Nicole has done a great job working with our family and our puppy Teddy! We have gone from dog novices to confident dog owners and love having our well-trained Teddy as part of our pack!
Nicole has been a very important part of my new puppy experience. I contacted Nicole prior to my puppy pickup day and she has been a wonderful part of my training. Her in home visits have been instrumental and she is so responsive in between visits to provide guidance and support. My puppy loves her and is so excited every time he sees her. If you live in the area she supports I highly recommend her training experience.
I adopted my dog on a Sunday and hired Nicole the next Friday! My rescue was dealing with separation anxiety after being in a shelter then multiple foster homes. Her crying and barking whenever I left was tough for both of us, not to mention my neighbors living in my apartment building! Nicole helped me with this issue, taught me how to crate train so she viewed it as a comfortable spot to relax in. I also purchased a ring camera so I can check in which was her idea. Lainey is now so calm and quiet when I leave, she just curls up and takes a nap! My dog was also good on the leash but she's gotten even better with the training and group walks! Couldn't recommend Nicole enough!
Nicole is amazingly knowledgeable about dogs and very well prepared. We did several “mother dog” and recall exercises with my hyper 5 month old puppy, Jojo, and the response was immediate! I actually had a much easier than usual afternoon and evening with Jojo as a result.
I rescued Sherman when he was 11 months old. We have been together 6+ years. He initially had terrible separation anxiety. Constant Howling. I tried to reason with him by talking to him-"Man, work with me on this." He obviously did not understand. I then went to the web and found Bark Busters who paired us with Nicole. Through a Behavioral Non Invasive Approach(No Electric and No Choke Collars)- the howling got under control. Nicole has been very helpful to us through out the years and is great on follow-up. Sherman and I highly recommend her. By the way, I have found that about 80% of Nicole's training is for the dog parent with the balance 20% for the dog(No Joke).
I can't say enough positive things about Nicole and the Bark Busters program. My dog has been transformed. I was worried Brody was too old for training/retraining to make a difference but I decided to give it one more shot. What a change! We have gone from my being on constant alert for other dogs on our walks so that I could change directions and/or wait behind a car so Brody didn't see the dogs to actively seeking out other dogs to continue training Brody. They are now barking at him to try to get him to react and he just cooly walks on by. Same thing with the doorbell and people coming over. He now doesn't even come downstairs or to the front door if the doorbell rings. This is vs. going nuts if he heard a car door shut on the street. The program is an investment, but it is SO worth it! Thank you Nicole for giving me the dog I always knew Brody could be.
Nicole is amazing! I've learned more in two sessions with her than I have in all the years I've been working with my GSDs. Billy (pictured) was always on high alert, very reactive, and generally a nervous Nellie. Now, with Nicole's expert guidance and genuine understanding of dog behavior, Billy is able to relax and feel safe and confident -- which makes me feel relaxed and confident too. I can't recommend her highly enough! I love the Bark Busters system!
My older dog Luna has always been a bit territorial and was never good with strangers coming to my house. It was always very stressful having people over. When I adopted my second dog Bacon back in September, I wanted to start training to make sure things didn't get out of control with multiple dogs in the house. After only a few weeks of training, I saw tremendous success with Luna inside the home! Something I never thought was possible. The whole experience so far has been excellent!! Nicole is very responsive to my emails and is always available to give advice and feedback. She is very understanding of each dogs individual needs and gives suggestions and different approaches to training when needed, which I love! Like people, we all learn differently and she finds what works best for you and your dog and will set you up for success. Very personable and friendly when she comes to my house. She gives praise when deserved and correction when needed. If you do your homework and put in the work, she WILL help you get results. I am very pleased with the progress and changes I have seen so far and am excited to continue working with her in the future! She is the best!
Nicole has been AMAZING with training our Frenchie from when he was just a puppy and has since come back for two follow ups when we needed a refresher because we had gotten lazy and again when we had a baby and we got REALLY lazy with the dog training (plus more people were around and no one was following the "rules"). Our pup responded to her immediately and completely changed his behavior as soon as we started implementing her teachings. Let's be honest - WE were the ones that needed the training and retraining. Since the last visit (post baby) - he is the best trained and most well-behaved that he's EVER been and is generally just calmer and more pleasant as a result - our friends and family can't believe it. Nicole has also always been readily available via email and the materials she shares are wonderful resources to come back to and share with grandparents, nanny, etc. We can't recommend Nicole's services enough!!
I rescued Ziggy at 5 years old and his history was unknown. I wanted to make sure I created a safe environment for him while I was in and out of the home. My initial Zoom call with Nicole started the process. Not only did she provide me with actionable items that she taught and practiced with me on the call, she provided education around the way dogs communicate and why it’s important to established leadership. I saw a MAJOR improvement in Ziggy’s attention to me, calmness and getting comfortable with the crate and house training after that initial call. Nicole was available via email and provided materials to help keep me on track. 10 out of 10!
This is a follow up training after our original training 4 plus years ago! Our bucolic life changed when a new neighbor moved in with a dog! Sherlock an aggressive barker and more needed help. Nicole’s calm demeanor fooled me again. I thought no way is this going to work. EVERY SINGLE SUGGESTION works. Nicole’s communication is always prompt, encouraging and reassuring. I look forward to her guiding me further so that my dogs are the best they can be.
Working on training our two dogs with Nicole has been an exceptional experience. She is personable, very perceptive about identifying behaviors that need correcting (both ours and our dogs'), professional, readily available to answer questions and give advice, and gives terrific feedback after every session. Although we still have issues with our dogs' behavior that we must keep working on, she gave us training advice that helped make major behavioral changes almost immediately. We cannot recommend her enough.
Nicole, you’ve genuinely helped us in more ways than you can imagine. Not only has your approach drastically helped with training our dog, but you’ve done an incredible job of training us as well. We appreciate all of your time and dedication!
When our rescue dog began to show signs of aggression in the house we were unsure of what to do. We wanted to help him and make him feel comfortable in our home, while also keeping our family safe. Unsure where to turn, we reached out to Nicole and have been working with her for close to a year now. The progress our dog has made (as well as our other two dogs who we didn't initially think needed that much training) has been priceless. Simply put, Nicole's approach to training has been exactly what we had hoped for. She is well versed in a variety of training exercises because all dogs are different and some respond better to certain things. When we first began training with our dog Copper he was terrified to even be outside. He was hypersensitive to certain noises, specifically large passing trucks and horns. He would cower at the back door outside, or if he heard one of these noises while in the house, would have a barking fit out of fear. Working with Nicole has allowed him to flourish and while he still has some work to do, he no longer barks at these noises and loves to stay outside and play. The exercises and training Nicole teaches are simple enough for anyone to handle as long as you are committed to helping your dog. She is extremely professional, quick to respond to any questions, and makes herself available to fit your schedule. She will come to your home or a neutral site such as a park. I would recommend Nicole to anyone who is having any difficulty with your dog, from a larger issue like we were having, to just trying to get your dog to listen to you. Nicole's passion for training is evident, and she can help you get to where you want to with your dog.
Our trainer Nicole is the real deal!! She is a terrific resource and an excellent trainer. Her communications are clear and her follow-up is always timely. She always makes herself available to us when we need her. Working with Nicole gives me the confidence I need to be a doggie mom!
Brooke is 11 years old so I never thought I would be able to solve her behavior problems. I thought I would give it one last chance with Bark Busters and cannot believe that it actually works! We are finally able to communicate with Brooke and manager her aggression without bribery and treats. Nicole is wonderful and patient, and understands the dog owners' psyche as much as the dogs'!
This is an update from previous review which was for virtual training. I just had my first in person session with Nicole and there is a reason why she has 179 five star reviews. She offers endless text/email support. But, like a real professional, she shows up to train you completely prepared with all gadgets and training techniques to address each issue! She is so positive and encouraging and makes sure to cover each issue before leaving. Very professional! Would not have come this far without the text/email support. No other trainer I worked with offered this.
This is an update from previous review which was for virtual training. I just had my first in person session with Nicole and there is a reason why she has 129 five star reviews. She offers endless text/email and video support. But, like a real professional, she shows up to train you completely prepared with all gadgets and training techniques to address each issue! She is so positive and encouraging and makes sure to cover each issue before leaving. Very professional! Would not have come this far without the text/email support. No other trainer I worked with offered this.
Nicole was, and continues to be, wonderful, helpful, compassionate, and knowledgeable. She has helped to make our whole house calmer, and we appreciate it.
There is so much to say about Kobe's progress. After our first in person session with Nicole, Kobe went from unmanageable outside, to the perfect dog on the leash. No more pulling, no more barking, no more aggression!! It's unbelievable. Thank you so much, Nicole! Rob Wilkins
I started off in dire need of training for my Yorkie, Bowie. He was leash reactive and felt like he needed to protect the house. With time and training he has transformed! I felt comfortable adopting another Yorkie and it went smoothly thanks to the constant support from Nicole. She is always there for us and has help make a happy home for us to share.
Nicole was terrific! Very helpful and patient. Loved working with her.
Thank you so much for the 2 1/2 Zoom initial session last week!! I can honestly say that I am so glad I cancelled our initial in-person session back in October and was able to start with you on Zoom, because there is no way Hershey would have responded to us the way he did if he met you first. He would have been on his best behavior and you would not have witnessed him interrupt our session and do the things he normally does. Also, it would have been tough to organize the family for that time whereas under quarantine was easier. I loved the mini videos you played which showed how dogs behave and teach each other. It is a lot different than me trying to teach Hershey how to behave (from a human perspective), which is what previous trainers taught me. The fact that my husband was able to eat cookies on the couch after teaching Hershey to leave him alone was priceless. Just as you said, he walked away and went on the other chair. Thank you also for answering all the kids' questions. You were right. It was important for them to be there and learn about dog behavior and how to help train Hershey. It is going to be a process to establish leadership and I appreciate you being available for future questions. I plan to do our next session in about 2 weeks after we have practiced the basics. And thank you for all the packets on food, leash and collars, and also the outline from our session! I have looked at it often!
Nicole is wonderful, we are so grateful that we have been able to work with her! Lili, our French bulldog adores Nicole, and she does such a great job of giving myself and my family the tools to work with our dog on a daily basis. We have continued to work with her virtually and that has been so helpful as well! Thank you, Nicole
Nicole has shown us a whole new world with our dog. She has given us hope and happiness.
Nicole is great. Patient, caring, punctual and responsive. She's all the assets I want in a trainer. She is encouraging and kind. You can tell she loves dogs and also understands human weaknesses toward dogs that allow us to create openings for misbehavior. I'm glad we found Nicole. We were struggling with 7 month old Tipitina at the time because we had previously been a small dog household and she was able to reach the countertops and steal our toast! She's pretty good now and we are getting to be able to better communicate. In the recent Coronavirus times, we have been walking both doggies a lot, and Nicole has done zoom training with us in order to troubleshoot new problems related to more time on leash and Tipitina's recent realization that squirrels exist. Nicole's timely feedback is excellent. Her techniques work and make sense. I can't recommend her services enough.
Oh my word, after only one online/virtual lesson (via ZOOM) with Nicole and Delilah is already showing GREAT improvement! I contacted Nicole to help me and my 16 year old daughter train our coonhound not to pull while walking, stop jumping up on us, and in general respond to our commands! Delilah was pretty much pulling me off my feet while walking. As of this afternoon, both my daughter and I are taking the lead while walking, and have much improved our ability to stop her (proactively) from chasing squirrels and barking/lunging at other dogs we see while walking. Again, this is after only ONE online ZOOM lesson with Nicole, amazing. We now know how to train Delilah not to jump on furniture, jump on us (!) and to understand that we are her leaders and protectors. All of the training we received was couched in care, love and protection for Delilah, not punishment, which I know will contribute to her sense of security and calm. We adopted her from our local shelter where she had been surrendered after a fight with another dog and a bite to her person's arm. We now also have many great resources for a better leash/collar, food guidance and toy selection. I am now feeling so much more positive and hopeful about having a dog that actually listens to us, as opposed to how I felt prior to our training with Nicole when I felt overwhelmed and kind of hopeless about how I would fix Delilah's behavioral issues. Now I feel like I can have the kind of dog I've always wanted: one that I love but who listens to ME instead of me being pushed around by my dog!
Nicole is so knowledgeable about what’s been causing so many issues with our dogs. We have a very aggressive dog. Nicole has taught us to be patient and take our time with teaching our dog to stay calm. We continue to have check ins with Nicole to ensure we’re on the right plan for our dogs. I was a unsure at first if the cost would be worth it. It is and now we’re thrilled with the results already!
Our 6 year old pitt- mutt basically ran our house hold, and was feeling the high stress of being the leader and protector. That meant lot’s of barking at people, territorial behavior and some nipping. I was a bit skeptical telling myself I would see changes within 3-6 months. But Nicole came I, taught me how to communicate with my dog as if I was the Momma dog and within minutes dog, Juno, recognizes that I was now taking charge and she could relax and be a happy dog. Nicole was patient, clear, efficient, and the method was easy to learn and to keep practicing. Thank you Nicole for making my pup feel happy again, and teaching me how to be the leader she needed! You have such a gift!
Nicole is incredible to work with and her methods truly deliver results. She helped us set boundaries and generally calm down our two very stressed out terriers right before our first human baby arrived. We cannot speak highly enough of the work that she does!
Nicole was a very experienced, professional, knowledgeable and courteous trainer. I highly recommend her to anyone who needs help with their dog's behavior.
Nicole and Bark Busters are wonderful! If I said “life saver”, it wouldn’t be far from the truth. Nicole worked with our new 5-year old, 97.4 lb. ridgeback/shepherd mix rescue, Bella (she is a strong, super energetic, constantly in motion, and stimulated girl), and saved my sanity. Bella picked up the cues quickly (and got an A+) and since, we have made great strides in bringing her level of energy down from the red zone to the yellow zone, and hopefully someday, the all-green zone! Nicole provided great insight into dogs’ behavior and instincts, and left us with many tools and reminders because, after all, it’s really up to us humans to redirect bad behavior, and enforce and reward good behavior. The truly great part about our new relationship with Nicole and Bark Busters is, she is available to us for the life of Bella. It’s difficult to find the time and energy to always be mindful of our dog’s behaviors – and sometimes corrections get delayed, or confusion sets in, and you need a refresher. Nicole is there to answer questions and come by for reinforcements! In just a few weeks, Bella has calmed down significantly (although we still have a lot of work to do) and responds well to commands. This training has made all the difference, and I look forward to furthering Bella’s training with assistance from Nicole and Bark Busters!
Nicole deserves 10 stars! Within minutes of entering my house, my 3 boys (dogs) better behaved. Nicole could easily see the problem and we went step by step to correct their (my) behavior. Our 75 lb doodle was listening and not pulling on the leash. Our 4 lb Maltese stopped barking. Our 12-year-old poodle mix stopped being territorial. Nicole is a miracle worker!
I have gotten immediate results working with Nicole from day one in correcting bad dog behavior. I highly recommend you at least try working with her if you have an issue you can't seem to resolve on your own. We still have much to cover, but the foundation of good behavior has been set to build up on other behavior -our dog caught on right away! I also like the fact that Nicole gives great recommendations and resources for your dog. She's easy to work with and doesn't over burden you with tons of exercises at once.
My new five year-old shepherd mix rescue had significant fear-based aggression that was totally dominating both of our lives. Nicole is really helping me to communicate with my dog so that we can be happy members of society, not isolated outcasts. There is significant immediate progress. More importantly, it is evident that if I continue to do the homework with my dog and follow-up properly, we will have the life I was looking forward to. I am grateful beyond words and feel so lucky that I made the choice to hire her.
We met with Nicole last Saturday for our first visit and we can already see amazing results with our Ciara (3 yr old black lab mix). Ciara was, lets just say, a bit out of control, thinking she was the boss of our house. She was people aggressive, dog aggressive, garbage truck aggressive, basically everything that came in her path aggressive. Not only did Nicole take the time to explain to us why Ciara felt the need to be a "protector", but she taught us the beginning skills to help us help Ciara relinquish her power, and finally be able to just be part of our pack instead of having to protect it all the time. We can't wait for our next lesson, and man do we wish we called sooner!
Nicole is the absolute best dog trainer that we have ever used! We have a 3 year old rescue beagle that would not let anyone into the house including extended family. She would bark, growl and intimidate any visitors and was completely stressed out. On walks, our dog would lunge at UPS trucks, cars, people and other dogs would create a complete meltdown for her. We had used a former military person who specialized in dogs with PTSD as well as another dog trainer and neither one of them produced the immediate results that Nicole has in just a few sessions. What I really appreciate about Nicole is that her methods are completely understandable and there is NO physical treatment to the dog. After the first session, my sister was able to enter my home after I used a few verbal commands. The dog was relaxed and at ease and so was my sister! I give Nicole top marks for her training methods. She truly loves animals and understand how they behave and react to certain environments! We also have another rescue pup and Nicole has given us tips that produced immediate results correcting him from jumping on people, on the furniture and now we can walk both dogs together in peace!
We got our puppy Mookie at 6 weeks and he was a handful at first. He was biting wee wee pads, eating everything bad, jumping and being super hyper with people, and the list goes on. Although we were apprehensive at first about getting a trainer, we decided to hire Nicole to help us with management but also how to be great parents to our new pup. Let me tell you, we did not regret our decision. When you read that Nicole is an expert, she really is. Within the hour of her being present in our home, Mookie was attentive, taking direction and ready to be trained. He was frustrated at first but that showed that the training was working and he was adjusting. She demonstrated some great exercises that were really effective and gave us great advice on literally everything we could think of from healthy food to get for him to crate training, etc. When you hire Nicole, you hire a trainer for life and someone who will always be there. When Mookie ate something bad and started vomiting excessively, we called her right away and she responded instantly. She advised us to take our pup to the ER and we’re glad we did. He ended up eating the stuffing from inside of a toy and it was causing blockage! Nonetheless, she made sure she followed up and cared so much about his recovery. It's not just about training but the overall happiness and wellness of your dog and it’s great to know we have a partner like a Nicole in our corner.
Nicole was wonderful! She understood what we needed right away and after our first lesson Trey was 100% better! It was amazing. We saw her for two more lessons as we were moving out of the area, but we can contact her at any time for help and guidance. We continue to work with Trey on his problem areas but he has responded beautifully. As I have PTSD, this has helped put him on his way to becoming a therapy dog companion.
We had used Nicole service 3 yrs ago when we got our rottie Kali and now have used her again for our new addition Rakim a rescue pitbull/border terrier mix. Her knowledge and care were phenomenal. She understood our concerns and the different approach for both our dogs. She was very patient and also had literature for use to work from. Would use her again. And definitely recommend her to anyone.
My 14 year old dog, Dustin was barking and showing signs of age and anxiety in recent months. Somehow I remembered that we'd purchased a Lifetime Guarantee from Bark Busters 14 years ago!!! I contacted them and Nicole got back to me almost immediately and had easy access to my records and confirmed the guarantee!!! Best of all, she said she'd be happy to give me a refresher course and that you CAN teach an old dog new tricks! We scheduled a day and time and she came to my home. She spent over an hour with Dustin and me. I appreciated her warmth and insights and clear instructions. I'm back in charge of my dog instead of my dog being in charge of me! Thank you, Nicole!
My dog (and I) learned so much from Nicole in just the first session. I had been through 3 trainers that wanted me to use treats for behavioral modifications. Unrealistic! Nicole guided me in a way that I easily understood and that Yoshi picked up on quickly. He’s an American Akita and true to his breed (stubborn, protective and on guard). With Nicole’s guidance and knowledge, we are both learning to relax and enjoy life.
We love Nicole! She has been such a huge help with our German Shepard puppy “Georgia”. Nicole is so patient and very knowledgeable about a dog's behavior! She is always quick to respond to any questions we have and very eager to set up an appointment when we ask! I was also very impressed about her knowledge in regards to a diet for our fur baby and interactive toys to keep Georgia busy and brain stimulated! We highly recommend her for anyone looking for help for training your dog! She not only trains the dog, but the owner as well!!!
Nicole was great! Arrived on time (every time), quickly identified the issues, gave us the training WE needed to change OUR behavior and we saw immediate results. Nicole stayed in touch, came back for follow-up visits when asked and continued to help us improve beyond expectations. I would recommend her 100% without any reservations whatsoever!!!
Our dogs already are in the “green zone:” Happy and relaxed. Nicole's training techniques had an immediate, positive impact. Nicole’s style is kind to both dogs and their humans. We highly recommend her.
Nicole is a wonderful trainer. We got Mickey (a rescue) when he was just over a year old. He had some major pulling issues and issues inside and outside of the house. She has given us ample tips on how to deal with his barking, anxiety, and overall behavior issues. Everything she stands by, we try and the training techniques work if you stick with it. She is also extremely reliable and answers any and all questions we have quickly over email. After every training session, Nicole sends an email recapping what we went over in great detail and reminds us of what we need to work towards. We’ve seen great improvements in Mickey’s behavior and we feel lucky to have Nicole as Mickey’s trainer.
We have two one-year-old Pointers, who we rescued six months ago. We have only had one session with Nicole, but things in the house area already much better. Nicole is a straight-shooter and she was able to give us simple, specific actions to use with our dogs to address a handful of issues. Our dogs can now eat simultaneously without threatening one another, and are learning to respect the space around our front door and around the people in the house. We are also in the process of leash-training, (and were give two amazing training collars!) We have already seen improvements - they are steadily learning to pay more attention to us and less attention to everything around them. Nicole was available quickly when we had follow up questions when first implementing the new training program, and she was lovely with our dogs and our family. We are so glad we found her!
Amazing service and great training. Was an enjoyable experience!
We had our first visit with Nicole today for about three hours and we have already seen changes in our dogs behavior. The techniques we learned were easy to do and were followed up with praise and love and they worked. We are excited to continue with our homework over the next couple of weeks. I would wholeheartedly recommend Nicole if you are having any type of issues with your dog or just want to learn how to train your dog / puppy the correct way.
Nicole is amazing! In just one session, she helped our 3 year old dog so much. She is very patient and you can tell she really loves working with animals. She is also great at communicating with different members of the family so we can all be on the same page. She gave us a simple plan and exercises to do with him and we are all sticking to it. We highly recommend her for all of your dog's behavioral needs.
My wife and I have a standard schnauzer puppy who has by far been the hardest dog we have ever had. I read lots of positive reviews online about Nicole Martel and I must say they did not steer me wrong one bit. To make this simple she is AWESOME!! With in MINUTES our dog was a totally different dog and much more enjoyable to be around. It has only been 2 sessions and we see tremendous difference in her behavior. If there is anyone who is even possibly thinking about her services I say with out hesitation to go for it you will not be disappointed!
We've seen a real difference in our puppy, Shadow, since our first lesson with Nicole five days ago. She's still relatively timid, but we now have some disciplinary strategies that don't scare her and actually do work. Thank you Nicole!
Had a life changing experience working with Nicole. After our two hour session, I feel very optimistic that I can change certain behaviors, even though my dog is 6 years old. Ive already see positive changes after the first two hour session. Thanks so much Nicole!!
I highly recommend Nicole. She arrived and her presence alone was enough to let my Shih Tzu know that he wasn't in charge. Nicole observed behaviors and asked pertinent questions to get to the root of my boy's aggression. Anxiety. I already had an idea that he was anxious but I didn't know how to help him. It didn't take very long at all for my boy to take to her teachings. We still work with him every day and see a huge difference in his behavior. We thought he was a lost cause, cute but destructive. He used to be good about 70% of the time. He's up to 95%. Bed time is still a struggle for him but at least I know how to deal with it now. Thank you so much Nicole!
We worked with Nicole on many issues that have been building up with our once very trained and kind dog, Boomer. We welcomed a baby into our home a year ago, and ever since, Boomer has been showing more aggressive tendencies and showing us that he thinks he needs to be in control of the house. She helped us understand how to show him, in his language, that we had everything under control and he had nothing to worry about. The first training was amazing. She spent hours with us in our home helping us learn how to work with him, and we noticed an incredible difference even with the first exercise! We were so relieved. It has been a few weeks and we're still noticing daily changes. It takes a lot of work to keep up with the homework, but so worth it to have a happy dog that you can rely on to feel easy, calm, and at home. Would HIGHLY recommend.
Simply put, Nicole is amazing, loves what she does, and you will get positive results! We have been working with Nicole since our Corgi, Marzipan, was about 12 weeks old. We had issues with normal puppy behavior at first: nipping, biting things he wasn't supposed to (i.e. shoes, wires, toilet paper etc). By the end of our first session we saw results, and until this day, our dog has never chewed furniture or eaten our shoes. We have met with Nicole a few times now. We recently moved to Northern Westchester and, thankfully, we are still in Nicole's territory! We most recently worked with Nicole on bringing Marz into a more calm state, claiming the door(s), and relearning to walk him on a leash the correct way (no pulling, getting distracted, etc). Nicole will provide you with all the necessary tools: reading materials, exercises, and a chart that you can use to track training exercises. She is always willing to help along the way via email, call, or in-person visit. Thank you Nicole!
I had no idea how to train anxiety or overprotectivenes out of a dog and how it related to other issues like jumping and barking and hyperactivity in general. Thanks to Nicole, in just one session my dog learned to heal and walk nicely on a leash, relax, let me control his reactions inside and outside my home, and how to not move a paw when someone comes to the door as instructed! It's like I had a new calmer, happier dog when she left! So happy to have found Bark Busters!
Nicole is amazing. After 1 session with 3 dogs (9 year old mini schnauzer, 1 year old mini Aussie, and 3 month old toy Aussie) we noticed immediate improvement. She taught us how to communicate with the dogs which had them immediately responding. I couldn't have asked for a better trainer. I cant wait for future sessions. Thank you so much Nicole!
Nicole spends a lot of time talking about being a leader for your dog. Well, if we are our sweet pup's leader, she is definitely ours. She thoughtfully listened to our questions and concerns, observed our "natural" behaviors with our dog and created a plan so that we could develop a confident and happy dog. She gives a lot of information, but also follows it up with emails and handouts, and is extremely responsive to any questions. Recently we had an issue with our dog pooping in her kennel approximately once a week and Nicole helped us figure out that our dog who we adopted about 5 months ago, still didn't believe that we were her leader. She reviewed a few key skills and we're already noticing a positive difference. Nicole is the best!
I usually never leave reviews, but Nicole is simply amazing! She's been working with my 1 year old Morkie Gizmo for the past few months, and I have seen tremendous changes. When we began our first session, Gizmo would bark, try to snap, climb the couch, and attempt to reach for anyone's hair. By the end, he was calm, quietly laying down, and was following all directives. I literally thought she was a miracle worker! We've had a few sessions since then, and Nicole has been easily accessible with any questions or concerns I've had in between our appointments. I'm looking forward to continue working with her!
Just starting out with Nicole from Bark Busters- I was impressed with the first session and my dog Bella's positive reaction to all the ground covered. Nicole was friendly, professional and well in control of the evaluation and training. Our first session was very productive. After observing Bella Nicole quickly customized the session around Bella's personality and training needs. I'm now training Bella daily following the program Nicole outlined for me. I feel confident and look forward to continued progress and meeting with Nicole for reinforcement and more training techniques. My goal is to create a more solid relationship with Bella where she's both obedient and happy. I'm pleased I found Bark Busters and believe the program will help me achieve my goals.
I honestly don't know what we would have done with the 2 new puppies we brought home if not for Nicole. We are first time dog owners and thankfully, Nicole came out the very next day to meet with us, dogs, kids, and all. She showed us exactly how to make our puppies feel at home while avoiding possible future pitfalls. She came back out a couple of weeks later to see how we have progressed and helped guide us on improving what we are doing while giving us new things to work on with our puppies. She gave us confidence as new puppy owners and gave us the tools necessary to help our puppies feel safe and secure. The instructions were intuitive and easy so that we can also help our children feel more confidence with their handling of the puppies. She is so patient, responsive, and always happy to help and answer questions. Thank you so much, Nicole! Looking forward to our next visit!
From the start Nicole made me feel very comfortable and confident that her training would work for Maverick. He responded immediately to both Nicole and the techniques she applied. After only one session I felt properly prepared to move forward on my own until Nicole returns. I am very optimistic that he will be the best pup he can be very soon.
My husband and I met with Nicole for the first time today and it was a wonderful experience, as good as it could be, really! We are expecting our first child in August and we have 2 dogs so we just want to get a better handle on them before the baby comes (they kind of run the house now, whoops)! She gave us so much information and really knew her stuff - it's also great knowing that she's available whenever we might need her. We are going to continue to work with her in the future & highly recommend her if you're looking for a dog trainer! Nicole is also very sweet and warm with the dogs, it's not just tough love so I really appreciated that as well :)
Seeing is believing, Max is a year old hyper terrier and to see him respond so quickly at his first training session was amazing. Nicole was wonderful. I am so glad I finally called her and I'm sure Max is too. Following the training schedule that Nicole set up for us I am seeing positive results every day.
Nicole is amazing. She is so warm and friendly and really takes the time to assess the situation and give fantastic suggestions and feedback. She observed our 11 week old Labradoodle and quickly diagnosed her misbehavior and had ready to go solutions! Already we have seen a drastic improvement in Piper's behavior. She seems to have calmed down a ton, the nipping has decreased significantly and we are doing training sessions and correctly the nipping and jumping as it happens, per Nicole's techniques and suggestions. We are so excited to be working with Nicole and can't wait to see all of the improvement that Piper will make over the next few weeks and months! So grateful for Nicole and Bark Busters!!
I learned so much today. I have 2 male Malshi 4 month old puppies that have been out of control and today only after one class I have seen a change in my puppies already. I was clueless on how I was to handle these 2 guys but am now confident that they can be trained. I also love the fact that Nicole is only a phone call away if I need her. She was so professional and knowledgeable. Sucha positive experience for us all.
We rescued our dog Ellie from a shelter last October. As first time dog owners, we were not sure how to handle some of her behavior issues including separation anxiety, mouthing, leash pulling, and anxiety around the garage and heating vents. We knew we needed a trainer who could help us with more than just commands. Nicole has been working with us for the past two months and Ellie has already made a lot of improvements during her walks and separations. Nicole has been extremely responsive to questions through email, text, and in person throughout the whole process. While my wife and I still have a lot to learn and practice, we are much better off having gotten Nicole involved! She is helping us provide leadership and the right environment so Ellie can be a calmer, less anxious and happy dog. Thanks Nicole!
We have only met with Nicole twice but already have seen excellent results. We have a rescue pup who is full of playful energy and he is already much calmer and better behaved. Nicole has an excellent understanding of dog behavior, communicates well, and is very easy to work with. She listens to your concerns and always has a suggestion or technique to deal with the unwanted behavior. Nicole gets high marks from us and we highly recommend her!
My family adopted a pit bull named Louise in February 2017. She was rescued from the street, found tied up and very scared. After we had her home we realized she was afraid of men and very anxious. We contacted Bark Busters and hired Nicole as our trainer. She is wonderful! She trained us to help Louise become more comfortable and trusting of the men in our family. She also gave us exercises to do outside to train Louise to not react to squirrels, cats and other dogs. Louise is much calmer and less anxious thanks to Nicole. Our family just adopted a puppy on December 23 and we can't wait for Nicole to come meet him and help us with both dogs. If you're looking for a trainer, I highly recommend Bark Busters of Westchester!
Unbelievable response from both dogs. We were impressed with Nicole's manner and the success of her suggestions. Having her guide us through the training exercises made all the difference. In just a week we are so pleased with Oliver's progress and Spencer's attentiveness. Highly recommend Bark Busters.
I would highly recommend Nicole if you are looking for a trainer in the area. She was incredibly patient, enthusiastic, and knowledgable. I have already seen results in the dogs after the first session (I genuinely didn't think that would happen but it did!) and her advice on potty training is helping us to start seeing results too. My dogs are generally well behaved, if a little excitable, but my partner and I were having a (really) hard time potty training them and with general respect training (getting them to not jump on us/visitors and listen to us). Nicole taught me several practice drills on the first day and within two hours, I saw improvement. She also gave me some advice on how I need to act around them to get them to respect / listen to me. I am very thankful for all of her advice and help - it's great to have one go-to person for puppy training advice, she helped me sort through all the different "schools of training thought" and choose methods that would work for our dogs. It's also great that I know I can text her whenever I have a question. I genuinely recommend Nicole! She's honest and reliable and effective. I very much appreciated how flexible she was with my schedule and her calm, patient, and enthusiastic demeanor with our dogs. My favorite part about working with her is her accessibility and advice in all area. It's great to have a go-to person like her to relay all questions and get back thoughtful, intelligent responses. I highly recommend!
Nicole's training has really helped my dog to become more calm and obedient while we walk him and also in our family home. Our dog always used to bark at other dogs when we walked him and now he doesn't, he stays calm around other dogs. He used to always rush to the front door when there were people there and now he stays back. Nicole was able to help us with these changes after just one session. I couldn't have hoped for a better result. These changes in our dog help our whole family have an easier relationship with him. He also seems happier to have this training apart of his life. I am very glad that I invested in Bark Busters and in Nicole. Nicole was very friendly with my dog and very reassuring and knowledgeable. She also was flexible with scheduling times for training and just really nice and easygoing. If you're having some trouble with your dog then Bark Busters can help you too.
Nicole did an amazing job with my American Bulldog and Maltese ! In just the first hour , I could not believe how confident I became in being able to correct any prior behavioral issues with my dogs. Since our first session one week ago, my dogs are responding extremely well to all the techniques she taught me and my family. For anyone who has a new puppy or even an older dog with bad habits, I highly recommend this service.
THANKS Bark Busters, you've taught us the ropes! We recently got a new puppy, first for both my wife and I, and our experience with Bark Busters gave us a ton more comfort and confidence. Nicole was very clear with us (and our pup!), took the time to explain a lot of nuance we wouldn't have picked up on, and had a great attitude the whole time. It was easy to tell how much Bark Busters was familiar with (and loved) dogs! Our household started benefiting on day one, and we love having the confidence of having Bark Busters available for us on our journey to happy doggy living!
We highly recommend Nicole Martel from Bark Busters! Her training expertise has helped us to change behaviors in our one year old rescue dog within such a short period of time. Improvement happened within the first week of following her suggestions on effective communication and body language. Through her observations and feedback we are more aware of what we have made mistakes with in the past and have learned simple ways to fix annoying problems from barking to pulling on the leash. Nicole's approach is thorough and clear. She is a good listener and gives us step by step instruction on specific tasks to work on. Having her come to our home to work on the issues that effect day to day life makes her training so practical and meaningful. She is also wonderful in getting back with answers should questions or challenges arise. We are very happy that we have Nicole to give us the training and support we need to have a happy household with our pet!
Dog. Whisperer. I have a very strong willed husky/shepherd mix who has had very severe separation anxiety since I adopted her about 2 years ago. Like she basically ate my front door the first time I left her alone... I had tried working with a different trainer initially and tried all the things suggested to me by her vet, the internet, books, etc. but her anxiety and destructive behavior seemed to only mildly improve. After moving cross country with her this summer it got worse again, to the point where rehoming her felt like the only thing left to do. But I love my dog like my kid and that was just not going to be an option for me, so desperate I started looking for other trainers in this area to try that route again and hope for more success. I am SO GRATEFUL that I found Nicole! We had our first session last week, and even just in the 2 hours she spent I could already see how my dog was responding differently. Nicole's assessment was thorough and insightful, and it was clear that she knows what she is talking about and knows how to speak your dog's language. Her session was informative beyond my expectations and she makes the training a fun learning experience while helping you to structure a training plan that is unique to the needs of you and your dog. In just a week my dogs behavior has significantly improved. I am so happy to be working with Nicole and give her my highest recommendation!
We adopted a lab/hound mix 2 weeks ago. Upon bringing him home, we discovered he had high separation anxiety and crate issues. We already also have an 8 year old King Charles. Speaking with Jason, he was very informative with setting things up and having available appointments. They were very flexible with schedule. He helped get started with payment plans and walked me through how things would work. Nicole came and right off the bat gave us tips with the dog we already had that we didnt even know! She analyzed them both and was able to give us quick tips on how to fix these. We started the training and after a couple tries, Supra already started catching on after the first visit! We hope to continue progress and keep seeing positive outcomes!
Nicole Martel is fantastic. Very motivated and is so knowledgeable. She's a pleasure to work with!
Nicole Martel is fantastic. Very motivated and is so knowledgeable. She's a pleasure to work with!
Two years later - after initial...perfectly thorough Bark Buster training, our family had stepped back into old ways with our two Wheaten Terriers. As lovable as they are, we slowly but surely let them control us, and the house again! One email and ONE re-training visit from Nicole, she had all of us back on track again! THANK YOU Nicole, for your much needed visit, expertise, patience and true knowledge of training our loved ones. Our house is back to where it should be, and we all know our place once again!
Nicole came to our house to help us with our Parker. Parker felt he needed to protect us from our invited guests and also barked a lot at mostly thin air. When Nicole came and explained and taught us how to help Parker to respect us as leaders and not eat our invited guests, we saw him change in front of our eyes. And all that without letting it bribery and treats. She has such a wonderful way of communicating with humans and our beloved puppy. We felt a true sense of relief when she left, knowing Parker would be ok and no longer felt like the burden of having to protect us from every mosquito that made it through the door. Thank you so much for your help and support. You truly changed Parker's and our lives!!!
Our Pitbull Cooper has been a part of the family since he was a puppy. As soon as we were able to, we took him to puppy training classes. Although some of the training helped, it did not cure all the problems. Our family would try to take him on walks to the park. He became aggressive to anyone or dog that came by. It only became worse when he became protective of us or his toys causing him to bite and leave marks. We called and visited many trainers, but they were very expensive and stated he would continue to be aggressive. We thought sure we would have to get rid of him since he was becoming more a danger to us and everyone around us. We reached out to Bark Busters for help and in that same week Nicole was able to come to our house for an evaluation. We explained our situation and Nicole patiently listened and wrote everything down. What turned from a consultation became a 3 hour life changing moment. He learned how to stay back when people came to the door, be around strangers, and how to walk behind us on a leash. Not only were the results amazing, but the price was affordable as well. Our family members have visited and cannot believe it is the same dog they have seen all these years. Not only was he able to be out and not bother them, but he even allowed them to pet him. Walking has become so much better. He has learned to walk behind us and does not pull on his leash. We are truly grateful for all that Nicole and Bark Busters have done. We would hands down recommend them to anyone having issues with their dog.
Nicole was so helpful with our family and our pup, Nacho. In just one visit, we can see such a difference already! She was so knowledgeable, understanding and patient and was able to teach us how to be the best pack leaders for our puppy. We now have a better understanding on our body language and how little things we were doing where not translating positively for training. Now we have a successful plan that has has shown immediate change and progress. We are so excited for our next session and can't wait to see what else is in store for Nacho!
Our 2 1/2 year old Pitt Bull Terrier has been a part of the family since he was a puppy. As soon as we were able to, we took him to puppy training classes. Although some of the training helped, it did not cure all the problems. He became aggressive to anyone or dog that came by. It only became worse when he became protective of us or his toys causing him to bite and leave marks. We thought sure we would have to get rid of him since he was becoming more a danger to us and everyone around us. We reached out to Barkbusters for help and in that same week Nicole was able to come to our house for an evaluation. We explained our situation and Nicole patiently listened and wrote everything down. What turned from a 2 hour consultation became a 3 hour life changing moment. He learned how to stay back when people came to the door, be around strangers, and how to walk behind us on a leash. Our family members have come over and they could not believe it was the same dog they had seen all these years. Not only was he able to be out and not bother them, but he even allowed them to pet him. Walking has become so much better. He has learned to walk behind us and does not pull on his leash. We are truly grateful for all that Nicole and the Barkbusters have done. We would hands down recommend them to anyone having issues with their dog.
It is my pleasure to recommend a truly outstanding dog trainer, Nicole Martel. Nicole is the third dog trainer that I've consulted for my dogs. She has by and far made the difference. I have a hound who developed some aggression towards new visitors to my home. She also pulled incessantly on the leash, occasionally knocking my husband on the ground. I felt like I was being hostage by my dog, Karly. Nicole turned around my relationship with Karly. She taught me that Karly needed to learn respect and obedience and gave me the techniques to begin this change in relationship. Karly has come so far that even my adult son, coming home to visit, looks up and says "that's impressive" ( i.e., old lunging habits are being successfully tamed). I used to held hostage and afraid to leave the house without treats - and that practice was useless. She is a work in progress but now walks obediently with me on routine walks and does not bark or throw a tantrum. Nicole spent long sessions with us making sure that we understood what we have to do to change behavior. It's amazing. We are so very very thankful that Nicole is our trainer. I would not hesitate to recommend her highly.
Nicole has been amazing training my 100+ pound Cane Corso puppy. He used to pull me on a walk and now he walks calmly beside me. With Nicole's help I have claimed the doorway. He no longer pushes me out of the way to go outside but waits until I free him. In only 3 lessons so far I have seen incredible results. Nicole arrives on time and sends a detailed email on reinforcing what was taught. I unequivocally recommend Nicole for anyone with dog training and behavioral needs. I can't wait for our next lesson!
Great first lesson, enjoyed talking to Nicole. She was great with my dogs. She explained everything with details. Felt really comfortable with everything that she asked me to do.
Nicole Martel was the best with my Zoey! I watched my dog transform before my eyes in minutes... dare I say seconds. I feel more empowered and in control and calmer during my walks. Luv ya Nicole! I will recommend you to all my dog pals!!
Two weeks ago, I adopted a Jindo/Spaniel mix. He was saved from the meat trade in Korea by the organization Korean K9 Rescue. I was told he had separation issues, however, since I've never adopted a dog with such traumatic background before, I didn't know what to expect. Tyler, wound up following me everywhere around the apartment. I couldn't shut any door, which meant no privacy. He also wouldn't sleep anywhere except next to me. I was unable to leave the apartment to run errands, or even to simply do laundry downstairs. I was trapped in my own home. Additionally, he started showing other behaviors such as jumping on me, nibbling on my fingers, and not wanting to walk in the direction I was moving towards. After having Tyler home for a week, I reached out to Bark Busters. First, Jason was great to speak to. Hearing about his own experience greatly put me at ease as it gave me hope that things will get better. He quickly scheduled an appointment for me to meet Nicole. She came out to my apartment and in no time, I saw results. Nicole offered clear, explicit strategies and gave me reasoning as to why he was engaged in such behaviors. She didn't step in to do the strategies with Tyler, as she knew the importance of me becoming the alpha of the pact. She showed me and talked me through the strategies and within moments I saw Tyler responding. Nicole also makes herself available. When I had questions or difficulty after our first session, she immediately provided me a response with new ways to handle the situation. It's only been a week into our training and daily homework practices, but Tyler is showing great progress. I am so happy with the results and look forward to seeing Tyler grow and mature. THANK YOU NICOLE!
Nicole was amazing with our dog. We had been putting up with escalating barking for years and she was able to help us to correct in a few hours. The exercises are easy to practice and our dog responds very well to them. He has been more relaxed and the barking has pretty much stopped. Nicole was wonderful to work with and I would highly recommend her to family and friends.
Nicole has been extremely helpful! We had tried other trainers/programs in the past with short-lived results. I feel like this is the first one with sustainable outcomes. Nicole breaks it down and explains what to do, how to do it, and why it works. I did see results immediately, but what's really great about the approach is that it's easy to practice, doesn't involve any tools or special collars, and you do see a difference. It still takes time like all training, but it is very encouraging to see a response from the get go! I just wish I had found Bark Busters sooner! Thanks, Nicole.
Nicole was terrific! She was very thorough about not only teaching us how to do the training but also why Bark Busters chose these training methods. She demonstrated well and made sure that both of us had a chance to try all of the exercises. She has also responded quickly to all of our queries post-training.
So after rescuing two adorable brothers, we realized we needed help. Thank goodness for Nicole and Bark Busters. The education alone was worth the service, but the tips and instruction from just ONE visit has made so much of a difference and with more visits upcoming, Sherlock and Watson will be the best behaved dogs in the Hollow!
Hiring Nicole/Bark Busters was the best investment ever! I did a ton of research and watched YouTube videos before getting my puppy, Zeus, and thought I was prepared - boy was I wrong. When we brought the little bugger home, I had post-puppy depression. This little bugger was running my life and I felt like I had no control over the situation. I stopped going to the gym, didn't make myself dinner because he was napping in the kitchen, and my boyfriend and I never went out at the same time because Zeus would throw a fit whenever we left the house or even left his line of sight. I needed help and found Bark Busters online. Nicole was very patient during our orientation, described everything thoroughly, and walked us through each training tool in action. The training homework is only 10 minutes, 3 times a day and most of it happens through natural interaction with my dog. She is very helpful via email and text and always answers questions ASAP. Having her as a life line has really calmed my nerves and given me confidence to handle the situation. It has been a week and a half since Nicole's first visit and Zues has improved so much already. Zeus is learning to use his wee-wee pad, his play biting/nipping has gotten a lot better with us, and he sits quietly in his crate or our kitchen when we leave the room. I am so excited to see how he improves over the next few months and am very happy to be working with Bark Busters and Nicole. I would (and have) recommend this service to anyone with a dog.
Nicole is the Dog Whisperer of Westchester County; I cannot say enough about how amazing the training experience was with her, for both myself and my 8 month old Cockapooo Puppy, Dory! Dory began barking at everyone and everything a few months ago, for reasons I couldn't identify. The approaches I was taking to training her out of the barking behavior were not working. One session with Nicole, and I have a completely new understanding of Dory's behavior and feel equipped to correct the behavior in a way that Dory understands. Nicole showed me that, through the tiniest of cues, Dory was indicating to me that she did not feel confident in me being her "Pack Leader". Dory needed me to prove to her that I "have her back". It's been two days since the training and Dory is a changed puppy! During our walk yesterday, Dory was quiet, relaxed, and very clearly happy to follow rather than lead. I would 100% recommend Nicole to anyone that is looking to equip themselves with what they need to be the best dog-owner they can be! Thanks so much Nicole!
I honestly don't know where to begin. We met Nicole today and I can't begin to explain how much our family loves her already, including Lil Bear. I've been patiently awaiting this first session and everyday that our puppy wouldn't follow commands or not go on his wee wee pad my go to line was "the trainer will be here in 2 weeks, next week, tomorrow" and I secretly prayed that she was going to be able to help us. Bear is 4.5 months old. He's a good dog, very lovable and super cute which makes it difficult to stay mad at him when he misbehaves. Nicole worked with us for almost 3 hours. She was so patient and understanding and really took her time explaining to us in great detail until she was certain we were fully understanding everything she was trying to get across. She's so knowledgeable and gave us such wonderful directions as to whatever concerns we had and how they could be rectified. After we sat and talked it was time to actually start working with Bear and I have to say the results that we saw in such a short period of time took my breath away. We knew he was very smart but my fear was that he was too smart for his own good, as well as ours but after a few exercises that she explained to us he was actually following our orders. We worked on quite a few different things today. Our biggest concerns were the potty training and the nipping. Although we have a lot of work to do with him being that he's so young we know that the tools that she gave us to work with are definitely going to pay off. I believe if we consistently stick to the guidelines that she has set forth for us we're gonna have terrific results. Everything was like second nature to her when she was working with him. I jokingly asked her several times to move in with us! Lol. Maybe not completely joking. She is just wonderful and I can't wait for our next session. If you have any puppy or dog issues do not look any further. Nicole should be your only call!!
Nicole has helped our dog improve a great amount in such a short amount time. She has been wonderful at using techniques that are relevant to us and our dog. Our giant Labrador used to take us for walks, but Nicole has helped us learn to enjoy walking him again. She has helped us regain control of our doggie and our lives. Now we da BOSS Clark! Nicole, we cannot thank you enough for your continued support. Thank you thank you thank you!
Nicole was great to work with! She explained everything in a way that really made sense and worked with us very patiently to learn the training techniques. She is extremely encouraging and supportive. I have already had her come back for a follow up visit which was really helpful.
Nicole was very informative and worked really well with my puppy. Selena took on the training very cooperatively. It amazed me how smart my puppy was. It made me realize that with the correct tools and training my Selena is so teachable that it's up to the owner to work hard with your puppy. Nicole made sure I was comfortable with the techniques she taught both me and Selena. Selena was such a good student and worked hard that she slept so peacefully like I never saw her sleep so drained ... Nicole taught us that using mental energy is more exhausting to the puppy then physical energy which is a plus. She gave me the tools to stimulate her mind and train her to be the good puppy I know she can be. I feel really confident and Nicole was really awesome in explaining everything that really made sense but that I never considered...like our human language as in...No or Stop may not work, so you translate to dog language to be the head of the pack to show authority. Nicole guaranteed to help me if I struggle and call her anytime at all and if needed she can come back to the home. She is truly a great dog trainer and supportive to the owner and dog. I can't wait for the next lesson. Bark Busters thank you.
