Opportunity Barks Behavior & Training

How do I even start. The amount of love that I have for the entire OPBarks community is immeasurable. We had the good fortune of starting off with Britt (though all their trainers are amazing) and she has guided our dog and us through some challenging times. We came to OPBarks because our dog was having issues with reactivity and severe anxiety. She would shake when she would enter a new environment from fear, was not a fan of other dogs, would chase after squirrels/cats on walks without any regard for the person she was attached to, the list goes on and on. She was on anti-anxiety meds and still was having issues. We opted for the 3 Week Drop-Off Training program (though if you aren’t sure where to start they have a Evaluation option which we started with to really understand what program would be the best fit for our dog). This meant dropping the pup off for an hour while Britt and the stellar team at OPBarks worked their magic. I will admit. I was super hesitant at first. This was a new environment and I wasn’t the one handling her. Was she just gonna cower in a corner and not learn anything? How was this going to translate to life at home? This couldn’t possibly work. Goodness was I wrong. She LOVED it. She learned so much, AND she knew it better than we did. We had homework and it’s a forgiving process (as long as you’re also doing the work at home). Britt would check in with us, hear what we were struggling with, and offer suggestions and tools and SO much support. We would get videos of the training sessions so Britt could teach us HOW even though we weren’t physically in the class with our pup. They have mentor dogs (which was a must for our pups training) which help your dog’s “pack mentality” and offers them a dog that has been through the OPBarks program to either distract them or teach them how to do things. Literally game-changing for our dog. So I’m writing this 5 weeks after we finished our training with OPBarks. Things have only gotten better - AND she is off some of her anxiety medication!! We set the foundations in her Drop-off training and we practice the skills we were taught every day at home. When I say there are days when I am absolutely shocked that this is the same dog I walked into OPBarks with 8 weeks ago MEAN it. She is now braver than I have ever seen her (still cautious but she has CONFIDENCE!!), more neutral with other dogs, and when she sees a squirrel or cat, her ears still perk up - BUT when I tell her to leave it we continue with our walk like NOTHING HAPPENED!!! Words cannot describe how that feels as a city dog mom who is surrounded by these distractions every day. And I have to say, the community they have created doesn’t end when you’re done with training. I’ve been able to connect with so many other people in the OPBarks community who are a testament to how good OPBarks is at building a community to remind you that you’re not alone. Your dog is not a lost cause. Your dog actually IS trainable. You have a support system now. I will forever be so thankful for this community and everyone at OPBarks. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

This team is AMAZING! My little jack Russell mix was scared of the world when she showed up. We started at the puppy socials in the city and she was too scared, they recommended her going to the farm puppy socials and then we ended up enrolling her in the farm dog program which was so worth it! After her first week, she was already warming up to other dogs, which she previously would wrap around my legs and be terrified of. Now, she willingly goes up to other dogs and even when they aren’t showing interest she just wants to go up to them so badly to sniff them and check them out. If you have a dog that is very shy and you’re looking to break them out of their shell, I highly recommend!!! I’m excited to continue working with them! If you need anything else to convince you, look at the pictures. We went from tail in between the legs to happily wagging in the air!

Could not reccomend OpBarks more. My boston terrier puppy has completed their puppy foundations and puppy farm adventure programs as well as some puppy socials and the difference is night and day with leash skills and manners around other dogs and people. Not just for dogs- the amazing trainers set me up with the tools to continue communication, trust and confidence with my puppy for a lifetime of calm walks and balanced enrichment. If you wish to set yourself and your dog up for success while becoming a part of an amazing community I highly reccomend OpBarks!