Sit Means Sit Dog Training - New Jersey — Local services in Bordentown

We sought dog training for our two small dogs (~10 lbs each, a silky terrier and a Yorkie) at Sit Means Sit in Bordentown, NJ. On May 21st, we attended a consultation. The demonstration of the training techniques appeared effective, and we decided to sign both dogs up for training. The owner demonstrated the use of a leash on the demo dog but was vague about how exactly the leash would be utilized, which made us uncomfortable. Our dogs are prone to tracheal collapse, so they must wear harnesses instead of collars. Eventually, the owner agreed to use a harness with the leash, but they also emphasized the use of a remote-controlled collar that includes vibration and electrical shock as part of the training.

They explained that the training would include taking the dogs to public places like restaurants as part of their socialization process. We were informed that after scheduling the training, only 2/3 of the fee would be refundable in case of cancellation, and no other specific requirements were mentioned at that time. There was pressure to schedule the training immediately, which we did.

After further consideration, we had additional concerns about the methods used, especially the remote-controlled collar. When we returned to ask more questions, the owner allowed only my husband to experience the collar’s shock at level 3 (the collar goes up to level 7) but would not let me try it. Additionally, when we asked for more clarification on how the collar and leash would be used, the owner refused to explain further, citing concerns that we might copy his methods. This raised red flags, especially since my husband is a prosthodontist and not involved in dog training. I also requested to observe the first day of training, which was denied. The owner continued to focus on his positive Google reviews but didn’t address our concerns satisfactorily.

We left feeling uneasy and ultimately decided to cancel the training. When we called to request the refund, we were told we had to schedule an in-person appointment, requiring both of us to be present. Given the distance (a 45-minute drive each way) and our busy schedules, this was highly inconvenient. After some back and forth, they agreed to mail the cancellation form, but we did not receive it for over a week, requiring us to follow up again.

When we finally received the form, it contained a clause stating that we would only receive the refund if we agreed not to post any public or private comments—positive or negative—about Sit Means Sit and remove any previously posted negative comments. We were never informed about this condition beforehand and were not comfortable signing away our rights to share our experience.

Ultimately, we disputed the charge with our credit card company, which concluded an investigation and refunded us the full amount on August 15th.

We believe many others who may have had negative experiences with Sit Means Sit likely signed similar agreements, which might explain the lack of critical reviews. We felt it was important to share our experience since we did not sign...

It saddens me as I write this review. I initially enrolled my dog (Chico) in a 6 week program at Sit Means Sit over a year and half ago. I had such a great experience and Chico's behavior improved significantly. However, I recently had a baby and I wanted to bring Chico back to have a refresher session. When I arrived at Sit Means Sit for the personal session (which was included in the package I previously paid for) I wasn't greeted. It seemed as if the 2 young ladies didn't know I had the appointment. So I said to Bre (I found out her name as I left the establishment), "Hi, this is Chico". From the start, I felt uneasy and that Sit Means Sit had changed to not being welcoming and unfriendly. On this particular rainy day, I was a little out of sorts. I was running a little late for the appointment and I forgot Chico's leash. To make matters worse, there was also something wrong with the remote for Chico's electric collar. I had put the remote on the charger earlier that morning but it seemed to not have a charge. When I mentioned these things to Bre she immediately began to speak to me in a condescending tone. She reiterated what I had told her but was very cheeky. I did not like that at all. I told her that I felt disrespected and that she must have been new. I have never experienced this at Sit Means Sit before. The staff (Sal, Cassidy, Claudia, and Hailey) I had worked with previously were always very kind. There were always extra leashes around and spare equipment. The funny thing is, if Bre had not been so rude to me and did some additional troubleshooting with the remote, she would have found out that all I really needed to do was cut it off and back on. I honesty do feel that Sit Means Sit does great work with your fur baby. However, I can't even imagine what Bre would have done with my dog with an attitude she had that day. I must also point out the obvious. This session was "free" e.g. no money was needed at the time of service. Was the customer service so poor because it has been over a year and a half since I made any payments to the establishment? Or do certain staff need customer service retraining? Again, yes I did forget these items but Bre's behavior was inexcusable. She could have kindly told me to reschedule my appointment or help me discover the issue with the remote. Either way, I will not be recommending customers due to this horrible experience. I will agree that Sit Means Sit does a great job with the improvement of your dog's behavior. This should not come at a cost of having good customer service; especially at the price point for overall Sit Means Sit services. I hope no one else has to...

Their process works 👍👍 HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Last year we brought our 6 month old puppy over to Sit Means Sit to address some concerns about his interactions with our 3-year-olds. He had gotten very big very fast and that quickly escalated to him overpowering them and knocking them down while playing which led to jumping and he was quickly becoming an avid counter surfer. After our consultation, they recommended their six week package which included six weeks of training (one day a week), FREE weekly follow up classes for TWO YEARS and all of the customer support you'd ever need. There were packages that were more expensive but they only sold me what I needed and to me that speaks volumes about a business.

On the first day, we met trainers Bri and Allie and shared our concerns with them. They were very receptive and assured us that they'll not only sort him out, but we would see an improvement on THE FIRST DAY. To our shock, they delivered on that promise and with little exaggeration he was a different dog 🤯. Throughout the next 6 weeks, we learned commands and kept improving every week as my wife and I learned alongside him. They went above and beyond and spent as much time as necessary until I was comfortable. After every session, they blocked off the last portion of the day to spend with the owner. They would recap and train with us on what they did that day and recap on previous weeks skills and once the program was complete, they took those skills and we were given a test to ensure both us and the dog were proficient enough to move on to the follow-up classes. Those follow-up classes are key to ensuring the training is reinforced properly after they graduate.

I'll close by saying that these are professionals who care about what they do. They go to great lengths to ensure their dogs are trained to the best of their ability and it shows. They support the military and first responder community and as I mentioned earlier......