See what people are saying about Bark to Basics:
"Calle is a very shy and timid rescue dog, approximately two years old when we adopted her one year ago. We enlisted the help of Melissa based on reviews we read online. That was the BEST decision we made for Calle AND for us! Melissa took time on the first visit to get to know Calle and customize the training, taking into consideration Calle’s fears and timid personality. Melissa did not try to fit us into five basic step training but formulated a plan based on what she observed and what we wanted to accomplish. Melissa’s knowledge of training was soon realized when we saw almost immediate progress. We worked through issues of socialization, house training, walking on a leash in a park. We never could have made such progress without the help of Melissa. Melissa was very reliable (always on time and good follow-up), professional, kind, and had such a gentle, loving manner with Calle AND with us – we received some much-needed training as well!"
- Sandy and John Walsh with Calle, Laguna Niguel
"Melissa was very knowledgeable about the issues we were having with our toy poodle, Scarlett. She helped us to get Scarlett house broken in a large, 8,000 square foot house. This was a big task, as a dog as small as Scarlett had a hard time not getting lost and finding the doggy door. Melissa helped us teach Scarlett to come, sit, wait and not to bark. She even taught Scarlett to leave an item alone if Scarlett was not supposed to play with it. My kids loved working with Melissa because she was young and energetic. Thank you Melissa!"
-Lynne Foose with Scarlett
"My experience
with Melissa as a trainer for my newly adopted pound puppy was a
wonderful one. Melissa's greatest strength is her patience and true
love for dogs. My dog, Butters, is very stubborn and has some fears
(ceiling fans!) and Melissa was so kind and did not hurry him
but worked with him until progress was made. She is also very good with
dog owners who usually need more training then the dogs. She really
works with you until you know how to get your dog to respond and become
a great, well behaved citizen. I can't wait to enroll Butters in more training with Melissa."
- Mary with Butters, Garden Grove
"We had tremendous and rapid results beginning with the first training session. Melissa was able to quickly assess Minky's issues and develop a 'plan of attack' to change her behavior. Melissa gave us the insight and tools to clearly communicate with our dog and to reinforce and build positive behaviors. As a busy, time constrained professional, I always appreciated Melissa's taking the time to confirm appointments and her flexibility with accommodating schedule changes. Melissa's efforts well exceeded our expectations and I would recommend her services to anyone."
-Erin with Minky, Laguna Niguel
