Bark Busters Walnut Creek, Concord, Pleasanton Reviews
Reviews
31 Reviews ★★★★★(Average 5 out of 5)
Darren M.
15 months ago
— Concord, CA
My wife and I grew up with dogs and for the most part, simple training (house breaking, general responsiveness) worked just fine. However, we quickly realized that was not going to be the case when we adopted our good boy, Gus, from ARF when he was 1 year and 3 months. Gus is a Pitbull/Mastiff/Terrier and is much more active and athletic than any other we have had.
Gus has high prey drive, extremely curious, stubborn and independent, highly active and a bit destructive, and took some time to learn his new name (previously Catamaran and prior to that a number)
Given all this, we felt it necessary to call in help and it could not have been a better decision - Dan and the BarkBuster principals are a game changer.
There is no magic bullet and Dan made that very clear - it is on every Dog Parent to DO THE WORK!
However, with the the tools, knowledge and routines Dan has given us, Gus is able to have more freedom to explore and we are more confident in introducing him to new experiences, places, people and other dogs.
He went from absolutely ignoring me any time we went outside to a (developing) off leash dog who is hiking right at my side and extremely attentive to the core commands (Wait, No, Come and Heel). He went from not knowing how to play with other dogs and respect boundaries, to being best friends with a Dachshund and part of a pack.
When we first told people how much we were paying for training they thought we were crazy. However, these are now the same people commenting on what a good boy Gus is and how calm and attentive he is.
Some dogs can afford to be untrained (we have had them our whole lives). Gus was not one of them. And we felt we owed it to Gus and ourselves to call in help and we are so grateful we did.
Thank you, Dan, for giving us the confidence, tools and knowledge to live our best life.
What a life saver Dan is. I was at my wits end with potty training, and he gave me such great tips and the confidence boost I needed. Winnie is doing great, and responds well to all of the tools Dan has given us for keeping her on her best behavior and improving her skills every day. excellent communicator and easy to work with. Thank you, Dan!!
Dan is seriously a magician! He is thorough with his training and knowledgeable. He is personable and wants to make sure you understand his training. Within one training, I’ve got better lead on my puppies behaviors. Plus, if something arises, I can text Dan the problem and schedule something within a week. What a convenient solution! Absolutely recommend Dan!
We recently rescued a 1.5 year old Border Terrier from the Oakland SPCA. While we have had pets for years we have never engaged in any formal training. This time we decided to give it a try. My wife looked online and found Dan Lan Franco from Bark Busters. We liked his stated philosophy and certainly the reviews that he has received. That said, after the first session (2.5 hours) we were impressed with Dan, his delivery, the information we received and our hands-on training. We were amazed at how our dog, Perry, interacted with him and behaved. He left us with basic homework to do each day for 10-15 minutes, which we have done. We had another session 2 weeks later to check in and report that Perry was doing quite well and he continues to do so. Needless to say, we are thrilled with Dan and his methods, and we look forward to continued success!
2 days ago my 6 month old Australian labradoodle was like a bull in a China shop.
3 hours with Dan and he has gone from sassy to sweet.
After one session Kona does not run to the door barking ready to greet my latest Amazon package. In one session and my 15 minutes of homework a day, he hears the doorbell he sits away from the door at a place designated for him and waits for me to come at my voice. It's pretty darn amazing.
Dan has been so great with our 8-month old cattle dog-mix Minnie. She is a super-sweet and smart ball of pure hyper puppy energy, and Dan has a very gentle bur confident way of taking charge while still allowing her to be the curious and excited little pup that she is. He is very reassuring, practical, and enthusiastic about his work.. I know Minnie will have an even-happier life thanks to the solid training we're starting her out with. Thanks y'all!
Our dog Luna is an angel when alone with us, but is very anxious and loud in unfamiliar situations. A few sessions with Dan has made a huge difference! Luna used to bark at random noises, jump on house guests, lunge at other dogs, and refuse to go on walks. She has shown such an improvement in all these behaviors, and while she still has a ways to go, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our previous trainer would keep recommending harsher punishments for her, but we knew that wasn't what she needed. Dan understands the root of her behavior and gives us creative ways to help her. We really appreciate Dan teaching us to work with Luna's anxieties so we can all live a happier life.
We tried 2 other dog training companies before Bark Busters and were so frustrated with the lack of success. We were thrilled after the very first session with Dan Lan Franco of Bark Busters!!! Dan really knows dogs!! And the fact that he comes to our home where the behavioral issues happen makes all the sense in the world. Being with a trainer at a public park with the other companies didn't work to address our shitzu's barking when we leave the house or when a stranger comes. We are so grateful to have found Dan.
Dan is fantastic, we have been so pleased with his training. Our rescue has been very challenging, with anxiety, reactivity, and aggression. Dan is masterful with him, calm and very effective at teaching us how to communicate with both our dogs. The training exercises are clearly presented and effective -- and not overwhelming at all. It's basically just working a few tweaks into what you are already doing. The fact that it has such a big impact is a testament to Dan. We were not expecting such significant results already at all! Cannot wait to see Jun continue to develop into the calm, happy dog we know he can be.
This is the best way to get training for a wonderful relationship with your pawrtner.
This training is unique and perfect because you sign your dog up and you can continue the training as needed for the life of the dog. I started my great dane with Dan and we got a good start on basics. Next my dane was dragging me down the street trying to chase other dogs. One more lesson with Dan and she was a new dog.
I love that I'm not using shock collars or prong collars, they just didn't work for my girl. My prior trainer insisted.
Dan is the best. It is way more realistic to train over time, which this process allows and accommodates. If you have a big dog like mine, this is the best training you can get and my dog loves me for it :)
Darren M.
15 months ago
— Concord, CA
My wife and I grew up with dogs and for the most part, simple training (house breaking, general responsiveness) worked just fine. However, we quickly realized that was not going to be the case when we adopted our good boy, Gus, from ARF when he was 1 year and 3 months. Gus is a Pitbull/Mastiff/Terrier and is much more active and athletic than any other we have had.
PermalinkGus has high prey drive, extremely curious, stubborn and independent, highly active and a bit destructive, and took some time to learn his new name (previously Catamaran and prior to that a number)
Given all this, we felt it necessary to call in help and it could not have been a better decision - Dan and the BarkBuster principals are a game changer.
There is no magic bullet and Dan made that very clear - it is on every Dog Parent to DO THE WORK!
However, with the the tools, knowledge and routines Dan has given us, Gus is able to have more freedom to explore and we are more confident in introducing him to new experiences, places, people and other dogs.
He went from absolutely ignoring me any time we went outside to a (developing) off leash dog who is hiking right at my side and extremely attentive to the core commands (Wait, No, Come and Heel). He went from not knowing how to play with other dogs and respect boundaries, to being best friends with a Dachshund and part of a pack.
When we first told people how much we were paying for training they thought we were crazy. However, these are now the same people commenting on what a good boy Gus is and how calm and attentive he is.
Some dogs can afford to be untrained (we have had them our whole lives). Gus was not one of them. And we felt we owed it to Gus and ourselves to call in help and we are so grateful we did.
Thank you, Dan, for giving us the confidence, tools and knowledge to live our best life.
Tracy L. P.
19 months ago
— Lafayette, CA
What a life saver Dan is. I was at my wits end with potty training, and he gave me such great tips and the confidence boost I needed. Winnie is doing great, and responds well to all of the tools Dan has given us for keeping her on her best behavior and improving her skills every day. excellent communicator and easy to work with. Thank you, Dan!!
PermalinkMacKenzie C.
23 months ago
— Walnut Creek, CA
Dan is seriously a magician! He is thorough with his training and knowledgeable. He is personable and wants to make sure you understand his training. Within one training, I’ve got better lead on my puppies behaviors. Plus, if something arises, I can text Dan the problem and schedule something within a week. What a convenient solution! Absolutely recommend Dan!
PermalinkJon H.
24 months ago
— Moraga, CA
We recently rescued a 1.5 year old Border Terrier from the Oakland SPCA. While we have had pets for years we have never engaged in any formal training. This time we decided to give it a try. My wife looked online and found Dan Lan Franco from Bark Busters. We liked his stated philosophy and certainly the reviews that he has received. That said, after the first session (2.5 hours) we were impressed with Dan, his delivery, the information we received and our hands-on training. We were amazed at how our dog, Perry, interacted with him and behaved. He left us with basic homework to do each day for 10-15 minutes, which we have done. We had another session 2 weeks later to check in and report that Perry was doing quite well and he continues to do so. Needless to say, we are thrilled with Dan and his methods, and we look forward to continued success!
PermalinkConnie H.
2 years ago
— Pinole, CA
2 days ago my 6 month old Australian labradoodle was like a bull in a China shop.
Permalink3 hours with Dan and he has gone from sassy to sweet.
After one session Kona does not run to the door barking ready to greet my latest Amazon package. In one session and my 15 minutes of homework a day, he hears the doorbell he sits away from the door at a place designated for him and waits for me to come at my voice. It's pretty darn amazing.
Rob H.
2 years ago
— Berkeley, CA
Dan has been so great with our 8-month old cattle dog-mix Minnie. She is a super-sweet and smart ball of pure hyper puppy energy, and Dan has a very gentle bur confident way of taking charge while still allowing her to be the curious and excited little pup that she is. He is very reassuring, practical, and enthusiastic about his work.. I know Minnie will have an even-happier life thanks to the solid training we're starting her out with. Thanks y'all!
PermalinkAndrea C.
2 years ago
— Alamo, TX
Our dog Luna is an angel when alone with us, but is very anxious and loud in unfamiliar situations. A few sessions with Dan has made a huge difference! Luna used to bark at random noises, jump on house guests, lunge at other dogs, and refuse to go on walks. She has shown such an improvement in all these behaviors, and while she still has a ways to go, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our previous trainer would keep recommending harsher punishments for her, but we knew that wasn't what she needed. Dan understands the root of her behavior and gives us creative ways to help her. We really appreciate Dan teaching us to work with Luna's anxieties so we can all live a happier life.
PermalinkApril G.
2 years ago
— Alamo, CA
We tried 2 other dog training companies before Bark Busters and were so frustrated with the lack of success. We were thrilled after the very first session with Dan Lan Franco of Bark Busters!!! Dan really knows dogs!! And the fact that he comes to our home where the behavioral issues happen makes all the sense in the world. Being with a trainer at a public park with the other companies didn't work to address our shitzu's barking when we leave the house or when a stranger comes. We are so grateful to have found Dan.
PermalinkEva S.
2 years ago
— Oakland, CA
Dan is fantastic, we have been so pleased with his training. Our rescue has been very challenging, with anxiety, reactivity, and aggression. Dan is masterful with him, calm and very effective at teaching us how to communicate with both our dogs. The training exercises are clearly presented and effective -- and not overwhelming at all. It's basically just working a few tweaks into what you are already doing. The fact that it has such a big impact is a testament to Dan. We were not expecting such significant results already at all! Cannot wait to see Jun continue to develop into the calm, happy dog we know he can be.
PermalinkDebbie G.
2 years ago
— Danville, CA
This is the best way to get training for a wonderful relationship with your pawrtner.
PermalinkThis training is unique and perfect because you sign your dog up and you can continue the training as needed for the life of the dog. I started my great dane with Dan and we got a good start on basics. Next my dane was dragging me down the street trying to chase other dogs. One more lesson with Dan and she was a new dog.
I love that I'm not using shock collars or prong collars, they just didn't work for my girl. My prior trainer insisted.
Dan is the best. It is way more realistic to train over time, which this process allows and accommodates. If you have a big dog like mine, this is the best training you can get and my dog loves me for it :)
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