Veterinary Behavior of Indiana

We cannot say enough good things about Dr. Rigterink [Veterinary Behavior of Indiana] and the incredible care she provided our dog. Our dog showed signs of severe separation anxiety, noise sensitivity and general anxiety since he was a puppy, but thanks to Dr. Rigterink's expertise, skill and dedication, we have seen remarkable improvements in our dog. From the very first consultation, Dr. Rigterink took the time to understand our dog's behavior, listen to our concerns, and develop a personalized treatment plan to address his issues. She has provided us with clear guidance and ongoing support, making the process more manageable for both our dog and us. Dr Rigterink is available to answer questions and offer advice, going above and beyond to ensure the best outcome. Despite the difficult nature of our dog's severe issues, she has remained engaged and committed to helping us. If your pet is struggling with separation anxiety or other behavioral issues, we highly recommend Dr Rigterink. She has improved our family’s quality of life, and we are forever grateful.

posted: 06/29/2024

We have a severely anxious and reactive dog. He is terrified of people and other dogs and would lunge, growl, bark, and do all the things. There was a lot of frustration and many many tears, but my pup is making progress and we are in a better place now. If your dog has behavioral concerns and don't know where to start, this is a great place. There are so many "trainers" that do not have your dog's best interests in mind. Since the dog industry is also very unregulated, there are people that call themselves trainers but used methods that are not backed by sceintific evidence. Dr. Rigterink uses force free and positive reinforcement. Frankly, I spent a lot of time researching and desensitization training before my consultation (I was looking for more hands on training) so this was not actually super helpful to me. It moreso confirmed that the methods I was using was correct. I DEFINITELY recommend going down this path if you need professional help though. It would have saved me a lot of time researching on my own. Plus there are just so many bad opinions out there and Dr. Rigterink's are based on proven scientific studies/methods.

posted: 12/28/2023

Dr. Rigterink was so helpful after adopting my dog and now bff, Winston. Upon our first meeting, it was clear he was timid, nervous and had been through some tough times. I was unable to leave Winston home alone without causing him a lot of anxiety as he would continuously pace and have accidents if I was gone for just a few moments. As a pet parent, sometimes I worry if I am being too sensitive or what is the right move for me and my dog. Working with Dr. Rigterink was so reassuring and helpful. Her patience with Winston and me and helping us to adjust to Winston's new home was a game changer. If you're not sure where to turn for help with your pup, I would absolutely recommend her!! I stumbled upon the idea of a behaviorist by accident, but now am SO thankful to know about Dr. Rigterink!

posted: 11/17/2023

I had an amazing experience with Dr. Rigterink and the entire team at Veterinary Behavior of Indiana. I brought my 3 year old yorkie, Tonka, in for behavioral issues that I had been unable to resolve on my own or while working with various vets. She was able to identify the underlying cause of the issues and from there developed a plan that greatly improved our quality of life. It has been 2 years since the initial appointment and his anxiety is drastically better. I am so thankful for Dr. Rigterink!

posted: 02/13/2023

Dr. Rigterink and her staff have been such an important part of our rescue’s progress! We have had rescue dogs before, but Hank had challenges we had no idea how to help him overcome. They gave us such helpful resources, training exercises, coping strategies, and a lot of moral support. They scheduled appointments so that their clients could come and go without any stress of seeing other animals and people, which terrified our sweet Hank for awhile. They always answered emails in a timely fashion and encouraged us to keep them updated on progress or concerns we were having. They genuinely care about their clients….human and furry! We highly recommend Veterinary Behavior of Indiana.

posted: 02/07/2023