Instinct Dog Behavior & Training San Diego

Instinct Dog Behavior & Training San Diego Our certified behavior consultants & trainers help San Diego dogs and humans live happier lives together! We offer services for all dogs - puppy through adult.

Our personalized training programs and group classes cover all of your training needs.

12/19/2022

Classes for reactive dogs can be a super valuable and effective resource to help your pup make progress, so long as the class design is set up to help dogs and their humans succeed.

Here are a few important things to look for:
1. A class venue that provides ample space for all dogs to feel comfortable and be non-reactive.
2. Generally speaking, a good reactive dog class will have some sort of pre-requisite that participants have already worked on important foundation skills - things like leash walking, offered attention, engage-disengage games, and defensive handling skills.
3. A flexible, compassionate instructor who adapts exercises and activities for each dog-human team in the class, to ensure they always feel safe and secure

Check out a few of our Instinct San Diego alums doing amazing at our Alumni-only Group Walks, designed especially for reactive pups and their people.

12/12/2022

Coach Jess, one of our fantastic certified behavior consultants, shares one of her favorite, simple hacks for chopping lots of treats quickly: a veggie chopper!

What’s your favorite way to make treat prep quick and practical for you and your dog?

Check out alums Kinsey, Penny, Icky & Stanley at one of our recent Alumni-Only Group Walks with Coach Jess!These classes...
12/08/2022

Check out alums Kinsey, Penny, Icky & Stanley at one of our recent Alumni-Only Group Walks with Coach Jess!

These classes are specially designed for clients who are working to reduce on-leash reactivity. They're a fantastic way for dogs & owners to practice and build on the targeted coaching & training they receive during one-on-one sessions, and they provide a lovely opportunity to get encouragement and support from a community of folks who are working through similar issues.

If you or someone you know has a dog who struggles with reactivity issues, give us a shout! We love helping reactive pups gain the confidence and skills they need to feel more relaxed around their triggers.

Private Coaching client Astra is a lovely mini Australian Shepherd who is working with Coach Jessica to learn how to fee...
12/07/2022

Private Coaching client Astra is a lovely mini Australian Shepherd who is working with Coach Jessica to learn how to feel more confident with guests and other dogs, in addition to reducing her reactivity on leash. This smart little lady is so much fun to work with!

Introducing a new puppy to your resident dog can come with some challenges, but it's so worth the effort when you see th...
11/03/2022

Introducing a new puppy to your resident dog can come with some challenges, but it's so worth the effort when you see them start to build a true friendship.

Honey Nugget (right) was showing some signs of stress about having a new doggy sibling in the house. Her parents reached out to us and, working with Coach Brandi, provided Honey Nugget and Cedar with a slow, structured introduction process. Their hard work and dedication is paying off, as these two continue to build a peaceful, positive relationship with each other 💕.

👉 Top tips when introducing a new puppy to your current dog:

✅ Give your older dog an easy escape from puppy shenanigans - the ability to jump up onto a piece of furniture, leave the room and hang out in a quiet, gated area, etc.

✅ If you see your older dog trying to avoid interactions or set boundaries with the new pup, but puppy isn't getting the message (because they're an enthusiastic puppy!), step in and support your older dog by guiding puppy away to a different activity.

✅ Give your new puppy lots of other outlets to fulfill their social, emotional and physical behavioral needs - opportunities to sniff, play with other puppies, play with you, etc. - so the responsibility doesn't fall entirely on your resident dog.

Home School client Stevie the Dachshund did AMAZING during her first session with Helper Dog Anthem!Being able to be thi...
11/01/2022

Home School client Stevie the Dachshund did AMAZING during her first session with Helper Dog Anthem!

Being able to be this close to another dog (and feeling comfortable & relaxed about it!) is the result of lots of hard work and dedication from Stevie's family, and from Coach Jess.

Secrets to success for Stevie:
✅ A super solid, trust-focused relationship between Stevie and her humans
✅ Building strong foundational skills to help Stevie stay under threshold during outings
✅ Collaboration with Stevie's veterinary team to include behavior medication as part of her overall program

Show Stevie and her family some love for reaching this huge milestone! 💕🙌

We're sending BIG congratulations to Instinct San Diego founder Jessica Wheatcraft for doing an AMAZING job presenting a...
10/03/2022

We're sending BIG congratulations to Instinct San Diego founder Jessica Wheatcraft for doing an AMAZING job presenting about Leash Reactivity at the Aggression in Dogs conference this weekend in Warwick, RI, to an audience of fellow dog behavior professionals.

Jessica & co-owner Brandi attended the conference alongside some of our Instinct East Harlem colleagues. It was a fun, education-packed weekend filled with learning and connecting.

Thank you to the organizers for putting on such a fantastic event!

09/12/2022

Our Level 1 Group Walks class is designed to give participants plenty of space to ensure their dogs can remain relaxed and engaged. We offer 3 different levels of Group Walks for our clients, with each level increasing in challenge. Our reactive dog clients enjoy the opportunity to continue expanding their training in new environments + around new dogs, and we love seeing them succeed!

P**p bags can make a quick DIY water bowl! Simply open one up and fill it with water. Then reuse or recycle 😊
09/09/2022

P**p bags can make a quick DIY water bowl! Simply open one up and fill it with water. Then reuse or recycle 😊

We love this! Training involves both the human and the dog :)
09/08/2022

We love this! Training involves both the human and the dog :)

If you want to improve your dog’s focus on you during walks, here’s a simple tip: During early stages of training, stick...
07/20/2022

If you want to improve your dog’s focus on you during walks, here’s a simple tip:
During early stages of training, stick close to home and go back and forth vs walking one big loop. By moving back and forth, your dog has an opportunity to see/smell the same environment, which will eventually become less interesting to them. This creates the space for them to focus on YOU and makes it much easier to build the behaviors you are looking for.
Too often, we see dog owners struggling to get their dog to respond to them, when a change in the environment is all that is needed.

07/18/2022

The type of food reward you use matters - especially when you are trying to achieve a specific behavior. In a nutshell:
🐶 For relaxation exercises or food scatters, tiny + crumbly treats work best because it takes the dog longer to eat them, facilitating more time with their noses to the ground
🐶 For recall exercises, soft is best - you want your dog to be able to eat the treat quickly and without choking
🐶 For feeding in specific positions (sit, down, stand) avoid anything crumbly that will fall to the ground and encourage your dog to scavenge for crumbs
🐶 For tossing treats, use something formed so they bounce without breaking, making it more fun for the dog to get

Address

San Diego, CA

Telephone

+16198600112

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Instinct Dog Behavior & Training San Diego posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Instinct Dog Behavior & Training San Diego:

Shortcuts

Share

Category