Brenna was just incredible helping us with our rescue, June. We've had her for a couple years and she was always super leash reactive, barking at just about every dog, bike, and skateboard that she saw. After 3 sessions at SMS, June is able to walk with us with no problem. I genuinely wouldn't believe it if you told me she would improve this much a month ago. I can't recommend SMS and Brenna specifically enough! read more

Sit Means Sit - Pet Training Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Fantastic experience. We have a highly, highly energetic 2 year old Wheaton Terrier (Tilly!). During our consultation, Greg took the time to understand our specific goals we had for Tilly's training. He walked thru the training technique and schedule, being sure to answer any questions or concerns we had. We scheduled three, full day trainings - spread over 3 weeks so that we would have practice time in between each lesson. We would drop Tilly off in the AM, pick her up in the afternoon. When we arrived back at the facility, my husband and I had an hour with the trainer and Tilly to walk through what they went over in the day. We also got a "Report Card" after each lesson that highlighted how it went. Super helpful. Brenna trained Tilly on the 1st and 3rd day and Jada trained Tilly on the 2nd day. Each were fantastic and couldn't have been more helpful and knowledgeable. They walked through the training collar process, commands and walking habits. They helped Tilly go from pulling on her harness to complete loose leash walking, how to get into her "Place", how to heal, and how to stay focused while around other distractions (dogs, cars, people, etc). Facilities were clean, well managed. Highly recommend Sit Means Sit, Brenna, Jada and Greg! read more

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Brenna did an amazing job working with Millie and an even better job working with us. We appreciate her firm but compassionate approach to training. She was patient with our questions and made sure that we fully understood all of the techniques she was using so that we would be successful well into the future. read more

Taking my pup to Sit Means Sit was the best thing I did. He turned out to have reactive issues. This was a new experience for me. Trainers at Sit Means Sit were all amazing to work with. They understood his issues and worked with me to help him become a great canine companion. ​The trainers are committed to making sure you succeed. I can't say enough about the very positive difference their help has made for my pup. read more

Sit Means Sit was an excellent investment for our dog and family! The company as a whole is incredibly organized. They know what they are doing and are very good at it. I had quite a few questions about the process and overall affect this would have on my dog, and they satisfactorily answered them all. i really enjoyed working with our trainer, too! This is my very first dog and so I'm starting from square one. But Josh was so patient and encouraged me to not only ask questions, but made sure I was comfortable practicing the techniques before leaving to go home. If I had more concerns, all I had to do was text and he would get right back to me (unless he was working with a dog). Josh is very knowledgeable and was very kind and confident with our dog. I saw such a drastic change in behavior in our dog, especially after the second training session. I really feel like my dog and I are speaking the same language now. Lastly, I'm very grateful for the lifetime group classes that I can attend as often as I like! The trainers at Sit Means Sit encouraged me to attend so that I can build my confidence and knowledge when working with my dog, which is so valuable!! I will definitely be recommending this service to my friends. read more

If you have a dog, new or older.....you need to send your dogs here! we have sibling mats, and this place was very helpful! so glad my wife found this place for us! read more

I stumbled upon Sit Means Sit in a Google search and I'm happy I found it. Everybody Libby and I encountered was kind, patient and very helpful. We worked most with Brenna and Sam and I learned so much; I have been so overwhelmed as a first-time puppy owner, so their friendliness, knowledge and patience were greatly appreciated - so much thanks to you two! I didn't know the first thing about training a dog and I'm happy I took Libby when she was young; she definitely learns more quickly than I do. I look forward to group classes very much! read more

Sit Means Sit - Pet Training Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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What an amazing experience! We learned a lot, as well as Raksha. Truly loved our trainers! Raksha absolutely loved Molly. Thank you to all of you at Sit Means Sit. Now that we graduated, I can't wait to start our group classes! I can't thank you enough for helping me along the way. read more

Sit Means Sit - Graduation day hugs at Sit Means Sit - Pet Training Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I brought my 9 month old German Shepherd to Sit Means Sit and worked with Sam, she was great. She took time to explain everything and made sure that I understood everything before the end of each class. She was great with Ellie and Ellie took really well to Sam. I would highly recommend Sam as well as Sit Means Sit. read more

Sit Means Sit - Pet Training Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I'd actually do 4.7 stars, and strictly because there is always room for improvement for every business We were a bit concerned with the e collar training system and Greg quickly eased those concerns, by letting us feel exactly what our dog would feel. After that, no concerns! The price was a bit surprising to us and really made us stop and think about it. Having been through three of the full day training sessions...I can honestly say it is worth every penny!! We were fortunate to have Jada for all three of our day camp training sessions. This young woman was kind, encouraging, knowledgeable, energetic, positive and so incredibly good at what she does! Amazing is what comes to mind when speaking of Jada!! She worked with our dog and then taught us how to do the same things at home. The difference in our 7 month old puppy after three full days of training and our working with her outside of the sessions is remarkable! We are so excited with how far Brinley has come and are looking forward to continuing with group classes! read more

We're having a great experience working with Jada. Her relaxed, confident demeanor and friendly voice got Ted's attention at our introduction and he continues to be excited ... elated when he see's her. Jada is helping us realize what's required to reach our goals and helping Ted be more confident and relaxed while learning from new experience. read more

I had previous electronic collar training with my dog reactive 4 year old dog but we had hit a limit to what we could accomplish because I couldn't put him in various scenarios to work him through the issues in a safe manner. This is why I signed up for SMS. They have unlimited and lifetime support provided with the classes to work him through issues that was in a safe, controlled, structured, yet fun manner. From the classes, I was able to quickly progress the training for my dog AND me even further. My dog will not be completely cured of his dog reactivity issue but we are both better able to manage the situation through the techniques we have learned and continue to practice. My dog now looks forward to going to class and wags his tail when I say the C-L-A-S-S word. read more

Sit Means Sit - Pet Training Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Still an amazing company and trainers! My dog, Ocho was trained about 4 years ago and his training is still working. He loves his collar and looks forward to it when I take him for runs or walks. Everyone is very positive and uses all the training methods in a positive way. The facility is updated and bigger than before. They hired more amazing trainers who have gone through the most up to date training methods. The trainers are very approachable and easy to work with. They really take the time to work with you and your dog which was helpful. It is also nice that you can reach someone very quickly in case you had an emergency or a question. I trust my dog with anyone there and would do it all over again in a heartbeat. read more

Sit Means Sit is a life saver. With their help I no longer have to worry about Sweet Pea jumping on and biting my grandkids that I babysit for. All of the staff are incredible and so very patient. They made sure that I knew why I was using certain commands and techniques. Their training has given me a puppy that I love and can enjoy without punctures on my hands. We are not perfect yet, but we are anticipating more progress when we join the group lessons. read more

Our 1 year old terrier mix, Luna, shown some behaviors that made it difficult to walk her around the neighborhood because of her reactivity of other dogs and pulling on the leash. We tried other dog training programs and even a private trainer for a few months and we didn't notice any difference. She was still exhibiting the same behaviors with multiple times of doing the training that was shown for us to do. We heard about Sit Means Sit from a friend that recommended it and we are so glad we got Luna into the schooling program. We notice a huge difference on the first day! Our trainer, Molly, was very friendly, knowledgeable, and answered all our questions with great tools for us to use for Luna to be successful. We didn't feel judged that we were having some troubles with our dog (which we have felt at other dog training programs). We learned so much as dog owners and had a great experience! Thank you Sit Means Sit! read more

Sit Means Sit - Pet Training Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I started training with Sit Means Sit back in February this year. Penney is my first dog, and, for awhile, I thought she wasn't too bad with obedience training. She wasn't very well trained, but I wasn't focused on training her ever day of her (and my) life. When I moved to a new house, there was much more street visibility. She started barking a LOT more. At this point, I'd seen about three different trainers who all gave me the same shtick. None of it was working for me, or my dog. It was becoming a huge problem for me that my dog seemed like a psycho when she met other dogs in our neighborhood, and when she'd start barking outside at night. I knew I needed help and I needed something that would work for me. Sit Means Sit has been a godsend for Penney and me! She loves the trainers, and we work so much better together, now. I have clear, concise commands for her, weekly classes I can take her to to reinforce everything she's learned, and a network of support from everyone at the training facility. Mike and Jayson are always willing to help and trouble shoot where you're getting stuck. The program clearly explains how your dog should be progressing with e-collar training, and what you should expect along the way. I know lifetime access to classes and trainers is completely worth the money I spent on her training. It's not only given me the confidence to train a well mannered dog, it's also giving her confidence to be comfortable in her surroundings and with other dogs of many different sizes. I don't know where I'd be without Sit Means Sit. Everyone who knew Penney prior to this training can't stop telling me what a good idea it was to train her there. Even my friend who didn't love that I was using an e-collar agreed that it was the right step for Penney. I can't recommend this place enough. It's just a fun, happy, confidence-instilling atmosphere. I love hanging out with the team of trainers, and all the client's I've interacted with have been so nice to get to know. It really is like a little family over there. :-) One that I'm glad my dog and I are a part of. Thanks Sit Means Sit!!! read more

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I took my pup, Leonard, to sit means sit and it was worth every penny. He is a rescue almost 2 years old, barely knew his name. I took him to Training hoping to have him pull less on the leash and come when called... he got a lot more. After 3 sessions he heels on command and reliably comes back to me in any environment. With a little extra work he is able to walk next to me off lead for long periods of time in right off my left heel. I am a happier dog owner, and Leonard is a happier Pup! 10/10 would recommend. read more

We just recently completed SMS training with Remi our 7 month old Vizsla puppy. The SMS team was amazing. Brenna was our trainer and she is clearly a very talented trainer. We started seeing results immediately and have continued to see constant progress as we completed each of the sessions. Brenna helped guide us by providing customized support throughout each session. She has and continues to be available for any questions and checks in regularly to see how Remi is doing. l'm confident that Remi is off to an excellent start. Brenna's love for her work and dedication and commitment to Remi's success is unlike any other training programs that I participated in. SMS sets the Bar for setting extremely high standards and delivers to them. Definitely looking for to group classes and providing the best possible training for Remi. Thank you Brenna for taking such good care and focused attention for our little girl! - Kind Regards Angie, John & Remi read more

If I could give a zero I would. We took our dog here after having to leave a deposit for the consultation and waiting a couple months for the appointment. After waiting 15 minutes in an office a lady came to talk to us. Basically within 5 minutes of gathering our information she told us their "process". They are not a friendly or humane training center! They use shock collars. She said it's only to get their attention not punish the dog. We left as soon as she told us this. When we were walking out there was a beautiful Belgian malinois that was being trained. That dog was shocked so hard he sounded like he got hit by a car and instantly dropped to the floor yelping. Save yourself time and money and get a real trainer. Not one high end trainer or facility uses this method! Owners beware In response to mikes comments. You trainer never mentioned anything else besides the shock collar so you may want to discuss that with her. She passed it around the room shocking both of us as an example on a low setting that neither of us could hold. The behavior and first hand experience we saw did not look fun. The dog we saw shocked definitely had more then its attention drawn clearly shown by the loud yelp and dropping to the floor. Your right we were early and it's not for us. We did call to ask on the cc hold however the trainer we spoke with initially said it was a deposit. Sounds like your staff needs training. read more

Hank is a 6 month old 65 lb Black Cur puppy. When he started Day Camp he was unmanageable on walks. He was easily distracted and would unexpectedly lunge at prey. I couldn't walk him but my husband could. After one training session at Sit Means Sit, I was walking Hank. He obeys the heel command and is working hard on sit. I love that SMS doesn't board pets and that training camp is once a week. That gives us time to reinforce what's being taught. Highly recommend and would do again in a heartbeat! read more

We adopted Stella from Milwaukee animal control in November 2015. She was a stray, so not much was known about her. When I took her for a walk the next morning, she pulled me across the street to get to a neighbor's small dog walking the other way. From there, the problems got worse - reactivity to or fear of everything, separation anxiety, accidents in the house - she even chewed her way out of a Kong crate. We tried 3 trainers, websites, and every member of our family who'd raised a dog. None of their suggestions paid off. Stella's reactivity was getting so bad that we couldn't let her outside without being afraid she'd break off her leash and attack another dog walking past the house. Finally, at a work party, we heard about this place that takes your dog for a week, trains them, and gives them back to you "fixed". This sounded way too good to be true, so we were skeptical, but we were at the end of our rope. So the next morning, we called Sit Means Sit-Madison for a free evaluation. Within 5 minutes of walking into the facility, it was clear we were somewhere that knew what they were doing. We had struggled with Stella's issues for going on 6 months, so when Mike got her to sit and focus on him quietly while a German Shepard ran around the room jumping off the walls, I literally cried. I couldn't believe that we had finally found someone who could help. It was about another 20 minutes of skeptical question asking and Mike patiently addressing my fear of using an e-collar, as I didn't want her aggressiveness to get worse and I was not a fan of "shock collars". We went home to think about it. It was a lot of money. But Stella was a member of our family. We couldn't give her up - we chose to take her in, so we had a responsibility to help her overcome her issues. The next morning, we called and scheduled a 10 day board and train and worked out a comfortable payment plan. About 3 days in I got a video of Stella laying calmly next to another dog at the back of a reactive class with about 15 other dogs in it, all making noise, but she could not have looked happier. The next day, I got a video of her running on the treadmill and smiling. She was a completely different dog. When we picked her up, Kate, our trainer, had nothing but wonderful things to say about her. She saw in Stella what we wanted to see, but couldn't. Kate was always there to encourage us and give us more ideas of what to try next. Within about 6 months of training, Stella had truly become the dog Kate and Mike saw she could be. We've now been with Sit Means Sit for 2 years. Stella's reactivity is next to zero, she's confident, curious, and a bundle of love and controllable energy. We just took our first weekend trip without her (we had my aunt watch her at our house), and she showed no signs of separation anxiety whatsoever. Everyone who meets her comments on how well behaved she is, and we're more than happy to tell them about how much Sit Means Sit has done for us, and encourage them to give it a try. With Mike and his crew of amazingly talented, caring, and patient trainers, we have been able to not only reveal Stella as a true pit bull breed ambassador - she's about to get her CGC! - but we have also found in ourselves a new level of confidence, patience, calm, and leadership. Sit Means Sit will push you and your dog to discover your limits - and they will be right by your side as you overcome them. They will encourage you to try things that you never thought possible, and they will always have your back. Most importantly - they will never give up on your dog - and neither should you. Give them a chance. I am, and will remain, unendingly grateful that we did. read more

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I am speechless when it comes to Sit Means Sit. Tanya is absolutely wonderful and I can't thank the whole SMS team enough. I have a very reactive Australian Shepherd, both to people and other dogs. We have tried nearly EVERYTHING. We took her to puppy classes when she was young, and we took her to a "bully" class, but nothing had ever gotten through to her until Sit Means Sit. They truly do not give up on you or your dog. I was ready to give up on my pup's social skills and I am so glad I didn't. I could not be happier with the results we are getting, and we haven't even finished the training. The group classes for life is just the cherry on top. If you're thinking about taking your dog here, 100% go for it. I am so thankful for this opportunity. It is truly worth every penny! Thank you SMS for giving Koda a chance at a better life. read more

Sit Means Sit - Placing on the fire hydrant - Pet Training Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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We got Guinness in March of 2019 from a local rescue. We knew ahead of time that he was found under a porch in Texas with his mom and his litter mates and that he had no human contact until he was rescued. Those 4 months seemed so minuscule to us but they must have had a huge impact on our little guy because although he seemed to fit in with our dogs it took him quite a while to warm up to our family. He was never very "puppyish" and seemed hesitant around us. We could have dealt with that but as he slowly began to warm up to us he began to get aggressive towards strange people and dogs so we decided to find a trainer. We reached out to one that would come into our home and help him using positive rewards. That trainer worked with him for about 3 months, and although Guinness loved the treats, he never seemed to warm up to that guy so we sought out another. She also used positive rewards and he seemed to open up a bit more with her but one hour a week of training and tons of treats was still pretty slow going as far as progress. Well, Covid hit and we had to stop the trainings (and everything else in our lives) which basically caused us all to slide right back to the beginning again since he had limited interactions with all strangers except our oldest son who moved home to quarantine. After two months of living with us Guinness was still aggressively barking at our son and wouldn't let him get close (half the time we had to hold him back so our son could come in the door) so we knew we needed to try something different. We started Sit Means Sit in June of this year and after the 1st session Guinness was able to go on a walk without barking at strangers and after 2 sessions our son was able to come in the house without harassment and even get close enough to Guinness to put on his leash. Now that we have completed all four of the day training sessions we still have a dog that is nervous with new situations but he has learned to trust us and himself more. My son can sit next to him and pet him now and he doesn't cower every time we try to pet him on the head. We still have a lot of work to do but we accomplished more in 4 weeks at Sit Means Sit than we did in the 6 months of training before. The confidence our dog has gained and the reduced anxiety we feel now made this program worth every penny for us and we highly recommend them to anyone with fear aggressive dogs. read more

We took our 2 year old German Shepherd to Sit Means Sit and we have absolutely loved it! The main concerns we had were leash aggression and pulling. I love to run with my shepherd and it was really difficult to do this with pulling on the leash. After a few day/train sessions we saw massive improvements. I used to use a prong collar to walk him and now after SMS I can use a regular collar without pulling. The entire staff is incredible. They were constantly professional, friendly, understanding and flexible. I knew my dog was in good hands when he was there! I also loved that the staff took videos so I could watch how he was being trained/what he learned that day. I can't say enough positive things about trainer Courtney as well. She was patient with my dog AND with me, and always encouraged us! I personally was very hesitant about the e-collars but after learning about them and watching the staff train my dog I became more confident. Definitely worth the money and the time. This is an investment for life! We highly recommend! read more

The training space is safe, welcoming and clean, and an hour-long class is the perfect amount of class time, especially for in the evening, after the workday. We feel the 5 private sessions, plus the good quality collar & remote, a cot for "place", and the ability to contact our trainer outside of class make the cost of the class a good value. Big shout-out Brenna for being an excellent trainer!! She was always in good spirits, always on time, and gave each of us great 1:1 attention. We appreciated how she encouraged us to train with Sugar throughout the week, but didn't chastise us if we couldn't train as much as we wanted to because, life happens! We also appreciated how she checked our goals throughout the 5-week program, to ensure we were on track with what we wanted to accomplish in training. She also concluded each class with a short list of "homework" for next week, which was helpful. Brenna was very respectful of Sugar, and I feel she would give the same amount of love and care for every dog that comes to her for training. We would definitely take a training class from Brenna again, and would recommend her as a trainer to anyone we know. read more

We took our young Golden Retriever to Sit Means Sit in Madison, Wisconsin to get him past his exuberant behavior and help us teach him obedience commands and control. Our trainer was awesome and our young Golden did very well. There are a number of training options so you can pick what works best for you and your dog, we are very pleased with the results, our Golden even passed his American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen Certification on his first try! Mike Wheeler, the owner of the Madison franchise has been very helpful and is alway available to answer our questions and share his expertise with the clients! This training was very helpful and we got to meet other dog owners with like goals with their dogs! We highly recommend Sit Means Sit in Madison, WI. read more

The staff and training at Sit Means Sit really helped our dog, Tucker, with listening on and off leash! We have more trust in him now, and he really is a better dog because of the training! The staff, and Tanya specifically were so helpful and answered all of our questions and concerns before and during the training. If you are hesitant about going to Sit Means Sit I would say do it, it really was life changing for us! We were able to take our dog camping for a week in Colorado and have him off leash the entire time and not have to worry! read more

What an amazing experience! From day one, we knew we made the right decision bringing our basset hound, Rosie, to SMS. When we first adopted Rosie, we had trouble walking her and keeping her attention (that hound nose kept her focus to the ground). We knew we needed to find a solution to keep her safe. Now that we have graduated, Rosie is the absolute best version of herself. She is still our sweet goofy girl, but now is able to go on long walks while heeling to our side and reliably come back to us in any environment. We cannot thank Sit Means Sit enough for how they changed our lives for the better. They have been a joy to work with and we cannot wait to come to group classes! read more

I brought my high energy goldendoodle for training. I noticed a difference after the first all day training. He walked at heel and didn't pull on the leash anymore. He has a great time learning new skills and I couldn't be more pleased with my "new" dog! read more

We have an eight month old silver lab who would pull on his leash. It was worse when he saw people because he would bark aggressively and pull to get to them. He loves all people but people were afraid because he's 80lbs and coming full force barking. We were frustrated. Nothing we tried helped. After only two day classes and he has already changed so much. We are continuing to do the work but I feel beyond blessed already. He heels and walks better than he ever has before. He is smarter than we thought and had been ignoring our commands so they told us we can't let up on him because he will try to get away with more. All the staff are so friendly and they do such a wonderful job with him. They really care about the pups. They share a video and/or pictures throyghout the day of the progress. This is my favorite part. His first day I was anxious wondering if we made the right decision but now I know we did!! I couldn't have made a better choice then to ask for Sit Mean Sit in Madison to help us with Blu. I am excited to see what the future holds for Blu. A very special thank you to each one of the staff that have worked so diligently to get Blu to make the progress that he has. We are so grateful!!! read more

Sit Means Sit - Pet Training Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Last fall, we adopted an adult dog with separation anxiety and she did not know any basic commands. Our first meeting was with Kate and I knew immediately this was the place for us. Through private and group lessons, we have seen our dog improve dramatically and are now pursuing her Canine Good Citizen Certification. Needless to say, when we added a puppy to our family last month, we signed her up for training too. Our puppy went to the immersion training, and wow! We received emails with updates and the difference was amazing. We went from a puppy without manners to an eager to learn puppy who knows basic commands. We are now attending the group lessons and although we are still using the long training leash during the group lessons (she is still under 5 months!) the trainers are assisting and challenging us in working off leash more and more. I have no doubt that we will be fully off leash in no time and learning even more fun and useful things in the future. Each trainer I have worked with, whether in individual or group class, has been knowledgable and has a passion for their profession, which is the best combination I could hope to have in a trainer. read more

Sit Means Sit Madison is great for beginner puppy classes and one-on-one training. They teach skills and commands that serve as valuable knowledge for both the owner and their dog. Having our dog work with owner Mike Wheeler made training so much easier. Mike has given us a lot of great tips and examples that have been extremely helpful. read more

My beagle Stevie is a completely different and well behaved dog after one day camp training class and I couldn't be more happy!

I rescued my little dog, Lady, about a month after moving to Madison in hopes of companionship and helping me meet other people. As a 4 month old puppy she had already sat at the shelter for over a month because she was very high anxiety and required a lot of love and attention. When I first brought her home she was scared of EVERYTHING. Certain flooring, elevators, traffic, loud noises, etc., Overtime she overcame her fear of the elevator and other small things, but I could not get her to walk on a leash without pulling and do other important things. I suffer with my own anxiety and we would almost make each other more anxious. I knew it was time for a professional and Sit Means Sit has changed both of our lives. After just 1 session she was done pulling on the leash, she trusts me so much more, and we are so much happier. She has now completed all 3 sessions and I can hardly recognize my funny and confident little girl. I'm forever grateful! read more

We already had two King Charles Spaniels, ages 9 and 8. We also have been fostering other dogs for the last 3 years. All breeds, shapes and sizes. Many amazing dogs...but this April we had a 4 month old female Black Mouthed Cur with a severely fractured hind left leg. We were told even before she came to us that the leg would need to be removed. We have had numerous fosters over the years with health issues that we took great joy in help them heal up and get ready to find their forever family. We assumed with "Daisy" this would also be the case. But from the minute she came to us, even with a leg that our vet referred to as having had extremely severe trauma, we knew she was special. She had no use of her left leg and even though she was on pain meds, it had to hurt like crazy. Yet she was joyful, friendly, cuddly and very happy to be a member of our household. After being with us for a week, it was time for the surgery. She went in on a Monday morning and had her leg removed along with getting her spaying done. She stayed overnight at the clinic and when we went to pick her up she was perky, happy and moving around like a running back. It was at that point that we started to discuss making her a full time member of the family - we have had the same discussion about other fosters in the past, but this one felt different. Maybe it was having gone through the amputation with her or maybe it was the twinkle in her eye...but after some discussion we agreed to put her up for adoption. She was immediately claimed and we set up the meet n greet with her new family for that upcoming weekend. The night before her new family was set to come, they had a family emergency and had to back out. At this point after 3 weeks with her, everyone in the family was in love and we agreed that her potential new family having to cancel meant she was supposed to join our family. After 3 years and 15 dogs, we were finally a "foster fail". So Daisy became Maggie and she was now part of our pack. We knew nothing about her breed, but it was obvious from day one she was very smart, very eager to please and is a high energy dog. We knew that we owed it to her to get her the right training so she could thrive in our household. We never did trading with our to Cavaliers because if you know their breed, neither needed anything more than their own desire to just be with their human pack. But with Maggie, we knew it was in her best interest to get her some support. We never for a second thought twice about training because of Maggie's amputation. We actually rarely think of her as missing a limb. You wouldn't know it from her demeanor. We choose Sit Means Sit based upon their reputation. Maggie is still in the process of her formal trading with SMS and she is already blowing through her milestones. After her 3 day camps and in just her second one on one lesson she was already healing off lead with me all around the SMS parking lot and around the outside of the entire building. Her recall is great, her attention is pretty good (she is still just a puppy after all) and she thrives in the environment in which she can interact with us and work to please. As important as the training SMS is providing Maggie, it is also the training they are providing to me to help me make sure I give Maggie clear and consistent direction and that she has the best chance of being happy and engaged, both things she clearly is driven to be. We have one more one on one class and then look forward to regularly attending the group classes each week. Mike G read more

We brought our daughter's dog, Hazel. She was so fearful and apprehensive about everything. After attending 4 weeks of training, I feel as if we have a happier dog who feels more confident. I have learned a great deal as a pet owner and I hope to continue to improve in my ability to care for her and any other dogs in the future. Thank you "Sit Means Sit."Without you, we'd have an aggressive unhappy puppy. read more

My fiance and I took our pup to Sit Means Sit for training focused on his reactivity. We bought into the sale of the program and booked our training after the free consultation where we were promised lofty improvements for our pup. We were hesitant about the use of the e-collars, and the $2,000 fee, but followed through since they are the experts, and this is our first dog. We went into the training open-minded and motivated to better our lives and our dog's life. Needless to say, after each of our three training sessions, we left feeling embarrassed, defeated, and overwhelmed. After each 8 hour session when we arrived we felt like we were being mocked when asking questions and our poor, obviously exhausted dog was laughed at for showing emotions. Yes, we ended the training with somewhat of a foundation, but never felt the support that other reviews have mentioned. I would not recommend Sit Means Sit if you are looking for a trainer who will work with you and not treat you as inferior if you are a new dog owner. In hindsight, we would have just bought an e-collar ourselves and learned as much from Youtube or a much more affordable program. We have debated writing this review as we are incredibly easy-going and happy-go-lucky people but wanted to make sure others don't go through this same situation and costly mistake. read more

Kind, Ethical, Responsible Team I have had two dogs prior to this one and have taken them to several other reputable training organizations. This is the only one that bothered to find out about my specific goals for my dog and the only one that bothered to get to know my dog. I think everyone in the place came out to meet her and watch her at her first training. I had the usual reservations about using an e-collar on my dog (is it inhumane? Is it punishment? Would her personality change?) Andrew carefully demonstrated the collar to me and when we used it on my dog she did not indicate that she was in any distress. She learned quickly and seemed very proud of her accomplishments. At home, even without the collar she continues to do the things she learned in her only lesson. Two days after her first training, she was diagnosed with Heartworm. Because she must be kept still throughout the long treatment she cannot attend training, go to dog parks, doggy day care or even run. Sit Means Sit refunded my money, did not charge me for the lesson, offered advice on how to keep her still, and offered to continue to help when I needed it. I am forever grateful. When my dog is better (cross your fingers) I plan to bring her back. I would not hesitate to recommend Mike and his team for any dog issue whether it is a serious problem dog or a dog like mine who is a little timid, wants to kiss every child she sees and just needs a few skills to reinforce safe behaviors. read more

For your dog's sake, DON'T DO IT! This business uses electric shock collars and antiquated, disproven punishment techniques in their training. Shocking a dog who is scared of strangers and growls to warn that they are afraid does not "teach" them not to growl. It teaches the dog to be MORE fearful. They are being punished in the face of the very thing that scares them. Stranger = shock = pain = "I better be even MORE afraid of strangers because I get hurt every time one of them comes around." Immersion training is frightening and abusive. What if you were terrified of spiders and someone locked you in a room filled with a thousand spiders, and you couldn't escape? Would you be LESS afraid of spiders when you were let out? Nope. At some point you would go into a mental state of submission...you would give up, because despite your pleas, no one let you out of the room. That is what "immersion training" does to dogs. They don't learn how to cope with scary situations--they learn to mentally shut down. I learned the hard way what this "trainer" is about. There are many reputable, POSITIVE-REINFORCEMENT trainers in Madison. Tons of them! Use any of them...just not this place. read more

For the first couple weeks of having Phoenix my year old rescue puppy I will admit I was miserable. She was unruly and I had no idea how to get to her to listen or to work with her. She would pull on leashes, ignore you as she went to sniff at things and was very aggressive towards other dogs. We just couldn't get her to listen. It had gotten so bad I was seriously considering sending her back to the rescue as I didn't think I could possibly I could give her a good life, for either of us. Even before had I had any dog growing up go to a proper trainer but with Phoenix I was looking for help and I found Sit Means Sit. After a couple of sessions with them it was like night and day with Phoenix. Phoenix took to the lessons quickly, already better on the leash and following the basic commands. Even better I actually felt like I knew how to work with Phoenix, what I needed to do if she did start disobeying or was having trouble. This past week at the dog park Phoenix was off leash and had no muzzle, interacting with other dogs in a playful manner and running back to me when ever I called or if she just wanted to make I was doing okay. Sit Means Sit has been the best experience, not only with that training lessons but reaching with emails and texts in between lessons to answer our questions. An amazing company that saved my relationship with my beloved pup. read more