Sit Means Sit Dog Training Madison

Jazmine Filip

2024-05

10/10 recommend Sit Means Sit. Our Dog (and us!) has grown and is so happy when she has structure and clear instruction. Trainers like Josh provide just that! He was incredibly patient and knowledgeable about how to best support my dog and household. Sisu was excited to see and work for him and we felt at ease practicing new skills with him and problem solving challenges together. We couldn’t ask for anyone better in not only making our puppy feel at ease, but the owners too!

Danielle Rago

2024-04

My dog Pepe and I loved our trainer, Jada. Jada is very knowledgeable and sweet and I'm glad she was our trainer. The other staff are awesome, too, and so is the facility and program. We learned a lot but we look forward to learning more during group classes.

Emma Quackenboss

2024-04

I recently had the pleasure of enrolling my dog in training sessions at Sit Means Sit. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was welcoming and professional.Not only did my dog learn essential commands like sit, place, and heel, but Josh also provided valuable advice on behavior management and socialization. His dedication and patience were truly appreciated. Josh made the one on one training sessions at the end of each lesson easy to understand and stress free.Overall I would highly recommend Sit Means Sit. Thank you for everything you guys do!

Jackie Saunders

2024-05

Josh was wonderful with our dog, Goose, and it is evident that he cares a great deal about seeing him succeed in training! Goose has struggled with reactivity around other dogs and after working with Josh I can say for the first time in years that I do not feel nervous about seeing other dogs when we take Goose outside for walks. Josh was very patient with us and provided good instructions on how to continue working with Goose outside of the training facility. We are looking forward to continuing to work with Josh and the rest of the team in group classes going forward!

Ron Golesh

2023-07

Our Lab just turned 2 this week. It's been over a year since he finished his Sit Means Sit training and he is still doing fantastic. Place, heal, Come, Stay plus so much more. And Lab's while smart are so high energy. The Training makes him a joy, not a problem. And as we have worked to off leash work, he has transitioned nicely. He also is well behaved around other dogs, a big plus. The only item we continue to work on is his OCD with balls and sticks. But hey, he's a lab.

Anu Kramer

2023-11

OMG Brenna and Mike have been AMAZING helping Echo get some better manners! I'd been struggling with Echo's reactivity out and about and especially around guests at home.I had been using positive reinforcement methods, and made some progress, but after 2 years of training was still struggling with basic things like having anybody in my home while Echo was there. I was a bit anxious about the e-collar being a negative experience, but it has been such an amazing additional tool for our training to help Echo refocus on me when food / toys / leash pressure just don't cut it, and he really seems to appreciate the help (and is able to enjoy the food and play after refocusing)! I loved that they encouraged me to still use the food and toys as reinforcement (which many places that train with e-collars did not allow or encourage). After 4 private lessons, Echo was a champ on our 4-day camping trip in northern WI and the UP, and stayed chill and on his bed 90% of the time, which made the whole experience so much more enjoyable for us all!!! On top of that, I recently had a house guest for 10 days (which was a terrifying prospect, but also an excellent training opportunity!). At first, Echo was a crazy barking mess whenever my guest was anything besides sitting still. With Brenna's help, by the end of the visit, Echo was snoozing on his bet while my guest made me dinner!!!While Echo has made some amazing progress in the last month since we started with Sit Means Sit, there is still plenty of work to do, and I love the support that Sit Means Sit and Brenna are continuing to provide now that we've "graduated," with continuing education classes and answering all my questions promptly and thoroughly while also cheering us on!I would absolutely recommend Sit Means Sit for anyone struggling with their dog's training or who want to take their training to the next level.- Anu & Echo

stacy andrade

2023-12

Gamora is our 5 year old corgi, for the first three years of her life she was the best behaved dog, she was friendly to every dog and would never bark at them. It took one bad experience with another dog for her to become reactive even when walking on a leash. We tried every trick in the books and tried to train her ourselves to try to help with the reactivity (mainly when walking on a leash) but with no success. Every time we went out on walks we had to be highly aware of our surroundings to make sure to avoid people with dogs so she wouldn’t bark at them, we would be super embarrassed if she did bark at anyone because once she started there was little we could do to gain control of her. After researching dog trainers we ended up consulting with SMS and we couldn’t be any more happier to have gone through training with them. They listened to all of our questions and reassured us that while Gamora might never be her old self again as she is only a dog, they would work with us to give us the tools to help her regain trust in us and show us how to get her to listen to us. She completed her training but we could see the results since day one. We are no longer terrified of taking her out on walks and it has definitely improved our relationship with her. We are forever grateful with the sit means sit team, they are professionals in what they do and will listen and answer every single question you have. Thank you Brenna, Josh and Jada for helping Gamora during her training with SMS!

Brittany Schultz

2024-03

We started sit means sit because we have a reactive boarder collie mix. He was always very emotional and reactive but when he turned 2.5 years old he started nipping/bitting the other dogs. One dog with live with as well as a dog outside of the household. He taught himself that was the way to get what he wants. We spoke to many trainers and vets in our area with no help on local recommendations. I found sit means sit and knew this was are best option, at this point I was scared to allow him around other dogs and kids. We did 3 private training classes and we just graduated to group. I am beyond happy with the progress he has made already after 3 days. The first day of training he wouldn’t take any treats all day because he was so nervous (this is typical for his personality he refuses food when he is mad or nervous) . His second day of training is when I saw the change he loved Brenna and his progress gave me hope. We still have training to do and consistent training at home but I am no longer afraid. Our dog as well you can see his confidence boost not perfect but a huge improvement. We are grateful for sit means sit giving us the tools to live happy in our 3 dog household!

Mackenzie Showalter Castorena

2023-11

I have two dogs who went through the Sit Means Sit training program together (very stressful but worth every second). We had a whole host of issues that needed to be addressed for each dog. Everything from teaching my older dog (3 years old) to have confidence and work on her anxiety to my younger (11 months old) dog exhibiting some serious recourse guarding behaviors. I have to say initially I was very worried about e collar training because of all the horror stories I've heard from friends, family, and other research that I had done but I felt like my life had been ripped away from me and I was not able to give my dogs the support and structure they needed. My initial consult was with Greg who listened and engaged me in some critical conversations about where my dogs were at behavioral wise he helped me put to rest any of my hesitations about training with an e collar and the benefits that come with it. I interviewed several dog training programs and none of them made me feel as secure and confident in their programs as Greg did.The real stars of the show are Brenna and Josh who were my girls dedicated trainers. Not only did they help give me the tools I needed to better improve my dogs lives but they were able to do so in a way that made it fun for all of us. Brenna and Josh talked through countless issues, concerns, and strategies with me during my three week training sessions. They are truly some of the nicest people I have ever met and even talked me through a few melt downs. I saw a review earlier that stated "the work is far from over" and I couldn't agree more the first three weeks showed me that not only is there a light at the end of the tunnel but the community that Sit Means Sit has cultivated encourages continues education. The group classes offered at the end of the three week individual training will be a way for my dogs and I to continue to learn and grow together.If you are looking for a dog training program that is going to make your life, and most importantly, your dogs life better look no further.And just one more thank you to Brenna and Josh! You two did amazing work and I am so thankful and so are my girls!

Dacia Swanson

2023-12

We brought our two doodle mix puppies here and it was a wonderful experience! Our boys were already very large at 6 months old. We also have two adult dogs and little kids so it was important to us that the puppies be well trained for our sanity and to minimize chaos. My initial consultation with Greg was very thorough. He listened when I talked about our family’s goals for training and did a great job of explaining how their program works. We worked with Jada and Brenna for training and they were AMAZING! They quickly earned the trust of our shy, timid boys and we couldn’t believe how much the puppies learned in just a few days. They always took the time to thoroughly answer my questions during our training sessions and made sure I felt comfortable as the handler. There were also occasions where I’d have questions on evenings or over the weekend and I always got a timely response when texting Jada or Brenna. The puppies “graduated” a few weeks ago and they’ve continued to reach out and check-in to see how things are going. Above and beyond!

Tami DeLisle

2023-07

From very reactive, to very chill and confident!! Sit Means Sit has transformed my relationship with my dog. He was once skittish and reactive and is now relaxed and eager to adventure whereever I lead him. He is eager to meet new people and dogs in a quiet engaging manner while staying at my side attentive to my direction.Sit Means Sit was a fantastic investment for our family! ( My adult daughter is determined that her next dog will be trained at SMS as well, because she wants her next dog as well behaved as mine.)

S.K. Valencia (Caps)

2023-07

We brought our puppy here when he was 12 weeks old. He had no behavioral issues and we wanted to keep it that way. We wanted him to be as free and happy as he could be. Our experience with our previous dog was that a dog that could feel happy, safe, and confident off leash was ideal. We do a lot of camping and hiking, so we wanted our dog to be able to roam freely, come when called, and stay by our side when needed.Sit Means Sit was an investment in the next (hopefully) 10-15 years of our dogs life, and when we found out he would get access to classes for life it was a no brainer. With our last dog we realized every few years that we could all use a refresher on certain things like recall, etiquette, walking in heal, staying on command, etc, but we always hesitated to pay money for classes when we felt we 'should' be able to train him ourselves. With the training at Sit Means Sit, we enrolled him in some concentrated one-on-one training for a week and that gave him access to classes for life, which means we don't have to wrestle with the decision of whether or not to spend more money on training. The classes are there for us whenever we decide we need them.It is a big investment but I don't regret it. I want my dog to be as safe and free as he can be. I see other people unable to take their dogs to the park, on a walk, to a picnic, or to other people's houses because their dog pulls too much, eats food off the table, runs off, or doesn't get along with other dogs. That's not the life I want for my dog, and Sit Means Sit helped provide a strong foundation for our Very Good Dog.

Ashley Svenningsen

2023-05

Have you ever heard of a trusted, off-leash husky? Bet not, at least not until today! Sit Means Sit was the best choice ever! I’ve taken both my huskies there! I get so many compliments on my girls, not only their beauty, but how well behaved they are. I’ve sent my friends to SMS too, one with a male husky and one with a female German/husky. The staff at the madison branch are the best, they really get to know you, your dogs, and the best tactics to use. I will forever train my dogs, now and future, with SMS.

Mattie Isaac

2024-03

Took our 7 month old Bernedoodle, Penny, to Sit Means Seat and have been very pleased with the experience. Brenna, our trainer, was amazing. She clearly had a bond with Penny, and Penny was always happy (and tired) when we took her home. We will be bringing her back to classes to ensure that her training sticks (so far, so good!). It is pricey, but we have tried the group classes and found them to be social time, not training time.

Lacey Howard

2024-04

I contacted Sit Means Sit Madison for help with my littermate shepherd mixes (70lb adults) and I could not be more impressed with the staff, their attention and care toward me and my dogs, and their knowledge and professionalism. I am thrilled with the results after four weekly private training sessions (teaching me just as much if not more than the dogs). I highly recommend SMS!

Samantha Michalski

2023-12

We sent our dogs to sit means sit for their 1 on 1 training program. We were blown away by the progress our pups made in a short time. Our trainers Josh and Jada were awesome with our dogs. They both quickly picked up on the pups unique personalities and motivations. When we attended our training sessions with our dogs, and our trainers did great reviewing what they'd worked on throughout the day, and where we'll need to continue to practice. They were patient with us as we adjusted to a new mentality for training and reward. During training days, it was fun to get report cards for each dog to see how they're progressing. We would recommend SMS to others looking for general obedience training.

Alisa Robertson

2023-07

We brought our Golden Retriever puppy Mabel to Sit Means Sit when she was 7 months old. The trainer she worked with was professional, kind and patient (with Mabel and with us!). Mabel learned a lot (as did we) but if we get a new puppy I might wait until she's a bit older as Mabel didn't quite have the stamina for the day-long training sessions (she was always fast asleep when we came for our portion of the session!). She has retained much of what she learned and is now a very well-behaved 1 year old!

sureyya ucok

2023-12

Sit Means Sit and their trainers are some of the most wonderful people to work with. They listen and make sure they are hitting everything that the owners want help with. Every time we went in, the first thing they did was welcome us with big smiles and talk us through everything they did that day. And when I say "they", I mean absolutely EVERYONE working that day. Especially the trainers Josh, Brenna, and Jada. So friendly and charming. Extremely outgoing and personable as well! They definitely care about what the dogs need as well as what the owners need. They had no problem walking us through what we were doing wrong, and then helping us fix what we were doing wrong. Taking us step by step. After their rundown, they ALWAYS followed up with asking if there was anything else that we wanted help with before working with us one on one. I honestly couldn't have picked a better place to help us. Thank you all SO MUCH and my husband and I wish you all the biggest successes!!

Katie Braucht

2023-05

We rescued our dog Avery (Staffy) that had some less than desirable habit's. Being a "scary" looking dog we knew we needed to find training to smooth out those habits to ensure a good fit in our family. After looking at a few places we landed on Sit Means Sit because they were so open and honest during the initial consultation. Seeing dogs that have been trained and dogs completing training while we were there was so helpful and reassuring. All the trainers seemed genuinely interested in seeing Avery succeed. Maggie was our favorite trainer...even sending us follow up texts and checking in between trainings. We highly recommend investing in this training facility and we can't wait to keep working with them and seeing just how amazing our Avery can be.

erika schoonveld

2023-05

Sit means sit has helped me gain so much confidence in training my dog Doc. The training staff has been extremely helpful from helping with my dogs reactivity to helping me introduce a new puppy to him. I recommend all my friends with dogs to them because of the great work they do!

Compassionate Services Corporation

2023-06

When we adopted our rescue Daleigh we knew right away we would need some guidance and proper training to get her to a point of being able to socialize and interact with other people and other dogs in a calm manner. Being a Malinois/Shepherd mix she has lots of playful energy. We took her to SMS for a consult and met with Greg and we knew that was where she needed to be for training. Brenna and Jada both were amazing trainers to work with and I feel like we have a good foundation to keep building on with Daleigh. I love the fact that we have a lifetime membership with them for group classes and that we can call, text anytime with questions or concerns. I highly recommend SMS.

Cheyanne Davis

2023-10

Our 2 year old labradoodle just graduated from the Sit Means Sit Day Camp/Training program! We saw improvement in his behavior after just 1 week, and after the 3 week program he was a pro at the commands and behaviors. The trainers are all amazing - kind, knowledgeable, and invested in their clients. I appreciated how the trainers really worked to understand our concerns and then showed us and our dog how to work through them. We are excited to continue building our pup's skills in the Group Classes!

Carissa Breen

2023-08

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 the behavior of 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.

Kambria Kauppinen

2023-10

Signing our dog up for Sit means Sit has been absolutely life changing for us. Josh is wonderful and we saw huge improvements with our dog after the first training session. We now know how to handle our leash pulling, jumping, and overly excited pup. Our only regret is we didn’t do this sooner.

Mary Wichern

2023-06

What a great experience! From the initial greeting (Greg) to the full day trainings with Brenna. Our dog is well trained and our family is too! The communication, the text help, the app, the collar…. I cannot recommend SitMeansSit and especially, Brenna, enough!!!

Lisa Miskovetz

2022-05

Our trainer Sam changed our lives in relation with our dog. We loved our dog, had taken her through all the puppy classes at another training facility but still could not control her. Her breed is high energy and intense-Belgian Malinois. Our dog now listens to us well, follows all our commands, and seems to be more at peace. The neighbors can’t believe the difference in her when they see her out walking! Thank you Sam and Sit Means Sit! We have the dog of our dreams now!

Wendy Gordon

2023-08

Jada was wonderful to work with and made such an impact on my 2.5 year old English Mastiff’s behavior right away on day one. There has been a dramatic improvement in obedience and respect and our lives are becoming easier each day, leaving more time for bonding and fun rather than frustration. My dog is more confident, trusting, and we can now enjoy walks together rather than him pulling me every which way. I highly recommend Jada and the Sit Means Sit program as a whole! It has truly been a life changing experience for both my dog and I.

HEATHER MCGEE

2024-03

Already could see a positive difference in our dogs behavior after 1 training! Loved the positive approach they use with the dogs! Looking forward to our next sessions!

Teenie X Smith

2021-05

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!

Amy Chapin

2024-01

Brenna, Mike, and Josh did wonders with my dog. My puppy struggled with a lot of anxiety beforehand and through the training confidence was built. I was both surprised and impressed to see my dog interacting with people over Christmas gatherings!