Bark Busters Reviews and Customer Testimonials
25th June 2026 - Mark Gall
Mark dealt with Aggression, Barking, Recall, Separation anxiety
We highly recommend Mark, Zena is showing promise after only the 1st lesson and he's taught us to communicate in a way she understands. We still have a bit of work to go but we are heading in the right direction already.
Trainer note from Mark
Zena is a 11mth old Chocolate lab rehome to these owners only 6 weeks ago. Although she had basics of sit etc not much else training had been invested in her. So back to the basics of how to speak dog to teach dog so the owners could teach her and bring a sense of safety, security , and nurturing in line for Zena. Great first lesson and as part of the life of the dog guarantee she will get future lessons to fine tune what is still a work in progress process. Awesome job guys , see you again soon.
Zena is a 11mth old Chocolate lab rehome to these owners only 6 weeks ago. Although she had basics of sit etc not much else training had been invested in her. So back to the basics of how to speak dog to teach dog so the owners could teach her and bring a sense of safety, security , and nurturing in line for Zena. Great first lesson and as part of the life of the dog guarantee she will get future lessons to fine tune what is still a work in progress process. Awesome job guys , see you again soon.
25th June 2026 - Mark Gall
Mark dealt with Barking, Hyperactivity, Jumping up, Pulling, Recall
Mark has great dog training skills and instructed us well which had an immediate impact with our dogs behaviour. She was not coming when called ,Jumped a lot , generally a good dog but too hyper and barker at our fence lines.
Trainer note from Mark
Bodhi is a female boxer of 4 yrs old , full on , but such a clever thinker , playing games to be in charge and not recalling was her biggest game, also jumped up , , some dog reactive problems , and a barking match with the neighbours dogs. She responded very well and the owners applied the techniques well. She will test them but so far great progress after the 1st lesson . Updates to follow. Awesome work guys and Zena.
Bodhi is a female boxer of 4 yrs old , full on , but such a clever thinker , playing games to be in charge and not recalling was her biggest game, also jumped up , , some dog reactive problems , and a barking match with the neighbours dogs. She responded very well and the owners applied the techniques well. She will test them but so far great progress after the 1st lesson . Updates to follow. Awesome work guys and Zena.
16th June 2026 - Keith Mockett
Keith dealt with Aggression, Hyperactivity, Puppy management, Sibling rivalry, Toileting, Other
Keith was absolutely amazing. We needed help with integrating our new puppy into the household with another dog and our baby (we are temporarily staying at family's place with their dog and there was a bit of biting going on from our pup) and helped us learn how to correct her behaviour in a more effective way than I have previously learnt in any puppy school with a dog i had many years ago. I absolutely love that his methods aren't food/treat driven and actually work. He explained things so well and thoroughly and answered all questions we had. He has set us up with so much information to be able to refer back to and read when needed and also given so many tips for our big move to another city. His knowledge and expertise have been absolutely invaluable to us. We can't recommend him enough.
Trainer note from Keith
Thank you, I'm very pleased it was helpful. Puppies often cause a lot of stress because people don't know what to do or how to deal with behaviours. Getting the right advice and guidance makes a huge difference so it's great that we've been able to bring a bit of sanity and calm to a stressful situation. Good luck with the move, you'll have my colleague there to continue the training and support. You're in very good hands. All the best.
Thank you, I'm very pleased it was helpful. Puppies often cause a lot of stress because people don't know what to do or how to deal with behaviours. Getting the right advice and guidance makes a huge difference so it's great that we've been able to bring a bit of sanity and calm to a stressful situation. Good luck with the move, you'll have my colleague there to continue the training and support. You're in very good hands. All the best.
14th June 2026 - Keith Mockett
Keith dealt with Toileting
Keith at Barkbusters helped me hugely with my 5 yr old dog who oddly started peeing inside at night. Now my dog is great at night with no problems!
Trainer note from Keith
Thanks for that. Toileting inside can be a challenging one to deal with but you've done well with the right help! Happy to help.
Thanks for that. Toileting inside can be a challenging one to deal with but you've done well with the right help! Happy to help.
12th June 2026 - Mark Gall
Mark dealt with Barking, Jumping up, Pulling
We are so happy with the excellent dog training service we received recently. Mark was professional, knowledgeable and very supportive throughout the session with ourselves and our wee dog. He taught us easy to follow training techniques which resulted in noticeable improvements in our dogs’ behaviour and obedience. These techniques were explained and demonstrated clearly to enable us to continue using these at home. Although we still have quite a way to go, we are really grateful for the guidance Mark has provided so far, and we would not hesitate to highly recommend this service to others wanting to improve their dog’s behaviour.
Trainer note from Mark
Bobo is a 3yr old Cavoodle who has now moved with the owners into a retirement Village Villa from a standalone house and property. The moved has emphasized a number of problems which although there before the move have greatly increased since. Barking territorially, pulling , recall , Dog reactive behaviour on lead . Still some way to go but certainly huge improvements so far and work in progress. Great job so far guys and Bobo.
Bobo is a 3yr old Cavoodle who has now moved with the owners into a retirement Village Villa from a standalone house and property. The moved has emphasized a number of problems which although there before the move have greatly increased since. Barking territorially, pulling , recall , Dog reactive behaviour on lead . Still some way to go but certainly huge improvements so far and work in progress. Great job so far guys and Bobo.
5th June 2026 - Mark Gall
Mark dealt with Aggression, Barking, Hyperactivity, Jumping up, Pulling
We really enjoyed our training with Mark and he opened our eyes to the mistakes we have been making with Shady. A very strong temperament Blue heeler.
Trainer note from Mark
Shady is a 18mth old Blue heeler who really is a strong , temperament . His problems were Resource guarding things he's stolen , pulling , dog aggressive , jumps up , isn't keen on visitors , recall and a lot of attention seeking. All traits of a boss dog . He's a work in progress but good results in the 1st lesson and because of the dogs location he has potentially missed out on a lot of social skills normally implemented before 5 mths of age. We couldn't cover everything is this lesson so he's on the list for future visits all part of the "Life of the dog guarantee". Great work so far guys , I'll hear from you in a couple of week's for an update.
Shady is a 18mth old Blue heeler who really is a strong , temperament . His problems were Resource guarding things he's stolen , pulling , dog aggressive , jumps up , isn't keen on visitors , recall and a lot of attention seeking. All traits of a boss dog . He's a work in progress but good results in the 1st lesson and because of the dogs location he has potentially missed out on a lot of social skills normally implemented before 5 mths of age. We couldn't cover everything is this lesson so he's on the list for future visits all part of the "Life of the dog guarantee". Great work so far guys , I'll hear from you in a couple of week's for an update.
4th June 2026 - Mark Gall
Mark dealt with Aggression, Jumping up, Pulling, Recall, Separation anxiety
We recently worked with Mark from Bark Busters for our dogs, Boss and Lucy, and we couldn't be happier with the results.
Before our training sessions, walking the dogs could be quite challenging, but thanks to Mark's guidance, they are now much easier to walk and respond much better to commands. The techniques he taught us were practical, effective, and easy to implement at home.
What we appreciated most was Mark's approach. He was incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and supportive, and he explained everything in a clear, non-judgemental way. We always felt comfortable asking questions, and he took the time to make sure we understood both the "how" and the "why" behind the training methods.
We have seen a real improvement in both Boss and Lucy's behaviour and confidence, and we would highly recommend Mark and Bark Busters to anyone looking for professional, effective dog training.
Trainer note from Mark
Lucy and Boss are quite different in temperament and breed. Lucy is a 8 yr old labrador, Boss a 9 yr old Australian Cattle dog. Old dogs who needed adjustments for dog reactivity , pulling ,barking , separation anxiety , recall , jumping . Pretty much all the things that should be sorted by that age of dog. They responded well , their human mums did an awesome job of applying the techniques and the dogs have shown the relaxed dog results. Great work ladies and dogs . nice job.
Lucy and Boss are quite different in temperament and breed. Lucy is a 8 yr old labrador, Boss a 9 yr old Australian Cattle dog. Old dogs who needed adjustments for dog reactivity , pulling ,barking , separation anxiety , recall , jumping . Pretty much all the things that should be sorted by that age of dog. They responded well , their human mums did an awesome job of applying the techniques and the dogs have shown the relaxed dog results. Great work ladies and dogs . nice job.
3rd June 2026 - Mark Gall
Mark dealt with Chewing, Puppy management
Mark was very thorough and clear in the information shared. He did a lengthy initial home visit including a comprehensive training session for us with our 13 week old puppy. Our main concern was her biting and chewing but his scope of knowledge was much broader than that alone. Tūī responded well to the Bark Busters techniques during the session with Mark guiding us. The hardest bit is now that we are trying to continue the positive progress on our own, but it’s good to know Mark is available via email and for follow-up sessions if needed as part of the Bark Busters Life of the dog guarantee. Peace of mind for us.
Trainer note from Mark
Tui is a Golden Retriever x Border Collie of 13 weeks old. Very bitey and not focussing with what the owners had tried from Google and previous knowledge with dogs but nothing was working for them. I got the enquiry from Tui's owners as they were really struggling with her biting , over zealous boisterous play ( she thought it was play) and constant attention seeking almost aggressive behaviour. The owners were very keen to get on top of Tui's communication as soon as possible . Learn to communicate correctly for her temperament and problems. 1st session as always discussed the problems , and working into how to talk dog and then applying it. 1st steps are now in place with her being much more responsive , polite , relaxed and a plan to curb the biting . We'll do a number of initial lessons to get her on the right track early. As you would expect a puppy is a work in progress so lots to keep going with. Great work ladies , loved the session and we'll chat soon.
Tui is a Golden Retriever x Border Collie of 13 weeks old. Very bitey and not focussing with what the owners had tried from Google and previous knowledge with dogs but nothing was working for them. I got the enquiry from Tui's owners as they were really struggling with her biting , over zealous boisterous play ( she thought it was play) and constant attention seeking almost aggressive behaviour. The owners were very keen to get on top of Tui's communication as soon as possible . Learn to communicate correctly for her temperament and problems. 1st session as always discussed the problems , and working into how to talk dog and then applying it. 1st steps are now in place with her being much more responsive , polite , relaxed and a plan to curb the biting . We'll do a number of initial lessons to get her on the right track early. As you would expect a puppy is a work in progress so lots to keep going with. Great work ladies , loved the session and we'll chat soon.
25th May 2026 - Mark Gall
Mark dealt with Hyperactivity, Jumping up, Puppy management, Recall, Separation anxiety
This training is great. Our dog was transformed after the first lesson. Mark followed through on what was promised and delivered more than expected. Highly recommended.
Trainer note from Mark
Zia is a border collie , 11mths old, full on and rehomed from the daughter as she was too hard to deal with in a small house and kiddies as well. Now in an environment quite different , huge space to use and focus from the owners to get the problems ironed out. Zia was barking at all the movements and noises around constantly , running from one space to another in a large section reacting to everything , pulled , recall not good , car lunging , jumping up all in hyper drive. She responded well in the lesson and started focussing on the commands and the owners requests, no food treat training as she isn't very food motivated. Greta 1st session and well be recapping , readjusting , neck up checking progress soon. Fantastic job guys . keep up the great work.
Zia is a border collie , 11mths old, full on and rehomed from the daughter as she was too hard to deal with in a small house and kiddies as well. Now in an environment quite different , huge space to use and focus from the owners to get the problems ironed out. Zia was barking at all the movements and noises around constantly , running from one space to another in a large section reacting to everything , pulled , recall not good , car lunging , jumping up all in hyper drive. She responded well in the lesson and started focussing on the commands and the owners requests, no food treat training as she isn't very food motivated. Greta 1st session and well be recapping , readjusting , neck up checking progress soon. Fantastic job guys . keep up the great work.
19th May 2026 - Mark Gall
Mark dealt with Barking, Chewing, Jumping up, Pulling, Recall
Dougal was picked up as a roaming stray in Northland and was in a SPCA shelter for 5 months prior to adoption aged about one, with no training in his background at all. Following the 3,3,3 rule, we didn't engage Mark until Dougal was with us for 3 months. In hindsight, we should have engaged Mark straight away to learn how best to support and train Dougal at his pace, without allowing any detrimental behaviours to develop. Mark is professional and knowledgeable with advice on how to work on changing those behaviours and train Dougal so he has the safest and most positive future. Seeing Mark’s experienced handling of Dougal was a relief for us, as was having him come to our property- we were unable to leash Dougal until his visit. Dougal’s response to some techniques was instantaneous, others we are working on. Mark was recommended to us by a friend, we would also recommend Mark to any dog owners needing furtehr skills to get on top of their behaviour problems..
Trainer note from Mark
Dougal is a very special case as he is a rehomed rescue , found on the Streets in Northland . No previous training , wandering and picked up by SPCa , rehomed to Canterbury after several months of rehab and conditioning. The owners are new to dogs and the challenge is Dougal had no previous concept of rules or focus at any level . Prior to our 1st session he hadn't had any leadwork , recall , jumping , manners were non existent, attention barking and barking at any noises , movements around the property was constant. He can even sit and wait for food now. We've done one lesson of the Life of the dog guarantee system and already improvements. A long way to go but its already looking very promising. A great temperament dog and a definite work in progress but the steps are there to head him in the right direction. Awesome work so far , second session soon.
Dougal is a very special case as he is a rehomed rescue , found on the Streets in Northland . No previous training , wandering and picked up by SPCa , rehomed to Canterbury after several months of rehab and conditioning. The owners are new to dogs and the challenge is Dougal had no previous concept of rules or focus at any level . Prior to our 1st session he hadn't had any leadwork , recall , jumping , manners were non existent, attention barking and barking at any noises , movements around the property was constant. He can even sit and wait for food now. We've done one lesson of the Life of the dog guarantee system and already improvements. A long way to go but its already looking very promising. A great temperament dog and a definite work in progress but the steps are there to head him in the right direction. Awesome work so far , second session soon.
16th May 2026 - Mark Gall
Mark dealt with Barking, Hyperactivity, Pulling, Recall, Other
Mark was very thorough and his teaching and techniques were easy to understand.
We saw a difference straight away with Moose. It's a work in progress and with the tools provided his behaviour will continue to improve as we put in place the teachings we've learned.
Trainer note from Mark
Moose is a 2yr old GSD, with separation anxiety , pulled a lot , jumped up , quite hyperactive. He responded well in the lesson and still has some things to address but like all dogs is a work in progress . He's also a rehome for these clients so some of the issues were in place before he came to them. Good focus once the process and exercises were applied. We'll catch up for a check up soon Moose.
Moose is a 2yr old GSD, with separation anxiety , pulled a lot , jumped up , quite hyperactive. He responded well in the lesson and still has some things to address but like all dogs is a work in progress . He's also a rehome for these clients so some of the issues were in place before he came to them. Good focus once the process and exercises were applied. We'll catch up for a check up soon Moose.
13th May 2026 - Keiko Ruwhiu
Keiko dealt with Barking, Hyperactivity, Jumping up, Pulling, Recall, Separation anxiety
Keiko is amazing. We were having issues on leaving Queen alone, taking her for a walk and her super excitement when meeting other people. It was getting impossible to leave the house without taking her to a day care.
On our first meeting with Keiko we found hope again, Queen has already shown major improvements from day 1. Within a week we were even able to go out for a dinner without having any issues with her separation anxiety. I would strongly recommend Keiko, that was a life changer for was.
Trainer note from Keiko
Thank you Sharles! I was very happy with the way Queen (2 years old Maltese Shih Tzu cross) responded to her first session. Great to hear you can go out for a dinner!! Keep up the good work! My help is always available for you and Queen 😊
Thank you Sharles! I was very happy with the way Queen (2 years old Maltese Shih Tzu cross) responded to her first session. Great to hear you can go out for a dinner!! Keep up the good work! My help is always available for you and Queen 😊