Sit Means Sit Canine Obedience Methods Review
Discussions of Sit Means Sit across the web are polarizing. Proponents saying their methods work and they get good results. Opponents saying their methods are cruel, that they torture animals into obeying out of fear.
We’ll try to cut through the hyperbole and emotion on both sides and present enough information to help you decide for yourself.
Looks pretty impressive, right? But read on before you decide. There are three main concerns and complaints about Sit Means Sit:
- This demo video was done by the founder of Sit Means Sit. Many of the trainers are poorly trained and cannot produce similar results.
- The shock collar is a permanent fixture around your dogs neck. Trainers using this method have no idea how to train a dog without the shock collar. It is said that removing or not using the collar will untrain your dog.
- Yes this can work, but at what cost? Would the shock collar method work on your children? Probably. But if every time they started to move wrong you shocked the sh!t out of them how do you think that would affect your relationship? Would they grow up to love you or hate you?
Training Methods
Reports from both sides seem to agree that they have just one training method – the shock treatment.
From the very first and throughout the training they use a powerful shock collar. They shock to get the animals attention. They shock to show him who’s boss. They shock when the animal does not behave as desired. For some behaviors such as “sit” they shock constantly until the dog does the desired behavior then remove the shock. The removal of the shock is considered a “positive” reinforcement.
Say the word “sit.” Press the button on the Ecollar. Move the leash straight up over the dog’s head to pull him gently into a sit. And press gently on his hips to push his butt towards the ground. As soon as his butt hits the ground release the button on the transmitter.
Many opponents claim that Sit Means Sit trainers don’t have any idea how to train a dog to do anything without the collar. Comments such as:
I’ve seen video after video of him working a dog at demonstrations… all with the remote still in his hand. My question is: IF you so choose to train with an e-collar, don’t you wish to, at some point, wean the dog off the collar? I’m just not sure why it’s supposed to look so impressive to see a dog working in the context of “do it right or else I’ll push the button.” It makes the e-collar look more like a training *crutch* than a training *tool* as touted by its proponents.
The Shock Collar
Some have reported that the trainers show owners how the collar feels using the lowest setting. Then they use a higher setting on the dog.
…they said it was for attention that they did not shock the dog, they had me feel it, it was only mildly painful when I felt it. But when they used it on my dog they turned it up and kept shocking my dog. My dog was terrified, then they put a shock collar and put it on my dogs groin!! I feel so terrible I should have stoped then right away
Videos demonstrate more realistically what the ecollar can be like…
Keep in mind that these idiots new what to expect and they chose to do this. Imagine their reactions if they had no idea what the collar was and had no way to remove it. Do you think their level of anxiety would be different?
Comments From the Web
There are tons of comments on the web from people who were pleased with the results. Dogs do change their behaviors with this method.
Here are some not so pleased comments, however…
Many of his past students have come to our clubs training classes with all the same complaints. Their dogs are afraid of any collar put on them, and would be very jumpy with even the tiniest of corrections. Problems they didn’t have before training with Sit means Sit.
Another…
Fred and his other trainers would be at the park at the same times as we were, and while watching them train their students, all the dogs were constantly crying and yelping every few seconds of being zapped with the collar.
And another…
One of the “Sit means sit” trainers in our area had the nerve to put an e-collar on one of my 3 month old puppies that I had sold and then sent the owners home with the remote. What a mess! They zapped her for everything and anything and the dog learned nothing. She herself – the trainer – feels insecure when she does not hold a remote in her hands. There is something wrong with this picture.
One more…
nara was slinking around the house and fearful of the guy within about a minute of him putting the collar on. He tried to tell me that was “normal.”
Pros
- Often leads to the dog performing the desired behavior
Cons
- May cause your dog fear and stress during what have always been happy and exciting conditions – like going for a walk, visiting the dog park, etc.
- May harm your relationship with your dog
Conclusion
For many, it comes down to the questions “do you want your dog to do what you want because they want to please you or because they are scared sh!tless?”
Would you use one of these collars on your toddler? How about your teen?
Would it work if you did? Probably.
But would your relationship with your child ever be the same? Probably not.
Recommendation
Skip Sit Means Sit and try something more humane. I recommend that you try this FREE Online Video Training and see if you don’t get better results and get them faster. With this online course you and your dog will learn a lot more than you will at Sit Means Sit and your dog will still love you. Seriously, you really should at least check it out – it’s free.
Read our PetSmart review.
Read our PetCo review.
Read Humane Society on Shock Collars