Hello! We are Michael and Lydia O’Leary, Dog Behavioral Therapists and Dog Trainers for Bark Busters Home Dog Training in Minneapolis-St. Paul, and their surrounding suburbs. Let us introduce ourselves to you. I, Michael, was raised in Eden Prairie and I am a proud St. John’s University graduate. My wife, Lydia, grew up in Sauk Rapids, MN and graduated from St. Cloud State University. We are lifetime lovers of dogs and are Bark Busters Certified Canine Trainers and Behavioral Therapists.
We are blessed daily with the ability to help dogs and their owners find and experience companionship, loyalty, fun, and love. Our training system is based on natural canine communication which dramatically increases the pace of learning without using harsh or painful methods. It will be a great honor and pleasure to work with you, your family, and your canine companions.
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.
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We worked with Jared in Minneapolis. He was clearly extremely knowledgeable, very friendly, and easy to schedule with. We are very impressed by the program, and it has helped tremendously with our […]
Jared was an intregal part of helping my foster/rescue dog with separation anxiety. I knew I was unable to adopt Billy ( Golden Retriever) unless I was able to leave for work. I lived in an […]
We had our training with Lydia, and even after the first session we saw a huge improvement. My husband and I had been dealing with a lot of issues that were very stressful when it came to leaving our […]
I cannot say enough about Michael's knowledge, his integrity, and his kindness. He helped us resolve a very difficult situation, showing empathy and compassion. […]
We just had the first session with Michael, and so far we are completely satisfied with our Bark Busters experience. Communication has been excellent our trainer laid out the steps in a way that was […]
Michael made the training extremely easy to understand and follow. We started seeing a different within a couple of days. One of our dogs took some extra care (she is super sensitive), but we had good […]
We had our first initial training session with Lydia from Bark Busters, with in minutes when we start the interactive session our Frenchie was a new puppy. We have problems with him barking and […]
Believe me…if you live in Mpls and have any issue with your dog(s), you must call Lydia and Michael of Bark Busters! I could kick myself for procrastinating (as I always do) for weeks after hearing […]
Lydia came and helped us learn how to continue working through our dogs separation anxiety. She was respectful to us and our dog, and ensured we learned how to be great trainers. She never made us […]
I work at a vets office and have been seeing fliers for Bark Busters for a while! I wanted to check them out because my own dog could use some training and I wanted to be able to reccomend them to our […]
Michael is an excellent dog trainer. He is good with both people and dogs. He's extremely pleasant, patient, and has a deep understanding of dogs and their behavior. Our dog seems in awe of him. […]
Michael O’Leary from BarkBusters came to our home for a revisit/retraining session. It had been over a year since we started working with Michael. We have a 9 ish year old American Eskimo mix named […]
Very impressive session with Michael O'Leary teaching us how to establish boundaries with our 9 year old Cocker Spaniel, Zeva. We just needed a brush up course, to deal with a few issues. Excellent […]
I didn’t know what to expect with Bark Busters home training all I knew was there was nowhere else to turn. Our house was chaos and my Morkie was out of control. Barking, excessive biting, showing […]
Overall, everything has been so organized and helpful. Our trainer Mike is awesome! He’s been very patient with us and makes sure we understand everything clearly. I highly recommend training with […]
Michael was great with walking us through all the steps to help us gain control of our house again while making our dog feel safe. His directions and step-by-step process were easy to follow and I […]
Michael was awesome! He came prepared and ready to help. The results spoke for themselves after our first session and I look forward to learning more from Michael. […]
We are so pleased with our Bark Busters initial training for our little Anita. She came to us from Mexico, where she had been attacked by another dog. She was left with multiple bite wounds, her leg […]
With the very first session, we saw a big difference in our pup's behavior. He is so much more attentive now and is really learning his boundaries. This method makes so much sense and is truly […]
Michael is wonderful. Prompt, enthusiastic, patient, creative--he clearly loves his work and loves dogs. What I really appreciate is that he quickly picked up on how my dog and I operate (or try to […]
A+!!! Bark Busters is amazing. Even by the end of our first session, we saw results and felt empowered, and confident that we WERE going to have a well-behaved canine member of our family. We […]
Michael has been extremely helpful as we train our dog, who can be problematic with resource guarding. Michael helped us take a step back and address the issue from a psychological perspective. […]
Really excellent service provider. I would characterize this as learning to communicate with your dog. Michael's methods were really intuitive for our dog and we have really been surprised at how easy […]
Lydia is an excellent trainer! Very friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. She listened to the multiple issues my new lab and I were experiencing and was able to address them all by providing knowledge […]
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! We needed someone to help us with our little literal ankle biter. Michael was extremely knowledgeable and patient with both the pups and the humans. We saw a noticeable change in […]
Mike was amazing to work with! He provided amazing insight into our dog's behaviors in a way that was both professional and empathetic. Saw huge improvement in our dogs behaviors and anxiety levels in […]
My German shepherd mix has some issues I was having trouble addressing. Michael knew just what to do and I have already seen amazing results. I am a better leader and she is a much happier "pack" […]
Thanks to Michael, we now have ways to stop pie from barking at the doors and helped us learn how to understand how to control her on a walk without getting the agressive barking and puffing the hair […]
My wife and I have recently had problems with controlling our dogs energy while at the door along with some sibling rivalry. Mike recently came out for our initial consultation, and even during this […]
I called Michael at the recommendation of my vet because my 5-month old puppy had been exhibiting some resource guarding behaviors. The first session was nothing short of magic. I watched my tiny ball […]
We hired BarkBusters to help with our rescue pup who has had a tough life, deals with anxiety and aggression, and needed some basic skills training. Michael came in and really got to know not only our […]
I am not one generally to write reviews but I feel compelled to let others know about the great and immediate results that we saw while working with Michael for only three hours. Homer came to us […]
We hired BarkBusters to help with an out-of-control adolescent dog who at times seems resistant to training. Michael came to our home and in the first session, we were able to establish some basic […]
We began to see results immediately with a senior dog who we love, but his behavior was becoming a possible liability. Working with BarkBusters taught us a few simple moves that immediately got his […]
Michael and the Bark Busters method are amazing!!! My rescue dog came with a barking problem, and there was no way I could get it under control. I was embarrassed when someone would come to the house, […]
Bark Busters literally changed my life! Michael is so patient and positive while he worked with my family and our fur baby. I had so much stress and anxiety with my dog’s constant jumping and […]
After 1 month of virtual training we have a different dog. He is paying attention to us, happier, and more relaxed. Lynne gave us tools as well as examples on how to correct the inappropriate […]
When I read reviews that stated Lynne's clients saw results on day 1, they were not exaggerating! I saw results in my 11 year old dog and our 6 month old rescue dog. My fiance and I were in shock. We […]
Lynne was kind, patient, encouraging and full of wisdom. We have experience with dogs but we were struggling with our overly anxious dog. She taught us great ways to help him understand and how to […]
Our trainer Lynne was so helpful. Worked with us on new strategies and empowered us to learn and do the behavioral exercises. We have continued to practice after a few days and already notice a […]
We are so grateful to have found Lynne! We have a smart and sweet rescue pup who is also anxious and has developed into quite the little protector, especially at home. We could hardly have people over […]
My husband and I had been committed to nonstop research to help our paralyzingly anxious rescue pup when were referred to Lynne by several friends and neighbors who had been navigating the needs of […]
Lynne was a great trainer for Ollie my Cocker Spaniel. He was a very anxious dog and had separation anxiety issues and thought he was the boss of the house! Lynne taught me how to become the leader […]
Lynne was remarkable!!! I truly do not know where to begin besides saying that she saved our dog, Dakota's, life! Dakota had several aggression issues due to extreme anxiety and with Lynne's help and […]
We have been doing the tasks Lynne gave us and already in a month have seen improvements in our pups. What took us years in our older dog is taking way less time to train into our newest rescue. We […]
Lynne was fantastic! The first meeting delivered much more than I ever thought possible. We worked on so many issues with such positive results so quickly. I felt totally prepared to work daily with […]
Lynne has given us hope. She carefully watched our dog's behavior and gave us recommendations for training steps to try to help him overcome his separation anxiety. We know it will take time, but we […]
We are so delighted with Lynne's training for Willie! We noticed a total improvement immediately after the training. It's helped so much and was a great value for what we received. We've also had […]
Lynne has seriously been a blessing. We had a lot of guarding issues with our dog and in home training felt like the last piece of hope to work with our dog. I wish I would have done it sooner. Lynne […]
Lynne came out to help us understand our pup Larry. He is a normal 6 month old puppy except he is an English Mastiff that currently weighs 125 lbs. We were guided on how to effectively handle Larry in […]
The results after one training session were truly amazing. Lynne made last minute accommodations in her schedule to meet with us before the long holiday weekend. We went from being embarrassed, […]
Bark Busters saved us! No joke! They first came out to help us with crate training and then our second training was working on hyperactivity and jumping. I must say, they have been great. They are […]
Lynne was very helpful in teaching us different techniques to control Winnie’s protectiveness and aggression, especially in our home. She is definitely calming quicker to distractions and we are […]
Lynne was just awesome!! We have a 6 mo old bully that is 65 lbs.he constantly nips at our feet,and jumps up on family,and anyone that comes into the house. My family was in total amazement working […]
Lynne was amazing!!! Both Parker and I learned a lot!!! Parker is 12 and has been dealing with separation anxiety since 12 weeks old. Although we may have some work to do, I did see some changes […]
Lynne was great to work with and my dog had a lot of respect for her. The first few lessons are already working great! […]
My first lesson with Lynne, and both of my dogs, was awesome! I received way more information than I thought I was going to get. The methods used by Lynne to teach my dogs how to behave properly are […]
Lynne was wonderful with Malcolm. Even only 3 days into his training, he is so much more attentive and obeying boundaries, door behavior and not tackling the cats. We are so happy with the small […]
Lynne was so good with every part of the 1st training session! I was so encouraged after that. My kids responded well to her. She was so patient with us. I’m so happy with the results we have […]
Lynne came over for a session with my dogs and we are so thankful! She was able to give us the knowledge and tools to work with them on the things they need to improve on. She was very aware of the […]
Amazing instructor! Very positive and gentle. Totally prepared and calm! The very best! […]
My two young female pups have a history of sibling rivalry with fights that began to turn violent. We had done other dog obedience training and had other home trainers come help us. After the first […]
Lynne came over and helped me with some issues I've been having with my dog since moving into my new home. My dog has been barking more at people and animals that pass by, barking a little […]
Lynne was so patient and kind to us. She never judged us or made us feel bad about our shortcomings. It was amazing to see how quickly Cain responded to the training. I look forward to applying the […]
Lynne was amazing in teaching me how to handle Chewie as well as how to bolster his confidence in smart ways whilst reminding me that I am the leader of the pack. I'm recommending Lynne to everyone I […]
Lynne did a fabulous job with Lucy. We have notice such a big change just after the first session. Lucy will now let us answer the door without barking like crazy, her walking on leash is incredible […]
Very helpful and brought piece of mind working with Lacey and knowing we can help train her. […]
Lynne was very helpful with both of my dogs. I’m so glad she was clear with me that for my anxious dog I’m going to have to be patient with him. I know both of my dogs can improve with hard work […]
Lynne was amazing and she gave us a demonstration of her 'magic' in the first few minutes she arrived. Our dog is so beloved but she can sure get wild. She was a barker before Lynne arrived. We […]
The training was a technique that I had never experienced previously. Even the second day after the training I can see a big improvement with walking and just being more in control. He responds well […]
Our trainer, Lynne, visited yesterday, and we have already experienced a night-and-day difference in our dogs' behavior. Both dogs can now walk on a leash without pulling (they used to pull so hard […]
Lynne and the program are amazing, by the time Lynne left our house we had already noticed a difference in Sammy. As we continue to work with Sammy, we have noticed even greater improvement with his […]
Lynne was a huge help!! My recently adopted dog started showing aggression towards other dogs and it was turning into a huge concern. I found myself avoiding other dogs at all costs and it was […]
Lynne has been an invaluable resource for all of our dogs. She has helped me to understand the 'why' behind the behaviors, and guided me in how to adjust my own response and be a more confident dog […]
Lynne was amazing with the dogs! She stopped incessant barking from both dogs and taught us how to handle it ourselves. By the end of the day they were waiting at the stairs, keeping out of the […]
We worked with Lynne Willeke and had an outstanding experience with her. She was patient, kind, and non-judgmental when it came to working with our rescue pup, Wally. I can't say enough good things […]
We are so happy with Bark Busters. Lynne gave us the tools to deal with our dog's behavior. I can now "loose leash" walk with my dog and have no worries when we run into fellow dog walkers as our […]
Lynne's help with our Italian Mastiff, Kona, was invaluable. At about 90 pounds, Kona pulled her way through our walks, which made it impossible for me to walk Kona and our lab, Legend, by myself. […]
After the success another family member experienced (almost immediately) with Bark Busters, I decided to give it a shot after years of contemplating training for my dog. I am so impressed with our […]
I was losing confidence and control of dealing with my dogs aggression towards other animals The training was excellent in showing me the tools to be a good leader, communicate well, and to have […]
Impressive! Lynne is friendly and professional. She taught us so much useful information in the hours she spent with us and our 6 month old German Shepherd. We put Lynne's training to work the very […]
We adopted a two year old Coonhound and wanted to make sure we addressed his issues right away, the right way and Lynne helped us do just that! Burt is an amazing dog and Lynne read him in the first […]
Without Bark Busters, and specifically the help of Lynne Willeke, our rescue dog, Jerzey, would not be living with us today. In tears, and as a last resort, I called Bark Busters for help. Lynne was […]
Lynne was so sensitive to our dog's needs and temperament, and is tailoring a program specifically for her. We were so impressed with Lynne's expertise, kindness, compassion, and genuine care for our […]
Lynne helped us to safely and effectively integrate our 3-year old adopted lab/whippet mix to our household with two cats. When we got our dog, Norah, it turned out she had a serious prey drive and […]
We're so happy to work with Lynne. During our initial meeting, she spent a lot of time with us and our lab puppy, Frankie. She was patient and encouraging and reassured us that we are dealing with […]
Within a few hours of Lynne's arrival, Adele was a totally different dog. Racing from one end of the house to the other and jumping on us was a real problem. Trying to run out the front door when my […]
Lynne was wonderful with the dogs and an excellent coach for the dog owners! We learned a lot and are already having success! […]
We are so grateful for Lynne. The creative knowledge she has just amazes me all the time. ThorFinn was very close to being put down because of his aggression when Lynne came to us. She has been so […]
Lynne was wonderful. She worked with me as well as Ivy and taught both of us how to better communicate with each other. I have seen so much improvement since she has been here. Ivy will run with me […]
Lynne is a lifesaver. Tessie is the sweetest dog but has had a tough life and so is not very trusting and acts assertive when she is afraid. Lynne worked with me from rockbottom to build on the skills […]
We were very happy with the results of Lynne's work with our dog. Her explanations were always clear and understandable. She listened and thoroughly responded to our concerns. Our interactions […]
Lynne did a great job explaining the process and giving us the tools to work with our English Springer Spaniel Puppy, TJ. He was a very headstrong boy. Lynne taught us what we needed to do to […]
My adult dog had a history of barking in our home as well as on walks particularly when I stopped to talk to someone. And barking and pulling were the norm when we passed other dogs. There are also […]
Our dogs are 8 and 10 years old (both rescue dogs). We thought it was too late to train them and they both showed ability to learn and significant improvement in behavior after only 1 session. […]
I couldn't believe the immediate response! Raisin has been doing really well. No one would believe the change after the first 2 hours if they didn't witness it. […]
Lynne was great to work with. Very patient and understanding regarding the issues we were having with Kody. She was always quick to respond when we had issues or questions and helped tailor the […]
AMAZING!!! We have a new dog! We went from not wanting to go home, to loving Ben greeting us at the door =) Lynne was so great to explain why certain actions work and why others work better. Being […]
Resolved the biggest issue I had with Chevy which was aggression when someone came to visit. He bit one person so I knew I had to work with a trainer. He now knows his boundaries and his space. […]
Here's the email I sent Lynne: Just wanted to say thank you for our new dog Mavis. She has been totally transformed from the day you were here. Very little barking and will stop when we tell her too. […]
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