For many new dog owners, dog daycare conjures images of fluffy friends romping and playing, maybe stopping for a mid-afternoon snooze in a quiet sun spot, and returning home at the end of the day tired and happy. And while dog daycare can offer physical exercise, mental stimulation, and companionship to some dogs during otherwise...Read More

by Dr. Emily Levine, DVM, DACVB From Team Instinct: We are delighted to welcome Dr. Emily Levine, DVM, DACVB, to the Instinct blog as a guest author! Dr. Levine is a board certified veterinary behaviorist in Fairfield, NJ, with a wealth of knowledge and experience working with complex dog behavior issues. ***Remember, veterinarians and veterinary behaviorists...Read More

Dogs love to sniff, right? But how often is the average pet dog actually using its nose in everyday life, and what does sniffing – or not – tell us about a dog’s state of mind? Super sniffers, or do the eyes have it? Incredible. Amazing. Almost magical. If we used any of these terms...Read More

“Is he friendly?” If you own a dog, you’ve been asked this question. If you own a perfectly social dog who enjoys meeting new dogs and new people, you’ve probably never given this question a second thought (or, you’ve felt a little swell of pride as you happily responded, “Yes, very!”). But what about all...Read More

It can feel incredibly disheartening, concerning, sad and frustrating all at the same time. Your dog that you’ve had since he was a cute puppy, or the dog you rescued several months ago, is now showing signs of lunging, snapping, snarling, barking, growling and/or potentially biting other dogs or people. Sometimes, these behaviors are perfectly...Read More

If you’re like most dog owners we meet, you care a LOT about your dog’s happiness and wellbeing. That’s awesome! But do you know for sure if your city dog is living the good life, by her standards? Animal Welfare Science & The Five Freedoms:  Animal welfare is a scientific field focused on assessing whether...Read More