Sit Means Sit Dog Training

Sandy, Carolyn and the team at Sit Means Sit are amazing! We knew getting 2 golden retriever puppies would be a handful, but were completely unprepared for just how hard it would be to train 2 puppies with very different personalities at the same time… although they’re both super sweet, one is high energy and the other is very stubborn! We brought them to SMS when they were ~4 months old for the week-long board and train program, and the amount of improvement we’ve seen in the last 3 months has far exceeded our expectations! Everyone has been kind, patient and loving with our puppies, and they have been extremely patient and supportive of us too, as we’ve had tons of questions along the way! We attend the group classes a few times each week, which help them to socialize with a variety of other dogs, and reinforces and expands on the skills they’ve learned; Sandy and Carolyn always provide practical tips and techniques/approaches for us to continue to train with at home that are relevant for each dog and are happy to address any specific situations or challenges we might be facing. The emphasis is always on positive reinforcement and helping the dogs be successful in every situation, while keeping them happy and loved. We are so happy to have found SMS and highly recommend them!!

We have been so thrilled with our experiences at Sit Means Sit in Firestone. We have attended about 8 puppy playtimes, 10 group classes and the 5 day board and train with additional boarding days. We have a mini Goldendoodle named Bo - our first small dog. When we started, he was a puppy through and through (roughly 14 weeks old). He loved puppy play time and it was a great way for socialization with other dogs of all sizes/breeds (he was only 8lbs) and other humans (young and old). The trainers are on site, answering and asking questions. While there, we saw a difference in the behavior of the puppies that were in the classes/training program. Owners seemed much more in control than we felt, and we started asking questions and everyone affirmed the programs and facility. We made the decision to put Bo in the 5 night stay and train program. It’s expensive - would it be worth it? We had to discuss it greatly but decided we had, hopefully 10-12+ years with Bo, and having him well trained would allow a much more peaceful co-existence, help us to feel comfortable with him around other people/dogs, and we were excited to receive the tools to tap into all that he was capable of achieving. While he was at “sleep-away camp” as we called it, we received daily updates through “report card” and pics. When we picked him up, we basically received an entirely different dog. We said that first night “it feels like our baby grew up in a week!”. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still a fun playful puppy, but we now have the tools, in equipment and training, to guide him to appropriate behavior, keep him from unsafe situations and watch as his intellect connects and he does really smart things! (To note - he was not potty trained when we dropped him off. We’ve only have had 1 accident in the month since we picked him up!) Trainers Carolyn and Sandy are wonderful and love on our Bo whenever he is around - continuing to help us refine the skills he (and we) are learning. He gets so excited when we pull into the parking lot and he sees his human and dog friends waiting for class or play time. We have attended as many group classes as we can (6 mo included in the stay and train program). It’s a wonderful group (15-25 dogs) of various breeds and training levels. It’s so encouraging to see where we are heading with consistent time and training by watching the interaction of other dogs and owners. I have heard some wonder about, or critique, the training collars used. They are not “shock” collars - the signal sent feels like a tens unit vibration - designed not to hurt the dog but to get their attention. If you have a puppy - don’t hesitate to start training early! We are so glad we did. Was it expensive? Yes. Has it been worth it? Most definitely! Highly recommend!