INSTINCT - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Co - Owner, Co - Director of Behavior & Training, Behavior Consultant
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Co - CEO of Instinct Dog Training, Inc
- Co - Founder, Co - CEO
Brian Burton is Co-CEO of Instinct Dog Training, Inc. and Co-Founder of Instinct Dog Behavior & Training. He oversees business development, financial affairs, franchise operations management, and software & technology support systems for Instinct Inc.
Brian has a Master's degree in Animal Behavior & Conservation from Hunter College/CUNY and a Bachelor of Computer Science degree from Dalhousie University. He is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Certified Professional Dog Trainer, and Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner, who has helped hundreds of NYC owners and dogs with severe aggression, fear, and anxiety issues. Brian has been featured as a dog behavior expert in media outlets including The New York Times, The New York Post, NPR, Sirius XM Radio, AKC Family Dog Magazine, and many more. He is currently a Doctoral Student in Organizational Behavior at the University of South Florida.
Brian lives in NYC with Co-Founder Sarah Fraser and their four rescue dogs, Mozeez and Will (pit bull mixes) and Jacky and Joey (Rat Terrier mixes).
Job Titles:
- Co - Owner and Director of Behavior & Training at Instinct Portland
- Co - Owner, Director of Behavior & Training
Dr. Spark is co-owner and Director of Behavior & Training at Instinct Portland. She has over 45 years of experience helping people solve problems, meet learning goals, and achieve positive change. With a PhD in psychology, a background in counseling, adult education and group facilitation, and multiple dog training qualifications. Dr. Spark has extensive experience helping individuals and families with dog behavior problems, and training dogs for family life, service work, and animal-assisted therapy. She is passionate about improving quality of life for dogs and people. Dr. Spark is a certified dog behavior consultant through the International Association for Animal Behavior Consultants and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.
Dr. Spark founded City Dog Country Dog in 2007 with the twin intention of helping dogs to behave well in the human world, while helping people to understand and satisfy their dogs' natural instincts. The annual Call of the Wild Dog Camp and other nature retreats that she originated and organized for over a decade created a community of dog and nature enthusiasts, and made breed-friendly outdoor activities available to a wide range of people and dogs.
Dr. Spark splits her time between Portland and Yachats, on the Central Oregon coast, where she lives on rural acreage with her partner, and an energetic young Australian Cattle Dog, 3 barn cats, and 12 chickens. In her free time, she loves hiking in the forests around her home, taking Rocket swimming and kayaking, gardening with the chickens, and spending time in solitude by the river.
Casey is a full-time dog trainer at Instinct East Harlem. She has years of experience working with a full range of breeds and behavior issues. Casey loves helping owners and their dogs with behavior issues including fear, anxiety, aggression and reactivity, and also enjoys guiding dogs through basic obedience training and puppy development. Prior to joining Instinct, Casey was a full-time Senior Dog Trainer at Biscuits and Bath where she taught Basic and Advanced Obedience, Agility Classes, private lessons, and day training lessons. Casey has a BA in Sociology from Manhattanville College and is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) through CCPDT. Casey lives in NYC with her rescue Chihuahua/terrier mix, Tyty.
Job Titles:
- Trainer & Behavior Consultant
Job Titles:
- Trainer, Behavior Consultant
Dana works part time as a trainer and behavior consultant at Instinct Englewood, providing in-facility and virtual consultations and lessons to our clients. She has experience teaching puppies, adolescent and adult dogs basic manners and life skills, as well as helping owners address their dogs' fear, reactivity and aggression issues. Dana is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer. She is also a Pat Miller Certified Trainer, having completed academies in Canine Behavior and Training, Canine Behavior Modification, and Canine Aggression. Dana lives with her husband and 4 dogs, Helen, Martha, Lucille, and Dakota.
Dr. Strickler, DACVB is co-owner of Instinct Nashville, and is the owner and primary clinician at Veterinary Behavior Solutions, PLLC, where she provides clients with veterinary behavior consultations and support.
Dr. Strickler is a board-certified Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (DACVB). Dr. Strickler is also certified as a behavior consultant through the IAABC (International Association of Behavior Consultants). Dr. Strickler served as an adjunct professor at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine for five years. She is an active lecturer to veterinarians and staff both nationally and regionally on veterinary behavior topics.
Dr. Strickler received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Westminster College in northwestern Pennsylvania and her Masters degree in Psychology from Penn State University. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed her specialty training in veterinary behavior at Appalachian Veterinary Specialists in Knoxville, TN. Because of her background of experience in both human psychology and animal behavior, Dr. Strickler brings a unique combination of knowledge, skill and compassion to her treatment of her patients.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- VP, Veterinary Behavior, Co - Owner Instinct Portland
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- VP, Veterinary Behavior, Co - Owner Instinct Englewood
Hannah is a full-time dog trainer at Instinct Fort Worth. She has experience working with a wide range of breeds and temperaments, and regularly helps clients with puppy development, adult dog life skills & manners, and behavior issues including fear and reactivity. Hannah is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) and Canine Good Citizen evaluator and is currently working toward her Fear Free Professional certification. Hannah is a patient, compassionate teacher who truly loves being able to help people grow their bond with their dogs. She shares her home with her four dogs, Ellie the Basset hound, Mya the beagle mix, Madison the cattle dog mix, and Kash, the dachshund/schnauzer mix; Remi the Siamese kitten; and Phoenix & grace, her paint horses.
Job Titles:
- Director of Behavior & Training, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant
Jessica is Director of Behavior & Training for Instinct East Harlem. She oversees all training programs, in addition to providing consultations for our clients. Jessica is a certified dog behavior consultant and certified trainer who is experienced working with complex behavior issues such as reactivity, fear, aggression, and anxiety; she also helps clients and their dogs with life skills, manners, and puppy development. Jessica is a Certifying Official for NACSW K9 Nosework trials and ORTs, and has trained and competed with dogs in agility, competition obedience, Rally-O and K9 Nose Work. She holds an MFA in non-fiction writing from Columbia University, and has completed the IAABC Principles & Practice course. Jessica lives in NYC with her husband Bruce and their dog Trix (Rat Terrier mix).
Job Titles:
- Owner, Director of Behavior & Training
Jessica is Owner and Director of Behavior and Training at Instinct San Diego. A certified dog behavior consultant, Jessica oversees all training programs, and provides consultations & lessons for San Diego clients. She has experience working with complex behavioral issues such as reactivity, fear, aggression, and anxiety, as well as teaching dogs and puppies household manners. She also enjoys trick training and parkour with dogs to build confidence and engagement in training. Jessica lives in San Diego with her husband and their two mixed breed dogs Finn and Scout, two cats Phil and Gwen, and her Mustang horse Waylon.
Job Titles:
- Co - Owner, Co - Director of Behavior & Training, Behavior Consultant
Job Titles:
- Certified Dog Behavior Consultant
Kaysha is a full-time Certified Behavior Consultant and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer with Instinct Portland. She offers in-home & virtual consultations, private lessons, and home school programs. Kaysha has experience working with complex behavior issues such as reactivity, fear and anxiety, as well as teaching dogs and puppies household manners, and the joy of engagement through dog sports. Kaysha is a Certified Dog Parkour Instructor with the IDPKA and an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. She competes with her own dogs primarily in flyball but also enjoys lure coursing, barn hunt, Rally Freestyle and more. Kaysha holds a BSc. from Oregon State University in Animal Science, with an option in Animal Behavior and Bio Ethics. Kaysha lives outside of Portland with her husband and their six dogs: Rusty (mix), Oliver (havanese), Wiley (border collie/mini american shepherd), Pip (terrier mix), Loki (sheltie) and Archer (mini american shepherd); and their chinchilla, Watson.
Lauren is a full-time dog trainer at Instinct Fort Worth. She is experienced and comfortable working a wide range of breeds and ages, and regularly helps clients with everything from puppy development, life skills & manners, to fear, anxiety and reactivity. Lauren is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), has a BS in Applied Behavioral Analysis from the University of North Texas, is a CGC evaluator and is a Fear Free certified professional. She lives in Roanoke with her 3 rescue dogs Dream, Zoe, and Scooter.
Job Titles:
- Certified Dog Behavior Consultant
Lauren is a full-time certified dog behavior consultant with Instinct Englewood. She is comfortable working with a wide range of breeds and temperaments, and is skilled at behavior modification for fear, aggression, and anxiety issues, as well as basic obedience and puppy development. Prior to joining the Instinct team, she trained privately in northern NJ under her own company, as well as working a ‘day job' in the construction industry in NYC.
Lauren has taught numerous private clients & group classes including Puppy Basics & Socialization, Basic and Advanced Obedience, Canine Good Citizen Test and Therapy Dog Prep classes, Rally Obedience, and Tricks. She volunteered for several years at Liberty Humane Society, assisting in training and rehabilitating the shelter dogs and teaching new volunteers basic handling, training, and behavior modification techniques. Lauren has competed and earned numerous titles with her dogs in Rally Obedience and more recently in Canine Scentwork.
Lauren holds a BFA in Theatre from Hofstra University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She lives in New Jersey with her wonderful husband David, dogs Dori and Banzai! and cat Peach.
Job Titles:
- Certified Dog Behavior Consultant
Job Titles:
- Co - Owner
- Director of Operations
Job Titles:
- Certified Dog Behavior Consultant
Job Titles:
- Trainer & Behavior Consultant
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Co - Founder, Co - CEO
Job Titles:
- Trainer & Behavior Consultant