Sit Means Sit Dog Training - Western Chicago - La Grange, Illinois

ASHLEY R.

When we first brought our puppy, Buddy, home, we thought we had a solid training plan in place. However, it became apparent that we were struggling more than we realized. Buddy started showing aggressive behavior including barking excessively, lunging, and even trying to bite. Our kids couldn’t walk down the stairs without Buddy reacting aggressively, and we felt uneasy having guests over because of his unpredictable behavior. The turning point came when one of our children's friends—who isn’t normally afraid of dogs—refused to get off our kitchen table out of fear that Buddy would bite her. It was clear that we needed professional help.

A friend of mine shared about all the amazing things her sweet pup learned with Kerry and I made the call! Kerry explained the board and train program offered at Sit Means Sit, and in just two weeks, we saw a complete transformation. Buddy returned home as a well-mannered, obedient, and confident dog. No more barking at the kids, no more jumping and attacking during mealtimes, and no more chewing on iPads! We realized this wasn’t just a “puppy problem”—it was our lack of knowledge on how to guide him properly.

I’ll admit, I was worried that sending Buddy away for training would make him forget us or that he’d be upset when he came home. But that was so far from the case! The moment he walked through the door, he showered us with love and excitement, he absolutely did not forget us.

Another perk? Buddy came home potty trained! We had struggled with getting him to go outside, mistaking his reactions for anxiety and fear, but Sit Means Sit knew exactly how to help. Thanks to their expertise, Buddy now has the structure and confidence he needed, and our family can enjoy life with our first dog the way we imagined.

Kelly O.

Kerry and sit means sit literally saved our dog Dakota. We discovered after a few months he had some behavioral issues. He started getting vicious with all members of the family. There isn’t anyone in our house that does not have scars from him biting. We couldn’t lay in our beds without him attacking us when we moved. If he got something he shouldn’t have he would do anything he could to keep the object. That including biting whoever was trying to get it back. We were at our a point we’re something needed to be done or we would have to try and re-home him. We found Kerry and sit means sit. This was our last straw. After talking to Kerry she immediately agreed to take Dakota for a board and train. The Dakota she returned to us was a completely different dog. He now listens to commands and shows affection instead of biting. We attend group classes with him to work on any issues that we have with him. He loves going to class and learning. Kerry is always a phone call away if we have questions or issues that we don’t know how to deal with. I would highly recommend sit means sit to anyone that has a dog who needs any kind of training. We would not have Dakota today if it wasn’t for Kerry and sit means sit. We are truly grateful for the work she has done and continues too do with Dakota
Kelly and Tracy

Julie

I am a college student taking my doggy to the dorm room, and I was very nervous. My doggy Luna was dog and people aggressive, so I started looking for programs that could help my situation. I found sit means sit after going through multiple websites and making many phone calls to find the perfect fit for me and Luna. I was in contact with Sarah; Sarah was very patient and answered all my questions and concerns. I signed up for board and training, and dropping off Luna made me very anxious; while leaving Luna at Camp K9, Sarah sent many updates and pictures to ease my anxiety. When I picked up Luna after her board and training, I could notice the differences. Luna loved Sarah and made friends while being away from home, as well as learned many commands. I feel more comfortable and confident bringing Luna to the dorm. Thank you for the fantastic experience, and I'll see you guys at group classes 🥰

Brooks H.

Our dog, Mack, is 4 years old. He has anxiety issues that turned into aggression, which only got worse during the pandemic. We couldn't go to the dog park. We could barely go on walks around the neighborhood. If I needed to actually answer the door, I would go through the garage because Mack is an escape artist and I was scared he would bite someone. We couldn't go on vacation and we couldn't really have anyone over. When he is not around dogs outside of our household or new people, he is the sweetest dog ever. He loves to cuddle with his human moms and his fur sisters. He is super smart but we had already gone through 3 different training programs. The first was okay and he got mildly better. The second one was a lot better and I saw significant improvement but it ended when I moved from Texas to the Chicago area. We found a trainer up here and it did not go well. Mack redirected during a training session where another aggressive dog was present and bit my girlfriend. I felt like I had failed my girlfriend and Mack. That's when my girlfriend found Sit Means Sit-South Chicagoland! Kerry and her team are amazing! It is like we have a different dog in the house and we started seeing major changes after the first session. Mack is less anxious and less aggressive. We had people over this week for the first time since Mack started training. He sat on his place cot until we said he could get off. He let us eat dinner in peace without trying to get anyone to throw a ball to him. He is great at walking on a leash and we can even walk directly past a dog or person without a major reaction. We are working every day to get his behavior to be even better but we have complete peace of mind already that Mack will listen to us when we need him to and that very soon we will be able to start looking for dog sitters/walkers and we will have no issues having people over!! And most importantly, Mack is visibly happier!!

Hillner M.

I gave my five month old out of control lab to Kerry for board and train. He was an out of control maniac,stealing and eating the kids toys, jumping on everyone, biting the leash,pulling on walks.
He came back a new dog. My wife and I couldn’t believe the difference. He was a calm well behaved puppy. He now lays at my feet when I’m watching tv at night instead of terrorizing the entire house. He is a pleasure to walk and I actually look forward to walks instead of dreading it.
I can’t recommend Kerry highly enough she is an incredible dog trainer and my dog really loves her.

Olivia S.

My rescue dog Max had extreme aggression issues with both people and dogs. We went to tons of dog trainers, dog therapy, etc. None of them ever worked out. They never wanted to be hands on and take on the challenge that my dog presented. After attacking another dog, I was going to have to rehome him if he didn’t get help. There was also the possibility of having to euthanize him if someone pressed charges. It was so bad even his vet refused to clip his nails. Nobody could come near him. We found Sit Means Sit in the fall of 2021. Our trainer, Kerry, immediately took control. I had never seen anyone handle Max the way she did. She was not bothered by his growling or lunging. She even told me dogs like Max were her favorite to train! Kerry worked with Max and I for 4 in home sessions. She did not ever give up on him like everyone else had. It was so comforting to find someone who had as much hope in him as I did. By the time we were ready for group training classes, Max was able to be around other people and dogs (muzzled) with no struggle. He was finally able to coexist without the constant anxiety he was going to hurt someone or freak out and cause a scene. This program has been the most amazing thing ever. The trainers are so uplifting and determined to help. They take this personally. Your dog is theirs. I don’t think you are going to find that anywhere else. Max has some way to go, but I would have never dreamed in a million years that he would have gotten this far already. If you are struggling with an aggressive dog, or have any problem with a dog for that matter, call Sit Means Sit. They will change your life!

Here is Kerry clipping Max’s nails, which groomers and the vet refused to do. The other is him cuddling with a new friend which he could have never done without Kerry’s help.

Marissa S.

Kerry and Anastasia did WONDERS on our zesty one year old golden retriever. Before his stay at bootcamp, Duncan ruled the roost snatching whatever he could get his paws on in our house, shredding everything in sight and bombarding people as they walked through our front door. Kerry was up front and honest with us, keeping Duncan until he was truly ready to come home. Duncan came back a changed dog. He now listens to our commands, is calmer and has stopped his many attempts to grab/shred objects. We are so grateful to Kerry and Anastasia for the countless hours they put into our pup. We don’t know what we would have done without them! Thank you!

Alex H.

Kerry and her staff are awesome! We came to them after adopting Sofi, who had zero impulse control, especially around other dogs. She even bit my mom's dog. After boarding and training with Kerry and her staff, the change in Sofi has been amazing! This morning we attended a group class with several other dogs (and even more dogs walking through the park where class was held) and Sofi was sooo good!! We still have some work to do, but she's come so far. I was a very proud dog mom today. I don't know where we'd be without Kerry. Highly recommend.