Get to Know us. Learn to Trust Us.
See Why dogs Love Us!
Our Team.
Welcome to our family here at The Bark Stop™️. Meet Joe, Viviana, and Catherine, our Certified Animal Behavior Consultant. We're dedicated to providing expert, force-free training tailored to your dog's unique needs. Together, we're here to support you and your furry friend every step of the way.
ABOUT JOE
owner | dog trainer | animal lover
Joe Violante has been dedicated to compassionate dog training for over 20 years. His journey began with a deep love for dogs, sparked by his family pet and solidified when a chance encounter with a dog on the street, who he later named Honey Brown, changed his life. Realizing the power of positive reinforcement, Joe discovered that rewarding a dog’s good behavior not only sped up learning but also built trust and a stronger bond.
As a force-free, reward-based trainer, Joe follows the most effective and humane standards in dog training, as set by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers® (CCPDT®). He believes in a Fear Free approach that prevents fear, anxiety, and stress in dogs—ensuring every training session is a positive experience. His methods are grounded in kindness, respect, and an understanding of each dog’s unique needs.
Joe has been professionally mentored by Certified Positive trainers and Certified Animal Behavior Specialists, and continuously advances his skills and knowledge to stay on the cutting edge of modern, science-based dog training. His approach is simple: no choke chains, prong collars, or e-collars—just clear communication, patience, and plenty of rewards.
Clients love Joe for his natural way with dogs and his genuine commitment to helping families create happy, well-behaved pets. At The Bark Stop™️, Joe’s passion is evident in every interaction, every cue taught, and every wagging tail.
If you want a dog trainer who believes in creating a loving and stress-free environment for your pet while delivering real, lasting results, Joe is here to help.
ABOUT VIV
Owner of Happy Pups Playhouse
Training Reinforcer @ The Bark Stop™️
Viviana has been an integral part of building The Bark Stop™️ from the ground up. She started her journey with Joe in Miami when it was known as Joe’s Dog Walking and More, where she handled a variety of responsibilities, including dog walking, pet sitting, and organizing fun field trips and birthday parties for the dogs.
As the business evolved and rebranded to The Bark Stop™️, Viviana took on even more crucial roles, managing the training of both our Stay n Train clients and dogs boarding with us for comprehensive training programs. She also played a key role in managing all aspects of our social media presence, helping to build the brand and connect with our community.
With the support of Joe and The Bark Stop™️, Viviana has now successfully opened and launched Happy Pups Playhouse, where she focuses primarily on daycare, dog boarding, and creating memorable birthday parties for our furry friends.
One of Viviana’s most remarkable qualities is her intuitive knowledge of animal behavior and basic obedience training, which she brings to every aspect of her work. When your dog stays with her at Happy Pups Playhouse, they receive the benefit of consistent reinforcement of their training and skills, creating a much healthier and more enriching environment compared to a traditional pet sitter or daycare.
Her five years of experience working with The Bark Stop™️ and her strong foundation in training have made her one of the most exceptional pet care professionals in the industry.
OUR breed.
OUR MISSION
"At The Bark Stop™️, our mission resonates with a passionate dedication to fostering a relationship of trust, respect, and compassion between dogs and their human companions. We firmly stand for a force-free, fear-free existence, where freedom of choice reigns supreme in every interaction with our canine friends. We adamantly oppose force, prong collars, choke chains, and the archaic concepts of obedience without cause or dominance.
Our core values center on the ethical and humane treatment of dogs, championing a training approach built on scientific evidence and contemporary, up-to-date methods. We believe in guiding our clients to think like a dog, fostering communication as a companion, not a dictator. Understanding a dog’s thoughts, feelings, and emotions is pivotal in our practice.
Professionalism is at our foundation, ensuring the highest quality of service not only for our clients but also for their beloved pets. We encourage a shift in perspective, reaching for the treat bag over punitive methods, advocating a positive, treat-oriented approach in dog training. Our commitment stands unwavering, aiming to transform the human-canine relationship into a harmonious partnership built on empathy, understanding, and force-free techniques, propelling a new era in dog training and companionship."
OUR VISION
“At The Bark Stop™️, our vision is to lead a paradigm shift in the world of dog training, creating a community where dogs are respected as sentient beings with their own thoughts, emotions, and agency. We envision a world where every interaction between humans and dogs is founded on trust, compassion, and an understanding of the dog’s perspective. Our aspiration is to become a beacon of force-free training methods, fostering a culture that values the freedom of choice and treats dogs not as obedient subjects but as cherished companions.
We aim to be at the forefront of modern, evidence-based, and humane training techniques, continuously evolving and integrating the most current scientific knowledge in our practices. Through our commitment to professionalism and unparalleled service quality, we seek to empower dog owners, guiding them to communicate, understand, and bond with their pets as genuine companions.
Our ultimate vision is to redefine the human-canine relationship, inspiring a world where dogs are cherished, understood, and trained with empathy, respect, and the freedom they deserve, forging a future where both dogs and humans thrive in harmonious coexistence.”
OUR PASSION
“At The Bark Stop™️, our passion is fueled by a profound love and dedication to dogs, championing their well-being, happiness, and the preservation of their natural joy. We are fervently committed to revolutionizing the way we interact with and train dogs, aspiring for a world where every dog experiences a life free from fear, force, and coercion.
We are driven by a deep-seated desire to instill in dog owners an understanding of their furry companions’ intricate emotions, thoughts, and unique personalities. Our passion lies in guiding and empowering owners to perceive their dogs as sentient beings, fostering a profound bond based on mutual respect and trust.
We live and breathe the values of force-free, ethical, and humane training, seeking to imbue every interaction with dogs with empathy, patience, and positive reinforcement. Our relentless dedication is to continually refine and offer the most advanced, scientifically-backed training methods, ensuring that dogs are not only obedient but also fulfilled, content, and thriving in their unique individuality.
We are passionate advocates for the celebration of dogs, promoting a world where they are cherished, understood, and trained with love, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to their happiness and well-being.”
