Instinct Dog Behavior & Training Portland

I contacted Instinct seeking help with my pup who has challenges with reactivity to people/dogs walking past the house and to dogs while we're on walks. I've had 2 in-home sessions with trainer Poppy and she's amazing. She's incredibly knowledgable and I appreciate how she breaks things down to explain how my dog understands what we're doing and why it works. Seeing the immediate differences in my dog's behavour has brought so much joy.

Claire Giesige was suggested by a previous in home trainer to see if we could work towards service or therapy dog work. If a dog trainer refers you to someone else, that’s a good sign that they know their stuff! I have learned so much about the benefits of dog training, especially positive reinforcement. Our bond has grown exponentially, and I can’t say enough how valuable dog training with Claire has been. I honestly was at such a loss with my girl as a puppy, and I can’t believe we have made it this far together. I love that she is so thorough with her follow-ups about what we worked on after a session. It’s easy to forget the details, so she uploads the app promptly with everything we worked on that day and what to do at home for the week. I can contact her with any questions or just to share little wins. If you are unsure if professional dog training is worth it, I can guarantee that you will find it as valuable as I do. I highly recommend Claire and Instinct, and am so grateful to have found her

Kirah Is amazing! Im new at fostering/ dog training with a golden retriever that had anxiety type issues and she has made both of us feel more confident. Not only teaches you and the dog valuable lessons, tips and tricks etc…but also gives you skills at reading your dog and others. Even let’s me ask follow up questions and advice based off my dogs actions or changes I see. Can’t thank her enough and stoked for the future!

We started working with Jennifer Malawey at Instinct Dog Behavior & Health in October 2024 when our puppy, Paxton, was just five months old. He had a rough start in life and came to us afraid of just about everything—walks, new people, new places, loud noises, and even being alone. Instinct connected us with Jennifer, a Fear Free Certified Trainer, and we couldn’t have asked for a better match. From day one, she helped us understand how to show Paxton that he is safe with us and taught us how to guide others to interact with him in ways that make him feel secure. Jennifer also encouraged me to “build a village” of support—dog walkers, trainers, neighbors, and kind members of the public who could help Paxton slowly gain confidence in the world around him. Her compassion, patience, and expertise have made such a difference in all of our lives. After many months of practice, love, and a lot of patience, we’re thrilled to say that Paxton is now a confident dog who loves exploring new places with his family and has even learned that staying home alone isn’t so bad after all. We are so grateful to Jennifer for helping us give Paxton the tools (and courage!) to thrive. Highly recommend to anyone looking for thoughtful, science-based, and truly compassionate training.

When we first started training, our Frenchie was difficult to manage and honestly a little scary at times. I was stressed and unsure how to handle him. After working with Kirah, the difference has been incredible. Not only is he so much better behaved both in our apartment and out on walks, but my husband and I now feel confident that we know what we’re doing in any situation. Kirah didn’t just train our dog, she trained us too. We’re so grateful for her patience, expertise, and all the guidance she’s given