K9 Instincts

K9 Instincts employs a balanced training philosophy that combines praise and correction to help dogs become well-behaved family members. The process begins with an initial consultation at their facility to evaluate the dog’s temperament and understand the dynamic between the dog and owner. This allows them to customize a training program tailored to each unique dog’s upbringing, attitude, and home environment.

They offer intensive board and train programs, with durations such as 3-week or 30-day stays, as indicated by client testimonials. For dogs that have completed a past training program with K9 Instincts, refresher training is available during boarding visits to reinforce learned behaviors.

K9 Instincts Inc. is a professional dog training business located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, owned by Matt Betts. They offer comprehensive dog training services, a boarding kennel, and a breeding program.

Matt Betts, the owner and trainer, is a graduate of Pro Train in San Diego, California, with a foundation in a wide variety of dog training, including basic to advanced obedience, competition obedience, guide dogs, service dogs, and police K9 working dogs. His specialty lies in behavioral problems, understanding dog psychology, and behavior modification, particularly with separation anxiety and aggression cases such as fear aggression, possessiveness, and territorial behaviors.

The business employs a balanced training philosophy, incorporating both praise and correction to achieve well-behaved dogs and rewarding relationships between owners and their pets. K9 Instincts also operates an affiliate company, International Canine Exchange, which trains and sells dogs for various law enforcement and security agencies, specializing in areas like narcotics and explosives detection, search and rescue, and criminal bite apprehension.

In addition to training, K9 Instincts provides a temperature-controlled boarding kennel where dogs receive daily hands-on care, exercise, and attention, with refresher training available for past clients. They also have a breeding program with 25 years of experience, specializing in German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, and Dutch Shepherds for both working purposes and as family pets.

Accomplishments

Matt Betts, the owner and trainer, is a graduate of Pro Train in San Diego, California. He established his obedience training school in 1999 and previously managed and trained for facilities in New York, Texas, and California. Matt is frequently invited to give seminars to other trainers and police agencies both nationally and internationally, covering topics such as obedience, aggression training for police K9 handlers, and scent discrimination. He also has 25 years of experience in breeding German Shepherds, Dutch Shepherds, and Malinois.

Brittany Raymond, the Manager and Assistant Trainer, graduated from Bristol County Agricultural High School with a degree in small and large animal sciences. She worked for five years as a veterinary technician before joining K9 Instincts in 2009. Emily Nesby, a trainer, started at K9 Instincts in 2014 as a kennel technician and worked her way up, graduating from URI in 2020.

How to Get Started!

To begin, K9 Instincts schedules an initial consultation at their facility. During this meeting, they meet the dog and evaluate its temperament. This evaluation helps them understand the unique dynamic between the dog and its owner, allowing them to customize a training program specifically for them.