Bark Busters Reviews and Customer Testimonials
30th July 2013 - Graham Milgrew
Graham dealt with Aggression, Barking, Jumping up, Pulling, Recall, Sibling rivalry
Hello there, my name is Stanley. I know what you're thinking: Okay, so this chair may look a bit of a mess, but it was an early experiment, and I was only a wee bairn when I did it. Actually my brother Haggis put me up to it. He's got the brains but my teeth are bigger. Anyway what we want to say is: that lady trainer called Jo is really cool. She definitely learned us better manners. We nearly always sit, or go into our pen at our mistress' command now, and we stay close by her on walks, and try very hard not to strain when we are on our leads (even if it is VERY hard not to be excited at the beginning). Jo also taught us how we must always let the mistress go into a room before us, and not hog our food. We've also stopped chewing things and making puddles indoors, and are proper growed-up now. We'd like to say we're perfect, but we know that would be fibbing. We know we shouldn't bark at the cat (but she is soooo provoking!) We only bark now in the garden to frighten away would-be burglars or to let the mistress know how pleased we are when she gets home. Jo is still teaching us new things like improving our manners when we meet other dogs. We like all the humans we have met, but we do get worried that some of their dogs may have bigger teeth than us, so we shout at them loudly on walks to look bigger and braver than we are! Mistress doesn't like that, and she and Jo are trying to teach us to look at her instead when she says " watch me" and hopefully that way we can stop worrying about what the other dogs may do. So what we want to say is: this learning business has been a lot of fun with Jo, and we would be happy to recommend her to anyone. Lots of licks, from Haggis and Stanley xx
Trainer note from Graham
These two lovely Scottish Terriers are from the same litter and were more interested in listening to each other than their owners at first. They would squabble over food and fight for pole position when out on the lead so walking wasn't much fun and although they seem bold and full of themselves when they are out they are actually nervous and bark at other dogs. When they calm down and realise they aren't under threat, they are actually pretty good with other dogs so their owners are diligently working on building their confidence and making sure they can keep them under control. Before it was difficult for their owners to have a quiet night in front of the TV with the dogs as they wouldn't settle and behave themselves and visitors were jumped all over. Now they are really well behaved and listen to their owners rather than each other. It has been a delight to see the amazing progress made so far and I have every confidence that Haggis and Stanley will continue to be a source of pride for their owners. Top marks all round!
These two lovely Scottish Terriers are from the same litter and were more interested in listening to each other than their owners at first. They would squabble over food and fight for pole position when out on the lead so walking wasn't much fun and although they seem bold and full of themselves when they are out they are actually nervous and bark at other dogs. When they calm down and realise they aren't under threat, they are actually pretty good with other dogs so their owners are diligently working on building their confidence and making sure they can keep them under control. Before it was difficult for their owners to have a quiet night in front of the TV with the dogs as they wouldn't settle and behave themselves and visitors were jumped all over. Now they are really well behaved and listen to their owners rather than each other. It has been a delight to see the amazing progress made so far and I have every confidence that Haggis and Stanley will continue to be a source of pride for their owners. Top marks all round!
27th July 2013 - Graham Milgrew
Graham dealt with Barking, Separation anxiety
Jo is amazing, Bailey's behaviour had changed before Jo even left the house. Jo really took the time to find out our situation and what we needed help with for Bailey.
Every time we have need help Jo is just at the end of the phone or email and always comes back to us with guidance. We would recommend Jo and Bark Busters to anyone needing help.
Trainer note from Graham
Bailey is a Manchester Terrier who has separation anxiety and would bark and howl when left on his own upsetting the neighbours. His owners had been very proactive in trying to resolve this. They had a dog walker and had tried various techniques and also products designed to deal with this, but with little effect. What had made it harder to deal with is that he can be quiet when initially left and his owners didn't know what upset and set him off. We worked out a training program to settle and give Bailey more confidence when alone and also tackled his attention seeking, determination to answer their front door and occasional recall problems as well. Bailey has responded really well and is coming on in leaps and bounds.
Bailey is a Manchester Terrier who has separation anxiety and would bark and howl when left on his own upsetting the neighbours. His owners had been very proactive in trying to resolve this. They had a dog walker and had tried various techniques and also products designed to deal with this, but with little effect. What had made it harder to deal with is that he can be quiet when initially left and his owners didn't know what upset and set him off. We worked out a training program to settle and give Bailey more confidence when alone and also tackled his attention seeking, determination to answer their front door and occasional recall problems as well. Bailey has responded really well and is coming on in leaps and bounds.
27th July 2013 - Graham Milgrew
Graham dealt with Separation anxiety, Other
Two visits from Jo and the difference in Jip is huge. He has gone from being a fearful, unconfident, clingy dog with separation anxiety to a much happier dog who does not need to follow me around any more. We are now even considering agility classes with him he is doing so well!
Trainer note from Graham
Jip is a Blue Merle Collie and had previously lived with a group of dogs where he was bullied. He is now the only dog which is much better for him, but his naturally fearful nature made it difficult for him to adjust and he latched onto his new owners and couldn't bear to let them out of his sight. The solution to this has been to build Jips confidence in his new owners and his new environment so that he is comfortable being left on his own. His owners have worked diligently with him and now have a dog who is much more relaxed and happy. You cannot make a fearful dog change its nature but you can make a big difference to how a dog perceives its environment and what is happening around him. His increase in confidence now means that he is ready to be around other dogs and go to agility classes. This wouldn't have been possible before and shows just how far his owners have come with building his confidence.
Jip is a Blue Merle Collie and had previously lived with a group of dogs where he was bullied. He is now the only dog which is much better for him, but his naturally fearful nature made it difficult for him to adjust and he latched onto his new owners and couldn't bear to let them out of his sight. The solution to this has been to build Jips confidence in his new owners and his new environment so that he is comfortable being left on his own. His owners have worked diligently with him and now have a dog who is much more relaxed and happy. You cannot make a fearful dog change its nature but you can make a big difference to how a dog perceives its environment and what is happening around him. His increase in confidence now means that he is ready to be around other dogs and go to agility classes. This wouldn't have been possible before and shows just how far his owners have come with building his confidence.
27th July 2013 - Graham Milgrew
Graham dealt with Aggression, Barking, Chewing, Digging, Hyperactivity, Jumping up, Pulling, Recall, Separation anxiety
Ringo was a very naughty puppy. He had every "wrong" behaviour and was very stubborn and relentless. Jo has helped us to train and control him and very quickly we are onto advanced training. Jo has the answer to every question and every problem. We have a calmer, happier dog and a much less stressed household. We cannot recommend Jo and Bark Busters highly enough. Thankyou.
Trainer note from Graham
Ringo is a Rhodesian Ridgeback who came to this family the weekend they had a shocking bereavement and although they tried their best, by the time I got to see him he was stranger and owner aggressive. He spent his time constantly nipping, biting and jumping and he flat refused to listen to any owner instructions and was aggressive to them when they tried to control him. If they ignored him he would get more and more boisterous and aggressive in his determination to get what he wanted. His owners have totally changed how they behave with him and have taught him how to behave appropriately with both them and visitors. The results are truly amazing and they now have a powerful dog who listens to them and is so well behaved they have now moved to advanced training with him. He is a true credit to them.
Ringo is a Rhodesian Ridgeback who came to this family the weekend they had a shocking bereavement and although they tried their best, by the time I got to see him he was stranger and owner aggressive. He spent his time constantly nipping, biting and jumping and he flat refused to listen to any owner instructions and was aggressive to them when they tried to control him. If they ignored him he would get more and more boisterous and aggressive in his determination to get what he wanted. His owners have totally changed how they behave with him and have taught him how to behave appropriately with both them and visitors. The results are truly amazing and they now have a powerful dog who listens to them and is so well behaved they have now moved to advanced training with him. He is a true credit to them.
26th July 2013 - Graham Milgrew
Graham dealt with Barking
We found Jo to be excellent and extremely knowledgeable on her subject. Our dog Barney is very noise sensitive and barks a lot in the garden and during the night. From the 1st meeting, Barney no longer barks at night and with the training Jo has put in place we are working with Barney to over come his issues. Looking forward to our next visit.
Trainer note from Graham
Barney is a lovely Golden Retriever who has barked at everything and anything for the last 3 years. He had got into the habit of barking to get his poor owners up every single night and nothing they did would dissuade him from this. It was bemusing for his owners as he is well behaved and well trained apart from a bit of pulling on the lead and in all other respects is a delightful dog. Noise sensitivity is a tough nut to crack. Dogs become hyper sensitive to any noise and alarm bark at anything they feel their owner should know about. The first part of this is to settle the dog in his home and ensure he will listen to his owners which his owners have managed very successfully. The second part is to desensitise him to the noises that set him off and condition him to realise that these noises are not a threat to his family. This takes time as he has spent years barking, but his owners are committed to his training and are well on the way to resolving this problem permanently.
Barney is a lovely Golden Retriever who has barked at everything and anything for the last 3 years. He had got into the habit of barking to get his poor owners up every single night and nothing they did would dissuade him from this. It was bemusing for his owners as he is well behaved and well trained apart from a bit of pulling on the lead and in all other respects is a delightful dog. Noise sensitivity is a tough nut to crack. Dogs become hyper sensitive to any noise and alarm bark at anything they feel their owner should know about. The first part of this is to settle the dog in his home and ensure he will listen to his owners which his owners have managed very successfully. The second part is to desensitise him to the noises that set him off and condition him to realise that these noises are not a threat to his family. This takes time as he has spent years barking, but his owners are committed to his training and are well on the way to resolving this problem permanently.
25th June 2013 - Graham Milgrew
Graham dealt with Aggression, Recall, Separation anxiety, Other
Jo visited us and assessed Archie; she spent a lot of time listening to his story (as he is a rescue dog) and assessing his behaviour. She explained everything very carefully and clearly and helped us to understand why Archie was behaving in certain ways. Eg. following my husband every time he got up. Archie didn't have any knowledge of basic commands and Jo taught us how to get him to stay, leave food/treats, come to his name and lie down. She is going to continue to help us get to grips with his 'aggression' around other dogs.
Trainer note from Graham
Archie is a Lurcher who has physical issues that indicate that he spent a lot of his life previously tied up. When I first visited he did not really know how to behave in a home environment as a pet dog. He was suffering from separation anxiety so didn't want to be on his own, but was suspicious of human company and held back from his new owners. It is unlikely he had lived indoors before as he had no basic training. Outside his grasp of dog etiquette was poor. He is nervous and has learned that growling and running at dogs is an effective way to warn other dogs off. Archie responded really well to the techniques demonstrated and they are doing really well with the basics including teaching Archie to come back to them no matter what the distractions. His dog aggression is a work in progress to keep him under control and teach him that other dogs are not a threat and he is already showing a willingness for his owners to make the decisions for him. To take a dog on that has not been a pet before takes time and dedication on the part of the owners as absolutely everything has to be taught from scratch. Archie is fortunate to have such owners.
Archie is a Lurcher who has physical issues that indicate that he spent a lot of his life previously tied up. When I first visited he did not really know how to behave in a home environment as a pet dog. He was suffering from separation anxiety so didn't want to be on his own, but was suspicious of human company and held back from his new owners. It is unlikely he had lived indoors before as he had no basic training. Outside his grasp of dog etiquette was poor. He is nervous and has learned that growling and running at dogs is an effective way to warn other dogs off. Archie responded really well to the techniques demonstrated and they are doing really well with the basics including teaching Archie to come back to them no matter what the distractions. His dog aggression is a work in progress to keep him under control and teach him that other dogs are not a threat and he is already showing a willingness for his owners to make the decisions for him. To take a dog on that has not been a pet before takes time and dedication on the part of the owners as absolutely everything has to be taught from scratch. Archie is fortunate to have such owners.
19th May 2013 - Graham Milgrew
Graham dealt with Chewing, Puppy management, Recall, Other
Our experience of Jo's training with us and our puppy was none other than excellent. During her home visit, Jo helped us with everything from advice on diet to crate training; basic commands through to advance warning on dealing with socialisation with friends and family with such a cute puppy (and he is cute!) and all in between.
We found Jo, professional, friendly and very proficient in her knowledge of all of the things new dog owners should/need to know. We knew that the main aim of our session with Jo was not so much to train our puppy, rather to train us to be confident in our 'parenting' and help us to make informed choices. She worked with us rather than dictated to us and by the end of the day we felt much more equipped and ready to enjoy puppy training and life with our pup in general. We were a lot more confident to move forward and training is fun now rather than slightly daunting!
We wanted to give our puppy the best possible start in life and with Jo's support we hope that is what we are doing. She is very clear and patient and evidently loves what she does. We've already recommended her to friends who have benefited from her expertise and would not hesitate to do this again to anyone who may need a little guidance or support.
Thank you Jo!
Ali, Anna and of course, puppy Locksley.
Trainer note from Graham
These owners had made all the right decisions. They had researched their puppy's breed, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They has checked out the breeder, consulted their Vet, read about Puppy training and set up their home so that Locksley was safe, secure and under supervision at all times. However, like many owners they found there was lots of conflicting advice and made the decision to pre-empt any possible future problems by getting advice specific to their lives and their puppy. Locksley is a delightful puppy who was the "runt" of the litter. Because of the obvious health issues these puppies can often be "babied" by their unsuspecting owners who know they would have been bullied by their siblings and feel sorry for them, but "runts" often survive by either running away or becoming "scrappers" and fighting their siblings so they actually need confident owners who can build the puppy's confidence so they can handle all situations without the need to run away or fight. Locksley is fortunate to have such owners and is growing into a dog that can cope with all situations he encounters and happily be himself.
These owners had made all the right decisions. They had researched their puppy's breed, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They has checked out the breeder, consulted their Vet, read about Puppy training and set up their home so that Locksley was safe, secure and under supervision at all times. However, like many owners they found there was lots of conflicting advice and made the decision to pre-empt any possible future problems by getting advice specific to their lives and their puppy. Locksley is a delightful puppy who was the "runt" of the litter. Because of the obvious health issues these puppies can often be "babied" by their unsuspecting owners who know they would have been bullied by their siblings and feel sorry for them, but "runts" often survive by either running away or becoming "scrappers" and fighting their siblings so they actually need confident owners who can build the puppy's confidence so they can handle all situations without the need to run away or fight. Locksley is fortunate to have such owners and is growing into a dog that can cope with all situations he encounters and happily be himself.
22nd April 2013 - Graham Milgrew
Graham dealt with Barking, Chewing, Digging, Hyperactivity, Recall
Jo has helped us so much in a short space of time. She gave us simple advice and tips for helping to control and become leader to our 'minding' dog Tilly. She is extremely knowledgeable and helped us to understand why Tilly was behaving in the way she was. She is very easy to get on with, makes you feel comfortable and is understanding regarding any training issues - also she is always on hand with advice! Although Tilly is still a work in progress (it's early days and she's a very strong willed little girl!) I would recommend Jo to anyone having behaviour problems with their pooch.
Trainer note from Graham
Tilly is a lovely little Yorkshire terrier/poodle cross who insists on "minding" her owners and their home. This is a type of guarding so she barks out of the windows to chase people away and constantly demands attention from her owners to the point of exhausting her owners with her game playing. When she isn't getting them to play or pay attention to her she is digging at the floors and furniture and chewing. Dogs like Tilly don't have an "off" switch and they need good leadership (i.e. the sort of good parenting a boisterous child needs)so she can learn to behave appropriately. She is fortunate to have owners who are prepared to train and educate Tilly and they have thrown themselves whole heartedly into teaching Tilly good behaviour rather than simply telling her off for bad behaviour. They have made great progress to date and I have every confidence that they will continue to do so.
Tilly is a lovely little Yorkshire terrier/poodle cross who insists on "minding" her owners and their home. This is a type of guarding so she barks out of the windows to chase people away and constantly demands attention from her owners to the point of exhausting her owners with her game playing. When she isn't getting them to play or pay attention to her she is digging at the floors and furniture and chewing. Dogs like Tilly don't have an "off" switch and they need good leadership (i.e. the sort of good parenting a boisterous child needs)so she can learn to behave appropriately. She is fortunate to have owners who are prepared to train and educate Tilly and they have thrown themselves whole heartedly into teaching Tilly good behaviour rather than simply telling her off for bad behaviour. They have made great progress to date and I have every confidence that they will continue to do so.
14th April 2013 - Graham Milgrew
Graham dealt with Aggression, Recall, Toileting
We had had Benji for about 9 months when we had our first meeting with Jo. Benji was a rescue dog and although we didn't know when we got him we are his 4th home including the kennels so he has the best start as he was about 9 months when we got him. Initially Benji settled in well though I should have realised there maybe problems as when I collected him from the kennels he ran around the inside of my car! It was a few months after we had him when problems developed. Benji became more aggressive, particularly to people coming to our house. He had to be put on a lead when I answered the door. He was also becoming more aggressive to other dogs while we were out walking. I had tried dog training classes but this didn't really help as he didn't seem to cope with these well. We had also visited a local behaviourist for a consultation who gave us some suggestions. When Jo came our house it really seem to make a difference to see him at home, she was able to explain his behaviour to us and give us exercises to help regain control and make him feel more secure. It is also useful to know sometimes there are some situation you can't control but that we can do the right things to calm Benji and regain control. It is going to take a long time with Benji but I think with Jo's help we are making progress now.
Trainer note from Graham
This Jack Russell Terrier has some very severe behavioural problems and has been fortunate to find owners who are truly committed to rehabilitating him. His fear makes him aggressive in any situation that he feels threatened in and his owners are patiently working with him to build up his confidence and train appropriate behaviour in a given situation. There is no quick fix with dogs as damaged as Benji. He has had numerous homes and has finally found owners who are willing to take the time and make the effort to help him. It is delight to see a dog who is increasingly looking to his owners for guidance rather than trying to deal with what frightens him on his own. I have every confidence that over time he will trust his owners entirely and react calmly to situations he finds difficult.
This Jack Russell Terrier has some very severe behavioural problems and has been fortunate to find owners who are truly committed to rehabilitating him. His fear makes him aggressive in any situation that he feels threatened in and his owners are patiently working with him to build up his confidence and train appropriate behaviour in a given situation. There is no quick fix with dogs as damaged as Benji. He has had numerous homes and has finally found owners who are willing to take the time and make the effort to help him. It is delight to see a dog who is increasingly looking to his owners for guidance rather than trying to deal with what frightens him on his own. I have every confidence that over time he will trust his owners entirely and react calmly to situations he finds difficult.
11th April 2013 - Graham Milgrew
Graham dealt with Puppy management, Separation anxiety
Jo is simply excellent. Separation anxiety was the main issue for us at first, Michael being a new puppy; and me being a first time puppy mummy, I was also anxious to get it right! We've all being sleeping well since Jo got involved with us, Michael is calm at bed times and we are all sleeping through the night! Jo is an excellent trainer and is ever ready to answer any questions and offer reassurance and guidance as necessary. She is patient, kind, knowledgeable and clearly loves what she's doing. No wonder she does it so well!
Trainer note from Graham
This owner has a lovely little Bolognese puppy. Michael is a little shy and needs time to get to get to know new people and settle into new situations. His owner has been very diligent in building her puppy's confidence so he can feel secure on his own and comfortable when presented with new experiences. He is a bright little boy and eager to please his new family. It is a delight to see him progressing so well with his kind and caring owner.
This owner has a lovely little Bolognese puppy. Michael is a little shy and needs time to get to get to know new people and settle into new situations. His owner has been very diligent in building her puppy's confidence so he can feel secure on his own and comfortable when presented with new experiences. He is a bright little boy and eager to please his new family. It is a delight to see him progressing so well with his kind and caring owner.
4th April 2013 - Graham Milgrew
Graham dealt with Aggression, Barking, Separation anxiety, Sibling rivalry
Jo is fantastic, we can't recommend her highly enough to anybody who is struggling with dog behavioural problems. We have two Yorkshire Terrier x Jack Russell males who barked and behaved uncontrollably whenever anybody came to the house. We also had separation anxiety issues and Jo completely identified both sets of problems we were having and has given us excellent advice on ways to address the bad behaviour. She also explained why the dogs behave the way they do which makes it easier use the techniques in the right way. For us, it is still a 'work in progress' but Jo is always available to give advice and support. Jo has shown us how to be in control of our dogs which immediately made our dogs happier and more settled.
Trainer note from Graham
These owners have a tough job on their hands. One of their dogs is really struggling with his constant drive to protect his owners and the house at all costs and will take every opportunity he can to go back to what he sees as "his job" of guarding. This means his owners have to be persistent and consistent when trying to resolve this. Fortunately he has owners who are prepared to do the work and recognise that this isn't a "quick fix". They have progressed really well. Both dogs are happier, more settled and prepared to listen to their owners and respect the boundaries put in place. The long term outlook for these dogs is good and I have every confidence that these owners will achieve their aims.
These owners have a tough job on their hands. One of their dogs is really struggling with his constant drive to protect his owners and the house at all costs and will take every opportunity he can to go back to what he sees as "his job" of guarding. This means his owners have to be persistent and consistent when trying to resolve this. Fortunately he has owners who are prepared to do the work and recognise that this isn't a "quick fix". They have progressed really well. Both dogs are happier, more settled and prepared to listen to their owners and respect the boundaries put in place. The long term outlook for these dogs is good and I have every confidence that these owners will achieve their aims.
19th March 2013 - Graham Milgrew
Graham dealt with Aggression, Jumping up, Pulling, Recall
Teddy & Derek didn't have the best start in life being in a rescue centre in Spain for the first 5 months of their lives and having very little human contact. We felt we had made good progress in integrating these frightened little dogs into the family and giving them a happy and stable home. However, there were still a few things they did that we were not happy with, in particular they would jump up and bark at small children. Jo explained to us, why the dogs reacted the way they did to children. She also pointed out how they reacted to one another, to us and more importantly how we reacted to them, and what we were doing wrong!. She explained what needed to be done to overcome the problems we are having and left us with some exercises to get us started. We are already seeing a difference in the way 'the boys' react to each other and to us and we are looking forward to continuing to work with Jo to resolve the issues we have. I have already recommended Jo to a number of people and wouldn't hesitate to do so in the future.
Trainer note from Graham
These terrier cross breed dogs were lucky enough to find the right family from the outset. They have patiently integrated the dogs slowly but surely into their family lives and nurtured the relationship to the point where the dogs were ready to pay attention and listen to them instead of scurrying behind the sofa. They have done amazingly well and just needed to know how to keep progressing with the dogs. When dogs have had such little human contact as these there is no "quick fix". Everything has to be done patiently without rushing, so the dogs are confident that "their humans" will protect them from what scares them (children) and look after them. They really are delightful dogs and are an advertisement for what can be done with very damaged dogs when they find the right homes.
These terrier cross breed dogs were lucky enough to find the right family from the outset. They have patiently integrated the dogs slowly but surely into their family lives and nurtured the relationship to the point where the dogs were ready to pay attention and listen to them instead of scurrying behind the sofa. They have done amazingly well and just needed to know how to keep progressing with the dogs. When dogs have had such little human contact as these there is no "quick fix". Everything has to be done patiently without rushing, so the dogs are confident that "their humans" will protect them from what scares them (children) and look after them. They really are delightful dogs and are an advertisement for what can be done with very damaged dogs when they find the right homes.