I’d like to thank the 96 people that attended the Sit Means Sit Main Event this year. It was highlighted with guest speakers, Dock Diving, and a lot of dog training workshops, including retrieval work, protection, agility, and enhancing your Sit Means Sit demonstration.

It was a pleasure having everyone in Denver and great to finally put names with faces.

Here is a group photo of TEAM SIT MEANS SIT.

Thanks,

Dave

Here is a video of Sit Means Sit dogs at the lake on Labor Day.

Recently, Sit Means Sit performed a demonstration for the children at Kiddie Academy in Broomfield, Colorado. The kids were great and really enjoyed all of the dog tricks. We want to thank all the children for their interest and asking great questions about our dogs. Stella, Chase, Willow, Phanuff, and Beck also thank the kids for all the pets they received!

Fred, Luciano, Ashton, Lenzy, and I had the opportunity to work with the folks at Master K-9 a few weeks ago. Kenyon Evers hosted a phenomenal seminar that consisted of about 25 police K-9 handlers. There were a lot of quality dogs and handlers here and I can honestly say that this was one of my favorite seminars.

Here you’ll see a video of the 3-day seminar.

I’d like to thank the following Sit Means Sit dog trainers for making the 2008 Colorado Pet Expo a success:

Lianne and Fred Hassen
Toni Drugmand
Dana Thelander
Anthony Bracciante
Cindy Aeberli
Allen Stevens.

We performed on Saturday and Sunday, and both shows went great. Here is a video of some highlights from the weekend.

Here is a video of the students currently attending the Denver school: Allen Stephens (Frisco, TX), Romeo Giovani (Austin, TX) and Cindy Aeverli (Colorado Springs, CO). You will also see the Sit Means Sit staff of John Langdon, David Smith, Anthony Bracciante, and Dave Skoletsky.

Please enjoy this video of recent Sit Means Sit graduate, Donna Kosc. Izzy was an owner relinquished dog that Donna found on Craigs List. Congratulations to Donna for her dedication in giving Izzy a great home with phenomenal Sit Means Sit Training.

A perspective client came to us last week and the first words out of their mouth was, “we are not sold on shock collar training.” They were skeptical. They came to “Sit Means Sit” as a last ditch effort to control their dog. They have attended dog training courses prior to our visit to fulfill a court-order, and had trouble maintaining the training.

As with all of our perspective clients, we performed a demonstration with our dogs to show them we are qualified to train dogs. More importantly, we did a demonstration with their dog to show them we can make a difference, and for that matter very quickly. Now we had their attention and I explained to them that I do not view remote collar training as a last option.

Dog training is a choice. You can choose to use food, leashes, collars, head halters, choke chains, pinch collars, can of pennies, throw-chains, clickers, remote collars….. All the training aids listed are tools to get your dogs attention. In my eyes, they are not positive or negative, they are neutral. I do not view food training for good dogs and pinch collar training for bad dogs. You do what works to get your dog to focus on you.

The reason I choose remote collars is because I can get my dog to focus on me even at distances. Before I learned the “Sit Means Sit” remote training approach, I was a food and leash trainer. I was very good, but I still had problems with some dogs when they were at a distance and they chose not to listen to a command. Just because a dog knows a command does not mean they will perform it. If a distraction, like a rabbit, is more interesting than our command, your dog will be disobedient. Remote collar training gives me the advantage to control my dog’s impulses and natural instincts even from 50 yards away.

For me, the bottom line is I love my dogs and I want to give them as much freedom as possible. The “Sit Means Sit” remote dog training method gives me the ability to take my dog’s off leash in any situation, and I believe my dog’s live a more fulfilling life because of that.

The video below will show you the demonstration performed with our new client. They were so impressed, they also signed up their “good” dog!

I’d like to congratulate Donna Kosc, Sit Means Sit - Jersey Shores, NJ and Ryan Grayce, Charlotte, NC. They are our newest Sit Means Sit locations. Below you will see a video of their dogs. Donna has been working with Izzy for only 1 week and Ryan’s dog, Blue has been training for 2 weeks. Also, you will see a video of Brandon Littrell, Sit Means Sit - Nashville, TN. He is currently attending our Sit Means Sit, Denver School.

I’d like to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season. Remember, as we enjoy the holidays, there are people and dogs alike that are not as fortunate.

I was sent an email that really grabbed my attention.

Tis the night before Christmas and all through the town,
every shelter is full - we are lost, but not found,
Our numbers are hung on our kennels so bare,
we hope every minute that someone will care,
They’ll come to adopt us and give us the call,
“Come here, Zoe and Jazzy - come fetch your new ball!!
But now we sit here and think of the days…
we were treated so fondly - we had cute, baby ways,
Once we were little, then we grew and we grew
now we’re no longer young and we’re no longer new.
So out the back door we were thrown like the trash,
they reacted so quickly - why were they so rash?
We “jump on the children:, “don’t come when they call”,
we “bark when they leave us”, climb over the wall.
We should have been neutered, we should have been spayed,
now we suffer the consequence of the errors THEY made.
If only they’d trained us, if only we knew…
we’d have done what they asked us and worshiped them, too.
We were left in the backyard, or worse -let to roam-
now we’re tired and lonely and out of a home.
They dropped us off here and they kissed us good-bye…
“Maybe someone else will give you a try.”
So now here we are, all confused and alone…
in a shelter with others who long for a home.
The kind workers come through with a meal and a pat,
with so many to care for, they can’t stay to chat,
They move to the next kennel, giving each of us cheer…
we know that they wonder how long we’ll be here.
We lay down to sleep and sweet dreams fill our heads…
of a home filled with love and our own cozy beds.
Then we wake to see sad eyes, brimming with tears -
our friends filled with emptiness, worry, and fear.
If you can’t adopt us and there’s no room at the Inn -
could you help with the bills and fill our food bin?
We count on your kindness each day of the year -
can you give more than hope to everyone here?
Please make a donation to pay for the heat…
and help get us something special to eat.
The shelter that cares for us wants us to live,
and more of us will, if more people will give.

–Author Unknown