We are your Bark Busters Home Dog Training Behavioral Therapists and Trainers for the Chicago area and Chicago’s North Shore, and are passionate about helping to train owners and their dogs or puppies. We have personally worked with over a thousand dogs while our company has trained over one million dogs worldwide. We show, teach, and guide our clients with simple behavorial exercises that will keep your dog in a calm, relaxed, and happy state of mind.
Marlene has been so helpful when ever an issue has come up with our dog. Now with a new puppy in our home, she has helped us to get him used to the new dog . She has a gift with knowing how dogs ...
BARK BUSTERS is all about training the owner in their techniques. Following their instructions the dog responds to your commands. We have a German Shepard who is now well behaved and under control. ...
My husband and I acquired Red, a Redbone Coon Hound, as a scared rescue. Almost immediately, things were not going well. Red was fearful of any noises and even after basic dog training left it almost...
I have nothing but GREAT praise for Bark Busters and I would highly recommend them. When we contacted Bark Busters, our 1 year-old Golden Retriever already had a good grasp of basic commands and was a...
I wanted to give you an update on Stella this week since your visit here on Monday. The water bottle has worked wonders!! She is a different dog outside amongst other dogs. All I have to do is say Bah...
We cannot say enough wonderful things about Marlene's dog/puppy training! Marlene conveys simple yet life changing/mind opening dog/puppy training concepts so clearly and - our household is running ...
My husband and I have tried EVERYTHING. In person training to board and trains (which cost us a fortune) and nothing was working to train our miniature dachshund. We were struggling with him barking ...
I called BarkBusters in desperate need of help with my one year old mini-mix. He had been pooping and peeing in the same spot in the house religiously at 5am and my two-year-old mixed breed loved to ...
Marlene was a miracle worker with a previous dog in helping her getting over aggression issues. We believe so much in her that we are hiring her again with our new shelter dog that we are adopting in ...
Marlene has been wonderful to work with. We are currently working with her to train both our 7 month old puppy and our 3 year old dog. We have a very stubborn breed, but Marlene always has new ...
Marlene is great! We love working with her. I love the service and attentiveness. I can call with questions and Marlene is always helpful and knowledgeable. The tools she's given us have really helped...
After first session I noticed a difference and learning how to manage my confident puppy. I enjoyed her last evening until it was time to be crated for bed. She cried on and off for 45 minutes. The...
We have an older dog who we adopted when she was a year old. Over the years, she has become increasingly aggressive to my husband and strangers coming through the door. She is part terrier and gets ...
My rescue dog (Dusty) has a lot of anxiety issues and we were having problems with house training her; Brandon was so amazing with teaching us how to communicate with Dusty and helping us understand ...
I reached out to Marlene to help with my four month old puppy. Due to covid-19, she offered me virtual lessons. I was hesitant but have found that the virtual lessons are just as effective. Marlene ...
I reached out to Bark Busters because my wife and I had found a starving stray dog in the alley behind our house. We fostered him while looking for his family and then through the process of finding ...
I have had only had the initial visit with Brandon and I am truly amazed! Not only is he wonderful, his knowledge and teaching style is wonderful! I have two German Shepherds who are litter-mates, a...
Marlene and Howard from Bark Buster's are wonderful. After my horrible 4 week experience with another trainer I had lost faith in the dog training world. Marlene and Howard came to my house and seen ...
Bark Buster’s has been a huge help to me and my dog Andy. I’ve never had issues contacting them or scheduling visits. I love that they taught me how to properly train Andy without dangling a treat...
Bark Busters saved our dog. We adopted a 110-lb Newfoundland to discover it wouldn't go down the stairs. If she couldn't go pee, we would have had to find another home for her, for her own safety. ...
Brandon is the best trainer...
Bark Busters has been a dream come true for our family and our dogs. Their training methods are so simple, yet so effective it has made training our 2 young dogs a joy. The follow up is very helpful...
Marlene and Howard, from Bark Busters, are miracle workers. Our 13-week old labradoodle is a sweet puppy, but before yesterday, he barked and jumped and nipped ALL DAY LONG, and was a whirling ...
Our 13-week old labradoodle is a sweet puppy, but before yesterday, he barked and jumped and nipped ALL DAY LONG, and was a whirling dervish on the leash. It was exhausting and discouraging. ...
Marlene and Howard restored the peace in our home we had lost! My veterinarian recommended Marlene, Howard and Bark Busters when our 72 pound 6 mo old puppy, Marty was so aggressive in her office ...
Howard and Marlene are AMAZING. We had started having trouble with our English Bulldog Ody walking on the leash he would bite and pull. 6 months ago this behavior carried over into the home, he would ...
I had the initial puppy training five and a half years ago. I was very pleased with their improvement. In recent months, we moved from a fenced yard to a condo building. Between the use of elevators ...
Marlene and Howard have been terrific. We have two rescues, one of whom has a largely unknown history. We needed training with regard to aggression of the dogs and leadership by us. Our aggressive ...
Marlene has done a sensational job left me with the tools and mindsets to be able to properly train my dog she is always available for questions or comments I appreciate the dedication Sidney ...
I could cry writing this review because I'm so HAPPY with the results. After our first lesson with Howard and Marlene, Leo was already a changed dog. Leo is a 1.5 year old dachshund who began to ...
I am so very grateful to have found Marlene Marks and Bark Busters. I am a long time german shepherd owner who was a quite rusty at raising a puppy. As a result our teenage GSD was taking the ...
when Marlene told me that my dog could be trained, I really didn't think my eight year old rescue dog could change. Marlene's confidence in the program made me give it a try. Marlene gave me the ...
Bark Busters has a lifetime follow up policy. Several years we used Bark Busters' services. The trainer that we had subsequently retired, we moved, but Bark Busters is still there for our dogs! ...
Marlene and Howard were great! We adopted a young girl, and like many dogs who have been adopted, she had her share of issues. It is always hard to know how to address these without knowing a dog's ...
The training so far has been excellent. It has exceeded our expectations....
Bear had his first session of intensive personal training this morning. we were gifted with a training harness and a bunch of tips to keep him from pulling on the leash, jumping on people, and just ...
Marlene is wonderful. She took her time and explained in detail and answers all of our questions. The first training was the longest and he learned the most. Her follow up questions are helpful and...
Bark Busters training has been so incredibly helpful for our greyhound, Brie! She was having problems with separation anxiety when we would leave for work, and we also didn't feel like she was ...
Marlene and Howard have been absolutely wonderful!!!! They make sure WE understand how to train our puppy and always walk through everything we need to know and do! Kinser has come a long way in a ...
Marlene and Howard are amazing. Our Shitzu, albeit sweet, was a rescue with boundless energy and few manners. In no time, with short easy to schedule and easy to follow home training, he is an ...
Marlene, Howard and Brandon have been an invaluable resource to our household pack. Having two dogs with drastically different personalities has been extremely challenging. As the problems piled up, ...
Meg has made remarkable progress thanks to your training and help. She has become very obedient, always follows our instructions and does not pull when walking. Only occasionally we have to say BAHH ...
Wow! Instant transformation. The training and excellent harness design eliminated so many issues and quickly .Our dog responded automatically. It was as if she was saying "finally - you guys are ...
Marlene and Brandon were amazing at helping me better understand my dog, Stanley, a 3 year old black lab rescue and to ensure clear, consistent communication with him (in a way he understands). After ...
I had an issue where my dog was barking at other dogs, and it escalated to her barking at people she did not recognize. Marlene came out and worked with me and Chela and gave me new behaviors to try....
Marlene and Brandon are AMAZING dog trainers. They are exceptionally knowledgeable, patient, and caring individuals. So far we have only had two training visits, but we were absolutely amazed at how ...
Offerings, Customer Service, Timeliness, Quality Marlene and Brandon were absolutely wonderful. They were very patient, caring and knowledgeable. We were amazed how well our dog responded to their ...
We called Marlene, Howard & Brandon for our very excited and high energy, Wheaten Terrier puppy. We had previously taken her to dog training classes where she learned some tricks; however, we didn't ...
Marlene and Howard are fantastic! They helped me with my beagle/corgi mix so much! My dog had a lot of separation anxiety and developed a barking habit that was disruptive to my neighbors in my ...
Bark Busters has been a complete savior for us with our new puppy!! Marlene and Howard are wonderful, patient, honest, caring, supportive and dedicated to training our puppy! Our puppy not only has ...
The two issues that were the most problematic got cleared up right away. It seemed like a miracle! Howard and Marlene are such a pleasure to work with and have been extremely helpful. We continue to ...
We were losing our minds trying to train our 1 year old Shepherd Mix, Stanley. We had trained him through private and group treat based training and felt that although he was learning the desired ...
Howard and Marlene were very helpful with our dog. She has been having issues with being fearful/protective when guest are in our home. They explained everything in a way that made sense and gave us ...
I have only had 2 sessions with Marlene and Howard so far, but I've found that they are very sweet to my dog despite her stubbornness/ spazziness and have a solid understanding of what makes her ...
Our dog was a rescue that we were asked to give a home to. Fortunately the previous owner hired Bark Busters to help us because when we took the dog it bit me the first day and was very nervous. After...
I received the information about Bark Busters from my vet in Chicago. I had just moved to an apartment which allowed pets, but since Buddy was a rescue (I had adopted him 9 years ago), he reverted ...
We have a 5 year old Schnauzer/Poodle mix that had developed some serious barking and aggression problems. Howard and Marlene Marks used the Bark Busters training techniques to resolve the issues ...
In a panic with a new puppy, I reached out to Marlene and Howard at Bark Busters, who responded to me immediately and with much support and guidance. They provided initial training, followed up with ...
Howard and Marlene are amazing trainers. They have an innate ability to understand dogs and guide them to appropriate behavior. Thanks to their training, our puppy Millie is dramatically better at ...
Brandon worked with my 6 month old puppy for about 2 hours...I couldn't believe how quickly his techniques worked. Brandon explained the philosophy of Bark Busters and taught us how to do it...I am so...
I’m so so grateful for Bark Busters. After our move to Chicago, my dog, Jojo was barking constantly and was very anxious most of the time. We had one session with Marlene and I was amazed at all the...
Marlene and Howard have been great! They have helped us to understand Franklin's behavior from his point of view, and to change the way that we communicate with him. They also gave us the tools to ...
Howard and Marlene helped us so much with our pup. Within hours of our first meeting our barking machine became quiet and docile. We have since learned lots of ways to help him respond better to our ...
Marlene & Howard Marks did a superb job of presenting the important information in a professional, yet very family-friendly manner. My wife and I along with our three grade schoolers could very easily...
First let me start by saying, Marlene and Howard, you are ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! After a not so pleasant growling and ferocious barking match between Buddy and a neighbor dog, we researched recommended ...
My experience with Bark Busters has been great. Marlene was so helpful with my Boston Terrier/Beagle mix, Ned, from the get-go. She answered any and all questions before I even wrote a check for ...
Our training sessions have been going great. Otis is very responsive to the training techniques and Marlene and Howard (so far!) seem to have a solution for every behavior. I'm learning that nothing...
Marlene and Howard were great. They helped show me what I was doing wrong in trying to correct my dog, Ernie's behaviour. Within only a matter of a few minutes, I was able to show Ernie that I was the...
You both are a great team and are very helpful with all of your knowledge. You are a pleasure to work with....
The Bark Busters team of Marlene and Howard is truly special. On a purely human level, they are kind, compassionate, intelligent, gentle, and very loving people. From a service perspective they have ...
We couldn't be happier with Barkbusters. A great first meeting to figure out what was needed, then great follow-up. Howard and Marlene gave us excellent techniques to address our terrier's (and our ...
We have had only two lessons with our old English bulldog. Sadie is so cute but so stubborn. HOWARD & MARLENE have given us the tools to help Sadie become a well trained dog. After our 2 lessons Sadie...
I was referred to Bark Busters by my Niece who is a Vet Tech, but I wanted to read some reviews from other people. So I went on Yelp and saw some negative and positive reviews. I wasn't sure if the ...
HOWARD & MARLENE, YOU GUYS ARE A GOD SEND! I'VE NEVER MET TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE SO DEVOTED TO THEIR CRAFT. YOU GUYS ARE NOT ONLY KNOWLEDGEABLE BUT LOVE WHAT YOU DO. NOT ONLY HAVE WE GOTTEN TWO EXCELLENT ...
I was amazed by the effectiveness of the Bark Busters approach. There were immediate improvements in my dogs' behavior. Nuisance barking, charging at the door were significantly reduced - even after ...
Howard and Marlene were wonderful. They explained and worked with me to train my dog. I am very happy and will highly recommend them to any body. Thankful forever, Elizabeth Solomon...
Marlene and Howard have been wonderful! We first contacted them for our puppy Jazz. It was right before Thanksgiving and they came to our home within a couple of days. They spent three hours with us...
As a first time dog owner, I wasn't sure what to think when my dog Doodles was panicking when I left her alone. She was suffering from separation anxiety and I wasn't sure how to help her. Howard ...
I was amazed and thrilled with Marlene and her training techniques!!! In two visits Scooter was no longer jumping up and nibbiling on our visitors. It so enjoyable to be able to have company over with...
Let me start with a brief description of my puppies; two adorable tyrants! My neighbor, excited with his results for his puppy, told me about Bark Busters. I called Bark Busters and left a message. ...
I want to thank you and Howard for coming out yesterday. We have already seen a huge change in Roxy's behavior. We went to dinner last night and when we came back she barked once.....I did the bah, ...
When I moved to the city from the suburbs my dog was very aggressive and barked at everyone. I was afraid to take her anywhere and the elevator was so stressful I was afraid she would bite someone. I...
Howard and Marlene, Thanks for helping to train ME to be a better owner to Chela. As you know, she was a rescue and my first pet. I did not know much about her but did have several behaviors to ...
Marlene and Howard exceeded our expectations. We've been able to easily implement their suggestions on a daily basis....
Marlene and Howard provided excellent service. They are professional, courteous, and adeptly skilled in the art of dog/human training. They are warm, obviously compassionate trainers who truly care ...
Marlene and Howard are nothing but short of miracle workers! I never thought my 9-year-old, stubborn Dachs Oskar will ever change his ways, but in just a few days and weeks I started seeing a ...
The training was a great experience. I couldn't believe how fast Tessie responded. Howard and Marlene Marks were genuinely concerned with Tessie's problems. The methods they taught me firm but ...
Most behavioral issues are learned based on both experiences and environment. That’s why in home dog training is so effective because this is where most behavioral issues occur and it’s where your dog feels the safest. Because your dog can’t speak English and you can’t “speak dog” many miscommunications occur. At Bark Busters, we can teach you how to communicate with your dog in a language he understands.
Does your dog bark constantly when it’s not appropriate?
Does your dog get stressed when you leave?
Does your dog chew and dig out of boredom or otherwise?
Toilet training your puppy should start as soon as the puppy is home with you.
Does your dog continuously repeat certain behaviors more than normal?
Is your dog aggressive toward humans or other dogs?.
Does your dog pull on his leash during a walk and try to walk you?
Beach Park, Chicago, Elmwood Park, Evanston, Deerfield, Fort Sheridan, Great Lakes, Green Oaks, Gurnee, Highland Park, Highwood, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Lincolnshire, Lincolnwood, Mettawa, Morton Grove, Niles, North Chicago, Riverwoods, Skokie, Wadsworth, Waukegan, Wilmette, Winthrop Harbor, Zion
Make pulling on the lead a thing of the past. This one-of-a-kind harness is easy to use and needs little effort to get your dog walking by your side using it's patented, revolutionary communication system.