In development · iOS & iPad · 2026

Play built for dogs.

Instinct is an enrichment game your dog actually plays. It turns each breed's natural drive — to chase, herd, retrieve, and sniff — into short, screen-based sessions that beat boredom and settle a restless mind.

Notify me at launch Coming to the App Store · No ads, no accounts
Breed-aware gameplay 1–3 minute sessions No accounts, no tracking Data stays on device
the problem

Most dogs are bored, not bad.

Dogs were bred for jobs — herding flocks, flushing game, tracking scent, retrieving downed birds. Modern life gives them a couch and a backyard instead. That unspent drive doesn't disappear; it comes out as chewing, barking, pacing, digging, and anxiety.

A walk tires the body. It rarely tires the mind. Instinct gives dogs a few minutes of the focused, instinct-led problem-solving their brains are wired to crave — the kind that leaves a dog genuinely satisfied and calm.

Mental > Physical

A short bout of problem-solving can tire a dog more effectively than a long walk — enrichment fatigue is real and restorative.

Boredom → Behavior

Under-stimulation is a leading driver of destructive chewing, nuisance barking, and separation-related stress.

Rainy-day ready

Bad weather, recovery from surgery, apartment living, or a packed schedule — Instinct works when a walk isn't an option.

how it works

Set it up once. Hand it to your dog.

Instinct is designed to be played by the dog, on a phone or tablet, with you nearby. It reads movement, taps, and nose-boops on the screen.

1

Pick your dog's breed

Choose from breeds like Labrador, Golden, Border Collie, German Shepherd, Beagle, and more. Instinct tunes speed, prey type, and game selection to that breed's working heritage.

2

Start a short session

Prey darts, flocks scatter, scents hide. Your dog tracks and pounces with paws or nose. Gentle haptics and synthesized audio make every catch feel rewarding.

3

Wind down & track progress

Sessions cap at a few minutes and ease into a calm finish. Play history, streaks, and stats stay on your device, and gentle reminders nudge the next session.

six game modes

One mode for every instinct.

Each mode targets a different natural drive — and each breed gets the modes that suit it best.

Chase

Track and follow fast-moving prey as it darts across the screen.

Herding

Guide a scattering flock of moving targets into a safe zone.

Retrieval

Watch the throw, wait for the return, then tap to make the catch.

Search

Find hidden targets using audio cues — a nose-led game for scent hounds.

Reflex

React fast — tap targets before they vanish in this quick-fire test.

Calm

Gentle, slow-paced play for winding down after the excitement.

why instinct is different

Not a cat-game with a dog skin.

Most "games for pets" are generic moving dots. Instinct is built from the dog outward — grounded in how real breeds were bred to think and move.

Breed-aware by design

A Border Collie wants to herd; a Beagle wants to track scent; a Labrador wants to retrieve. Instinct tunes speed, prey behavior, and which modes appear to match each breed's instincts — not a one-size-fits-all loop.

Real prey, real movement

Rabbits dart, squirrels zig-zag, birds flutter, mice burrow and pop, sheep swarm. Each species moves with its own believable pattern, so the chase reads as genuine to a predator's eye — not a uniform floating blob.

Short by intention

Sessions run 1–3 minutes and ease into a calm finish, because over-arousal is the opposite of enrichment. Built-in cooldowns and reminders keep play healthy instead of addictive.

Honest software

No accounts, no ads in play, no surveillance, no manipulative streak-pressure. Your dog's profile and history live on your device. Premium content is optional, never a wall in front of basic enrichment.

tuned for these breeds
Labrador · retriever Golden Retriever · retriever French Bulldog · companion Border Collie · herder Australian Shepherd · herder German Shepherd · working Beagle · scent hound Dachshund · terrier
your data

Everything stays on your device.

Instinct has no account system and no analytics empire behind it. Your dog's breed profile, session history, and streaks live entirely on your phone. We don't want your data — we want your dog to have a better afternoon.

No account required No personal data collected No ads during play On-device only
coming soon

Give your dog something to think about.

Instinct is in active development and headed to the App Store. Want to know the moment it launches?

Email us to get notified