We were originally looking into Sit Means Sit, and I saw that it was a chain/corporate, and we wanted to support local business and independent trainers who weren't bound by corporate bureaucracy. After filling out a consultation form, I got in touch with Amanda, I loved her energy from the get go so we decided to go with Sit's Getting Real (awesome name btw). We did the puppy/leash manner course with them. We first started with pretty simple commands like "sit", "down", "wait", and transitioned into more advanced things like "with me," and "this way" which were foundation to leash walking manners. We also learned whole bunch of other practical commands that we started to incorporate into our daily routine, one of them being 'touch'. We also had the hardest time getting our puppy Stormie to sit from laying/down position, which Tomas showed us with the foot scoot method, this was not mentioned in any of the videos or articles I've searched for online. Amanda, Tomas, and Chante (and other trainers who we didn't have the pleasure to get acquainted with and interact more) blew our minds each training session with wealth of their knowledge, and our class was full of different dogs with different spectrum of temperaments. In addition to group class, they will stop by and assess individual dog's needs and temperament and offer advice one on one. I liked how they focus on getting your dog to remain NEUTRAL by using treats and redirection, and by providing highly controlled environment, it's great way to leash train your dog who wants to greet everyone and every dog! Oh, and most important part; they're not training your dog, they're training YOU to train your dog and set you up to be a successful dog owner! One of the dogs, Mr. Phil, who could not even be NEAR other dogs from the beginning of the class due to his reactivity, he was able to walk past other dogs and join the class, and we even took a group photo together! If that's not a testament to their knowledge, professionalism, and skill, I don't know what is! We enjoyed the class so much that 1st week where we didn't have class, me and my girlfriend were saying how much we missed going to their classes. We'll definitely see them again in future agility training course or private training for sure! read more

Sit's Getting Real - Pet Training Near Me

See all

We had a really great experience with Sit's Gettin' Real Dog Training. My dog, Mr. Phil, is very dog reactive, and when we started the class he couldn't even be within 100 yards of the other dogs. I didn't think a group class would work for him at all, but that didn't phase the trainers even a little. The instructors were so patient and helpful. When we needed to be far away from the group, they came out to us to make sure we didn't miss instructions and gave us specific techniques that actually worked for Phil, instead of trying to force him into something he wasn't ready for. Over the five weeks, he made way more progress than I expected, and by the end he was able to join the class, which still kind of blows my mind. I also want to shout out Amanda, who did an earlier one-on-one session with us and encouraged us to try the class. I really didn't think Phil would be appropriate for a group setting because of how reactive he is, but she was right, and I'm so glad we did it. The positive training approach helped him be less panicky around other dogs and helped me feel more confident training him. If you have a reactive dog or feel nervous about group classes, I really can't recommend Sit's Gettin' Real enough. They're kind, supportive, and truly meet you and your pup where you're at. read more

Sit's Getting Real - Pet Training Near Me

Tomas has worked with me for a few of my dogs, and he's nothing short of amazing. I first came to him for training for my Siberian Husky pup. He's worked with her on and off for her whole life, and also with my Australian Shepherd. Both dogs have so much intelligence and personality, but his training works wonders and while they're STILL full of beans, they also listen and have good manners. Couldn't recommend anyone more highly! read more

Sit's Getting Real - Miscreant No.1 - Pet Training Near Me

See all

I really enjoyed their group dog fitness classes. A bit like agility training. Great for socialization and connection with my pup. Prices for these classes are reasonable and are located at a park above Fashion Valley. There's a good amount of personalization given by each of the trainers. read more

Sit's Getting Real - Meg - Pet Training Near Me

Remarkably impressive trainers! Both Amanda and Tomas are exceptional trainers in addition to humans. Since Amanda is the trainer I've most frequently trained with, I'll focus this review more on her. I worked with Amanda initially using their 'board & train' option for a trip abroad. In 2 weeks, my ~5 month old rescue puppy went from what could best be described as a feral cat/chihuahua hybrid to a perfectly trained puppy! Since then, she has continued to help in reinforcing and adding onto my puppy's training. They have added a group training classes since my initial work with Amanda which I've also loved. It's a brilliant way to properly socialize one's furry companion, and they leave room for some customization (for example, we had several skateboard-phobic dogs and did training to begin desensitization). The group classes are also a crazy good deal if you're looking for a low commitment way to try out their services. You won't be disappointed! Amanda's focus is entirely on positive reinforcement. She will be assigning you homework and understands that the owners need just as much positive reinforcement as their dogs. If you have a puppy, in particular, her level of patience and positivity makes what can be an extremely challenging situation way easier. I could not possibly recommend this group highly enough, and it's a testament to how well trained my puppy has become that I'm a frequent source of referrals for Sit's Getting Real. Hope you give them a shot and if you do tell them I sent you :) read more

Sit's Getting Real - Practicing long distance recall in group class. Amanda seen in the background - Pet Training Near Me

Highly highly recommend working with Tomas for your dog training needs. When I first adopted my dog, Tomas helped my family learn how to teach my dog how to listen to us and respond well to commands. A few months later, he helped us (quickly and effectively) crate train my dog so that we could manage his anxiety while we left him alone. Honestly, Tomas is amazing with dogs and super super patient, while thoroughly explaining why he is doing what he's doing. read more

My and wife and I clicked right off the bat with Amanda; the dogs also felt her warmth from the get go. Her ability to apply positive reinforcement helped our dog Onyx become significantly less reactive towards other dogs in the elevator. Instead of rushing out the door for his walk he now waits patiently until I tell him it's time to go out; same for meal time and waiting at traffic lights. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a dog training approach that rewards positive actions. read more

This review is long overdue! First, bravo on the name! :) Puns are great! There's so much to say, but so little time! We found Sit's Getting Real on a SD Australian Shepherd FB group and Tomas reached out and shared that he's a dog trainer and works with herding breeds often, so my wife and I decided to just stop shopping around for trainers and 'go for it' and started 1-on-1 sessions with him. We felt that our girl, Sydney, being the hyper pup that she was/is, needed some special attention because of her breed, and we did not regret our decision. With Tomas, we worked on basic obedience such as leash training, jumping/reactivity with guests, greeting other dogs at the dog park, bringing her to public places (restaurants/cafes), and more. Tomas was so patient with us and also Sydney. He gave us the confidence and tools to feel like we could practice and execute the commands on our own. We also appreciated how accessible he was if we had any questions in-between our next sessions. Even better, Sydney, LOVED seeing Tomas each session and did not hesitate to wiggle butt dance whenever he showed up! After our 1-on-1 sessions ended with Tomas, we started working with Amanda for group training (3 sets of 5 sessions). Even though we had developed a good foundation for Sydney while working with Tomas, we needed some additional support for her in regards to reactivity with other dogs. Sydney is such an outgoing dog, that if she saw another dog from afar, she would lunge, stand on her hind legs, bark, and whine/bark. As her paw-rents, we really struggled trying to control her when she would get into this mental state, so we knew that working in a group setting with other dogs would help. Working with Amanda was another amazing experience! She was so patient with us, gave us positive feedback during and after sessions and checked-in with us throughout the week. She would be able to 'read' us during the group session and tell when we were feeling frustrated and adjust accordingly. Believe me when I say that the girl that would squeal at the top of her lungs when she saw all the other dogs in class and had to be sat furthest back from the group, was able to decrease her reactivity threshold to a few feet by the end of the class. In our last set of classes, we focused purely on leash training, which further gave us the tools we needed to manage Sydney if she ever got reactive on our walks. Now, we feel more confident that if we encounter any reactive situations, we know what we should do to maintain control. We are so grateful for the partnership and relationship that we've developed with Amanda and Tomas. Without their experience and help, we would be lost and frustrated. By no means is Sydney 'perfect,' but she is better-adjusted and calmer. Now, we feel like we have the tools to help her thrive! It goes to show that if you put in the time, energy, and effort, great things can happen! We have recommended Sit's Getting Real to our neighbor/friends and they rave about them, as well! We're so grateful! read more

See all

Tomas is the BEST! He's more than just a dog trainer, he's a human trainer too I saw him the day after I got my first dog, and I had no idea what I was doing. He put me at ease, taught me all the basics in a very organized way, and helped me learn how to train her on my own. He would even guide me through things about dog physiology or food/toys that I didn't know as a new dog mom, which helped a lot in the beginning since I would freak out about everything. Even though I live in NorCal, we see him each time we visit family in San Diego - and given the progress my dog has made, even my family in SD has started seeing him for their dog. The only negative is that he has spoiled me - having to meet other dog trainers near me made me realize how much I dislike humans. I actually look forward to hanging out with him during our time working with my dog, and with others it hasn't felt that way. I wish there were more trainers and humans like him, then I'd be more motivated to do dog training between my trips to SD. Thanks in large part to him, in a matter of 3 months she could do 57 commands consistently in two languages, and is learning 20 others. Granted everyone thinks their dog is perfect, I actually think I have the smartest bestest dog in the world And she has the smartest bestest trainer in the world! read more

Sit's Getting Real - This one loves Tomas - Pet Training Near Me

Definitely long overdue review for my favorite trainers! I personally work with Amanda but both Thomas and her are wonderful! I was first introduced to Sits Getting Real when my 3 year old Corgi (Penny) got in trouble at daycare for attacking other dogs. Trust me, they may be small, furry and cute but can be just as vicious lol. We started off with private 1:1 training sessions where Amanda came over every week and worked patiently with us and Penny. We already saw such tremendous improvements over few sessions! We thought we were experienced dog owners but little did we know, we learned so much from Amanda! After our private training sessions ended we moved to group training classes because Penny's triggers were more geared toward being around other dogs. We have been going consistently for months now and definitely we see a huge improvement in her behavior towards other animals. It's a very long and slow process and we understand we need to be patient and consistent. Amanda is also patient as well and purposely will try to give attention to Penny's triggers during class so that we can correct them when it's in full motion! We'll probably keep attending these classes even if Penny is completely fixed haha. We enjoy the trainers as well as the various folks that come as well. Overall the vibe is positive, fun and not scary at all. Whether you're experienced or not totally doesn't matter. Everyone is treated equally with respect :)! Highly recommend Sits Getting Real! read more

Sit's Getting Real - Waiting patiently during class! - Pet Training Near Me

See all

I can't say enough great things about Thomas. He has worked miracles with my 2 year old pit bull. He was a rescue and had no social or behavioral training with so much energy he kept getting in trouble at doggy daycare he actually got thrown out of one doggy daycare and Thomas has work miracles with him in such a short amount of time Thomas has a unique gift of offering discipline and affection at the same time which I truly admire . read more

Sit's Getting Real - Our boy Cash - Pet Training Near Me

I have a three year old German shepherd mix who is smart but is also very stubborn. It was starting to get difficult to control him especially on walks. He had a very bad habit of pulling, lunging after other dogs, and completely stopping and refusing to keep walking on his walks. It got so bad that he would only walk if there was two people with him to help control! Anyways, Tomas has been so patient and very knowledgeable on how to get control back again with our dog. After the first session, I was able to walk him by myself with more control than I ever had before. He also continues to teach me ways on strengthening the relationship structure between dog and master along with other obedience tricks. Anyways, if you're looking for a knowledgeable, patient, and affordable trainer for your animals, just hit him up! :) read more

Sit's Getting Real - Pet Training Near Me

Tomas is absolutely the BEST! He helped me with my rescue dog just after I brought her home. He helped make the transition easier by helping me understand my dog's communication, and helped me and my dog bond through learning tricks and learning to walk better on a leash. He is brilliant at understanding dogs and other animals, and helping people understand their pets. If I ever have a question about my dog he is the person I go to. He's a real-life animal whisperer and I cannot think of anyone better to train your pets. If I could recommend him 1,000x over I would. :) To boot, he's also a very good human being so hire him, like now! read more

Today was our first lesson and it went great! We have a smart and maybe a little stubborn bull terrier mix and he picked up really well on the techniques used. Things were explained really well and were easy to correlate and implement to live situations. We already booked our next appointment and can't wait to see our puppy and us grow. (Will update as progress is made) read more

Where can you find a trainer who loves your dog more than you? Amanda at sits getting real training. Benji, a dog saved from a kill shelter was introduced to Amanda, to help with his fears and aggression. Our first meet and greet, she went into details and explained the possible underlying causes, dog instincts and her training methods that can help him with his fears. I was absolutely amazed by her knowledge, but more than anything, her sincerce interaction and kindness towards Benji gave me so much hope. Amanda worked with Benji for months, she offered one on one and group classes, we never missed a class. For a dog who was very selective with human/dogs and fear most things, Benji was a changed boy and improved so much each time with our trainer! I absolutely cannot thank Amanda enough for not only her kindness, but her heart and love for all dogs. I'm truly grateful for such amazing training everyday read more

Tomas was perfect in matching me with my wonderful dog Kolbalt! She was a rescue and was extremely timid when we first got her! His advice on how to train her, through all of her fears has been a blessing.. she is now a perfectly happy and well trained pup!! Thankx again Tomas!! read more

Sit's Getting Real - My dog kolbalt - Pet Training Near Me