Animal Behavior Wellness Center

We brought our Shih Tzu puppy Beignet to ABWC for puppy preschool and kindergarten and we couldn’t be happier! The training went so far beyond simply potty training or socializing our puppy. We learned about dog body language, different strategies for training that might work better for her and a variety of tools, tips, and tricks that made having a puppy easier than I ever thought it could be. Christine, Xenia, and Sidney were so kind and helpful and thoughtfully explained everything in every class. I would recommend them to anyone!

Dr. Amy Pike is an amazing behavioral veterinarian. When we got our 1.5 year old little girl, a Chihuahua-Dachshund-Terrier mix, 4.5 years ago, we soon realized that she had suffered trauma and was frightened of everything and everyone. Two different vets (different offices), and a dog trainer with more than 20 years experience raved about Dr. Pike. If anything, they were too modest. Dr. Pike is not only brilliant, but also kind and caring. She always seems delighted to see us, as if our little girl just made her day! Dr. Pike also has a top-shelf crew, from the administrative staff (always on top of everything and happy to help) to other animal behaviorists (special shout out to Diane and Michelle, who are both very knowledgeable and lovely). The goodness starts at the top and runs through everyone you meet at ABWC. Dr. Pike and the gang helped us help our little girl, and today she is no longer fearful--she is the boss of the family! She went from hiding to hugging, from trembling to strutting around the neighborhood, from being a lone warrior to being our little princess. We could not have done this without Dr. Pike and her team's wise and compassionate care.

We have had many pets throughout our lifetime but not one quite as challenging as our Rocco. We brought him into our family as a puppy and all was well until he began showing signs of aggression towards our other dog and towards dogs in the neighborhood. When we hosted get togethers he would act out by grabbing items around the house (dish towels, accessories, pillows, pickleball paddles…etc) He would sometimes jump on our more vocal guests to try to get them to lower their voices (we named him the Fun Police). I’m certain that I am leaving some things off this list but all jokes aside, he was actually calling out and needed help. We didn’t know what to do with him addressing his feelings and we didn’t have a clue how to handle him hence the reason we reached out to Dr. Pike and her team. The process was easy and after a couple visits we made major progress! With medication and some training we have a new dog. We understand his triggers and have learned how to handle them before occurrences. It’s been almost 1 year since we originally saw Dr. Pike and we will forever be grateful. Our lives are enjoyable with him now. He is so much happier and it’s the most heartwarming feeling to know that for him!

We are so thankful that our veterinarian recommended ABWC to us! Our miniature dachshund puppy Robin has learned and benefited so much from their Pre-School and Kindergarten classes. Robin was initially a very timid puppy and we were unsure that she would ever want to play with other dogs, but after attending just a few classes she became a social butterfly and now loves other people and dogs.(especially big dogs!) Robins new best friend is now a German shepherd dog that weighs nearly 100 lbs, which I initially didn’t think was possible due to their massive size difference! Robin has greatly benefitted from her classes at ABWC, both socially and with skill training. I am very grateful that she was able to have so many positive experiences to set her up for success. My husband and I have also learned so much from ABWC and have become much better trainers and dog parents as a result. None of this could have been possible without the guidance and teachings from Christine, Luke and Sydney! Their expertise and thoughtful lessons have made such a lasting impact and we appreciate them all so much!

I first met Dr. Pike in 2015. I am a certified dog trainer and our paths crossed because I needed help with a rescue dog I had recently taken in and we shared some clients. Dr. Pike is by far the best veterinarian I have ever worked with regarding behavior. My own dog Lily had many challenges and Dr. Pike helped me think outside of the box when needed. Lily improved dramatically and ultimately lived a fairly normal life and it was a team effort with Dr. P being the captain. I don’t know what we would have done without her. I also had dog training clients who took their pup to see Dr. Pike and it was life changing. We are so lucky to have Dr. Pike and her expertise and kind heart for not only the animals but also the pet owners. I have literally driven 8 hours to see her with my own dog. And I have recently taken in another dog with a few projects and even though our veterinarian is wonderful here in NC, I think I might be driving those 8 hours again with Ruth/Ruthie because Dr. Pike is simply the best. She knows more about challenging behaviors and the medications used to help decrease or even stop these behaviors than any veterinarian I have experienced either for my personal dogs or doggie clients. And she has a heart of gold.