Former Lawrence resident Sarah Houston believes she has the key to success for her new business think like a dog.

Houston is owner of a Bark Busters franchise, a business that sends instructors into the homes of dog owners to help correct canine problems like excessive barking, jumping and disobedience.

“People mainly want a dog that has some manners and that can be incorporated into their lives,” Houston said. “That’s what we try to give them.”

Getting there usually involves training the humans more than the dogs, Houston said.

“We find a lot of dog owners are trying things that aren’t working because they aren’t thinking of things in a canine way,” Houston said. “You have to learn how to see things through the eyes of the canine.”

The business, which has been open for three weeks, charges from $125 to $375 for about a two-hour lesson and follow-up support services.

Houston starts by interviewing dog owners about problems they’re having, then starts giving specific tips on how the humans can regain control.

“Dogs are very good people trainers,” Houston said. “Anytime you are with a dog, one of you is being trained and one of you is leading. You want to be the one doing the leading.”

Houston’s business is based in Overland Park, and her territory includes Douglas County, Johnson County and Wyandotte County. She said she expected Lawrence to be a big market for her, in part, because she grew up in the city and worked in Lawrence as regional director for the Muscular Dystrophy Assn.

Bark busters Dog trainer Sarah Houston, left, demonstrates to dog owner Pat Sullivan how to properly attach a dog leash. Houston trained Murphy, a 5-year-old Labrador, on Friday at Sullivan's Lawrence residence.

She also said that as Lawrence grew and became more crowded her services would be in greater demand.

“We’ve already dealt with people who have a barking dog and now they have neighbors who are calling and are upset,” Houston said. “They’re really calling us as a last resort because they don’t want to give the dog up.”

Erin Overstake, an employee at Lawrence’s Gentle Care Animal Hospital, said she thought demand for such services in Lawrence would be high.

“We always get lots of questions about what they can do to control their dogs,” Overstake said. “I think we have so many students and faculty that live in the city that don’t have as much time as they would like to spend with their dogs, and you’ll get behavioral problems if you don’t have the time to spend with them.”

Bark Busters was started in 1989 in Australia. The company has about 70 franchises in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Britain.

Bark Busters isn’t the only company biting into the Lawrence dog training market. Area telephone directories list about three other area businesses that offer the service.

Nan Dittrick, owner of Lawrence’s Puppy Love, said she wasn’t sure the market was ready for another dog training company, but said demand was increasing.

“I think it is becoming more important all the time because of some of the leash laws and the liability issues,” Dittrick said. “Plus people are just becoming too busy to get their dogs out and work with them like they used to.”