Read on to learn what’s the same, what’s new, and answers to some of the questions we bet you’re already asking in your head 🙂 .
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WHAT’S THE SAME?
- Leadership. Dr. Pachel, owner and lead clinician of ABC, and Maren Couch, ABC’s practice manager, are co-owners of Instinct Portland
- Trainers. Your ABC trainers Megan and Stephanie will continue working with you as full-time trainers at Instinct Portland.
- Collaborative Approach. With shared ownership & integrated systems, Instinct and ABC will work in close partnership to provide you and your pet with comprehensive behavioral health support.
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WHAT’S NEW?
- Service Options. In addition to at-home and virtual private lessons, you’ll now have access to Day Training programs and Board & Train camps (age & behavior restrictions apply prior to our facility opening in 2021).
- Online Booking. Pay for and schedule your lessons online, at your convenience.
- Alumni Benefits. You will automatically become a part of the Instinct Alumni family, with access to free alumni group classes, webinars, workshops and more!
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How Does this Work, Exactly?
You will continue to book veterinary behavior services through the ABC. BUT, effective immediately, you will book behavior & training sessions through Instinct Portland.
- We will move any of your previously purchased/scheduled sessions over to our Instinct systems
- Your trainer will begin communicating with you from their Instinct email and phone number
- Moving forward, new lessons and packages can be purchased and scheduled directly through Instinct Portland, either online or via phone, 971-358-8787.
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Why the Change?
We are able to help more pets & people this way! As VP of Veterinary Behavior at Instinct National, Dr. Pachel has been working with Instinct’s team of vet behaviorists, behavior consultants, canine scientists & welfare specialists to establish a whole new model of team-based behavior & training support for pets and owners. By joining the Instinct family, we are able to tap into their comprehensive support systems and provide you with amazing new training options not available within our ABC framework.
Our shared mission: to provide help and hope to every dog and owner through kind, practical behavior & training resources.
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Will My Lesson Rates Change?
Yes. We’ll supply you with Instinct Portland program sheets with specific pricing, but the 1-hr rate for a session with your certified trainer is $175; the 1-hr rate for a session with a certified behavior consultant is $205.
Built into that pricing is between-session phone & email support, lifetime free alumni group classes, and access to special alumni-only workshops, webinars, and other educational opportunities. Plus, you’ll get discounted rates on alumni Board & Train camps & boarding when our brick-and-mortar facility opens in 2021.
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Will My Trainer Change?
Nope, not unless you’d like them to change ☺! The entire ABC Training Team has transitioned to full-time trainer positions at Instinct Portland; they won’t miss a beat in continuing to help you implement your behavior change plans, and they’ll continue to work closely with the doctors at ABC to support your dog’s behavioral health.
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Will My Trainer Do Things Differently than Before?
Yes and no. Your trainer will provide you with the same kind, practical, positive reinforcement-based solutions as always. But, thanks to Instinct Portland’s very cool client support systems, they will be able to provide you with a higher level of responsiveness, access to integrated online learning materials, and a host of other great benefits.
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Is Instinct Portland Opening a Facility?
Yes! Our original plan for Instinct Portland was to launch with the facility already secured and built out, but this year had other ideas! So, we are taking a phased approach instead.
During this initial phase, we will offer virtual and at-home private lessons, Home School (day training) programs, and Puppy Board & Train camps. Plus, we’ll be doing our free alumni group classes, regular online workshops, and some other fun (safe and socially responsible) events.
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We are hard at work scouting the perfect location for our very own brick-and-mortar Instinct Portland facility, so we can start offering our positive reinforcement Board & Train camps, Special Needs Boarding, in-facility Day School programs, and free alumni classes to Portland dogs and owners.
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We promise to keep you posted at every step, from lease signing, to facility build-out, to a special alumni-only Grand Opening party (in whatever way is deemed safe and suitable at the time).
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That’s all for now!
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at the Animal Behavior Clinic with any veterinary behavior questions, and we’ll do our very best to answer them for you. For training & behavior modification questions, you can reach out to [email protected].
Onward, together!
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