My friend had to travel at short notice to visit ailing relatives and needed boarding for his 8-week-old male Australian Shepherd puppy. I was traveling with him, and our departure the next day depended entirely on making suitable arrangements for the dog. We needed care for 10 days, and with so little time to research options, we went with a recommendation from my trusted vet: Instinct Dog Behavior & Training. We reached out to person who identified herself as one of the co-owners, who offered to personally care for the puppy. Because he was too young to stay at the main facility, the plan was for her to keep him at her personal residence. We dropped him off at the East Harlem business location and headed home. My friend is very attached to his dog, and he even got an Uber back the same day just to bring the puppy's blanket. He left feeling reassured that the dog was in good hands. That night, my friend was already missing his puppy and asked for an update before bed, and she sent over some photos, which he shared in our group chat. At first glance they looked great. Almost too great. Anyone who has spent five minutes with an 8-week-old Aussie knows they never stand still, so my first thought was that she must be a remarkable trainer to get a puppy posed so perfectly. But looking closer, I noticed irregularities in the images, and they appeared to be AI generated. These were later confirmed to be AI generated. I want to be fair here. I don't believe there was any bad intent, and the puppy was returned to us in perfectly good condition. But sending what seemed to be AI-generated photos instead of a quick real snapshot was a lapse in judgment that undermined our trust at the worst possible moment. When you've handed over a very young puppy on short notice, an honest update matters more than a polished one. Given the circumstances, we felt more comfortable collecting the dog, and a refund was promptly issued, which we appreciated. With departure set for the following morning, there was no time to find replacement boarding, and the trip had to be cancelled entirely. Between the non-refundable bookings and rearranged plans, it turned into an expensive problem. Others clearly have good experiences here, and the co-owner was pleasant throughout. This just wasn't the right fit for us, and I'd encourage them to stick with real photos for owner updates, even imperfect ones. Honest beats perfect every time. read more

Wouldn't recommend. Not a good neighbor in the community. You guys are amidst residential buildings and your staff continues to yell throughout the day (entering in and out of the yard). Can you find a better system of communication without disturbing us? Super obnoxious way to run a business. Stay away. read more

I was not informed that kennel cough was going around there kennel which is unprofessional and dangerous. When I was 1st showed the kennel area they never allowed me to fully enter the kennel which I should have taken as a red flag . Looking back on my tour of the kennel I should have pushed more to be able to walk through the kennel area but the staff insisted that disrupt the dogs who were already there . I allowed my dog to trial the facility and my dog now has kennel cough. After bringing this to there attention they then told me that there was a possibility that kennel cough or seasonal allergies were going around . Why would any place take in dogs if they knew that kennel cough was going around, I would have never allowed my dog to be there . I questioned them about having a separate area for sick dogs and they left me with no answer. I now have to spend more money to bring my dog to the Vet . They didn't even offer to pay for the Vet visit. This is highly unprofessional and is putting dogs at risk of getting sick. I wish I could go back in time and look for a different facility which actually cares for the safety and well-being of the dogs in there care . I would never recommend Instinct Dog Training to any dog owner safety and protecting the dogs health should be a #1 priority but it seems that all they care about is money and not the welfare and well-being of the dogs . read more

I highly recommend working with the team at Instinct. Our dog Shortstop struggles with leash reactivity, but we've seen major improvements since completing a recent board-and-train camp. Our trainer Casey is incredible. She set realistic goals and built a great relationship with our dog. She taught us techniques that work and she continues to be a valuable resource. We could tell the entire staff helped build a comfortable training environment, and they kept us well informed about Shorty's experience and progress during camp. We will continue working with Instinct for follow-up lessons, and we are very grateful to the whole team for helping us give Shorty a better life. read more

Instinct Dog Behavior & Training - Shorty at camp. - Pet Training Near Me - New York, New York

My whole family is so grateful to Instinct - Momo the dog included! To date we have used Instinct for special needs boarding, though we are planning on signing Momo up for classes soon. We've been boarding our dear, crazy dog intermittently over the last two months, while my husband recovers from an emergency surgery. The kindness and breadth of dog knowledge that all the Instinct specialists possess has been so reassuring during this very crazy time! We are lucky to live in the neighborhood, and Momo now insists in walking by the Instinct fence on all her walks because she loves the place so much! read more

Instinct Dog Behavior & Training - Mo and my daughter in the park. You can probably tell why we are looking into lessons! - Pet Training Near Me - New York, New York

I am extremely happy with our experience at Instinct and our trainer Amber. My dog Lily was having some trouble with fear and anxiety and I definitely needed help. After six classes, Lily is in a much better place and now can handle scary situations much better. She even passed the Canine Good Citizen test this week and is on her way to be a therapy dog. read more

Instinct Dog Behavior & Training - Miss Lily Rose - Pet Training Near Me - New York, New York

When my dog showed up at Instinct, his disdain for scooters, skateboards, and rollerblades had become basically a religious fervor--he would just wig out at the sight of them. Needless to say, not a good look. We needed help. Fast forward and I now have a dog who barely notices scooters, does nothing more than raise an eyebrow at skateboards, and makes sassy "1993 called" comments to rollerbladers instead of an explosion of barks. Thanks a million to Casey K. and the rest of the team at Instinct. All of our lives are vastly improved. read more

I love the experience from consult to scheduling, from drop-off to pick-up!!! We had our consult with Maggie. She was very knowledgable when evaluating Leo's behavior. When booking our 2 weeks training camp for Leo, we were very well informed! Casey was Leo's primary trainer for his camp and I can't thank her enough for being so patient with Leo. We were able to book a mid-way lesson with her before we left for our one week vacation. We were very comfortable with how Casey and the rest of the Canine care team bond with Leo. Throughout his 2 weeks stay, frequent updates, photos, and videos were uploaded to keep us from missing our boy too much. He went home very happy, he even got a new ball to take home!!! When we were away, I really missed Leo! But knowing that we have such a reliable team to take care of Leo while we're gone, there is no better feeling!! Thank you, Casey and Instinct Canine Care Team. You guys are the best! read more

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I can't say enough good things about Instinct and the trainer I worked with, Brian! In short, he changed my life and my relationship to my dog, Ginger. Frankly, my first thought was, "Is it going to worth the money?." Answer is it was the best money I ever spent. The main thing to know is that at Instinct it is not a one-off appointment. They provide you with training and support well past your initial session (for no extra charge). I've had dogs all my life but when Ginger started to refuse to be leashed up to go out and did not fit the profile of a dog afraid of the outdoors, I knew there was something else going on. On the Trello website they provide for you after your appointment, I posted each day with an update on Ginger's progress or lack there of. Brian responded promptly each day with thoughtful questions, insights and recommendations. He walked me through various possible issues and potential solutions until we got it right. With Brian's patience, expertise and generosity of time, we were able to determine the issue behind Ginger's reluctance to being leashed. read more

I don't have enough good things to say about Instinct! I must have researched over 100 places to board + train our Loki while we were out of the country for almost 2 weeks. It was the first time we were going to leave him and we were so nervous, but this is truly a rare establishment. Your pup is not only under the care of professional trainers and behaviorists, but EVERYONE we came into contact with cared about us and the care our pup received. Client services coordinator Dayvonne is an absolute gem! He went above and beyond in communicating with me before and during Loki's stay. He did a lot to ensure we were accommodated during their busiest time of year. Kelley, Loki's trainer, is amazing as well. Loki had no leash skills, and after working with him, he has improved vastly. He is a work in progress, but we no longer dread taking him outside! She updated us every few days with videos and pictures telling us what they were working on and how they were doing it. She still stays in touch and inquires about his progress! They also send camper reports every few days with updates and pictures on how Loki was doing, and he always looked SO happy. We could tell he was having fun and really had peace of mind during our time away. We're so grateful to have found an establishment that cares for our boy the way we do! read more

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Instinct was the best decision we ever made for our dog Benny! We came to Instinct after it was recommended to us from someone who works with the rescue that we got Benny from. Benny is dog reactive and has stranger danger. These two things combined have been a challenge for us. Benny attended a 4 week board and training camp with Jackie. The progress he has made in the last 6 months is monumental. Jackie is extremely patient and knowledgeable. She provides support and feedback in sessions in detail, which is helpful for us when we are at home practicing. In addition to follow up in studio classes Instinct offers alumni classes, which are amazing! It is a great opportunity to practice our training or "homework" as I call it in a structured environment. We have now started to use Instinct to board Benny while we are away because of the relationships he has built with the care takers and trainers there. That is something I value and appreciate the most about Instinct. The people there ACTUALLY care and you can tell. I am looking forward to continuing our training here with Jackie! read more

okay so let me start this off as correct as possible i have a baby cava Poo that as of his last 2 emergency vet visits caused by this training agency my girlfriend and i were recommended to companion pet hospital right in Kent NY, we love this vet they have shown us nothing but pure love we go in for his last check up and realized there was puppy training and socialization. we thought to give it a try at first glance its awesome then we went in for our session entering the training facility the trainer asked "is your dog's stomach sensitive to treats "we followed up by saying no he is not. The training session begins and ends and at the end I realize the whole bag of treats we were informed bring that was [16oz] was fully eaten that followed up with myself and my girlfriend to have to take off of work for the next [4] days due to my dog's stomach being filled to compacity due to all of that i am officially $588 given to the vet .he had excessive Dharia and vomiting they are trying to allege that its due to simperica trio which is a heart worm medication that he is on his second cycle of upon calling to rectify the situation everything was followed with the nastiest attitude i would never recommend them to anyone that is seeking dog training read more

My eight month-old puppy Luna is the sweetest dog but she's had trouble with house training and distraction while on leash. I brought her to Instinct for a two week board and train with Maggie and while I know they couldn't fix the house training as that's tough to do from outside our home, Luna returned a much easier dog to walk and a gem to manage on our walks. A couple weeks after Luna got home I had a complementary at home training session with Maggie and knowing herself just how tough Luna was with potty training, she gave me some really good tips. It has still been a struggle, a month later, and Maggie is still checking in on us, multiple times a week and guiding me through various plans to help Luna finally get over her anxiety/distractions to go potty outside. It's a work in progress but I couldn't be happier to feel like Maggie and the rest of the Instinct team is really on my side and there when I need them. read more

Instinct Dog Behavior & Training - Luna having a blast at during her board and train at Instinct. - Pet Training Near Me - New York, New York

I found Instinct after searching for a positive reinforcement training program. From my very first call with Instinct, the entire staff has been nothing short of wonderful. As my fiancé and I were going to be traveling, we were looking for someone to care for our 5 year old Shiba Inu, Saki, while we were away. We set up a "meet and greet" as a first step. When we arrived at the gated in facility, we met with Maggie. Saki had been showing some leash aggression, barking and lunging towards other dogs, and Maggie was immediately able to asses her behavior and suggest a training program. She suggested a board and train program for Saki. Maggie was very kind and knowledgeable, making it an easy decision to sign Saki up to stay for a week at Instinct East Harlem. Maggie was not available for the week Saki would be boarding so Saki would be working with another trainer, Casey. Since Saki had never been to a boarding facility, I had her sign up for a trial day to make her more comfortable with the environment and schedule (Instinct has a full schedule for the pups during boarding). The staff was always very helpful and all seem to love dogs which made it easier to leave Saki for a week of boarding and training. We anxiously awaited our "camper updates" and loved seeing that our girl was having a great time. Casey was absolutely phenomenal and blew away our expectations! She had sent us very detailed updates on Saki's training and progress, including pictures and videos. Saki's behavior has dramatically improved since we've picked her up 3 weeks ago. A massive thank you to everyone at Instinct! We could not be happier! read more

We had such a positive experience using Instinct's board + train program! We sent our dog, Melly, to Instinct to work on her leash reactivity around other dogs - typically, we couldn't pass other dogs on the sidewalk without her barking and walks had become a really stressful/almost embarrassing experience. We worked with Maggie and we were so thrilled with the results. We know that Mel is always going to be a little nervous around strange dogs, but Instinct gave her the tools to feel more confident and to learn how to trust that we, as her handlers, would get her out of any unsafe or scary situations. Maggie also gave us several lessons so that we also felt comfortable employing the training methods so that we could upkeep everything at home. Mel did so well that they recommended that she come home a few days early and she came home a happier, more confident dog with far better leash manners! Now, we can pass dogs on the street without barking / lunging and know how to "reset" when Mel gets too keyed up. While it's obviously not a cheap service, we felt like the cost was very reasonable for what we were getting and the results were worth every penny. We initially found Instinct from all of the great reviews, but we ultimately chose to proceed with Instinct because we immediately felt like our sweet pup would be in an environment where she'd be loved and given lots of positive reinforcement throughout her training (we had been really leery about some of the e-collar training facilities, despite the results). They also posted regular pupdates , pictures, and videos, which were sooooo appreciated since we were missing our pup! Thank you Maggie and the team at Instinct! read more

I can't say enough good things about Instinct. Jessica is truly a dog whisperer - her intuition and advice has and continues to be invaluable. Plus, she is fun! We've been doing the training via Facetime, and it is going very well. My dog is a different "person"! I am so so happy I found Instinct and Jessica. read more

Our dog, Norbert, really puts the TERROR in terrier. He is about 1.5 years old, and, for the last six months or so, started to get very leash reactive. He was fine at home with our older dog, fine off leash in all settings, and has never tried to hurt any people or dogs. Walking down the street, however, was a total horror show; Norbert would rage and bark and snarl at every dog on the street, completely losing his mind. I read every positive training guide I could find and watched hours of training videos. Sometimes, it felt like we were making progress, but mostly, my husband and I spent walks consumed with anxiety and embarrassment. We avoided the park and walked along sad warehouse streets hoping we wouldn't run into another dog. Norbert came home from his 1-week board-and-train completely transformed. His scrappy, happy personality was unchanged, but it felt like we finally knew how to talk to each other. Norbert worked with Kate; she's such a patient, compassionate teacher who genuinely seemed to love him and GET him. Like, yes, Norbert is a bolt of lightning, but is also sweet and goofy and clever. Kate never blamed him (or us) for his behavior, and instead embraced his personality and treated the leash reactivity as a confidence issue. We got a training video where Norbert was working on ignoring other dogs by finding pieces of turkey in a ball pit, which is both hilarious and wonderful. The Canine Care team was also great. From their updates, we could tell that Norbert got a good mix of individual attention and group play time. They accommodated his home-cooked diet, and sent some amazing pictures of him playing his face off. During his week-long camp, Norbert learned to walk on a head collar and a martingale collar. Our training materials focus on assessing the "level" of the approaching dog, and choosing one of 3-4 strategies for dealing with the situation. There are clear diagrams with instructions on when to click and reward -- two weeks out, I haven't had any issues keeping up with the foundation Kate set up for us. The first night back from camp, we walked through the park for the first time in months. We passed two dogs off leash, a few on leash, and a dog tied up outside a store; I got super emotional because it felt so great to enjoy hanging out, rather than being defensive and scared. A few weeks ago, we couldn't even make it up the block without a meltdown, but now I can't wait to spend a joyful summer taking long walks. Working with Instinct was such a worthwhile and fulfilling experience. read more

Instinct Dog Behavior & Training - A picture sent by the Canine Care team of Norbert during playtime. - Pet Training Near Me - New York, New York

I very much regret spending multiple thousands of dollars to have our two dogs undergo a month-long "board and train program" that did very little to address their specific behavioral issues, and which was concluded with Instinct suggesting that we "try Prozac" (for the dogs, not me). That in my opinion is as good of an admission of lack of professional skill as you can find. These are not killers, after all, just persistent barkers. One of the reasons we chose to built this (extremely costly) relationship was the prospect that our dogs, as graduates, could board at the facility in the future but in the four years since we have never been able to get spots when we needed them. This was a total hoax. Don't fall for the flim flam story. read more

I adopted my dog Luna in early November. We did some in home lessons with Jessica to work on some basic commands and manners. Luna has a ton of energy and I needed help to make sure she was ready to meet others! Jessica was amazing and helped us with the basics, but recommended Instinct's Board and Train program for Luna to work with her reactivity with other dogs. I was traveling and overlapped the Board and Train with my time away. At Board and Train, Luna worked with Suze, a Jedi master of trainers! Suze was patient and kind and searched for what worked for Luna. She worked with other trainers and tried so many different things to finally find something that worked for Luna's training. Was the program expensive? Yes. Was it worth it? ABSOLUTELY! Instinct cares about the dogs they work with and even extended my camp by a week free of charge because Luna needed more time to complete her studies. I am so happy I invested in Luna and everyone at Instinct- she is a calmer and happier dog and I am so, so pleased with the results. If you are questioning it, just go. You won't be dissapointed!! THANK YOU INSTINCT! :) read more

We spoke with Jessica. She was very honest and helpful and had some great suggestions.

I made an appointment with Sara scheduled for the day my family moved into NYC from NJ this past summer. It probably seems like the worst idea but I desperately needed to figure out how to get my dog-aggressive pit mix able to walk around the city since in NJ she had a huge backyard to do her business in. Over the phone Sara seemed pleasant and even worked with me about the scheduling times, great, right? Upon meeting it was a completely different vibe, she came across very standoffish. My dog became too scared to jump out of my parents' vehicle, this being her first time in it, I was very flustered trying to figure out how to get her out-not even a finger was lifted to help me. Sara asked me if my dog bit and I assured her no but still not even verbal advice was given, I understand her not helping because she's not sure of my dog's temperament but to not even say anything? I mean, she's a dog trainer-she has to have a tip, right? Nope, just blank staring. All through the consultation she was brisk and pushed the Gentle Leader as a training tactic, even though I told her my dog liked to stop walking when on it. The one thing she was kind about was sending me a bill that I could pay through Paypal the following day, with no follow-up email about my dog's behavior. This was in July '11 and I've never received a word. I'm not sure if she felt I couldn't afford her services, which I can, or if my dog was a hopeless case (turns out she wasn't) but it left me feeling very hopeless at the time. I scrambled that whole week to find a reputable trainer so I wouldn't have to put my dog back in a shelter and I did, thankfully with Wag the Dog. read more

We couldn't recommend Instinct more. We've done private lessons at home with Sarah Dixon for our pup, Bruce, for his leash reactivity with people. Working with Sarah over the last couple months has made a huge difference - before these lessons, Bruce had one reaction per day on average and now he has one per everyone 1-2 weeks! She taught us simple, positive tools to help Bruce learn to focus on us on walks and reduce his reactions to strangers on our block. Not to mention, Bruce absolutely loves Sarah. On top of that, we recently boarded Bruce at Instinct through their alumni boarding offering and can't imagine boarding him anywhere else when we're out of town moving forward. We only boarded Bruce once before at a popular facility out of the city and it didn't go well - he was overwhelmed by the number of dogs and came home having lost weight/anxious/unable to keep food down. Not to mention that we got no updates/indication from the boarding facility that he wasn't doing well. We had the polar opposite experience with Instinct. The combo of the structure, the people, and approach to socializing the pups made all the difference in the world. Bruce came home happy and healthy. While the price is definitely a bit more than other trainers/facilities, it has been completely worth it given the quality of training and care they provide. You can't go wrong with them. Five stars all around! read more

I don't think I can put the level of satisfaction and thankfulness I have for Brian (and Sarah) into words but I will try my best. (Sorry for the long review) A short back story- My wife and I adopted our 4 year old Chihuahua mix, Sergeant, when he was a puppy. Around age 1 he began demonstrating signs of aggression toward strangers and dogs he didn't know (barking and lunging). We were able to tolerate this behavior and manage it to a small extent. But over the course of the last 3 years his behaviors became more severe (snapping and even biting). We referred to two different "Fly by night" trainers that should not have been allowed to call themselves trainers. They were scared of Sergeant, they had no authority, implemented training interventions that, in some cases, caused our dog to become even more aggressive and did us no good. We were defeated. After we had our baby in 2010 Sergeant got worse and became aggressive toward our daughter. We were at our end. We came to the point where we needed to either find a good trainer or give our little Sergeant up for adoption and re-homing. So we decided to try training again as one last resort. While searching for a trainer online I ran across Instinct Dog Training. I watched the demo video showing Brian and his work with his rehabilitated rat terrier, Sammy. While watching what Brian had accomplished with Sammy I began to cry. I asked myself "Could my Sergeant really be that good?" I needed to find out so we met with Brian for a consult and ended up booking him as our trainer that very day! We determined that the 2 week intensive training program was going to work best for Sergeant. So Brian began working with him for a few hours every day (M-F) for two weeks. Brian used this time to build a relationship with Sergeant and to train him in daily obedience (Proper sits, downs, stays, heals and more). Following the two weeks we had follow up sessions where Brian transferred the training commands to my wife and I. It has been 17 weeks since we started work with Brian and Sergeant is a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DOG! Immediately following the two weeks with Brian, Sergeant was able to sit, lay down, heal and stay on command. All of these commands were taught with an implied stay, so he wouldn't move until we released him. He was also significantly less reactive/aggressive to other dogs and people. This foundation of obedience was the corner stone of training and everything else has followed it. The most important things we wanted to address in Sergeant's training was his fear, anxiety and aggression. He was miserable and overwhelmed by anxiety. We wanted little more than for him to be comfortable and confident. Brian was able to empower us and Sergeant to attain both of these things. Brian (and Sarah) are competent, educated, confident, ethical and capable trainers. They understand what it takes to train your dog. That it's not simply about commanding obedience, it's about developing a relationship and line of communication with your dog. Brian (and Sarah) provided us with the tools and maps to get to where we wanted to go with Sergeant and have supported us the entire way. But it has been up to us to utilize what they provided us with. We maintain his training DAILY on walks and also participate in weekly group training at the new Instinct Dog Training Studio. One thing you need to consider before committing to training with Instinct: Don't ask yourself how trainable your dog is, ask how willing YOU are to be empowered to train and to maintain training. We love you Brian and Sarah, You have truly changed our lives. read more

Instinct Dog Training proved wonderful for our leash-lunger rescue dog (terrier and larger breed mix). We live in a Brooklyn neighborhood filled with rescue dogs and their casual owners who demonstrate varying degrees of attention and too-slack of leashes. Walking our dog became a nightmare as we aimed to navigate streets with dogs popping out of every corner. Our girl would lunge and growl at the others who either initiated or responded in the same manner. At wit's end, we researched dog training and came upon the well-reviewed Instinct. After a really enlightening evaluation (turns out our girl was anxious about rather than aggressive to other dogs), and ensuing boarding and final follow-ups, Instinct has proven, friendly, professional, responsive, and EFFECTIVE throughout. The trainer who worked with our dog is Jacqueline. Ours is big strong dog and Jacqueline a petite young woman. We were initially concerned about Jacqueline being able to handle her should a fight erupt. Our worries were quickly put to bed when we observed the two together - Jacqueline was in charge. Long story short (but relatively quick training period), we have a much better-behaved dog who we will much more able to control on these wild streets. HIGHLY recommend both Jacqueline and Instinct. It really works and can save your relationship with your beloved hound. read more

We adopted our mutt Vinny at a very rambunctious, uncontrollable year and a half old. He was absolutely unmanageable, and we needed help fast! So we put him in the board and train program. Vinny stayed with Sarah and we got to visit him, and had sessions to learn everything that Vinny knew. When he came home he was a different pup! That's not to say there wasn't lots of hard work with him after, and we are continuing his training even a year later, but Sarah helped us on a crucial step in his rehabilitation. read more

Instinct Dog Behavior & Training - Pet Training Near Me - New York, New York

We absolutely love these people. We adopted an adorable pocket pit, and unfortunately the behavior profile we were given on her was really inaccurate. She was supposed to be a dog with no problems:) well she came to us with intense anxiety issues and higher than normal prey drive. Over 3 months we watched her unravel to develop guarding of us, reactivity to other dogs, stress peeing, and a host of undesirable traits that were not compatible with apartment life. We sent her for a two week camp, desperate and concerned we had no choice but to return her, because at that point it was escalating beyond our management skills. We could not take the elevator for fear of seeing another dog when the doors opened. Not only did our dog clearly love it there, but she came back with the foundations that we needed. She now has very well mannered leash skills, when she does get upset she refers to us for comfort and to define her behavior, rather than defending us, the squirrels no longer cause melt downs, and the training has given her a sense of security that has helped the other issues as well. We ALSO committed to working with her intensively for the months following her stay...but the results are phenomenal. She is not perfect, but she is perfect for us now;) with consistency she will continue to get better. I would highly suggest if you have a dog your ready to give up on, or you just feel needs basic manners, to reach out. It's the best money we have spent. read more

Instinct Dog Behavior & Training - The white one is her;) - Pet Training Near Me - New York, New York

Before Sarah & Brian, our sheltie-mix Molly was, by no exaggeration, a menace to our neighborhood. Every walk with her was a nightmare- she would pull us, lunge at birds & cars, and worst of all, lunge and bark aggressively at every dog we passed. On walks, dog owners would try to cross the street at the sight of her. Others noted they could recognize her barking from 10 stories up in their apartment! Beyond that, there were many situations that bordered on dangerous, and we feared that we or our puppy would end up hurt or worse. We had tried other training methods, but there are only so many treats you can pump into a 15 lb puppy! We decided it was time to get serious with the training or Molly would not be able to live in this city permanently. Based on Yelp reviews, we gave Sarah & Brian a call. We set up a consult meeting and met Sammy, a formerly aggressive dog, who is now one of their helper dogs. Sarah & Brian really didn't need to say anything during our meeting, because watching Sammy's behavior was all we needed to be convinced these were the trainers for us. Sarah did an intensive 2 week in-home training program with Molly. We then joined them in several lessons to learn all of the handling. The results have blown us away. Even more telling, people in our neighborhood who we have never formally met before now come up to us and comment on what an amazing transformation she's had and how well behaved she is! We now participate in their free Saturday morning classes and their advanced training classes, hoping that someday Molly will compete in some AKC rally competitions. We love our dog so much. But now we love walking her, challenging her with the advanced training and agility, and watching how proud she is of herself when she makes good decisions in tough city situations. read more

Instinct is great. Our terrier has had a lot of issues on the leash and with strangers in our home. They worked with him and now he is a lot better both inside and out. He went from a dog who loses total focus when outside, wanting to go in all directions and be aggressive to other dogs - to a dog who listens, pays attention to us when we walk him, and knows to sit when things get stressful. Instinct trained him to respond to a clicker, which has been a real game changer. He still has some issues, but now that we have a way to communicate clearly with him, and knowing we can email Instinct anytime with questions, we are much calmer on walks and at home. read more

Before working with Sarah at Instinct, I had worked with two other trainers, both of whom I loved (see other yelp reviews). But I think different trainers can fufill different needs, and Sarah is what my dog Pennie needed when she began to show aggression toward humans that wasn't completely motivated by fear. Rather than working on traditional training methods (such as counter-conditioning with strangers, which Pennie had done to exhuastion), Sarah showed us methods that would help Pennie specifically (how to relax, how to be less frustrated without going past threshold). Not only did Sarah use specific methods, she was also SO good at reading Pennie and her behavior. Plus, she was always honest about what to expect from Pennie and her assessment about Pennie. Not only is Sarah a great trainer, she is so generous with her time and advice. She took time out of her schedule to call me and email me about Pennie. Even after Pennie and I moved to LA, she still was willing to help me out and discuss some of Pennie's behavior after the trip. Pennie and I were only able to see Sarah for a handful of sessions (due to our move), and I'm so sad we can't continue with her. Pennie is definitely a dog who needs long-term/lifetime training, and we would have loved to continue with Sarah. read more

Sarah and Brian are -- in the true sense of the word -- lifesavers. They have been instrumental in giving my foster dog a chance to have a successful life, and have done more for him than possibly anyone ever has. A no-kill, municipal shelter that I volunteer with begged me to foster a Akita/Poodle/Chow Chow/Pit who'd been there a year, because he was so full of barking, jumping, pulling adolescent energy that the staff and volunteers couldn't handle him, the trainer couldn't affect him, and potential adopters were turned off to him. When I brought him home, he calmed down immensely and his true personality (clever, loves learning, silly, cuddly) and some behavioral challenges (leash pulling, prey drive w squirrels and small dogs, weary with strangers) surfaced. I called just about every trainer in the city, and couldn't find many who had proven experience with aggression and a holistic philosophy. When I spoke with Instinct, however, it was obvious we were on the same page and they had a higher level of inquisition that others. After one lesson and some practice on my end, no more leash pulling, little dog lunging, or squirrel acrobatics. Within 5 weeks, Sarah & Brian helped my foster conquer obedience to the level of passing the AKC Good Citizen test! read more

Almost 5 years later! My pup and I lacked some discipline and needed a refresher, plus some fear aggression issues had arisen. I knew exactly where to go. Brian and Sarah have expanded their operation and their knowledge base. They are also lovely folks. Nothing but good things to say. read more

Sarah and Brian are amazing. Our pit bull rescue (Rigby, adopted from Animal Care & Control in January 2011) had a terrible leash-biting & tug-of-war habit, which made it nearly impossible to walk him. Sarah and Brian showed us some quick-fix tricks, then their obedience program totally worked, and made walking Rigby much easier. I won't claim that Rigby is now 100% obedient, but he is a million times better than when we first got him. Also, Instinct's Saturday morning group training sessions for "alumni" are a great benefit for past clients. read more

Instinct is a top-tier organization that builds genuine, supportive relationships with their clients and pets to improve everyone's wellbeing. Our trainer, Michelle, has been incredible, providing us with detailed reports of her work with our pup, Romeo, including the rationale for each activity. I literally cried reading the "report cards" each week, as they were so adorable and showed incredibe behavioral progress! Every single employee is heartfelt and kind and goes above and beyond to ensure a phenomenal experience for all involved. I cannot thank Michelle, Sarah, Sam, and the entire Instinct team enough. Highly, HIGHLY recommend! read more

Unfortunately I never got the chance to use their services because the initial service was not professional. On June 20th, I called them to get more information because my dog's behavior needs to be fixed ASAP as I just had a baby and he is starting to bite us when we try to leave. I was advised to pay $25 for a FREE phone call "meet & greet" (confusing, I know). But I guess it's to ensure that I will not be wasting their time and will answer the phone. However, it was the other way around because no one called me and also didn't answer my phone call when I called them. The appointment was set up for, June 21st at 1pm. I received an email stating that "Maggie" would call me. When I didn't get the 1pm call, I waited until 3pm & called them. There was no answer so I left a voicemail to call me. No one called me back. But I received an email for a "post-consult check in" (which never happened). I gave them another day to call me back, nothing. So I called the next day & Maggie answered. I told her that I haven't received my call but she went ahead and spoke to me on the spot about my dog. We spoke for about 20 mins. At this point I didn't care about what previously happened, I just need help for my dog ASAP. Phone call went well & we even discussed pricing. we spoke about an animal behaviorist that she recommends and she said she would send me the price guide and animal behaviorist contact info in email as soon as we hang up. We confirmed my email and guess what? I still haven't heard back or gotten that email. At this point I'm over it. Their pricing is kind of high but worth if it works and you really need it. However, with that pricing we should also include follow up and follow through professionalism. read more

Wonderful dog trainers! Our rescue pit bull Fonzie was a total nightmare to walk. He pulled us down the street, lunging at other dogs and joggers and made us dread taking him outside. We tried obedience classes and read several books but nothing worked until we found Sarah and Brian. We opted for a 2-week program where Sarah came to our apartment everyday and worked with Fonzie for 2 weeks. After this we learned how to use the obedience she taught him. We saw immediate results after the training and he is now a dream to walk! Fonzie is relaxed and happy on his walks and walks easily past dogs without pulling. The training is very positive so we never have to yell or get upset with Fonzie and he is happy to obey. You will not regret the investment in Instinct training! read more

This place really takes time to assess your dog. I've taken my puppy to different schools already and none took time with my puppy. The reason why that's is important is because I've already trained my dog so many tricks and skills. I'd like to think my puppy is pretty obedient. As a first time dog owner, I'm not really sure if I'm on the right track in regards to training etc. They didn't pressure me on getting irrelevant packages. They thought I was doing a good job. I told them I wanted more of a proper treatment. Perhaps I'm expecting too high of a little toy dog to be an obedient full breed large poodle, nevertheless, they didn't pressure me. I've been to other places, and have found "treats" on the floor for my pup. This place was clean. I didn't find any extra treats besides the ones they offer for humans to pick it up on the table for their babies. As a mom, I'm constantly worried about little crumbs or little pebbles that could make my pup sick (didn't find any). I really like their training area. It has a simulation of a living room. This place seemed great for small dogs and big dogs! I also like the fact they only board dogs they've trained. It may seem costly but you know the standards on each dog. read more

I sent my puppy to stay with Instinct for a week and the experience was amazing from the moment we walked thru the door to now the post-visit follow ups. Eddie's much better behaved, knows a lot of commands, and overall is much easier to manage. Devi and the care team were so great with him and their updates were frequent and fun to read. Well worth the money, I highly recommend them. read more

If I were to rate instinct on the establishment's cleanliness, the staff being friendly and caring for my dog outside of the training, I would give it a 5. If you are just boarding your dog, I would recommend instinct. But my rating is purely based on my experience, for behavior training. I chose the board and train, the "training" that my dog received. My dog is a rescue, 3 years old. He's a super sweet dog and has no issues in the home or off leash, but he has always been leash aggressive and lunges/growls/tries to attack every dog we see on walks. As a little bit of background info- I did puppy training with him, took him to private lessons, and he still showed no improvement. I finally reached the point where I knew he was either going to hurt someone or hurt himself and after much deliberation and looking and comparing trainers, I signed him up for the 3 week board and train. I did the consultation with Brian and had read all the reviews and while I was definitely nervous about the entire thing, I felt like it was going to be the best thing for my dog. It was honestly really expensive and as a grad student, it was definitely not something I went into lightly. I was assured that if they didn't think they would be able to help my dog, they wouldn't continue with him in the program. They did recommend that I put my dog on Prozac before starting the training. I've had the recommendation before, and didn't want to put my dog through the medication. I hoped that he would Better with training instead. My trainer was Sarah Dixon. After a week, I was told that he wasn't improving enough and strongly recommended medication. After the medication set in took my dog back, and he was there for two weeks. (I will say that they offered to keep my dog for an extra two weeks considering that my elevator was broken and the dogs in my building would be an extra trigger) but again, their generosity/care is without question. that makes 5 weeks that my dog was in training. FIVE. That's one week longer than the longest training package they offer. I absolutely can say he is only a little better today because of the medication he is on, that does bring his energy level down. I still cannot pass a dog on the street without an absolute meltdown and really feel like I manage my dog better than I saw them handle him. I had expressed my concern about how he wasn't getting better, and I was told each time that he was good with them and was really improving, but not with me. As if I was not doing what I was told to do. I understand my dog is more protective with me but he does what he does no matter who walks him. I have friends who watch him when I'm gone and it's the same thing. The fact that he miraculously was back to his old ways when I would do lessons paired with the fact that Several times the trainer would just jerk my dogs muzzle to the point of him literally crying out in pain and when I clearly was shocked she said that "that's just how he has to be handled because he won't listen" I don't feel like my dog got a single thing from the training. I was told in the beginning that he would learn leash handling, that he would be able to heel and to understand how to walk Better. He would be more manageable. Then as time went on "he just needs to focus on passing dogs" So I really didn't understand what he was being taught. I also went to several training sessions where I was told that my dog hadn't had a lesson in days from the trainer being off or for whatever reason and I found that extremely bothersome. It wasn't supposed to be that way. I did continued lessons after his board and train and after a few lessons of being told it was more on me than what they were doing I just stopped going. I cannot express how disheartening it was. Seeing that the most he was getting from the lesson was treats and the long walk over to the training center. It's been confusing for me, as I've thought of writing this review for a while, but after an episode today where my dog literally bit me after I tried calming him while passing a dog, I felt it was time to express my concerns and give honest feedback so that someone like me may benefit who's looking into getting help from instinct with a dog like mine. I don't feel like my dogs best interest was taken into consideration and I don't feel like the trainers here were equipped with the knowledge/ability/motivation to help my dog. I feel like I was extremely vulnerable in taking my dog here and was led to believe that if they couldn't help my dog I would be told. They led me to believe my money nor time would be wasted. I write this review because I hope no one has to go through what I've had to. To come out of this process broken-hearted after spending almost 3,000 dollars with extremely high hopes only to walk out with the exact same issues I came to instinct to fix. read more

We trusted Maggie at Instinct to raise our new puppy Panda (4 mo old) for two weeks. When Panda went to Instinct, she was not walking on a leash, was not housebroken, and hardly knew her name. When she came home from Instinct, she was a leash-walking pro, knew her name, knew all basic commands, was well on her way to being housebroken, and was much more social and confident. Maggie did an amazing job with Panda. She emailed at least every other day with a long summary of training as well as videos and pictures. And, we're a few weeks post training and Maggie follows up regularly and even invited us back to Instinct for a complimentary additional training. We couldn't have asked for a better experience, are thrilled with the service, and highly recommend Instinct! read more

Instinct is really a great dog training place. We have a four month old Finnish spitz who just needs to focus on basic puppy training. We have been coming here for the free puppy playgroups on Sunday evening and for one on one classes. They have both given us many things to practice with our puppy at home. The best part has been the opportunity for our puppy to socialize with other puppies. They focus on positive training and give great advice on how to adjust training. They also offer puppy training camps for those who want to send their puppy to live with the trainers to learn the basics. We will see everyone at the next playgroup! Register early for them! read more