I needed help for my 7 yo AmStaff mix who had issues on walks. Barking, pulling, growling at other dogs. It cause anxiety for my dog and for myself. As a pit mix, she already has strikes against her and I wanted to make sure she was a great breed ambassador. She had a rough past, abuse, used for breeding, etc. She needed help and so did I. Well, I reached out to Tommy and had him come to help. After ONE session, my girl now walks by my side, happy, relieved, and looking to me for guidance instead of going off the rails. And yard barking! Starting to see positive results! My wonderful girl now knows to look to me for direction, instead of doing it on her own. cannot thank Tommy enough and I cannot recommend him enough. If you and you furry friend need help, Tommy is your guy! Thank you, Tommy! read more

Our small dog has a big bark and makes his demands known, loudly. He can be a bully to get his way, and he has ignored our "commands." To my astonishment, he paid close attention to Tommy Meyerhoeffer and obeyed him after only a few minutes. It was like magic! Tommy wasn't even giving him any treats. He showed us what to do and say to Geo so as to make him calmer and happier. Which made me calmer and happier, too. I cannot recommend Tommy more highly. He is very personable and professional in his demeanor. He demonstrates how you can get your dog to be a cooperative member of a happy family. You practice a bit and voilá - it's a win-win for canines and humans! If you wish your dog behaved differently, contact Tommy. read more

We just adopted a one year old pup. While she is very sweet, she has huge separation anxiety issues and since we have to go back to work soon, I felt like we need to overcome these issues quickly. She hates the crate too. I spoke with June at Bark Busters, who made me feel assured Tommy would work well for Gertie's issues. Tommy is very knowledgeable, and to our surprise, we made great strides in the very first visit. Tommy isn't an "obedience" trainer, he is a dog behavior trainer! He knows how to make the dog feel secure and comfortable, which enables her to understand what you're communicating to her. We still have plenty to do and we must keep up with the "homework," but I highly recommend Tommy for your dog's behavior needs! read more

I am so happy with the progress my dog has made since working with Tommy and Bark Busters. My pup is a large mutt - hound, lab, pit, pointer - a lot of hunting instincts in one 80 lb stubborn boy. We tried other in home trainers when he was younger, and while he learned some things, at 2 years, I was still left with a big, strong dog who pulled hard during walks, tried to chase squirrels/bunnies, and jumped on people in the home. Those trainers stopped working with us after he was out of "adolescence" so I was left on my own. I signed up with Tommy after my pup almost knocked me over to get to a squirrel one day. I needed help! After the one session with Tommy, there were immediate changes. To see the results that day was amazing. I have to say though, that it still takes work and commitment. There's no magic button. Tommy gives you the tools to work with your dog and while there were immediate results, we have to keep working to keep him on track. It's amazing though when I'm walking with my dog now, and he's walking right next to me - occasionally looking up at me. Where in the past, he was pulling my arm out of the socket, hunting for squirrels and good smells, as if I didn't exist on the other end of the leash. I really appreciate that the method doesn't require electrical shocking my dog or any other pain. Treats didn't work on my dog either, as a tasty squirrel looks much yummier than my treat. It's not just walks either, his in home behavior has improved so much as well. Much less jumping on anyone, and easily corrected if he screws up. And when the doorbell rings, I'm actually able to open the door now! Tommy has continued to be supportive in the process as well. He's so responsive when I reach out via email with a question or new issue to address. He checks in periodically too. It's nice to know I have lifetime support now from an amazing trainer who clearly loves what he does. Can't recommend Tommy and the Bark Busters method enough! Worth every penny! read more

We recently enlisted Tommy's assistance to help with training our 1 yr old pup and are writing to recommend him 100%. We had previously done group training classes with our puppy that he excelled at but were having more "advanced" issues specific to him. For context, he is a rescue from Puerto Rico and he's been at home with us since he was 2 months old. He loved other dogs too much, was scared of bicycles/scooters/anything on wheels, and was nervous passing people on walks, all of which resulted in out-of-control barking, lunging, etc. He also got to 50 lbs. so I was really struggling to control him physically, which was really dangerous for both of us. Lastly, he absolutely was not able to tolerate having guests over in the house when I was home alone with him and would bark and rush the door, and aggressively bark nonstop even when in his crate or a separate room. It got to the point where I dreaded our walks and was constantly tense, looking out for potential triggers. It was tough and embarrassing dealing with his freak outs and we were definitely the owner/dog pair that had to cross the street to avoid things he was fearful of or excited about. I similarly dreaded any time we did maintenance in the house, etc. because I could not have a conservation over the loud barking. After much research and some over-the-phone consultations with different trainers, we decided to work with Tommy mainly due to the stellar reviews and his ability to come to our house and address problems specific to our dog in his home environment (where his issues were the worst). Within 5 minutes of walking through the door, Tommy was able to help our dog calm down, something that has NEVER happened before. In just the first visit Tommy covered almost all the problem behaviors on my extensive list. Tommy gave us explicit directions and training techniques with notes for practicing to help us stay on track. He was completely judgement-free and listened in-depth to all the scenarios and problems I described so he could tell us how to work on them. He really seemed to understand what my dog was feeling and why. He taught me how to get my dog to respond to me with little to no treats. Immediately after the first visit, I noticed a HUGE change. We had a follow-up visit to go over additional things like recall, coming to my husband when called, reviewing ways to set him up for success with leaving him home alone etc. and to get an assessment from Tommy on the progress we've made. Tommy is also very quick/responsive via email for follow-up questions. From the first visit to the second, it's like we have a completely new dog. I joke that it's like he's had an exorcism- but really, it is! We are now able to have relaxed, long walks that are enjoyable for the both of us. We used to receive a lot of compliments from strangers commenting that our dog is handsome, but now we are able to receive compliments without our dog subsequently barking away said stranger. We also receive a lot more "I like your dog" compliments from small children (which our dog used to bark at). We even can pass dogs on the sidewalk that our dog used to lose his mind at. He has completely stopped pulling and we can have guests over with minimal reaction from him. He frequently "checks in" with us on walks/anytime we encounter something that used to set him off. I had seen many other reviews that mentioned changes in the dog after the first visit. I was skeptical because I thought our dog was so out of control, it would surely take a few visits to see an improvement. I was wrong- Tommy really has the magic touch that has helped our family immensely. read more

We adopted our small dog from the local shelter and brought her home to her new family with my spouse, 2 children, 2 senior cats. She didn't have any obedience training and we immediately started it but it was tough, she wasn't responding in many instances. Her biggest issues were separation anxiety, nipping at the kids, pulling on the walk and chasing the cats. Then she began peeing around the house. I felt like I was losing the battle even though we felt successful with our previous chihuahua of 10 years and read all the training books. A friend recommended Bark Busters and Tommy came in and immediately set the record straight! We realized we had not been claiming objects, people and territories around the house. The techniques worked and she responded instantly. We kept up with the homework and all of the family worked with our new pack member. She never marked once more in the home in the past month! She did a complete 180. She now walks calmly on the leash 98% of the time, she doesn't bark in her crate when we leave for an hour to go to the store, she gives us space and she stopped chasing the cats and nipping at the kids. We have seen an immense improvement and can't wait to spend the next decade with our cute new family member! Thank you Tommy! I have told all of our friends about Bark Busters. read more

Bark Busters - Pet Training Near Me

I found Tommy Meyerhoeffer while generally searching online for help with our new puppy. While mostly house trained our pup was still peeing and pooping in the house in odd ways that seemed behavioral. We had been considering obedience training but really didn't feel obedience training was going to address our specific needs nor would routine weekly classes work well with our schedules. I also know from obedience training with our other dogs, one 6 or 12 week class generally isn't enough and there is almost no customization within group classes. The reviews for Tommy were excellent and the fact that so many clients reported seeing success after only one visit really drew me in. We hired Tommy last week to help us with our 3 dogs. 2 who just need some minor work and the new puppy who needs more attention. I am happy to report that reviews were spot on! Within just a few hours in our first visit, Tommy taught our family techniques that had all 3 dogs falling into line! While we are still working on the puppy bathroom issues, Tommy has been amazing on that as well. He is very accessible to his clients by phone or email and we have been in constant touch - with me reporting observations and Tommy giving suggestions. We will have our 2nd work session with Tommy this Friday and I am really looking forward to it! While the initial cost may seem higher than a single obedience class, I can honestly say this is much better value for the money. The one-time fee covers training for your dog for the life of the animal and Tommy is on call any time you need him. When I calculated how many general training classes I would need to cover our issues and basic obedience, general obedience classes likely would have added up to be about equal to this fee and I would not have had the on-call support that I have with Tommy. Our family highly recommends Tommy and the Bark Busters methodology for training. We have tried other means and classes and have not had the success we have seen with just one meeting with Tommy! read more

Tommy is great!! He helped us with our puppies when we first brought them home. Came over & helped resolve jumping, whimpering & nipping issues. He's always available to give us advice through email too. Would definitely recommend him to anyone looking for assistance with their fur babies. read more

Bark Busters - Pet Training Near Me

My husband and I contacted Tommy after our dog had an unfortunate incident involving a neighbor's dog. My husband was wary, as another training program we had used for our older dog made him feel judged and looked down upon, in almost a "how could you let your dog get this way?" kind of vibe. Within the first ten minutes of meeting Tommy, I knew this was going to be a totally different experience. We felt absolutely no judgement from Tommy. He never made us feel irresponsible, dumb, or less than. in fact, he truly has the gift of quickly figuring out what types of examples you could personally relate to when explaining dog behavior or training techniques. We are both high school teachers and he quickly modified his examples to be things like, "so if a student gets out of his seat when he's not allowed to, what would you do?" It put the concepts into a psychological space that we could directly relate to and made it easier to understand, and then ultimately, remember. Tommy has met with us multiple other times and has always let what work needs to be done dictate the amount of time he spends with me. I never feel rushed nor do I feel silly asking questions or having Tommy demonstrate things for me. He is constantly accessible when I need help, and has gone out of his way to help me with my pup. He is absolutely invaluable and I couldn't recommend him more highly to anyone who is in need of help with their dog. read more

I spoke with June about Bark Busters' services and I was so impressed with her as a salesperson and communicator! She really took the time to speak with me and understand my dog's issues, let me know exactly how Bark Busters could help and Tommy's methodology, and was prompt on the follow-up. Thank you June for all the great information! read more

We just adopted my dog a few months ago and she came to us with a lot of anxiety about new people. She wouldn't go for walks, even getting her to go into the vet or groomer was impossible. She'd just shake and pant when she saw new people and at the house she'd bark, growl and hide. After just one session with Tommy she now goes for walks regularly. I've started bringing her to my office with me and she does well. And she no longer does more than 1 bark when someone comes to the house! Tommy has also followed up with us multiple times to make sure things are going well and continue to provide guidance and advice. He's fantastic!!! read more

If I could give more than 5 stars I would!!! I've never tried dog training before but I am beyond pleased with Tommy and all he has been able to offer us. Well worth the investment for greater peace in your own home!! My training needs: My situation with my dogs is quite complex. I have not one, not two, but THREE beagles! They are all between 2 and 4 years old, so they were a little bit 'set in their ways'. Beagles are not the most obedient breed but with Tommy we were shocked at their ability to learn! My dogs were not having simple training issues like chewing on household items or peeing in the house -- their issues were more behavioral like: barking at movement, barking at strangers or guests in our home, barking for food or scratching cabinets for (demanding) food, being possessive of spaces in our home (couches, beds etc), some aggression between the two boy dogs, and always being under our feet (this can be quite dangerous with three dogs always one step away from tripping you up!). Tommy's solutions: After one session with Tommy my dogs behaviors have totally changed, its like night and day! There were so many things that were just ideal about Tommy's training interventions. First, he comes to you. I think this is such a huge plus because for my dogs, anxiety and strangers is an issue. It wouldn't make sense to take them to a new environment where their training can't be retained because they are so distracted by fear, strangers, or other animals. Second, Tommy trains YOU not your dogs. Tommy doesn't do all these tricks with treats or clickers to get your dogs to behave and then just leaves. He observes your dogs and starts to tell you all the behaviors you can engage in to address every single situation you are facing with your pet. Throughout the session, you are doing the work and the commanding. Third, he didn't just come over and address one or a few of the things you might have mentioned to him -- he really takes the time to tackle all problems (big or small) that you are seeing with your dogs. Fourth, Tommy doesn't force you to make any changes to your lifestyle or your procedure with your animals. If your dog is allowed on furniture, kenneled vs. not kenneled etc, this doesn't matter to Tommy. He really works to teach you how to handle your dogs in the way you prefer, not in some prescriptive, rigid format. Moreover, he assigns you 'homework' to continue practicing with your dogs after he leaves, but it isn't something so strenuous that you have to change your lifestyle (take time off work, carve out an hour of your day for more training etc). Finally, he is just an overall friendly and patient guy. I know the idea of a stranger coming to your home may seem uncomfortable at first, but Tommy really put me and my mom at ease during this training. Overall, I would absolutely recommend Tommy to anyone who has considered seeking a dog trainer. I went back and forth on whether or not this would work and I'm ultimately glad I took the chance on training. I read his reviews (I found Tommy through googling trainers in the area) and thought they all looked nice but that my situation was so much more complex. I really thought "this is going to be the case that Tommy can't fix" -- I mean, three beagles who normally bark endlessly at strangers (among all their other issues) is quite a challenge. I was certainly wrong, and Tommy was more than able to address all our needs. If Tommy can handle my situation and my three crazy dogs, I'm sure he could help you in yours. read more

If you are looking for a great dog trainer, this is your guy. Tommy of Bark Busters is the third trainer that I have worked with in this area, and he is absolutely the best. He is responsive, a great communicator, flexible, and very knowledgeable about dogs. Most importantly, he is great at giving information in a way that makes sense to me, so that I can use it to work with my dog. I doubt anyone would regret their decision to work with him. My recently adopted young lab-mix was barking at strangers who came to my door, and he was reacting aggressively to other dogs outside. Within a few minutes of walking into the door, Tommy changed my dog's behavior from a jumping maniac to calm and listening. He had great drills for the dog and me, and shared a lot of information about how I can reinforce the good behaviors and start building on them in the future. Thankfully, he also followed up in writing after the session, which will be helpful. After my experiences with a few other trainers, I was really grateful that Tommy gave me a good framework, but also was flexible and gave us options to create the best result for me and my dog, with our individual personalities and quirks. I've worked with trainers that were set in doing things only one way, and it was frustrating for me, which ended up being frustrating for the dog. Getting started was easy. We spoke for a while first and he gathered information about the dog's behavior and provided some background about what we were going to work on. We then worked together with the dog for a couple of hours in my house. It's hard to believe how much my dog's behavior changed after a relatively small amount of time, but after a few days since my first discussion with Tommy, this dog is acting so much different. I was worried before I contacted Tommy that I might never be able to get my dog's bad habits under control and it felt like we were always in chaos. Tommy helped me bring out my dog's best. I am so grateful for the sense of peace in this house. read more

We enlisted Tommy's help after our dog's fear based aggression started becoming problematic. We saw improvements after the very first session, and the tools he provides are effective as long as you stick with them. Constant time together thanks to COVID presented some new challenges that we had to bring Tommy back for a couple of "tune up" sessions to address. He's an amazing trainer of both your dog and you and really helps you see some of the things you might be doing to improve your efficacy as an owner. I have recommended him to a number of friends and truly can't recommend him enough. read more

Tommy has had a profound impact on our puppy, both directly, and indirectly by influencing our perceptions and behaviors. I had high expectations and was skeptical of them being even remotely met when Tommy entered our lives. But here's the thing; Your dog is a family member that lives with you but speaks an entirely different language. And the only way it will really work, and to have a happy, healthy household for everyone involved, is to learn how to communicate with each other. You will not find another equally wonderful trainer for less money or a better "deal". You will not find a better deal anywhere, because it's the best, most meaningful, insightful, comprehensive, and limitless (for the life of your pet) training available. You get your money's worth and then some, because training and communicating with your pet is a lifetime endeavor as things change and your needs change and evolve. Let my research and experience save you time and disappointment. I can't speak to other trainers at Bark Busters, but Tommy Meyerhoeffer is the absolute best. Through all the ups and downs, stress and worry of the first year, I don't know how I would have made it through without Tommy, who also happens to be incredibly communicative and responsive. Look no further. You've found the best choice already. You will not regret it. You will thank your lucky stars for finding your answer. read more

I want to start by saying that this is only the second time that I've ever left an online review for a service, product, restaurant, etc. but Tommy deserves it. We adopted our dog back in April of this year knowing that it would be more challenging to train her than usual. She was a 2 1/2 year old stray German Shepard/lab/husky/every other breed imaginable who had just had puppies. We were having trouble getting her to stop pulling on a leash and to listen when we were outside, especially with other dogs present. Tommy came over and taught us how to get her in the mindset of "my people are in control of everything" and keep her calm before she gets fired up and desperately trying to get to the other dogs. We've since been able to get her to walk at our side with no pulling, and have made tremendous progress in only a few days when with other dogs and getting better everyday. read more

I couldn't be happier that Tommy is our new dog trainer. We had an unfortunate experience of our dog biting a child, and I was fearful that we would have to say goodbye to her. But I wanted to give the dog every chance I could to succeed. I read some reviews of Tommy online and after contacting him he came to my home the very next day. Within our first session, I felt like I had a new dog. Since that first session, my dog respects me and her environment much more, she is calmer, more relaxed, and looks to me for direction rather than feeling like she has to protect me from every movement of a person, or a dog, or a leaf, or anything that should pass her way. My friends have been amazed at the change in my dog and have kept asking, "What did the trainer do with her?" The surprising part is, he did just about nothing with her except watch her closely. And he did everything with me. My dog had no doubt that I was the one she should listen to. And even if I was confused about what to do, or got nervous myself (make no mistake, I LOVE my dog and this was a scary time in our lives), Tommy stayed completely calm and non-anxious, directed all of his conversation toward me, and helped me gain every understanding I needed in order to succeed. He did pay attention to my dog, love on her, took pictures of her, and all that fun stuff -- when the time was right. But he was here to do his job and to give us his expertise, which was to lend tranquility and order to our little pack. Even since our training session he has been completely responsive, he will come back to be sure we are continuing well in our relationship with the dog, and I am so very happy for this. A couple of times I've done puppy classes at local pet stores. The kind of training those places do does not even BEGIN to compare to what Tommy does with an owner, a family, a dog, a home, and a future for a group of folks living together. I'm forever grateful to Tommy for how he has helped this piece of our life so much, and for how he has helped me to find the amazing dog that was inside my pooch the whole time. I look forward to continued discovery with him. read more

We hired barkbusters after our 8 month old puppy got off her leash and scared us half to death. Tommy has been awesome and has been able to help us teach her to listen to us and behave better on walks, which takes a lot of the anxiety out of it! With his great techniques our puppy learned within 15-20 minutes. It is easy to practice 5-10 min per day everytime we go outside to go on a walk she gets better. He is easily accessible through email and gives ups tips when we need it. I love the lifetime guarantee and that Tommy is open to coming out to help us with more training if we are at all struggling! I would 100% hire barkbusters again! read more

I highly recommend Bark Busters Fairfax. Tommy Meyerhoeffer is an excellent dog (people) trainer and was prepared and professional during our home training session. We have two hound dogs, one of which was a nightmare to take on walks because of her natural hunting instincts. Before Tommy left on our very first day of training our sweet girl was walking by my side and catching on quickly to what I wanted her to do. Be prepared - the success of ongoing training is fully in the owners hands! Tommy spent the time with us to teach us about the natural instincts and thought patterns of dogs, and this has helped guide me during our "homework" time. read more

Tommy came out today to meet with me and my two dogs. One of the dogs has barking/anxiety issues and the other likes to bark for, what seems to be, attention-getting purposes. Tommy trained me on how to deal with the dogs' behavior and they responded very well. I will continue to practice with them daily but so far, I am already seeing huge positive changes in their behavior. read more

I thought we'd live with constant barking so I was hesitant to try. In just a few hours, we had the tools to end the barking! Our Aussie Shepherd responded beautifully and has retained everything he learned. My only regret is that we didn't try this sooner! I'd recommend Tommy to anyone who needs a little or lots of tweaking with their fur baby! read more

I searched hard for a trainer who would "get" my 3 dogs and be positive in finding solutions for our issues with sibling rivalry. Two of them are pit mixes and I worried there would be negativity toward the breed. Tommy is a perfect fit for us! A pittie owner himself, he is helping me employ more proactive methods in dealing with my kids' challenging behaviors and giving me lots of hope. He is very available by email and phone so I always have access to his supportive advice. And of course the follow up training sessions will be great, too. Can't say enough about Tommy and I highly recommend him. read more

Tommy Meyerhoeffer, from Bark Busters, worked with my 7 year old lab on aggression and separation/anxiety issues. Whenever anyone in the family would leave the house, our dog would react in a very negative manner. This was a set behavior pattern that had been going on for years. I was very worried this behavior could not be changed. I was amazed at how quickly our dog responded to the techniques that Tommy presented to us. The Bark Busters techniques are very effective and I highly recommend Tommy Meyerhoeffer as a trainer! His knowledge of dog behavior patterns and methods of showing dog owners how to communicate with their dogs are wonderful. I observed a change in our dog's behavior starting from the very first training session. Very pleased with the Bark Buster's program and with our trainer, Tommy! read more

Have you heard of the dog whisperer? He's real and his name is Tommy Meyerhoeffer. My daughter's recent move into a third-floor garden apartment presented an unexpected problem: her perfectly perfect lab of 7 years wanted nothing to do with the open-riser stairs one must climb to access their home. We tried every trick we could think of over the course of the past few weeks and had no luck. Enter Tommy. We set up an appointment to meet at the apartment building. Spoiler alert: by the end of our session, Tommy had Duke up and down those three flights of stairs, no hesitation in his movement. Tommy moved purposefully and calmly from the moment he met Duke. He simultaneously led Duke and responded to him, adjusting along the way as he observed Duke's behavior. He pointed out Duke's subtle behaviors to me and highlighted what they meant. He was patient and resourceful, and Duke responded accordingly. In addition to helping Duke to meet this challenge, Tommy then guided me as I accompanied Duke up and down stairs, pointing out ways in which I and other family members could ensure a safe and stress-free continuation of Duke's new skill. Happy to report that Duke is happy as can be to be reunited with his family and is a pro at those scary open stairs. Thank you, Tommy! read more

I adopted a wonderful dog from a local rescue this past Fall that had severe separation anxiety, and I realized I needed some professional help to make sure he would be safe when he was alone.Tommy's guidance quickly made all the difference in helping him become comfortable in his new home, and has continued to help me keep learning how to be a strong leader in the relationship. He has spent time really observing my dog and explaining mannerisms and behavior as well as techniques, and is great at helping you see things from the dog's perspective. Tommy is quickly responsive to any question or concern I have via email or phone, and he always follows up to make sure that things are going well. I could not be more pleased with the training. Highly recommended. read more

Simply amazing. My family and I have had dogs since I was a little girl. We had always adopted our dogs directly from the breeders and raised them from puppyhood on to adulthood. So, I felt I could say I was an experienced dog owner. Little did I know that adopting my own dog, a stray, was more difficult than I had realized. I adopted a one year old stray "megamutt" from Kuwait about 8 months ago. She was surprisingly house trained and for the most part well-behaved with other dogs. I had considered training classes at PetSmart and Petco to help with her socializing skills, but feared that her anxiety would cause issues. I found Tommy through a friend who referred Bark Busters. While I love the lifetime guarantee the company offers, the service that really got my attention and had me reach out to make an appointment was the home-based training. Tommy came to my house and worked with Sooner and my mom's 2 year old husky in a place where they felt comfortable. Immediately, my mom and I noticed changes in our dogs behavior. I swear Tommy brought dogs who were identical to ours over and swapped them out. He was so patient with my mom and I. He not only helped our dogs, but he helped us become better owners and taught us how to really communicate with our furry ones. I also loved that he tailored the training specifically to our dogs and their personalities. I will definitely be scheduling future training sessions with Tommy. Anyone, regardless of if they are first time dog owners or not, can benefit!! read more