Instinct Canine Holistic Behavioral Training

So grateful for Ben (and team!) at Instinct Canine! I got Rupert (2.5 mos) in January 2025 and as an American Bully, I knew I wanted to get him trained early to get ahead of any potential challenges - leash pulling, most specifically. Ben came for an in-home assessment and suggested we wait until Rupert was a month or two older and got us on his schedule for March of 2025. We noticed a difference almost immediately. Rupert was listening better, looking at us when we gave commands and he was finally a pleasure to take on a walk. We just completed a second 3-week course and Rupert is doing so well! There have been no zoomies on the couch and Rupert is able to walk by people and dogs without expecting attention (though I know he would welcome it given how social he is 😂). They provided transportation 4x a week and in-home sessions on Fridays, making it super convenient for my family. Ben is responsive when I have questions and takes his time to get to know not only the dogs he trains but their owners, as well. I can't recommend Instinct Canine highly enough! (Photo of Rupert included for proof of him staying on his "place" instead of wreaking havoc on my couch 😉)

We have a great dog but her recall outside the house was poor. She was distracted outside and also played a game of “catch me if you can!” She took various training courses but we as her owners just never really worked hard enough at the recall for it to stick. We had a couple of scary incidents where she escaped from us which made us very nervous to ever let her off leash except in a fully enclosed dog park. With Summer approaching and Zuma turning 4, we decided to give it another shot! We wanted her to be able to go off leash and to feel safe in other environments where she might get loose. The consistent training in Ben’s six week program really helped to instill good behavior and the recall that we were looking for. We were also nervous about how she would react to the ecollar but Ben ensured that he built up trust and good recall command before introducing it to her. She took to it very well. It was also great that Ben’s service picked her up and brought her home each day and we didn’t have to leave her someplace for the full training program which was typical of other dog training services. Zuma is doing great, her recall is excellent and the training has made a world of difference! Thanks Ben!!

Working with Ben was exactly what our family needed. When our dog turned three—shortly after I had my first child—she began to resource guard and became very reactive toward other dogs. She even crossed the line twice with our toddler, which was incredibly concerning. Rather than taking the extreme step of rehoming her, we decided to work with Ben and implement other safety measures to protect everyone and ensure our dog could still live a happy, fulfilling life. Ben was exceptional—not only with our dog, but with us as well. He truly understood what she needed, the pace at which she could be trained, and most importantly, how to build a foundation of trust with her. He never weaponized training tools; instead, he used them with intention and care. He also made sure we understood how to use them ourselves so we could continue the work at home. He helped us see the potential our dog had if we remained consistent with her training. She responded incredibly well, respected the process, and genuinely looked forward to it. Now it’s up to us to maintain that progress. I’m so grateful for Ben’s guidance and for equipping us with the tools to keep our pup—and everyone else—safe.