Bark Busters - Scott Argus
November 19th, 2009 by Leslie
Argus has always enjoyed working with dogs; with Rufus and Chilli (who passed away last year) (Photo courtesy Scott Argus)
Argus, a retired Stanford University biomedical research engineer, is a dog behaviorist and has owned a Bark Busters franchise in Honolulu since 2004. He's trained dogs since he was 15 and acknowledges that dog training has come a long way since then.
Bark Busters originated in Australia, using training techniques based on the premise that dogs think and act like gray wolves. By creating a hierarchy in the pack, with humans at the top, behavioral issues go away.
Argus has trained over 700 "packs" (the word he uses to refer to families) in their own homes.
Scott Argus in a training session with Terri at the Chars' home. (Photo by L. Kawamoto)
Recently he visited with Alvin and Cynthia Char in Liliha. The Chars got Terri, a terrier mix, as a puppy from the pound over five years ago.
"The problems began when we got our second dog," says Alvin. Whitey, a Spitz-mix pup, was added to the household a year ago. Now Terri has been acting aggressively toward Whitey since he has been challenging her authority.
The home training is one extensive session. It took over three hours to acquaint the Chars with the Bark Buster techniques, assess the problem, teach the family verbal corrections and praise and have them practice using Argus' demo dog, Rufus, a 100 pound Malamute-Great Dane mix before practicing with their own dogs.
During the meeting, Terri started bark, unhappy that she was kept outside on the deck. "Baaahhhh!!!," said Argus in a booming voice. The sound mimics a dog growling. Terri stopped barking.
To praise her for stopping, Argus said "Gooooooood girl," in the very next breath. He used a high-pitched voice, loud enough for the neighbors to hear.
At the end of the session, Argus left the Chars with a "homework/training package", which they'll practice with both dogs daily for two 15-minute sessions for 5-8 weeks.
When I followed up a week later, the Chars are now the alpha dogs at home. They continue to practice twice a day. "Scott did a great job. Whitey and Terri are getting along well. We know it's a work in a progress and we'll keep trying. We are happy with the results," said Alvin Char.
The session fee covers the lifetime of the dog. "With Bark Busters, it's a one time fee for life and you see results on the first day," says Argus. If refresher training is needed, Argus will come back at no extra charge. He says about 50 percent of clients will ask him to come back, which he says he is happy to do. Phone calls and questions are always welcomed.
Argus is the official trainer for the Oahu SPCA. He takes two dogs at a time from the shelter and trains them in his Kaimuki home. His job is to get the dogs ready to be adopted to good homes. Oahu SPCA co-founder Stephanie Ryan said, "The Oahu SPCA has the deepest respect and gratitude for the talents and insight Bark Busters has contributed to our mission. Thanks to the dedication of Scott Argus, unadoptable feral and abused dogs have been transformed. With patience, understanding and training, every dog deserves and can have a second chance."
If you have dog with a behavior problem, Argus is willing to help. Call him at 734-3440.
Tags: alvin char, bark busters, cynthia char, oahu spca, scott argus, stephanie ryan
November 19th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
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November 19th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
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