Instinct Dog Behavior & Training LLC

Our experience with maggie was excellent. Bowie came home a very well trained dog, and to this day, we couldnt be happier with his behavior and the progress he is making. I strongly recommend Instinct Dog Behavior and Training to anyone looking for a great training program for their puppy. Also, I strongly believe that sending Bowie to training in NYC was key becuase learning to walk on busy sidewalks and deal with noise wouldnt have been possible if we sent him to someone in the country.

We love instinct! We have had such a great experience with Sarah Dixon for at home training. We also just had an amazing experience boarding our two dogs at Instinct- they had an awesome time and the camper updates are the absolute best! Our dogs are really homebodies so Instinct did an incredible job with them and making them feel comfortable! 10/10 for Instinct!

We first sent our girl Mica to Instinct for a one week board and train, while we were in Mexico for our wedding. She’s a rescue, shy, an incredible love bug but - anxious, high octane and the awful humans we rescued her from didn’t exactly do any work with her or socialize her. I had met a “balanced trainer” before instinct, and not only did he want to use aversives, but he basically wanted to scare her into being a “better dog.” No thank you. Our meet and greet at instinct assuaged all the fears the previous trainer had brought up in me. There really is something to be said for positive reinforcement training. I could leave my sweet Mica, knowing that the people caring for her would intelligently choose different tactics to get desired behaviors. And just this past week, we had a family emergency and had to find boarding last minute for our girl. I’ve read so many horror stories about boarding places, where biases against pit bull breeds and untrained staff end up hurting your animals that it was a relief to know Instinct was there for us. We emailed them at 7am, got a prompt response, and dropped off our dog that day. Mica actually pulled to the training facilities she was so excited! Afterward, we got a report card and photos! So wonderful:) Ps- I think it’s important for everyone considering this place to read up on positive reinforcement and to also be realistic about what’s possible during the length of your board and train. This includes looking at your breed, and how ingrained their behaviors are. Expecting your dogs to come back out magically changed is not only unrealistic, but also unfair to your animal...

My dog, Max, is a young Jack Russell mix and FULL of energy. I was able to train him on some things, but he had EXTREME reactions to skateboards, Rollerblades, and motorcycles. I could hang onto him because he's small, but he would completely freak out, and once he would hit that level, he stayed there. Because of his energy level, he requires a lot of exercise, and after two summers trying to deal with the issue myself, this year I decided to get professional help because I love walking with him, but I dreaded going out with him from March until winter. So I did a lot of research, talked to several trainers/training organizations, narrowed it down to two, then met with those two. I picked Instinct -- the NYC location -- and I opted to do their training camp program. Max was there for three weeks. They allow you to visit your dog on weekends, and they also provide training sessions for the dog's person. The also send two updates a week full of pictures, and the trainer sends updates with videos showing the actual training. When I showed those pictures and videos to people, the most common reactions was, "He looks so happy." You could just tell he was comfortable and well taken care of. Max is now home, and the difference is remarkable. He no longer even notices motorcycles. And instead of hitting a 10+ with his reaction to skateboarders and Rollerbladers -- and not coming down from that -- he has a mild reaction that I can stop in its tracks, and I'm able to bring him back down. I know that as time goes on, he will completely stop reacting. Plus, his behavior in general is much calmer. His primary trainer, Maggie Withum, is amazing. She is patient and loving, and she definitely knows what she's doing. And her patience extends to the dog's person -- my sessions with her and Max were invaluable. I wanted to be SURE Max didn't revert to his old habits once he got home, but I didn't know what to do. But after my three sessions with Maggie and Max while he was staying there, I'm now confident when Max and I go out. Also, I still get a couple more sessions at Instinct, AND I get one session with Maggie on Max's home turf. I would HIGHLY recommend both Instinct and Maggie.

Sarah was wonderful to work with and really helped us to understand our pup and his behavior/needs much better as well as equipping us with tools to manage unwanted behavior. She helped us with: basic command training, separation anxiety, leash manners, mastering the "stay" command when there are visitors, and aggressiveness towards children among other things. She gave us tools that we can use on ongoing basis and was really responsive and helpful through email as we got to know our dog better and new behaviors arose. I highly recommend working with her.

Instinct Dog Behavior & Training was exactly what we needed for our rescue dog! Our trainer Casey, specializing in leash reactivity (our pup's most pressing issue), helped us see humane and effective results from our very first consultation. She coached us in clicker training on everything from loose leash walking to dealing with potentially dangerous on-leash situations. It was an excellent bonus that Instinct provided 'bomb-proof' helper dogs during the sessions to address the problems head on. After each of our 4 meetings, we felt like we had clear ideas of how to work to improve our dog's behaviors. After finishing the package with Casey, and with continued daily reinforcements of her recommendations, we see ongoing improvements in our dog's behavior. We will definitely return for a brush up session on leash reactivity, to address any other unmanageable behaviors that may arise, or to visit the Canine Good Citizen Classes provided for Instinct graduates.

Sarah is a wonderful trainer, who was great with emails and checking up on our little guy. She helped us deal with his separation anxiety as well as many basic and advanced training techniques with our in house program. Highly recommend Sarah.

Sarah has been a huge help with our Klee Kai. She has given us consistent tools and tips to not only manage his anxieties but, more importantly, how to encourage him to relax and feel more comfortable when surrounded by so many people. He's back to being his playful, quirky self and a happy member of our family.