Bottom line up front: I whole heartedly recommend Mike the dog trainer to anyone who has a dog. This is my first and only yelp review I've written and it is because I strongly believe in Mike's training program and teaching style. My dog is a little 30-pound shepherd mix named Arnie and was having increasing aggression, barking, and jumping as he was entering his adolescence. He is my first dog that I raised from a puppy and I thought I was doing everything right. I read the puppy books, went to puppy school through the ASPCA, socialized him early and often, but as he got older he got more and more aggressive, especially on the leash. I became discouraged with training assistance form most sources because most of what you find out there is positive reinforcement only, which is fantastic for training a wanted behavior, but not effective for removing unwanted behaviors. Mike had a unique approach from what I read with his style focusing on training the human, rather than the dog. I figured that Arnie's issues were coming from anxiety with him being so small and Mike agreed and also added in a very tactful manner that my dog didn't truly respect me and is the primary reason why he doesn't listen and didn't feel calm and comfortable with me when we were out together. I would summarize Mike's style as dog whispererish, but without ever laying your hands on your dog as punishment. As Mike says, "hands are for petting". It is very much about continually reinforcing your dominance through every interaction with your dog so that your dog respects you in a 100% humane manner. There are no treats, there is no violence, and no pain brought upon your dog in any way. His method is based off of continuous communication. What does that mean you ask? Mike taught me the tools to communicate with my dog through body language, a modified growl (sounds silly and takes some getting used to but is extremely effective) and a couple of tricks. Mike walks you through the process every step of the way and gives continuous feedback on how to improve. Within 1 day of implementing Mike's teachings my dog's unwanted behaviors almost entirely vanished. I was able to loose leash walk him in a distraction free environment and he did not bark or jump on guests when they entered the house. I'm now about 6 months out of Mikes session (which only took about 2 and 1/2 hours and he came to our house) and I can loose leash walk him through a high distraction area with passing cars and barking dogs and Arnie will calmly walk through with only minimal corrections on my part. This is because Mike taught me how to forge a relationship of trust and respect with my dog, so even though he is an anxious little fella, he knows that if there is a threat to him (which is almost everything in his eyes) that I will take care of it and so he remains calm and happy and thus I remain calm and happy. I have found that through the brilliance of the basics that Mike teaches you most of the problem behaviors just go away, and when a problem behavior does emerge, because your dog trusts and respects you he will actually listen even if there is a great big distraction. I will emphasize that this is by no means a "magic bullet". Mike will give you the tools to communicate with you dog and then it is on you to continuously and consistently use these techniques, but Mike is readily available to take questions or even come back for additional training sessions if ever needed. I can't recommend his services enough. read more

My husband and I finally met with Michael from Bark Busters yesterday, all we can say is WOW! We actually waited 3 months for our appointment because he was so booked out but it was so worth it!!! We have tried many trainers with our dogs at our home and even brining them places. It was really nice having him come to the house and see our situation at hand. We have 6 dogs currently and we really were getting over whelmed with them not listening to us and ruining our home. We have good dogs at heart and love them so much but they really were taking over our lives and totally taking over our home. Despite having an actual room for our dogs it still was very difficult to control them. Their issues range from jumping, excessive barking, and extreme hyperness to the point where you cannot get their attention to listen to you. These problems have affected us when having guests over, and embarrassed us with our neighbors with all the barking. We knew they were good dogs we just did not have the correct tools to learn how to help them even after all of the trainers we have been to none of them addressed these issues before like Michael did. He truly is like a dog whisper, after he left my husband and I were kind of in shock with how well our dogs were responding. All of the dogs seemed relieved of their anxiety and so calm and focused as they have been needing this direction all along. Our appointment that ran into 3 hours went so unbelievably well but this morning was actually the true test- if they would listen to me using the new tools on my own without Michael there. I was a little nervous as I walked into their room this morning as usually they are so exited they trample you and jump like such craziness as I make my was through their room to let them out side and they would be jumping on the door being crazy! WELL! I used all of the tools he gave me and they did try to test me but when I did what I was supposed to they responded EXACTLY how they were supposed to!!! I couldn't believe it. Im so excited to keep working with them and have them get the training they need and deserve!!! All along I was using the wrong approach, commands, etc with my dogs and knowing and seeing Michaels method and seeing how well the dogs respond I'm so thankful to know there is something out there that truly works!!! Were so thankful to have Michael come work with our dogs and after just one lesson how much easier our lives with all six of our babies will be! read more

My dogs are my love, therefore they are an investment. Michael was the best investment I have ever made. What do you do when the words "THANK YOU" are not enough? At the very least, write a Yelp review about what an INCREDIBLE and REMARKABLE experience I had with Michael and my dogs. I still can't believe how quickly my dogs have changed...I am in heaven!!! They have been through a variety of transitions and undue trauma within the last couple years. One of my dogs is a diabetic alert dog and the other is a rescue (I rescued her in Tucson, AZ, around 6 months old...very male aggressive and a persistent barker). They were "okay" until a very unexpected and tragic family occurrence happened and they were exposed to it. Their behavior after that incidence escalated to be out of control, insanely territorial, and aggressive. When my diabetic alert dog bit my mother's friend out of fear, I realized I had a serious issue on my hands. I didn't realize that what I was accepting to be "okay" wasn't okay until Michael showed me that it could be different. The techniques he showed me and with diligent practice has brought me immense peace. I no longer worry about uncontrollable barking while in the car or on walks, I no longer worry about excessive pulling (which severely herniated a disc in my neck resulting in 2 surgeries), I no longer worry about my dogs interacting with strangers...this list could go on forever! In a very short time, everyone who knew my dogs pre-Michael have said that they are completely different dogs. Since I have been executing Michael's techniques on a daily basis, I now have the dream dogs I have always wished for! I am so grateful my days of yelling/shouting, using treat incentives, or using negative/punitive are over! Michael, I say Namaste to you...because the light inside of me honors the light inside of you...Thank you! read more

A few weeks ago, we rescued a 1 year old retriever mix, Leah. In our house we have 2 kids (6 and 3) and 2 cats (10 and 8). From the beginning, Leah transitioned into our home nicely. I've never had a dog, so I didn't really know what to expect. Leah didn't chew things, or bark at people, or have accidents in the house. The only real issue we saw was she went crazy when the cats came out. We have a cat door that leads to our basement. Leah is too big to get through the door, but would stalk it in hopes she would see the cats. Any time we opened the door to go down there, she would come running. We decided that if our animals are going to co-exist in the house, it'd probably be best to have a trainer come to us, vs. going to training classes at Petco. When I google'd trainers, Mike came up first. People seemed to be really into his method, so I figured i'd give him a shot. From the second Mike showed up and started interacting with Leah, we knew he was going to be good. The basic idea is that through speech and body language, you need to show the dog that you are the dominant one in the house. For anyone who has young kids, what Mike teaches is very similar to how you might manage a 3 year old's tantrums. Mike stayed for two hours, and by the end, we were able to open our basement door without Leah charging towards it. Mike didn't hurt the dog in any way or offer her treats. All he did was communicate to her that charging that door was unacceptable. He also taught us methods for taking her outside and having her in the crate. As great as it is that her behavior changed, this isn't a one day fix. Mike gives you homework, which you need to follow in order for it to work. In the time since our lesson, we've followed his instructions, and Leah has only gotten better. We really couldn't be happier with Mike, the program, and the results. read more

We had our first training session with Michael about 3 weeks after we rescued our lab retriever Oliver. He understood the urgency, and our desperation for help as we were considering returning him (the thought makes us shudder now). Even before his in person visit, he sent us extremely helpful tips on behavior training in the house, and crate training. However, our dog's main issue was leash reactivity and dog aggression on walks. We don't know his history, but when we first walked him it was immediately apparent - he had an issue with other dogs, he would bark, growl, and lunge, coming up on his hind legs and pulling hard. This was overwhelming for us to handle, especially since we live in a condo where other dogs are always being walked, and Oliver is over 60 lbs. Michael trained us about 5 times over the course of 5 months, always making time for us when we reached out. This was not a quick magical fix but with patience and persistence (ours and Michael's), as well as trying out several different types of leashes and collars, we started to see progress in Oliver. We can now walk him past other dogs, sometimes without a peep, and sometimes with only a whine. Our quality of life was changed because of Michael, and we were able to keep Oliver and rescue a very special animal from a kill shelter. Oliver is also an extremely well-behaved dog inside the house, thanks to Michael's tips, which made a difference immediately upon his first visit. Michael is passionate, extremely knowledgeable and will help you and your dog without treats or shock collars. His services were priceless as he gave us a member of our family. He even helped us with nutrition and obtaining the right resources to treat a medical condition. He goes above and beyond. read more

When we met Mike at Bark Busters we were HIGHLY impressed. He has opened our eyes to look at our dogs in a completely different light. He has enlightened us to understand certain behaviors and provided us with techniques that showed immediate results. We consider ourselves very lucky to have 2 amazing dogs, but we also knew there were things that we needed to work on to have good harmony and leadership in our household. Mike was amazing in that aspect. He pointed things out to us that we never even thought about. Our dogs loved meeting Mike. After our initial visit, Mike was only a phone call and text message away (text message most times followed up by a phone call, which we love). We have spoken on few occasions and Mike was able to guide us through any/all concerns. At times, I felt like Mike was providing much needed "doggie" therapy not only to our dogs, but to us as well. Once we were able to understand the human behaviors as well as animal behaviors we were able to connect better with our furry babies. We continue to work with techniques that Mike taught us and we look forward to working with Mike in the near future in order to keep peace and harmony at home. Besides the training Mike also spoke to us about food and nutrition. We immediately started research and appreciated his input on the dietary suggestions, which resulted in change of our dog's diet. We would recommend Mike to anyone who is looking for a great dog trainer. Mike's techniques achieve immediate results and we couldn't have been happier to find him. He is a call away and always willing to assist in anything related to health and safety of our pets, and that means the world to us. read more

Michael did an amazing job with our foster dogs. Both unadoptable because of fear and biting. They were totally out of control and this was a new experience for me, very stressful. Michael spent three hours at my house and by the time he left, I had two completely different dogs. They are not charging the front door, which is huge, I own the door now. They are focusing on me and actually listening. No more yelling! Calm and assertive. My little guy Ollie is no longer charging everyone that comes in my office and he has not bitten anyone since. When they are playing out of control, I can actually get them to regroup and calm down. They are probably learning quicker than I am, who the pack leader is (need to perfect my "bah"). I recently became a certified dog trainer and have to tell you, spending three hours with Michael and the results I have seen in my dogs, is more than I have learned from studying, volunteering at a kennel and assisting in teaching obedience classes. His technique is quick and effective, but consistency is the key! Because they are fosters and their pasts have been tough, we have more work to do and I am so excited to see them shed their issues and become trusting of people. I highly recommend Michael - Bark Busters. I was at my wits end and am now completely confident that we will all live harmoniously and will be able to bring more foster dogs into our small but dog loving home. Thank you Michael for sharing your knowledge. I highly recommend Bark Busters to everyone!!!!! Become the pack leader! Stop unwanted behavior by learning and understanding. Can't praise Michael enough! read more

From skeptic to believer in less than an hour with Mike! 8 months ago I adopted a corgi/cattle dog mix, who came with some serious emotional and physical challenges. He was previously abused, has one eye and is almost 100% deaf. He has fear of everyone, which comes out as aggression. When I moved in with my current roommate, who has an adopted male pit, the territorial behavior worsened. My roommate previously worked with Mike, and spoke volumes about his ability. I was initially hesitant, I didn't think there was any chance my pup would improve, but I agreed to have Mike come. Mike was patient, and explained what was happening- my dog has been living in fear and a constant state of anxiety as he thinks he is the "pack leader" and we are his pups, that he has to monitor and protect. He has taken on the dominant role in our household, which is why he is acting out and we have been enabling his behavior, out of misunderstanding. Less than 45 minutes of discussion, practice and implementing Mike's training techniques, and my dog was a different dog! I was amazed and shocked at how much progress we made in such a condensed time! It made me realize that my dog can live a normal and happy life, and that it is within my power and my responsibility to help him get there. The key is practice, implementation and constant follow up. I would highly recommend Mike, and will continue to work with him! read more

We just had our first session with Mike and it went really well. Our dog is about 1 years old, a German shepherd/Australian shepherd mix so let's just say he has a lot of energy and is super confident. We worked on a couple of his biggest problems, which include walking on a leash without pulling and not going absolutely insane and charging the door any time someone knocks or rings the doorbell. Our dog will corner and bark at any "intruder" in our home and so Mike is teaching us how to show our dog that we are in control of things and he has nothing to worry about, basically that he doesn't need to be on constant guard duty. Rather than using food rewards or any type of intimidation, we're learning how to communicate with our dog in his own way, earning his trust and respect. As a dog that doesn't like strangers, Mike earned his trust pretty much immediately. He clearly knows what he's doing and knows how to communicate very effectively with dogs, even strong-willed ones like my own. During the first lesson he was already walking right by my side on the leash and staying in his corner without barking when we practiced knocking and coming through the front door. Of course now we have to practice on our own and make the habits stick, but Mike is giving us the tools we need to do that. We look forward to our next session with him to keep improving! read more

There's a reason Mike only gets 5 star reviews. Call him immediately. We have an extremely exuberant 6 month old lab. We couldn't stop him from jumping on people, nipping people's hands, taking food of the counter, and generally doing whatever he wants. His favorite game is to take something of ours, show it us, and then run away with it in hopes that you'll chase him. My wife is pregnant, so we can't have him running around jumping on everyone, running off with things once the babies come. Within 10 minutes, Mike had him completely calm and subdued. At the end of the lesson, we had a different (not to mention exhausted) dog. Mike left us with clear instructions for home exercises to train him to be an obedient, respectful dog. I've been training him for a few days now, and it will take some time, but I see big changes already and I have no doubt that we are on the right path. Mike gave us good advice about nutrition, toys, play, etc. Mike explained how even little things the dog did, which we thought were innocuous, were actually the dog training us to get what he wants! Little rascal. Mike also made it very clear that he is available for questions at all times and would get back to us very quickly. We were very glad to have found him. Anyway, do yourself a favor and call Mike asap. read more

My girlfriend and I just moved into an apartment from a house. Our dog, Casey, was not handling the adjustment well. He was very timid and wary when outside. Walks were not fun and potty time didn't happen except inside the apartment (he was house broken in the Maine home but the rules went out the window when we moved). We went through two weeks of drama before finding Mike from Bark Busters. He helped us understand how to work with Casey and help him adjust. We had a different dog in just one lesson and Mike gave us homework to do. Everything Mike suggested has worked! Casey is much happier and adjusting great. He's back to potty time outside and walks are much more enjoyable for both of us. Casey has a much better quality of life and we have our sanity back. I learned more in a few weeks with Mike than I have learned in years of dog ownership. Mike is the top dog trainer in Connecticut as far as we're concerned. We found Mike by simply asking our phone "who is the best dog trainer in CT" and the phone searched and we got his number. I don't normally write reviews and rarely give top marks but Mike the Dog Trainer is fantastic. If you are reading this review and need a trainer, do yourself a favor and call Mike. read more

A couple of months ago, my boys and I rescued Bear, a younger dog from a shelter. We were told by the rescue that he was house-trained, good on a leash, crate trained, and great with kids, so I thought his training would be much easier than I quickly found out. He is such a sweet dog, but soon I realized he was a little more than we bargained for. I looked online and Mike the dog trainer had great reviews, so I gave Bark Busters a call. It was quite obvious upon our first meeting why there was such positive reviews. Michael taught me so many things on our first visit, and Bear really communicated well with him. He was very patient with me, and I truly appreciated that. Bear has made much progress since our initial meeting. Michael came out again today and basically helped me to feel more confident in the training techniques he taught me as well as working on some new ones. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a trainer that can help you have the best version of the dog you love so much. I am confident now with Michael's tips that Bear will not only be the sweet dog we love, but a well behaved guy as well! Thank you Michael- the passion and dedication you bring to your job really shows. read more

I cannot say enough good things about Bark Busters. Our family worked with Cassidy, Mike's partner, and she was amazing. Our 3-year old Brussels Griffon barked at everything...the doorbell, buzzers on television, an owl hooting, squirrels in the yard, our next door neighbor's birthday party, my husband entering the room...and once he started, he didn't stop. Cassidy demonstrated how using a different set of behaviors can interrupt your dog's disruptive patterns. We saw results the VERY FIRST NIGHT. The week after Cassidy worked with us, we had six HVAC guys working in our house and our dog barely seemed to notice. Our dog's new attitude has been life-changing. He no longer makes me jump 3 feet from my chair when he barks at ghosts at 11 pm. He doesn't wake up my niece's baby barking at a squirrel. He isn't disruptive when we have house guests. He's happy and relaxed! I feel as though I've gained Snow White-level animal communication powers. PS Bark Busters is really training you, of course. You have to be willing to practice their method with your dog a few times a day. The payoff is huge. I feel as though my dog trusts me more, and feels safer and more relaxed. Our whole family is happier! read more

We had resigned ourselves to having a dog that bites, and had decided that we would spend Bowie's life protecting people from him, and protecting him from his worst instincts. After spending thousands of dollars on other trainers we really thought there was nothing we could do. Enter Mike. His training of us outside the house, before he even met our dogs, enabled us to welcome him into our home without the usual barking of the one and menacing lunging if the biter. He and his associate came in, sat at our table and he continued to teach us how to put them in their place and claim our own space and our guests. Not a peep from the dogs. When Mike left we felt inspired and empowered. We know we have a lot of work to do before our Bowie can be trusted without a muzzle, but for the first time, we actually believe we can teach him to welcome people to our home. The tips are easy. They're effective. Already we are eating dinner without dogs at our knees. We can prep their dinner while they wait outside the kitchen instead of underfoot. They are less reactive when cars pass, looking to us instead of barking. It's incredible. Mike is incredible. He's the dog owner whisperer! read more

I called Mike for help training our 3-month old Newfoundland puppy and because of long-standing bad behavior from our 6yo golden. We had to wait a couple of weeks to get an appt with him, but boy is it ever worth it! Mike is nothing short of amazing! My son and I were literally in awe of him and how the dogs responded to his method of stopping bad behavior and getting the dogs to focus. I've grown up with dogs and been through several trainers and this is not your basic "sit, come and rollover" training. I learned so much from Mike in the 2 1/2 hrs he was at our house, and now I know that having a well-behaved dog is about establishing who's boss, claiming your space, and being in control. It's only been a couple of days, but my dogs are already more calm and they're both learning from our homework and practice. The other bonus to Mike is that he's a wealth of knowledge on nutrition. Not only are we working on behavior, but we're also working on improving the dogs' diets for a healthier life all around. This is the best money I've ever spent, by far. If you want a well-behaved dog that is pleasant to be around, call Mike. Thank you, thank you!! read more

Our session with Mike was truly life changing! Our 3 rescues knew basic commands but jumped on visitors and barked and pulled when we passed other dogs while walking in our neighborhood. Mike explained why they were behaving that way (mostly due to anxiety), and taught us to communicate with them in a positive way they understand, without using treats. Once reassured that we are the pack leaders, all 3 dogs immediately relaxed and by the end of the session they were sitting calmly when visitors arrived, and walking with loose leashes right by our sides. We would not have believed it if we hadn't experienced it ourselves! Mike is passionate about his work, and communicates as clearly with humans as he does with dogs. He provided us with simple tips and tools to continue practicing what he taught us, and several weeks later, our dogs remain calm and they respond positively to our commands. It's not that they are "trained", it is that our relationship has changed--we understand each other at a deeper level. We have worked with other trainers over the years and nobody compares to Mike! We could not possibly recommend him more highly!! read more

My husband and I rescued a younger dog two months ago who is great in the house (not taking into account some boundary issues) but is challenging on leash, especially around other dogs. After a month we knew it would be best to get professional help so that we didn't develop bad habits or make the situation worse. After doing some research and reading countless reviews, we found Mike from Bark Busters. And it turns out, the reviews are right! Mike's training approach is quick and effective and the homework assignments he leaves you with are easy to follow and replicate on your own - the perfect recipe for a training success! After a two hour session we've noticed a marked difference in our dog and feel confident that we can keep progressing with the training techniques and behaviors he taught us. Mike and Bark Busters offer a lifetime guarantee which means you can call Mike anytime if you feel you need additional help with your dog's behavior or if something new pops up. Mike doesn't use treats or pain tools like choke collars and e-collars which I LOVE. We're so happy we found Mike! I'll make sure to post an update. read more

My husband and I and our dog Fitz all had a fantastic experience with Mike. Fitz is a 2 year old Havenesse who we adopted six months ago. Overall he is a lovely dog but we noticied some behaivors getting worse over the last few months-an increase in barking at people walking by our home, jumping frantically on all our guests, and being a bit aggressive towards big dogs. In just one 90 min home visit Mike addressed all of these concerns in a patient, calming way. He explained the importance of not only giving love to an adopted dog but also discipline so he can relax and not feel anxious in his own home. He showed us gentle techniques to nip the bad behaivors in the bud before they start. As soon as he left fitz was immediately behaiving better. We spend a few minutes practicing what we learned with Mike each day and what a difference! He also left us with a very helpful guide on how to make sure these behaivors stick. Cannot recommend Mike enough-whether your dog has severe problems or could just use a few adjustments- Mike will make your dog and your own lives better! read more

I am so blessed to have found Mike. I could tell right away how knowledgeable he is and that he was going to be extremely helpful for my family. He taught us ways to communicate with my mini golden doodle puppy that we had never thought of or leaned about in a "typical training group class". Rather then teaching you words he really teaches you how to communicate at a dogs level. It truly is incredible. After I signed up with Mike, I learned there was a 3 month wait and he was good about getting me in sooner as soon as there was a cancellation so I am glad I didn't let the wait stop me because he is totally worth the wait! I have already started telling people I used Mike and I found out that at least 3 other people I know have used him as well or know people who have used him! You won't be disappointed with mike and the best part is he is available always for support and gets back to you almost immediately. I have called him twice already after the first lesson and he got back right away and answered my questions . 5 stars for Mike!! read more