Bark Busters In-Home Dog Training - Fairfax

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Zip code

Dog training type

Dog training package

Specific behaviors to address

Responds within a day

Introduction

I have been working with dogs since 2013. I have two rescue pitbulls, one that was too dog aggressive to be adopted out. I use a very simple method that doesn't involve shock or prong collars. My goal is to give you to the tools to communicate with your dog in a non-physical way that they easily understand. The thing I love most about this job is seeing people and their dogs stress free and happy. That's what I have with my dogs and that's what I want everyone to have.

Overview

Hired 2 times

Serves Fairfax, VA

Background checked

1 employee

8 years in business

Business hours

Sun11:00 am - 7:00 pmMon11:00 am - 7:00 pm

Payment methods

This pro accepts payments via Apple Pay, Cash, Check, Credit card, PayPal, and Venmo.

Social media

Facebook, Instagram

Featured Projects

8 photos

Specialties

Dog training type

Reviews

Customers rated this pro highly for professionalism, work quality, and value.

Exceptional 5.0

32 reviews

100%

Read reviews that mention:

LAILA K.

Sep 13, 2022

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

Heather M.

May 16, 2024

Tommy is a miracle worker. I have a German Shepherd that came to me with no manners and separation anxiety. 6 months of being antagonized by a neighbor and a move later and she was also super reactive. I reached out to Tommy as a last ditch effort before giving up. He came to my house and taught me how to communicate with her. I can walk her on a leash now, have people over, and go to other rooms of the house without her following right behind. We are both far less stressed out now that we can both relax. We still have work to do, but we are doing so much better than we were.

Miyuki S.

Feb 13, 2022

Tommy is an excellent trainer. He really cares about dogs and understands them. We had a few issues with our adopted beagle mix and had been stressed out during walks. After we followed Tommy's advice, we started understanding our dog's behaviors and became more confident. Whenever we had questions, Tommy was very responsive and helpful. We are so happy with our dog now. The training with Tommy was the best thing that happened to us and our dog. We totally recommend him if you have ANY problems with your dogs. He is the best!

Thumbtack Customer

Jan 16, 2020

From Google

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

Thumbtack Customer

Oct 18, 2019

From Google

Our dog, Penny, had basic commands, but my husband and I were struggling with getting to that next level of good behavior. She would pull on the leash, jump up on people, dig at our couches, and had no personal boundaries when guests sat down - things we didn't know how to approach training. That's when we found Tommy. It was amazing watching him interact with Penny as he got a feel for the type of dog she is and figuring out her quirks. He also talked through everything he was doing with us, so we could understand and learn ourselves. Within one lesson, Tommy taught us how to better communicate with Penny, and helped us with every issue we addressed. We could finally take covers off of our couches, I can easily walk my 60 pound dog, and she doesn't jump or get on people. Tommy is very professional and friendly, and is an incredible trainer. He was just the same when I emailed him following the in-home training with a couple of questions, and I know I can reach out to him anytime we need to. I'm going to get Tommy to help us with every dog we have. I can't recommend him enough.

Credentials

Background Check

Thomas Meyerhoeffer

FAQs

What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
My training is for the lifetime of your dog.
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
Our first lesson is 2-3 hours. I will show you the exercises to do with your dog and how to practice. I try to keep things light and not push you or your dog too hard, too fast. From there we can schedule follow up lessons as needed, and I am always available for check-ins via email or phone.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have done everything from clicker training to Schutzhund, but I much prefer "speaking dog." There are no harsh punishments and it's in the dog's natural language/culture. My original mentor works in Los Angeles dealing with aggressive dogs and then I went to a course through my current company.

Bark Busters In-Home Dog Training - Fairfax

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