1. Who we are
Instinct: Games for Dogs (“Instinct,” “we,” or “the app”) is built and published by JTR Labs LLC, an independent software studio based in the United States. Our home page is at jtrlabs.com and Instinct's product page is at jtrlabs.com/instinct. Questions about this policy can be sent to [email protected].
2. Information we do not collect
Instinct does not require an account. We do not collect your name, email address, phone number, postal address, contacts, photos, microphone audio, or precise location. Instinct has no analytics SDK, no crash reporter that phones home, and no servers that receive data about you or your dog.
3. Information processed on your device
The following information is created and stored locally on your device using Apple's SwiftData and
UserDefaults APIs. It is never transmitted to JTR Labs:
- Dog profile — the name you enter for your dog and the breed you select.
- Session history — start time, duration, game mode, and completion status of each play session.
- Preferences — sound, haptics, play‑reminder notifications, accessibility choices.
- Entitlements — whether your Apple ID has an active Instinct Premium subscription, so the app can unlock premium content offline.
If you delete the app or use Settings → Reset All Data inside Instinct, the data above is removed from your device.
4. Subscriptions and in‑app purchases
Instinct offers an auto‑renewing subscription called Instinct Premium, available as a Monthly or Annual plan. The subscription unlocks all breeds, advanced modes, deep analytics, seasonal packs, future content, and cloud backup.
- Title: Instinct Premium (Monthly or Annual)
- Length: 1 month or 1 year, auto‑renewing
- Price: shown on the in‑app purchase screen in your local currency at the time of purchase
- Renewal: the subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period
- Management: you can view, change, or cancel anytime in Settings → [your name] → Subscriptions on your Apple device
All payments are processed by Apple via the App Store. JTR Labs receives only the anonymized purchase record needed to unlock premium content on your device — we never see your credit card, Apple ID, or billing address. For details on how Apple handles payment information, see the Apple Privacy Policy.
The Terms of Use that govern your subscription are Apple's standard EULA, available at apple.com/legal/internet‑services/itunes/dev/stdeula.
5. Third‑party services
Google AdMob (free tier only)
When you use Instinct without an active Premium subscription, the app displays ads provided by Google AdMob (Google LLC). To serve and measure ads, Google may collect:
- Your device's advertising identifier (IDFA on iOS) — only if you grant permission via the App Tracking Transparency prompt
- IP address and approximate location derived from it
- Device type, operating system version, language, and other standard device information
- Ad interaction data (impressions, clicks, watch time on rewarded videos)
This data is collected and processed by Google under the Google Privacy Policy. JTR Labs does not receive or store this data directly. You can opt out of personalized advertising at any time in Settings → Privacy & Security → Apple Advertising on iOS or via Google Ad Settings.
App Tracking Transparency
On iOS 14.5 and later, Instinct requests permission through the App Tracking Transparency prompt before any tracking occurs. If you decline, Google serves non‑personalized ads — the app continues to work normally and the gameplay is identical.
Google User Messaging Platform (consent)
In the EEA, the UK, Switzerland, and U.S. states with privacy laws that require it, Instinct uses Google's User Messaging Platform (UMP) to present a consent form before loading ads. Your choice is stored on your device by UMP and respected on subsequent launches. You can revisit your choice from Settings → Privacy within Instinct, where available.
Apple StoreKit and CloudKit
Instinct uses Apple's StoreKit framework to manage subscriptions. If you choose to enable iCloud backup of your dog profile and history (Premium feature), the data is stored in your private iCloud container under your Apple ID. JTR Labs cannot access the contents of your iCloud container. See Apple's Privacy Policy for how Apple handles this data.
Local notifications
If you enable Play Reminders, Instinct schedules a local notification on your device to suggest a next play session. Notifications are scheduled and delivered by iOS itself. No notification content is sent to JTR Labs.
6. Children's privacy
Instinct is rated 4+ on the App Store and is designed to be played by dogs under the supervision of their humans — it is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone, including children under 13 (or the applicable age of consent in your jurisdiction). AdMob is configured with maxAdContentRating: Teen, and we do not tag the app for child‑directed treatment.
7. Your rights and choices
Because we do not collect personal data ourselves, most rights (access, correction, deletion, portability) are satisfied by managing the app directly:
- Delete all data: tap Settings → Reset All Data inside Instinct, or uninstall the app.
- Cancel a subscription: go to Settings → [your name] → Subscriptions on your Apple device.
- Opt out of personalized ads: use the in‑app consent form (where required) or Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking on iOS.
- Exercise rights under GDPR, UK GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, or similar laws regarding data processed by our third‑party ad provider: contact us at [email protected] and we will help you reach Google as the data controller for that processing.
8. Security
On‑device data is protected by your device's standard data‑protection mechanisms — sandboxing, full‑disk encryption, and the protections tied to your device passcode. JTR Labs does not transmit, store, or receive your personal data on its own servers, which removes large categories of risk entirely. No system is fully secure, however; you use Instinct at your own risk.
9. International users
Instinct is available worldwide. Because the app processes data on your device, no international transfer of your personal data is initiated by JTR Labs. Data collected by Google AdMob may be processed in countries other than your own as described in the Google Privacy Policy.
10. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy as Instinct evolves. When we do, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. Material changes that affect how data is processed will be called out inside the app or on this page. Because we have no contact list of users, we cannot notify you directly — please check this page occasionally if privacy matters to you.
11. Contact
Questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy can be sent to [email protected]. We respond from a real person, usually within a few business days.