The Best Dog Training in Parma, OH
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Dog Training in Parma, OH
Sit Means Sit is a company that stands out because we make it our mission to give dogs their best shot at a life that’s the happiest and healthiest it can be. Our training is a means for these dogs to become true, canine companions.
We have been training dogs since 1998 and we’ve seen it all. We’ve had clients bring in dogs for puppy training, counter surfing, and leash pulling, but we’ve also handled aggressive dogs, dogs tha struggle with reactivity and separation anxiety. Every certified dog trainer on our staff is highly trained and well-equipped with time-tested training techniques. Our baseline of off-leash walking is the ceiling for a lot of companies. We want to move far beyond that and make off-leash walking the very first step.
Once you’re done with one of our programs, you’ll see for yourself the positive effect a total transformation can have. We won’t change your dog from the lovable, fur baby you know, but we will help them learn how to communicate, control themselves, and obey commands for their own safety as well as yours.
If this is the kind of future you want for you and your dog, you are in the right place. Sit Means Sit can help you meet all your goals and realize your dreams. Our cutting-edge communication techniques and methods interwoven with some positive reinforcement dog training combine to make an efficient solution that lasts. Call today for a free evaluation and consultation!
Dog Training Classes
Any Dog Any Age Any Problem
Day Training Programs
The Day Training programs are, without a doubt, our most powerful training solution. It’s an immersive experience that doesn’t require much of your time but that keeps you involved. Here’s how it works: You will drop your dog off in the morning, go about your day, and pick up a transformed dog in the evening. It’s really that simple.
Depending on the severity if your dog’s behavior modification needs, you might need to do multiple days of training, but the end result is always a rapidly transformed dog, an informed owner, and results that last a lifetime.
Private Lessons
As the owner of the dog, you know what’s best. It could be that you’re worried about your dog interacting with other dogs at our facility. If that’s the case, consider Private Lessons. Having a certified trainer by your side to answer your questions on the spot is really invaluable. Also, being directly involved in this way allows you and your dog to bond on a deep level.
Puppy Primers
By all means, get that puppy you’ve been thinking about day and night! They’re such a warm presence that brings endless joy and laughter. When you do take this step, start them off on the right paw with a strong foundation of communication, trust, and training. For puppies under 4 months old, we offer Puppy Primers, which is where we guide you and your pup through mastering common puppy problems such as potty training.
Group Classes
Group Classes are such an incredible opportunity for dogs and owners who have mastered basic commands and are ready to move on to more advanced techniques. Whether you’re ready for a refresher course, you want to boost your dog’s confidence through real-world practice, or you’re just looking for community, Group Classes are the way to go.
Lunch & Learn
If you’re a vet, a vet tech, a groomer, a border, or a doggy daycare staff member, you won’t want to miss out on one of our Lunch & Learn opportunities. Sit Means Sit brings lunch to your company’s staff, and then we introduce ourselves! We’ll talk about our company, our methods, and our training approaches.
Seminars
If you work in a field that requires contact with dogs, you need to get involved in some of our seminars. We cover all the important topics, including (but not limited to) traveling with your dog, bite prevention, and reading dog body language. We’re happy and excited to share all the knowledge we’ve accumulated over the years!
Therapy Dog Certification
If you feel like you and your dog are ready to spread light and joy to the community, consider going through our Therapy Dog Certification course. We partner with K-9 Caring Angels to offer a course that will get you both feeling confident and informed about the duties and privileges of a therapy dog.
Grooming Services
Not all Sit Means Sit locations offer grooming services, but we’re proud to be one of the few. Our expert staff members can take on any dog, no matter their breed, age, size, or temperament! Additionally, we offer a complimentary nail trim and ear cleaning with every bathing service, just because we love our furry friends.
Dog Trainers & Staff
Professional trainers. Attentive friendly staff.
I learned about Sit Means Sit dog training while I was living in Denver, Colorado. I was looking for a dog trainer and was referred to Sit Means Sit by a man I met in a dog park. I was so impressed with the free demonstration they showed me. As amazing as it was, I was unsure that they would be able to get my dog under control.
My Australian Cattle dog had a ton of energy and he liked to run! He never came when I called him and would jump on people, grab food off the table and had numerous other bad habits. The trainer did a demonstration with my dog and within a few minutes had my dog totally under control and making eye contact with him. I immediately signed up for the training. Within three weeks of training, I had off leash control of my dog and he listened to me even around distractions. When I saw the results, I knew this company was something special.
Since I graduated from The Sit Means Sit School of remote collar dog training in November of 2007 I have worked with thousands of dogs and have continued educating myself and following my passion to be one the best dog trainers I can be.
Here is a list of some of my training accomplishments:
- Certified remote collar specialist of the Sit Means Sit School of Remote Collar Training
- Attended the Sit Means Sit Annual ‘Main Event’ from 2009-2016 where I obtained numerous certifications in advanced training skill
- Invited Speaker for the 2012-2016 Sit Means Sit Annual Main Event Conference
Completed the following seminars and classes:
- “Animal Acting” with Ashton Fitz-Gerald
- “Frisbee Disc” with 2008 & 2010 World Frisbee Dog Champion Lawrence Frederick
- “Trained retrieve”
- “Advanced obedience training”
- ”Building drive in your dog”
- “Protection training”
- “Trick training”
- “Building a dog’s confidence”
- “Working with Aggressive Dogs”
- Certified AKC “Canine Good Citizen” Evaluator
- Certified Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dog Evaluator
- My dogs have been featured in film, television, magazines, and American Greetings cards.
- Volunteer at numerous facilities, including assisted living homes and schools, my two Bright & Beautiful Certified Therapy Dogs
- Trained “Goose Patrol” dog to assist in the constant upkeep and cleanliness of city parks, golf courses, and city center. Dog was trained in full off leash obedience, directional work, and the ability to follow obedience commands in any setting.
- Work with numerous animal shelters and dog rescues to help with challenging dogs, including fostering and working them through behavioral issues, to increase adoption readiness.
I joined the Sit Means Sit team in the fall of 2010. As the proud owner of two St. Bernard/Rottweiler mixes, I was eager to get my dogs into training shortly after I started my career with the company. My dogs would jump on everyone and everything they could! They counter surfed, dug through the trash, and pulled so hard on the leash that I had fallen more than once!
My husband and I did private lessons at our home and we couldn’t believe the difference! In just a few short lessons, my out-of-control maniacs were well behaved, listened to us under any circumstance, and stopped pulling on the leash! Knowing what Sit Means Sit has done for my dogs alone, had made me a believer in the program! I’ve been lucky enough to work with the best trainers in the business and clients who are second to none. Being able to talk to satisfied clients whose dogs started out with behavioral challenges and listening to the proud dog moms and dads as they share their success stories has shown me that I am right where I belong!
In my career with Sit Means Sit, I have attended six annual Sit Means Sit Main Event corporate conferences to continue my education in customer service and communication, management, website optimization, and software integration. I was an invited speaker at the 2017, 2018, and 2019 Main Event conferences and recipient of the Administrative Excellence Award in 2017.
I have a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Kent State University and studied for three years at the University of Akron working towards a Master’s Degree. I also spent seven years on the Board of Directors for the National Super Kids Classic, a national soap box derby for children with special needs. I also spent time as a volunteer at the Humane Society of Greater Akron, where I was blessed to work with amazing animals, that against most odds, were a pleasure to be around and eventually adopted into forever homes!
My time with Sit Means Sit began as a client. I had a pit mix named Samus who was a little wild and destructive. I needed help with her! She liked to jump on people, mouth for attention, choked herself when walking (pulling to say hi to every person and dog!), and worst of all was her chewing in my house. She chewed base boards, window sills, the china cabinet, put a hole in
my dining room wall, and my final straw was when she chewed the desk my dad had given me! After watching a YouTube video of a trainer doing amazing things in their backyard with their dog, I found Sit Means Sit online and promptly scheduled an appointment to meet with a trainer to do a free consultation.
After seeing what could be done first hand, I knew I had found the people for the job. It was amazing to watch my dog change over the course of the training sessions. Much to my surprise, she even became more affectionate through the course of her training! By the end, the ‘monster’ that I had on my hands had transformed into a well-behaved, attentive, happy member of the family.
I then found out Paul was looking for someone part time and started training in February of 2012, moving to full time that November. Since then, I have attended numerous training seminars to continually educate myself, to ensure that I’m always providing our clients with the best education that I can for their pups! I am an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator, have done multiple Safety Town classes on dog safety, competed in dock diving, done therapy dog work, and my dog, Chainsaw, has been in a couple of movies.
It’s been so amazing over the years getting to help clients with their furry family members, whether it be clients in a similar situation to what mine was, clients with happy puppies who just want them to listen better, clients having issues with aggression in and outside of the home, or dogs who come from a shelter who need some confidence building. I never get tired of hearing happy clients sharing their tales of their successes!!
My name is Alexa & I have been an avid animal lover from the moment I started crawling. Currently, I have a beagle rescue & can proudly say that I’m a huge beagle lover! I grew up with being surrounded by multiple dogs in the household. I have lived with boxers, retrievers, bully breeds & terrier breeds.
I knew that I’ve always wanted to pursue a career with animals, then my journey with Sit Means Sit began in 2022! Since then, I have worked with many breeds of dogs! Herding breeds, protective breeds, sporting/working, toy/little, etc. Some of my favorites to train are mals, labs, aussies, and beagles (being a beagle owner myself.) I also have worked with dogs with different behaviors ranging from puppy energy to fear aggression. I have worked with all ages of dogs as young as 3 months to as old as 14 years. In my experience at Sit Means Sit, I have gotten to learn many new things about different breeds/behaviors and how to work with each & every one.
I have always had a passion for working with animals & enjoy what I do! Can’t wait to meet your furry friend!
In college I began to pursue other routes of working with animals, it wasn’t until after I graduated that I heard about Sit Means Sit and their high quality of training, and I knew instantly that I wanted to be a part of the team. I love helping others and spending time with animals so Sit Means Sit is the perfect place for me! I get to spend time with dogs every day while training them and I get to help people every day by helping their dogs to be better behaved and well trained.
Growing up, I always had a soft spot for animals because everyone in my family had them. Around ten years old, I stumbled across a video on YouTube of a border collie doing a bunch of tricks with her owner, and I was absolutely amazed! I fell in love with the breed and always had that video in the back of
my mind.
In May of 2018, I finally got a dog of my own! Chase, a border collie-Australian shepherd mix, became my absolute best friend. He was 4 1/2 months old when he came home with me, and I started training him as soon as he got comfortable in the new environment. By the time he was about 7 months old, he knew over 90 commands—tricks AND obedience! Thankfully, I got lucky with him and could always trust him off leash and never worry about him not listening to me. But then came the other dogs I added to my fur family: Zoro, Aspen, and Wren. The three of them are somewhat well-behaved dogs but needed work, and I soon realized that I got extremely lucky with Chase and needed a little more education when it came to dog training to get the other three under better control. I started looking into dog training-related jobs and came across Sit Means Sit!
After an interview with Paul and Rachel, I shadowed Jim and finally got a full understanding of what the training was all about. I fell in love with it! Now I can better educate myself and know what to do better when training dogs on top of training my own!
I began working with Sit Means Sit in the fall of 2015. After just three months of employment, I knew that I needed to get my oldest dog, Sergio, into training. Sergio is an American Staffordshire terrier who used to jump up on people, destructively dig up my yard, and chew everything, including the wiring to my central air conditioning unit!
After just three lessons, I saw a huge difference. Sergio now has a solid foundation of obedience and has learned to control his wild energy! I also have two other dogs in my home, Bella a pit bull mix, and Shalimar, a Yorkshire terrier. Bella loves to be front and center to get attention and Shalimar is guilty of being way too cute!
I am raising my family right here in Copley, Ohio. I have two children in the Copley Fairlawn Middle School, and a son who just graduated high school and daughter that is in her senior year at Copley High School and enlisting in the marines after graduation.
I have worked in customer service all of my life.
When I was young, my ultimate dream was to work at the zoo and feed the animals. I am very happy to be working in a position where I get to combine my love of working with great clients and my passion for animals. I look forward to a long and rewarding career with Sit Means Sit!
Hello! I’m Lily A bit about me: I’ve always been an animal person. As much as I enjoy people, I’d choose the company of a dog or cat any day!
I began working with dogs at local doggy daycares around the area and instantly fell in love with it, knowing it was my calling.
My friends say I’m the embodiment of Fawn from Tinker Bell because of my love and compassion for animals. I have two dogs (family pets) and a cat (my own).
I joined Sit Means Sit when I decided to become a trainer, and it’s been my favorite job. Every day I learn new things about dogs and build amazing relationships with these four-legged friends. I go to work and leave with the biggest smile on my face because I get to hang out with your lovely pups all day! I’m looking forward to having a fuzzy bestie of my own to train and grow with!
My name’s Kloë! Ever since I was small I’ve been telling anyone who asked that my dream was to work with animals.
I’ve explored this dream in different areas of animal care, starting with a major in Zoology at MU then transferring to KSU for Vet Tech. During the switch,
I took a gap to work at a doggy daycare in the spring/fall and a clinic in the summer before classes. At work, I grew intrigued with the body language of dogs I watched in a daycare/pack setting, vs dogs in a more “scary” environment like a clinic. I was fascinated with behavior, especially when met with aggression/anxiety. But it was during one of those 2 hr long vet tech lectures (that I already zoned out in) when I had THE epiphany. I asked myself; is it really the physical need of dogs I want to treat, or the behavioral one?
….given the fact that you’re reading my bio, I bet you can guess what I chose! I dropped my tech courses and went straight to job searching, hoping to find some kind of avenue into behavior. And there I found Sit Means Sit, so I took my shot and haven’t looked back since! 🙂 Here I find a dual love and passion for correcting behavior while building the confidence of each dog and owner I get the joy of helping!
Jennette Cox (Jeni) is a full time Practice Administrator for a group of Internal Medicine Physicians. In the dog world, Jeni is a Pet Tech Certified First Aid Instructor; Canine Good Citizen Evaluator; Pet Photographer, K9 Caring Angels Therapy Dog Evaluator and a Certified Dog Groomer, and a member of the SMS family since we opened.
When not at her “day job”, she loves to play and work with her dogs, take photographs, teach pottery class one night a week, and works with horses at her friend’s barn. When there is time, she also writes a blog for the Pet Section of the Akron Beacon Journal.
Her biggest wish is that there could be about 4 extra hours in the day that didn’t require sleeping in order to get even MORE done!
For 28 years I was a head high school cheerleading coach. When I left coaching, my journey with Sit Means Sit began. I knew when I resigned I wanted to start volunteering at hospice facilities to help bring comfort to families in need.
At the time of resignation, I had a 7-month-old Great Dane named Trigger. He was wonderful, loving, yet also a very energetic puppy that definitely needed training. I contacted Sit Means Sit to help this soon-to-be big boy learn manners and become obedient.
During his journey, Trigger became a well-trained gentle dog. He obtained his CGC certification and went through the therapy program that Sit Means Sit offered. Trigger and I volunteered at many facilities including Hospice, nursing homes, assisted living, and numerous schools. My love for volunteering and helping others during times of need has led me to become one of the K9 Caring Angels Evaluators for Sit Means Sit.
I am also a full-time, self-employed Nail technician and reside in Wadsworth, Ohio with my husband. We have two grown children, one granddaughter, and another grandchild on the way. I now have a new dog, Sasha. She is a mini Bernedoodle who is now in training for the therapy dog program to continue Trigger’s Legacy.
Email: jvharvay@gmail.com
Service Areas
We proudly serve the following areas in Akron and Cleveland.
Cities
- Akron
- Cuyahoga Falls
- Macedonia
- Parma
- Aurora
- Eastlake
- Maple Heights
- Sagamore Hills
- Bath
- Garfield Heights
- Massillon
- Solon
- Beachwood
- Gates Mills
- Medina
- Stow
- Brecksville
- Green
- Mentor
- Streetsboro
- Broadview Heights
- Hudson
- Moreland Hills
- Strongsville
- Brunswick
- Hunting Valley
- North Canton
- Twinsburg
- Canton
- Independence
- North Royalton
- Wadsworth
- Chagrin Falls
- Jackson
- Northfield
- Willoughby
- Cleveland
- Kent
- Painesville
- Willowick
- Uniontown
- Copley
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Sit Means Sit has 157 locations across the US and Canada.
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Check out a few videos to see our dog trainers at work!
WKYC-TV 3 Good Company Sit Means Sit
Child Advocacy Superstar Kota Bear
Learning For Life At Puppy Class
Sharing Training Tips At Akron Home & Flower Show
Dog Owners Reviews
We love customers and their dogs. They love us.
Everyone was very nice and professional. Our large 95 lb puppy learned so much in five weeks. We look forward to continuing his training in group classes. We highly recommend Sit Means Sit Dog Training.
We brought our 1 year old Cane Corso to sit means sit for the 10 day training. He is a lovable big lug but he was having issues with listening and he didn’t do well around men and other dogs. The trainers here were wonderful and helped us tremendously with being able to manage our…
We train both our Great Danes through Sit Means Sit… It is absolutely the best money we have ever spent. The trainers are so very helpful, knowledgeable and caring. You will not regret taking your dog(s) here.
Paul and the whole SMS group are wonderful! They saved our house from destruction. It is such a relief when you get to know your dog so well and know exactly how they will react in a situation, and how to handle it. We never imagined we would have a dog this well trained! They…