Sit means Zap! If I could leave negative stars, I would! I enrolled my puppy in the 3day camp and by the end of the day she was confused, anxious, disoriented and visually shaken. I still regret it a few years later. She was being buzzed for behaviors she didn't understand. It was punishment rather than training. The trainers drank the kool-aid and are inexperienced, The group classes were an absolute mess. Owners were confused and just zapped away without proper training and guidance, I pulled my dog out immediately. If you truly love your dog, and want to learn proper communication, consider positive reinforcement. The only situation I 'maybe' consider this is a pup with aggressive behavior. Otherwise, I would NEVER recommend this type of training. NEVER. read more

We trained our dog Sadie at this location. She was a difficult dog and we were really impressed with the results. The owner does need to be diligent with taking their dog to the trainings (we kind of fell off at the end but it was okay) but as long as you stick with it, your dog will learn new skills and will be better behaved than before. We can literally walk our dog without a leash now, I never thought that would be possible. She will sit in her place when people come over and we are always getting compliments on how good she is. We can do things in the front yard and have her stay in the garage and she won't run after other dogs that walk by or other other people or children. She has learned to stay in her place for as long as we need her to be. It's funny because she was a really wild dog before and now that she's trained everybody loves her. overall the training here was worth it and we are really happy that we did it! read more

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Absolutely loved the training our girl received. Wanted to make sure we started off on the right foot with her at a young age and all the trainers surpassed our expectations! read more

Sit Means Sit Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me - Austin, Texas

We brought our dog Juno to Sit Means Sit after walks became pretty unbearable with her pulling, lunging after/barking at other dogs, and chasing squirrels. She's gone through the four week training program working with Trish and has made significant stride on walks. She does not pull- making walks much more enjoyable-is more responsive to commands, and is able to manage her reactions to other dogs much more frequently than before. I do have mixed feelings about the e collar and wish there was more transparent discussion about the pros, cons, and possible risks. When I brought it up, the response seemed to me to be more talking points to sell me on the idea than an honest conversation. Aside from that, we had a very positive experience with all of the staff in the North Austin location and will be bringing Juno to group classes with them. read more

Huckie will turn 2yrs old next month. He's doing really good on his training at @sitmeanssitaustin. His trainer Trisha is wonderful with him. Huckie has been improving a lot since he started school. He is all and all a very sweet dog however he's unpredictable. If he doesn't know you, he will most likely launch or let you know that he needs his space. So, Trisha and the #sitmeanssit staff have been working on his confidence. He's a happy doggie. Perlita misses him every week he goes to training but when he gets home, they are all over the place playing and wrestling. We are so thankfulfor this place. Everyone there is so caring and professional. read more

Sit Means Sit Dog Training - Huckie, our sweet boy! Thank you Trisha for this picture. He loves Sit means Sit! He is very excited to go to classes every week. - Pet Training Near Me - Austin, Texas

The staff are always positive and helpful. They just want the best and safest outcome for each client and dog combo and it shows! read more

Sit Means Sit Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me - Austin, Texas

When you request a refund, this place makes you sign an NDA stating that you will not leave bad reviews. That's the only reason they have over 2 stars. Awful people awful training methods. Completely screwed up my dog and so many others who can't talk about it. DO NOT TAKE YOUR DOG HERE. YOU WILL REGRET IT. YOUR DOG WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. read more

Sit Means Sit Dog Training - NDA agreement sit means sit tries to force you to sign in order to receive a refund. - Pet Training Near Me - Austin, Texas

5 yr old Pom with nearly zero attempts by us to have her obey voice commands. Our main problem area was that during walks she would pull the leash or stop whenever she wanted to. This was primarily because she was in a harness which turns out to be wrong except when tethered to the car seat. Step one was they encouraged us to get her into a Martingale collar. After that SMS training kicked in and after a month we had a new dog. She's learned many new behaviors and walks are fun again. We'll be going back for a "tune up" soon as our skills need some polishing. BTW, the facility is great and I doubt that you'd find a more experienced or patient staff and that shows in the results. read more

Sit Means Sit has been awesome for us and my dog Molly. Molly is a border Collie and a very active dog she always needs something to do. I went to sit means sit to get better with Molly at leash training. I'm not finished with my training yet with Molly but I'm already noticing a difference in her behavior and being trainable. Especially on our walks she doesn't pull nearly as much. Sit means sit will meet with you and your dog and determine the needs and program you guys need. They train dogs of all ages from a puppy to old age. They offer a wide variety of programs and prices. I can't recommend them enough and all of the staff I have interacted with have been great. They have all the right tips and are extremely professional and how they do business. If you are looking for training for your dog you must give sit means sit a try. read more

Absolutely love sit means sit. They do so well to teach you how to train your pets at home and they did a wonderful job with our dog. We're still in the training program but I saw a huge difference after just the first training session. Would highly recommend for anyone interested. Charlie loved all his trainers including Gerry and Trisha! Photos of Charlie included :) read more

Sit Means Sit Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Our very reactive dog is making great progress with the training at Sit Means Sit. The training is very organized and is based on positive reinforcement for your dogs. We are almost 3 months in our training program and have seen so much improvement with our dog and we are excited to see how much more progress he makes. read more

I will always be appreciative of Sit Means Sit. We enrolled our bulldog Kobi here because he started displaying interpack aggression over food and affection with no real rhyme or reason. We couldn't figure out the cause since he'd been with us for over a year when this started and triggers seemed to happen left and right. it was quickly turning our house into anxiety central. We enrolled him 4 weeks ago and it's been night and day. With him focusing on us and learning how to work him, we've been able to manage him and the outcomes we want. We're even understanding him better now as well and what he needs. So big big thanks to Trisha, Adam and Gabbi. read more

Sit Means Sit Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me - Austin, Texas

READ THIS ARTICLE: https://www.ktnv.com/news/investigations/family-dog-injured-in-sit-means-sit-obedience-training I signed up for Sit Means Sit around last summer '21 for my dog Storm. I was very excited initially and I believe I attended one, maybe two classes out of my three class package. The classes and trainers were great. But this was before a friend told me that the collar I was training with was a shock collar. I didn't believe them because that sounded ridiculous and I thought I would've been told that this was a shock collar during my purchase (over $600) or during the training itself. I remember during my first class we went over how the collar worked and almost all of the wording was played down significantly. At no point was the word "shock" or "shock collar" used. Instead, it was described as vibrations or a small touch on the neck that allows the dog to direct their attention towards you. It is deceptive that At that point, I realized why my dog had made a squealing noise a few days earlier. I thought it was because he disliked training but it was because he had been hurt. To be honest, the level of danger that this device can cause to the dog is not clearly communicated to the customer. My dog communicated to me so many times that he did not enjoy the collar. He kept scratching his neck trying to get it off, because it was hurting him. I could tell he was losing his will to be himself and instead was trying to survive the pain. My dog is a Husky/Shiba Inu so he is always quiet. He never barks. So he sat silently through the pain the whole time. I understand that using a shock collar is a legitimate strategy for training and maybe some folks are okay with it but you need to ethically share this information with the customer so they can make that decision for themselves rather than hide it from unassuming first-time dog owners like myself who have no experience with this. I remember my initial call with Sit Means Sit where I was learning about the process and how a "touch device" would be used. I thought it was so innovative that you could communicate through touch. Had I known from the start that this "touch device" was actually a shock collar, I would have not signed up. I hope your takeaway from this is to communicate this more clearly in your marketing materials because that is your responsibility to the customer. At the same time, I will be posting this review everywhere I can so others are not deceived like I was. If you would like the shock collar back, I did not use it after that day and just came across it while moving out of my apartment, so you can have it back. And I will not be using the final lesson or two, whatever was remaining. read more

This was our second attempt with training our 2 year old bloodhound/poodle mix named Noodles. Our experience with another company in Austin did not give us great results. After about 6 months of frustration, I found Sit Means Sit and decided to give them a try. Our experience with Micah at Sit Means Sit was outstanding. She learned so much and has been so much more obedient. She actually knows what our expectations are. Probably the best part is that they trained us as well. To be honest, I think I needed more help than Noodles. Anyway, I give them 5 stars and highly recommend them. read more

So we have two rescues and one attended Puppy trainings years ago which had helped us crate trained him and we just got signed up on their day camps for our new rescue. Their price is steep for day camps but we think these camps really help us with our rescue as we were at a lost on how to get her fit into our family and lifestyle. We can see the difference even after the first day camp. We love Trisha who seems to really know how to connect with our pup and teach us how to train her properly. As trainings go, Even when we want to give up on trainings, Kayla at Sit Means Sit won't give up on us. She would call us to follow up as we cancel on our one on one to help us get back on the training. They already took our money so they shouldn't care, but she is persistent in encouraging us to continue to train. Last but not least, we met with Adam for follow up one and one. He first asked us what our pup needs help with and he really listened to what we need. We spent an hour with him showing us tricks and tips on how to continue to train her. So thanks everyone at SMS for not letting us give up on trainings! read more

I've worked with training programs at Sit Means Sit North Austin with both of my young dogs. The trainers and overall experience has been wonderful. Each of my dogs had different type of issues that Sit Means Sit helped with. My Australian Cattle Dog had confidence issues 1 yr ago and the trainers worked with me to identify a specific program that addressed his needs. Similarly my new German Shepard mix puppy needed training from the very beginning. Because of his size and the types of activities I do with him, I wanted him trained on an e-collar so he can be safely off leash and they recommended a program and approach that taught him the basics and have helped him grow into advanced training. I highly recommend Sit Means Sit North Austin to anyone looking for a training program that can be tailored to the specific goals you have with your dog. read more

I came for a private puppy lesson and learned so much! Gerry is awesome with puppies (and their humans) By the end of class my puppy was starting to grasp "come" and "place!" The session was personalized to our needs So much of it was learning for me but it was exciting to get this one on one experience to set my dog up for success. My pup is too young for obedience class but based on this lesson I will check out those options when we get there read more

My year old king charles is currently a student at sitmeanssit on North Lamar campus. My Bucky spends the day, I pick him up afternoon & I get my lesson on what Bucky & Gerry did and have my lesson /homework to do for next lesson! Enjoying your competition on Thanksgiving dog parade sample I'm enjoying learning how to teach him to be the perfect pet, friend. Watching the Dog competition on Thanksgiving following Macy's parade was a great example of the training Bucky is revising !!!! The dog entries in the competition were walking exactly the way we are teaching them at sitmeanssit!. The trainers have such patience with the dogs but more important they have patients wiith us as caring loving proud "parents". Can you read more

UPDATE: I have finished my 3 lesson package with Adam and Madie. Because my foremost goal is to certify her for therapy work, Adam very graciously reviewed a checklist with me to help in moving toward that goal. He offered very detailed practices to help Madie and me improve in a couple of areas where I had been remiss in practice work. Each was very successful and our practice at home has greatly improved our progress. I look forward to continuing to work with Adam and SMS. INITIAL REVIEW I have been working with SIT for almost a month and find them to be BRILLIANT with both my dog and her inept handler (me). They worked from where my dog was, with my specific goals foremost, not from a packaged plan. As a retired teacher, my income is very limited, but investing in this training is a life changer for options for my pup. Therapy dog in the making! (See mini-retriever below!) read more

Sit Means sit has helped my dog so much! You can tell how much the trainers love and are excited to help their clients. My dog gets so excited to learn and go to her lessons. Storm trained with Madison (South Austin) who was such an amazing trainer. She was extremely helpful in coaching me on the best way to train Storm outside of lessons. She was also open to questions and was always updating me on how Storm was doing. Attaching an update photo given to me of Storm at Camp! read more

Sit Means Sit Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me - Austin, Texas

Christian at Sit Means Sit did a great job with my reactive dog! He explained everything well and really took the time to work on everything that we had issues with. Would highly recommend this training! read more

This place is amazing. The customer service is outstanding. They truly care about their customers and love on your dog. I have been taking my dogs to them for over 10 years and they always gt me back on track address any issues i am having with my fur babies, my 140lb great white Pyrenees was quite the handful but my latest dog Charlie was quite the challenge, she was a rescue and had plenty of bad habits, they corrected and/or addressed them all. There trainers have been there along time and know what they are doing, results were quick, and i learned to be a pack leader and have happy doggies now. read more

Sit Means Sit really helped our Dog with reactivity and leash pulling. The trainers are clear and very friendly and patient. I definitely feel the experience was a positive one and necessary for our dog. read more

Our dog Buck started at sit means sit in June 2023 during the prime of his teenager phase. All the trainers worked wonderfully with him especially with being able to change training styles based off what worked best for him. I would like to give a huge shout out to Gerry for helping teach us during our private lesson to have Buck walk off leash since that became a goal of ours as Buck became more well behaved. It has given us and Buck way more freedom and has made walks so fun! read more

Eight years ago, we brought our rescue border collie, Riley, to Sit Means Sit, Austin, for a Board and Train. He was reactive to people in our home. Sit Means Sit taught him to "place''or stay on a place board until released with the word, 'break' while using a collar. After that, he was able to be in a room with others on his place board without reacting. When Riley came home from his Board and Train, the trainer was showing us the commands he had learned. Our Shih Tzu saw that Riley was getting treats and hopped right up on the place board to do the same commands. Our next dog, Doc, is a sweet chocolate lab, who is still terrified of thunderstorms. As I write this, he is on 'place' on a place board beside me. We have tried Trazadone and it didn't help. The only thing that helps him be calm during a storm is to be on 'place' and be reinforced with treats/food. My son has a rescue Basenji mix that learned 'sit', 'come' and 'break', all with the help of our dog, Doc's example and Sit Means Sit's commands. She is food aggressive, so these commands came in very handy at mealtime. My daughter got a Labradoodle puppy in October 2020. The day she came home we started practicing, the 'sit', 'place', 'come', and 'break', commands we had learned from Sit Means Sit, along with the help of our dog, Doc. She learned very quickly and is a very well behaved 9 month puppy. She still barks when we sit down to supper as a family. We put place boards next to our table and she is able to 'place' quietly while we eat. Our first dog, Riley, wore a collar and did a Board and Train. Our next four dogs did not wear a collar and we taught them ourselves, using the information we had learned from Sit Means Sit. They all benefited from Sit Means Sit's training and commands. Sit Means Sit has helped our dogs with reactivity to people, thunderstorm anxiety, food aggression, and bringing up a well behaved puppy. We are so grateful! read more

We have a very sweet but unruly Yorkie who was making our home life stressful and argumentative because of his incessant whining and barking. We had already spent a fair amount on trainers that were only briefly helpful. We finally broke down and arranged for a two week board and train program with Sit Means Sit Austin. Our dog was about a year and a half when we started with SMS. The folks here are clearly competent, experienced, and confident dog people. The initial consultation was thorough, they do a good job of setting expectations, and most importantly they emphasize that a lot of the work of training a dog comes from you yourself, the owner. Consistency is key and you have to be proactive and involved. My favorite part of this package deal is that you get 1 year of free group training classes, which allows you continue the work of training. I do wish the package came with 1-2 additional one on one classes w/ the trainer, both before and after the boarding. I felt like a little more time seeing and demonstrating the training/behaviors would have been helpful. I think it's important to recognize that this training program is based on the use of a zap collar. I am not happy about this, and I don't love it. I am sure some would argue their use is inhumane, and I understand that. Not to justify it, but, the collar has 7+ settings (you use the lowest necessary, obviously), and you are instructed very clearly about appropriate (vs. punitive) use. That said, it has worked really well for us. I hope to discontinue it's use eventually, but for now, it has allowed us to establish boundaries and good behaviors, and life with our pup is once again lovely. These board and train programs are not cheap (think in the 2-3K range!) but definitely worth it if you are ready to invest in intense, effective, ongoing training. read more

Sit Means Sit Dog Training - At group training, practicing place w/ other pups around. - Pet Training Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I got Apollo in February 2019 and soon after I noticed he he was very skittish and had bad separation anxiety which didn't seem to bother me but after awhile I felt bad for my little guy and I came across Sit Means Sit in November and thought I would give it a try. We did 3 private lessons and immediately I noticed a huge difference even just on his posture; he didn't seem scared or anxious! Fast forward after the holidays I became lazy and didn't practice with my dog and soon he fell back into his skittish ways which of course was my fault. I still had 3 group lessons to try but I kept telling myself that I would just get back on track and practice with Apollo and determine when he would be ready to do that but that didn't help. I called SMS, told them my problem and they scheduled me for a refreshment course with Adam which is exactly what we both needed! Now look at my little fur baby practicing place and isn't freaking out when I leave the room! I'm so proud of him! Group classes here we come soon! read more

Sit Means Sit Dog Training - Apollo practicing 'Place' - Pet Training Near Me - Austin, Texas

Great program they have developed. I've only had Jack for two lessons and they have a proven system for success. I would highly recommend them! read more

I did an initial consultation with Ray today. He had bloody hands and knuckles from maybe working with other dogs. I'll go on. Ray said the way Sit Means Sit starts training all dogs is by first using a shock collar. He said before we start any training, he first must shock my dog repeatedly. Ray persistently asked me to place the shock collar on my palm, and proceeded to shock me apparently to prove a point? I told him I have seen and had friends use these devices in the past and wasn't a route I wanted to go with my 18 month, 30 pound dog. Not sure the point. I mentioned to Ray that other facilities claim they work with dogs without E-collars. His feedback "they don't know what they are doing". While meeting with Ray for just 30 minutes, another staff member came up and asked him for a remote because another dog was being noisy. If you like Ray's way of thinking and would like to use shock collars to train your dog, you might like this place. If you want a place that promotes positive reinforcement, this is not the place to take your dog. Trying to save you time before Ray tries to zap you also! It's not a great feeling. -- On a positive note, I appreciate your facility doing temperature checks and wearing masks. That was nice and deserves at least 1 star. read more

Sit Means Sit helped me and my dog so much! I have seen a huge improvement in my dog's obedience, confidence, and ability. The trainers are very knowledgable, but also kind and patient. I'm very grateful for all the help. This service is really worth it! read more

Before I researched negative vs positive training, I was considering this place. Since I never actually tried the training, I cannot comment on the quality. However, I will post about the initial consultation session which was really a super sales session. Word of advice, if you want to continue getting clients that don't know about the negatives of your training methods yet, please change your initial session approach. Don't try to sell, don't try to make up some weird metaphors about the collar, just be honest that's it's a form of negative reinforcement. The straight up deception really turned me off. Also, in the group sessions you take us to observe, make sure the sessions actually appear effective! The dogs are wild outside, unruly, barking, unhappy, tiny toy dogs are right next to giant dogs being growled at, not a good representation of what you are trying to achieve. Really didn't make me trust you with taking care of my dog. I think you could be a lot more successful with clients that just don't know different methods and decide his approach, just stop being so salesy and dishonest. read more

The staff is very nice and helpful. Best place to train your dog. All thought methods and classes work great! You really see results with the behavior of your Dog. I would recommend it. Worth the money and time you put into it. read more

So far, I have only completed my 3 private sessions and will update my review after my year of group training. However, I have to give a shout out to trainer Adam! I have a 10 month old Rottweiler who is leash aggressive to other dogs. I felt so helpless and frustrated when I first arrived at sit means sit. I have done all 3 of my private sessions with Adam and have only positive to say. He has given us hope!! Not only do I see improvements in 3 sessions, I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I requested him for all 3 sessions because he made us feel calm and positive while practicing on her leash reactivity. Thanks Adam! read more

Warning- long post! If you're a skeptic or concerned about "shock collars" this review is for you, because that was me. We rescued a 1.5 year old goldendoodle three months ago and immediately put her in training at a location I'd taken one of my dogs years ago as the rescue said she was fearful of people and dogs. The two week positive reinforcement training program helped with the basics she mostly knew (sit, down, wait) but the BIG problems still existed after several weeks of daily training: barking, lunging, jumping at any person or dog she saw on a walk, in the car, in the house. We knew this was fear reactivity but didn't know how to deal with it. She was so sweet with us in our home, but we were afraid to have anyone over or take her out of the house. I read blogs, took online classes, bought a halti, did sniff/nose training activities and other than advice of "avoid triggers" and "this will take months and months of training" we didn't know what else to try. I'd read reviews of Sit Means Sit but was VERY reluctant to try any training that required an e-collar. I did my research and felt it would at least be worth a consultation to learn if this was right for me and my dog. When I arrived I met with Adam - who had been my other dog's trainer 13 years before! Adam explained the approach SMS uses, showed me how the collar works, told me why he believes in the SMS program, and asked about my training goals. I got to see dogs in day camp and some of the trainers at work. I left feeling like I had a program that would help me help my dog. She attended four day camp sessions with Trisha. Trisha was great at showing me how to use the collar and remote and body language as a communication tool with my pup and to blend in positive reinforcement with treats and praise. The first week using the collar was rough as me and my dog figured out this new "language." I never felt like I was "shocking" or hurting her, but I had to learn how to let her know what I wanted and she had to learn what I was asking her to do. Trisha is a great teacher, explaining what she did with my pup each week and answering all of my questions (and I had a lot!). After six weeks since starting the program I can confidently take my dog out on walks! People greetings are going really well - she's greeted neighbors, friends, and visitors to the house. Walking past other dogs is still a work in progress, but I'm able to let her know to focus on me first using the collar and how to recognize when she's starting to get triggered and correct her *before* she escalates. I learned that with reactive dogs like mine no amount of treats or praise works when they get triggered, but having this tool helps her brain focus on me and not the thing she's afraid of. Group training sessions have helped practice our lessons with the help of a trainer and around other owners and dogs who are working on their skills - people who know to be cautious and respectful as you and your dog learn together. Our goal is to eventually not have to use the collar. Mostly we only use it on car rides, outdoor walks, and training outside of our home as our pup is very consistent inside our home. SMS might not be for every dog or every dog owner, but it has definitely helped me. I had guilty feelings the first week about whether I was hurting her or her spirit. But I quickly learned the collar is a tool - like a leash, gentle leader, collar, treats, etc. Used properly and with care, it helps your dog focus on you so you can get them to do what you're asking. The SMS program also requires daily practice - like any dog training. It has done wonders for my fearful dog, who can now be calm and confident around people (and dogs when she's not on a leash). I highly recommend SMS for anyone struggling with how to "communicate" with their dog, especially reactive dogs. read more

We came to Sit Means Sit for our 2 year old Dalmatian Ollie after visiting another trainer and just didn't achieve the results we were hoping for. We were at a loss, we didn't know what else to do with our dog. He was reactive towards dogs, people and even our toddler. Our daughter would try to pet him and he would growl and run away. He couldn't be out in our back yard without barking at neighbors and other dogs, it was exhausting. This was our last hope before we thought of rehoming him. We couldn't be more please with the results we achieved with Sit Means Sit! Logan and Trisha both were wondering in helping us achieve our goals with Ollie and our home feels so calm. Completing this program allowed us to keep our dog. Our daughter is now able to pet Ollie and he happily wags is tail and just enjoys hanging out with his family. I've already shared this with everyone we know and would 100% recommend Sit Means Sit. If you're on the fence, do it, you won't regret it! read more

We decided to go with Sit Means Sit after a failed training experience at Petsmart. At the time our golden retriever Dexter was 6 months old, and very much a hyper/stubborn puppy. At first I was a little taken back because they do use e-collars. Troy assured us it is SAFE and not used for punishment, but rather get your dogs attention during times of high distraction. I've tried the e-collar on myself, and can honestly say it does NOT hurt or shock. It is more like a tingle. Our trainer Danielle is PHENOMENAL! She knew just how hard to push the limits with our dog, and when to call it a day. Dex caught on very quickly, and now he can go anywhere with us. Occasionally off leash, and we don't have to worry. We've phased out the collar at home, but still use it for group classes and other outings. Dexter is the most loving well behaved dog we've ever had, and it's all THANKS to the training and guidance we've received SMS! read more

Sit Means Sit Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me - Austin, Texas

Best decision ever. I am so happy we found Sit Means Sit dog training for their 2 week Board + Train program. I knew from the very first meeting with Krystal that they are the best in town. I love that they have you come in so you can see the facilities, talk through the training, test out the collar (btw from the review that claims it's a shock collar I personally disagree. They let you test it out on your hand and it just is a buzz that is like a tap on the shoulder for the dog when they are highly distracted. It's NEVER used as punishment. Just an additional tool like body language and voice commands) I also like that they don't pressure you into anything. Yet they are also in such high demand for B+T that I suggest scheduling early! Our lab is so sweet but has really high anxiety. Could never walk him nicely on a leash, had to use an easy walk harness. He also could never focus around toys, would ignore us in parks bc he only had attention for the ball someone else was throwing. Now he can walk nicely on a leash, listens to us (still and always will be working on it) and the BEST feature I love is the "place" command. Having him place on his cot (that you receive when your pet comes home) is so great. Dinners are no longer interrupted bc he just hangs out on whatever we place him on. Which is also a fun game to play with him. I cannot say enough positive things about SMS. It's an investment, and something that you will maintain with your dog it's whole life, but it's 100% worth it. And I swear your dog will be happier and more relaxed too! read more

Sit Means Sit Dog Training - Moose practicing "place" for his birthday pic! - Pet Training Near Me - Austin, Texas

I've been meaning to write this review for awhile, but I knew it would take a long time to put all the awesome things Sit Means Sit has done for me and my dogs down in writing. I mainly worked with Kelly and Maci at the South Austin location. I want to start by saying that our trainers have always made me feel like my need for extra explanation was no problem at all. They've always been more than happy to explain anything I didn't fully understand. I came in for a consultation in September 2020 and my talk with Kelly went so well, I ended up paying in full for my two dogs to have 6 private lessons (+ unlimited group lessons) right then and there. A few days later (prior to us beginning the training), I started to have second thoughts about the e-collar. I called and spoke with someone (I'm sorry, I can't remember her name but I believe she was a manager) about my concerns. From what I knew about e-collars, I initially didn't want to go that route. By the end of the call (30+ minutes!), I felt reassured and comfortable that Sit Means Sit's use of the e-collars would not hurt my dogs nor make them feel scared or threatened into behaving. She completely rid me of my hesitation and I was excited to get started with training. Over the next 2-3 months, me and my 2 dogs (ages 1 and 3) proceeded through our private lessons. At my request, the first few lessons were with 1 dog at a time; I thought it might be overwhelming to try to wrangle in 2 dogs while we were in the learning phase. I'm not going to lie - at the very start, I wasn't sure things would pan out the way I hoped. I had a hard time getting comfortable with using the remotes and it felt like my dogs only performed well when we were with their trainers. At home, I had a hard time. I expressed my frustration and need for additional help to both Kelly and Maci, and they immediately reassured me that although it felt difficult, we would continue training until we saw the results I'd hoped for. Over time, it got easier and I saw serious improvements with my girls (details later). I also added on two overnight stays with Kelly/Maci for each of my dogs, which, to me, felt like a little booster lesson; it made it easier for me to practice the skills that they were already familiar with at home. Highly recommend the overnights. Now, for the things we trained specifically: - Sit/Place: My dogs will sit and more importantly, STAY wherever I ask them to. - Walking in Heel or on Leash: Walks are no longer a dreadful experience. Prior to our training, I HATED taking my dogs on walks! They dragged me everywhere and dictated where we went. I would get so frustrated and we'd end up just going back home because it felt maddening to try to get any control while out for a walk. Now, I control the walks, and the girls follow my lead. On command, they will immediately hop into the heel position right by my feet. I've trained them to always walk by my side when we are on concrete and when they are on grass, they're free to run around. If I don't need them immediately next to me, I use the "let's go" command and they are allowed to walk in front of me and there's no more leash pulling! - OFF-LEASH PLAYING!!!: I never thought I'd see the day. Even after enrolling with Sit Means Sit, I had doubts about whether I would EVER feel comfortable with my girls playing off-leash in a non-fenced in area. Not anymore. We go out to the fields by my apartment complex 3 times a day to get the zoomies out, play fetch, and explore. When they roam a little too far for comfort, I use the same "let's go" command as before and they know that means "come closer to me, you're too far away." We walk around my entire apartment complex, off-leash and in heel position, and I give them the "okay" command (aka, you're free to roam) when we hit grassy areas for them to play in. It's magnificent. - "Let's Go" aka "stay in my bubble": Explained above :) - Come Here: The only reason we are able to play off-leash is because I know if I ask them to come back, they will. Even if they are nose-deep in grass/dirt/something smelly, when it's time to come back to me, they do. - "Okay" aka "Free: Explained above :) - Fence Fighting: One of my dogs had a huge issue with fence fighting. She'd sit at the fence barking non-stop at them, trying to start problems. This issue has decreased by at least 75%. It still happens sometimes, but I am able to get their attention and ask them to come inside when it does. - Look at Me or "Me": We're taught to always get the dogs' attention before giving a command. I use "look at me" or "me" and they look straight in my eyes. I want to be completely honest in this review and say that everything I wrote above is true about 80-90% of the time. My girls started training in September, so it's only been 8 months or so. That being said, I'm blown away by the progress we've made. I would recommend Sit Means Sit to anyone who wants to live a happier life with their dogs. read more

We took our dog-aggressive 5-year old pit mix rescue to Sit Means Sit and had the best experience! Our pup worked with Gerry who was supportive, professional, and knowledgeable. We did 3 times per week for 3 weeks and 6 months of group classes. Our pup improved her walk behavior tremendously and is definitely less aggressive/ reactive towards other dogs. Her door boundaries and self-control are so much better now. It's wild that at Fiesty Fiedo classes she is sitting butt to butt with other dog-reactive dogs and able to focus and not respond. It's something I could not have imagined before training. read more

Sit Means Sit did a great job with training my GSD Wyatt to have better manners in just a few lessons. He is much better at home and on a leash making my life much easier. There still are a few habits we are trying to break, but we are working on daily training and will attend the additional classes they offer. I highly recommend them and thank you to all the trainers that worked with Wyatt. Micah was always responsive and gave great advice and taught us too, not just our dog. read more