My recommendations to anyone considering Sit Means Sit: (1) Do not be swayed by their predatory marketing. If you're going to give them your money, be sure it's because YOU WANT to. (2) Ask to observe a group class before committing. If they say no, ask yourself why. (3) Consider whether this method will truly address your and your dog's needs. Do you really want to have an e-collar on your dog forever, even when you're just chilling at home? SMS will ask you to sign a contract saying you will commit to this.
I signed my dog up last November as a last-ditch effort. At the time, he was 7.5 months old, and we were struggling with basic obedience, chasing cats, reactivity, chewing, biting, and getting into everything in the house. He is an extremely high-energy, intelligent dog who needs an outlet. I hoped structured, professional training would help resolve his behavioral issues and provide a constructive outlet.
I was impressed by social media posts of other dogs going through SMS training, despite mixed reviews and recommendations to avoid the program. We had tried obedience training with another company and had been training at home using online resources, but were not seeing results. I was at a loss and did not want to consider rehoming him. Desperately, I gave Sit Means Sit a try and deeply regret it.
From the initial phone consultation, I felt uneasy. They urged me to get my dog into training immediately and abandon other training programs. I was told to pay $2,000 upfront to secure a spot, and only after payment did I receive the contract, stating a 50% non-refundable deposit. This lack of transparency was a red flag.
We proceeded with the training, which involved 3 full days at their facility, where our dog stayed for 8-11 hours. One day, he was there from 8 am to 7 pm. We provided his dinner, but when we picked him up, the trainer claimed he didn't eat it, which was unusual for our always-hungry, highly food motivated dog. This made me suspect dishonesty or severe discomfort from the training methods.
Initially, results seemed impressive. The training manual outlined a three-phase process with the goal of eliminating the e-collar (side note - I later learned our dog wasn't allowed on the property without his e-collar on and charged). Our dog was learning new tricks and focusing better, and our relationship seemed to improve. However, by late December, he began showing signs of aggression--growling, showing his teeth, and nipping at our hands when we used the e-collar remote.
When we asked our trainer for advice, she suggested adding a second e-collar unit to increase the shock, claiming some dogs need more stimulation. This contraindicated their promise that the e-collar was solely for communication, not punishment. We refused to get an additional e-collar. They regularly asked us to increase the collar's level if our dog wasn't focused, often maxing it out. This was alarming and painful to watch as my dog's neck visibly spasmed.
Eventually, we were asked to stop attending group classes and return to private lessons due to our dog's "regression." During these sessions, the owner interrupted and patronized us about our lack of progress. After 3 private lessons, we were released back to group class. We attended one group class in February and promptly decided to leave the program, regardless of the refund policy (spoiler: there is none, and customer satisfaction is not a guarantee).
Since stopping the e-collar, our dog's behavior and our relationship with him have improved significantly. A certified behaviorist confirmed many former e-collar users experienced similar issues of aggression and fear, and has paved the way for positive, force-free training. It became clear our dog wasn't truly being trained but was reacting to being shocked. Now, nearly 4 months later, he listens and responds without discomfort or fear, and the aggression has ceased. We've learned tools to help him confront triggers with confidence, and how to have fun learning.
I just wish I had listened to my gut. read more
