. It does take time, you have to work with your dog on your own too. But it absolutely works when you follow through. oh and to add I've called Michelle a couple of times with questions. She's been so responsive and takes time with me so I'm clear on how to work with my dog. So with all that said, I am completely satisfied and a very very happy puppy owner.

Michelle is amazing! As soon as she came in our 2yr old hound Maddie knew change was coming. Michelle helped us communicate with our dog rather than yelling. Countless kids toys have now been saved and everyone is enjoying Maddie even more. We knew our adoption of Maddie was a blessing. Michelle has also been a blessing helping us to understand our dog's needs. We saw immediate change and couldn't be happier with our progress. I highly recommend Michelle to everyone.

We have a 15 month old Golden Retriever named Django, and we can honestly say that Michelle has made a tremendous impact on us, and our lovely dog. We first called Michelle when Django was a few months old, and after a handful of visits, we were able to establish a training routine that worked for us. Michelle diligent and supportive training methods for people work, and I wouldn't hesitate to strongly recommend Michelle, and the Bark Buster system to anyone who wants their dog to behave. She recently came back for a fine-tuning - as we've become a little lax over the past year, and within a minute, we were back into the routine. Highly recommended!!!

Niki had spent 6 yrs. in a puppy mill. She didn't know how to relate to people or treats or toys. She would also growel at most people. Michelle explained dog behaviour in terms that were so understandable...BAH! Niki improved each day and was able to love because of the leadership skills that Michelle drummed into us like a drill sargent. She was always available when we called her in a crisis (which was pretty often) dealing with separation anxiety. We could not have turned this little numb dog into a very lovable, playful little girl who now sits, stays and is a major part of our family. We are so grateful to Michelle for her continuing interest and availablity. Helene, Marc and thanks from Niki too.

Michelle is incredible !!!!!! I highly recommend Michelle and Bark Busters. Our dog Ozzie is a 5 1/2 year old Havenese. When Ozzie was a puppy, we hired Michelle / Bark Busters to give him a foundation for good behavior. The commitment of Bark Busters is to come to assist at any time during your dog's life, to update behavior. I called upon Michelle to help introduce Ozzie to my new grandson who is now 5 months old. She had great suggestions to start the introduction process before the two met. Michelle has always been available for consultation and to revisit with Ozzie. Michelle came to my daughter's house, so that she could help us introduce Ozzie to the baby. Ozzie responded immediately to all commands and suggestions that Michelle gave. My daughter and I felt confident that we could handle the future meetings thanks to Michelle. Michelle also answered other questions that I had concerning, perfecting Ozzie's behavior. She reminded us about how to control Ozzie's interaction with others. She suggested how I can get Ozzie to refrain from accidents in the house and to get him to do his business more quickly outside. Ozzie's responses to Michelle's suggestions and commands were immediate. It has been some time since Michelle actually worked with Ozzie but she remembered all of the different commands we preferred to use and made us feel so confident and comfortable with her suggestions. I also enjoy reading Michelle's monthly newsletter. Her insight and knowledge in training dogs is wonderful. I highly recommend using Michelle's services so that you can enjoy having a friendly and obedient pet.