Dog Training Madison, AL

Transforming dogs & their families by opening doors that were previously closed.

Alpha Instincts Madison Dog Training
103 Spenryn Dr., Suite 1
Madison, Al 35758

Vanessa and Alpha Instincts are such professionals! Riggsby was a rescue with the intent of us finding him a new home. That was 3 years ago and we finally admitted he’s here to stay! We had let him get away with everything and he totally ruled our house. I didn’t think I would ever be willing to invest so much money, but we knew we needed intense help to gain some control. Vanessa stepped up to the task beautifully. She listened to our needs and concerns and tailored Riggsby’s training to best fit our lives. While he was away from us for 3 weeks, she kept us informed with pictures, videos and texts. We were amazed at his progress even week one! Vanessa was always prompt getting back to us if we ever had a question or request. She even started working toward getting Riggsby to let us trim his nails. That’s going above and beyond! Riggsby is home and we are all happy to be back together. We are working everyday to reinforce and further what WE learned with Vanessa. She has already been back to the house and we are planning another visit soon. When they say they are here to help, they back it up! We would certainly make the decision to invest again. Thank you, Vanessa! You have given us some peace and control in our home again!

- Amy Manley
Evaluation
Private Obedience Classes
Puppy Classes
Puppy Raise and Train

Evaluation

We set aside a personal, no-obligation visit with you within your home, enabling us to get to know you and your dog in-person, assessing your dog’s behavior in a familiar environment. This allows us to talk about your wish-list for your dog, any behavioral issues you want to address, long-term goals, etc. We ultimately want to set you and your family up for success and will never quote you for a program that wouldn’t suit your needs.

The first step is completing the contact form! Our team will then connect with you within the next business day and get you on our calendar.

While we do have an evaluation fee, this fee is applied towards all of our programs. Call today to learn more about scheduling your evaluation!

There will be an additional traveling charge for clients outside of the trainers' radius. 

Private Obedience Classes

Our private obedience classes offer the advantage of one of our experienced trainers coming to your home to conduct one-on-one lessons. These classes can be part of a program, tailored specifically for your dog, or single sessions. Give one of our trainers a call today to set up a training plan that works best for your pup!

Our classes start within your home and can expand to in-public environments at the discretion of your trainer.

Evaluation Required.

There will be an additional traveling charge for clients outside of the trainers' radius.

Puppy Program

Our Puppy Program lasts for 5 weeks, with one 30-minute session a week. We cover all food-based training, including teaching you the basics of “Sit”, “Down”, “Place”, “Come”, leash manners, proper socialization, tips for potty training, and confidence-building. This program gives you and your family the tools to build a quality, engaging, and happy relationship!

Our classes start within your home and can expand to in-public environments at the discretion of your trainer.

Training can start as early as 10 weeks old!
5 session package.


There will be an additional traveling charge for clients outside of the trainers' radius.

Puppy Raise and Train

At Alpha Instincts, we understand that raising & training puppies requires time, effort, and expertise. That's why we are offering a Puppy Raise & Train program with 14, 30 and 60-day options. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive training experience that aligns with your specific goals for your new family member.

By focusing on developing appropriate behavior skills, managing unwanted behaviors and optimizing their socialization period, we can prevent issues like environmental nervousness, reactivity, aggression, etc. that can develop over time.

Here are some of the skills we focus on and what makes our Puppy Program different from the rest:

Engagement & confidence building
Quality socialization in multiple environments
Functional enrichment
Handling exercises
Advocacy
Crate training
Potty training
Foundational obedience with recall, place work, & loose leash walking

At Alpha Instincts, we offer 14-, 30- or 60-day options. The length of your puppies stay depends on your goals for your puppy. Reach out to one of our trainers today to find out which option works best for your puppy!

View Some of Our Before & After Videos

Our Team

  • Rachel Moore

    Rachel has worked professionally as a dog trainer for almost a decade, and while she enjoys rehabilitating challenging cases, she has a real passion for rescue and loves empowering clients to take up a leadership role with their dogs.  

    Megan Worthy

    Megan is a trainer at Alpha Instincts that has worked in multiple animal care positions for dogs, cats, and equines over the years. She has experience in the veterinary field as a prior Certified Veterinary Assistant. Her experience in the animal medical field opened her eyes to the massive amount of dogs put on mood-altering […]

    Argos

    Argos has been a dog for three years and is one of the best. He plays a very important role in keeping morale at a consistent high across the company. He also plays tug-of-war with everyone to keep the team in tip-top shape.
    Meet Our Team Members
  • Rachel Moore

    Rachel has worked professionally as a dog trainer for almost a decade, and while she enjoys rehabilitating challenging cases, she has a real passion for rescue and loves empowering clients to take up a leadership role with their dogs.  
    Meet Our Team Members
  • Megan Worthy

    Megan is a trainer at Alpha Instincts that has worked in multiple animal care positions for dogs, cats, and equines over the years. She has experience in the veterinary field as a prior Certified Veterinary Assistant. Her experience in the animal medical field opened her eyes to the massive amount of dogs put on mood-altering […]
    Meet Our Team Members
  • Argos

    Argos has been a dog for three years and is one of the best. He plays a very important role in keeping morale at a consistent high across the company. He also plays tug-of-war with everyone to keep the team in tip-top shape.
    Meet Our Team Members

People We've Helped

  • My dog, Kona, and I had a fantastic experience with our trainer, Rachel. I say “our” trainer, because she trained me as much or more than Kona. Our 8 sessions met all my goals, and I learned so much that I can take with me in the future. I was surprised at how my connection with Kona grew closer during the course of the training. That was an unexpected benefit! If you have a dog with issues you think you can’t correct, think again. Alpha Dog Instincts can help. Worth every penny.

    Jacquelyn Pettus

    Great training! Our little Koda was about 2 months old and was constantly biting us, jumping up at us, a total handful! After just 2 sessions we noticed a huge improvement. These trainers really know their stuff! Super friendly and courteous as well!

    Johnaton Brock

    Rachel had her work cut out for her with my Captain but she was able to do so much more than I ever though. Captain is very high energy and super food motivated. He went from anxious in the car to calm and collected. He doesn’t freak out and jump all over people when they come to the house, and he LOVES to go out and socialize now. Rachel developed a relationship with Captain and knew exactly what he needed even when I didn’t. We are so thankful and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience!

    Taelor Hopwood

  • Vanessa and Alpha Instincts are such professionals! Riggsby was a rescue with the intent of us finding him a new home. That was 3 years ago and we finally admitted he’s here to stay! We had let him get away with everything and he totally ruled our house. I didn’t think I would ever be […]

    Amy Manley

    We had such a great experience with Rachel and all the folks we worked with at Alpha Instincts. Our dog, Luna, was very dog reactive when we began. Alpha's training methods gave us the tools to let her know that she didn't have to protect us, in fact, it was the other way around. 10/10 […]

    Colin Brooks

    Two weeks ago our 4 year old, very active GSD was brought home by his trainer Vanessa. He had just completed a three week board & train. I cannot say enough good things about the experience from the initial consult to our much improved daily experience with him. The communication with Vanessa was there throughout. […]

    Allison Pegues-Scott

  • My dog, Kona, and I had a fantastic experience with our trainer, Rachel. I say “our” trainer, because she trained me as much or more than Kona. Our 8 sessions met all my goals, and I learned so much that I can take with me in the future. I was surprised at how my connection with Kona grew closer during the course of the training. That was an unexpected benefit! If you have a dog with issues you think you can’t correct, think again. Alpha Dog Instincts can help. Worth every penny.

    Jacquelyn Pettus

  • Great training! Our little Koda was about 2 months old and was constantly biting us, jumping up at us, a total handful! After just 2 sessions we noticed a huge improvement. These trainers really know their stuff! Super friendly and courteous as well!

    Johnaton Brock

  • Rachel had her work cut out for her with my Captain but she was able to do so much more than I ever though. Captain is very high energy and super food motivated. He went from anxious in the car to calm and collected. He doesn’t freak out and jump all over people when they come to the house, and he LOVES to go out and socialize now. Rachel developed a relationship with Captain and knew exactly what he needed even when I didn’t. We are so thankful and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience!

    Taelor Hopwood

  • Vanessa and Alpha Instincts are such professionals! Riggsby was a rescue with the intent of us finding him a new home. That was 3 years ago and we finally admitted he’s here to stay! We had let him get away with everything and he totally ruled our house. I didn’t think I would ever be willing to invest so much money, but we knew we needed intense help to gain some control. Vanessa stepped up to the task beautifully. She listened to our needs and concerns and tailored Riggsby’s training to best fit our lives. While he was away from us for 3 weeks, she kept us informed with pictures, videos and texts. We were amazed at his progress even week one! Vanessa was always prompt getting back to us if we ever had a question or request. She even started working toward getting Riggsby to let us trim his nails. That’s going above and beyond! Riggsby is home and we are all happy to be back together. We are working everyday to reinforce and further what WE learned with Vanessa. She has already been back to the house and we are planning another visit soon. When they say they are here to help, they back it up! We would certainly make the decision to invest again. Thank you, Vanessa! You have given us some peace and control in our home again!

    Amy Manley

  • We had such a great experience with Rachel and all the folks we worked with at Alpha Instincts.

    Our dog, Luna, was very dog reactive when we began. Alpha's training methods gave us the tools to let her know that she didn't have to protect us, in fact, it was the other way around.

    10/10 would train again!!

    Colin Brooks

  • Two weeks ago our 4 year old, very active GSD was brought home by his trainer Vanessa. He had just completed a three week board & train. I cannot say enough good things about the experience from the initial consult to our much improved daily experience with him. The communication with Vanessa was there throughout. She posted photos and videos beginning the first day she had him. I had previously taken him through two different training programs at a couple of highly rated Huntsville training facilities, and while he had some basics down, we felt he would be much better off with more in depth training. Vanessa was able to do wonders with his recall, and helping him exist calmly in “place” inside our home. He is able to heel almost effortlessly in crowded public places and can calmly sit in “place” in public as well. He had some issues with barking excessively while in the fenced in area at home. With the tools and training Vanessa equipped us with, we have been able to see a dramatic improvement in that behavior as well.

    Allison Pegues-Scott

Frequently Asked Questions

What training methods do you use?

We do not limit our training to any one training method or methodology. We approach training to be the most beneficial to each dog and family, using a variety of techniques and tools, leaving the dog more obedient and, most importantly, happier because of training.

What tools do you use?

We use leashes, slip-leads, prong-collars, e-collars, and food as part of our training.

What kind of dog behaviors do you work with?

We handle many different dog behavior issues. The following are among the most common behaviors we address, but they do not represent everything we are experienced with handling:

  • Separation Anxiety
  • Recall
  • Jumping
  • Excessive Barking
  • Aggression (Dog & Human)
  • Anxiety
  • Fear
  • Impulse Control
  • Leash Pulling
  • And many more...

Many families are worried that their dog may be "too much" for a training program. We put a strong emphasis on saying "No Dog Gets Left Behind." Rather than worrying about our dogs' issues, let's develop a training plan together to address them!

My vet (or other trainers) told me that my dog's issues are not fixable and that they should be either euthanized or put on mood-altering medications. Is this the only option?

More often than not, we hear of families given medications for their dog as the first line of defense rather than attempting training first. Mood-altering medications like these are seen as a band-aid solution, as they do not address the behavior -- and certainly will not fix it. The majority of the time, especially with behavioral issues, training can address the root of the problem and help work your dog through it. Training should be the first option recommended for managing & working with anxiety, aggression, reactivity, overexcitement, etc.
These are also not issues that demand a death sentence either, as we've worked with many dogs with bite records. There is always another way, and quality training can give you the tools to move forward and expand your dogs' worldview & overall capabilities.

After the training program, my dog is perfect and no longer needs to continue practicing their training, right?

Progressing in training & obedience revolves around the relationship between a handler and their dog. Many issues stem from a lack of structure and consistency, which is why we can produce quicker results in our Board & Train program. For training to be maintained after a program, it is imperative for an owner to follow their trainer's guidance & recommendations and be committed to making adjustments for long-term success.

What are the benefits of a board and train program?

Our Board & Train offers a faster-paced, economical solution to addressing all kinds of behaviors and building obedience & habits than our Obedience Class program. While some people have time to dedicate to training with their dog every day, not everyone has that luxury or experience. Our trainers have a significant amount of practice & experience to effectively train your dog in a short period of time. This program is pivotal for dogs experiencing anxiety, fear, aggression, etc., as these types of issues need to be handled by individuals with experience to be successful. Our trainers work within home environments and in-public to give your dogs' a well-rounded experience around people, other dogs, and all kinds of sights & smells that they would encounter daily with you! We can do all of this within weeks, achieving goals and creating more experiences than most people can achieve on their own within more prolonged periods. Let us do the heavy-lifting! All you need to do is maintain what was taught!

Is there a follow-up program?

After our Board & Train program concludes, we do an in-depth turnover session with you & your dog to set you up for success with your dog's newfound obedience. This is followed by a quick refresher session one-week later, to clear up any questions or initial issues you may be having.

This program comes with lifetime support, meaning once every six months, as needed, you have the option to reach out to us for feedback in problem areas. We understand that training is not a one-stop-shop; it is for a lifetime. That's why we designed this program to be there for your family - for life. Dogs change and grow as they age, and we want to be there to help you if you need it.

How can I get a better idea of how Alpha Instincts trains dogs & clients?

To have an idea of how we train and what you can expect, we highly recommend watching the videos on our website, Facebook page, Instagram, our Youtube channel, and reading our blog! As your trainer, we become a team and work together to improve you & your dog's relationship with one another. Before joining our team, it is crucial that you fully understand and have a reasonable expectation of what this training journey is all about. We are very transparent with how we train, so if you're committed, the results will follow.

What is your refund policy?

Our program fees are non-refundable. Deposits provide a good-faith payment for a time reserved in our calendar for your dog. If you need to reschedule a Board & Train within a 60-day period, we are more than happy to credit your payment to a future date.

It is incredibly important to us that you feel confident about dropping your dog off for the best training opportunity of their life (literally, we offer life-time support)! We encourage that you revisit our social media posts so you can reacquaint yourself with us, that way you know if we are what you’re looking for!

The evaluation fee is refundable with 48-hour notice.

What other resources and information do you have available on your website?

For free dog training resources, you can visit our Dog Training Blog for dog training tips & trips that come from our editorial team. Visit our Dog Training Services Page for more information on all of the types of training we offer.

Photos of Our Students

Are you ready?

Book your evaluation today!
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