Be Part of Our Amazing Community of Dog Lovers
Our Staff:
- All are Sit Means Sit Certified Dog Trainers
- Treat all of our clients and dogs with the utmost care and respect
- Can train Any Dog, Any Age, Any Problem (and yes – that means your dog too)
- Have comprehensive experience with a wide variety of breeds
- Are willing and able to provide you and your dog with the world-class training you deserve
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Ryan Leach | Owner
As a child my family would always get dogs straight from reputable breeders, and generally we were very lucky to get great dogs with great temperaments. But when I got into the workforce and wanted a dog of my own, having a puppy simply wasn’t an option – I just couldn’t devote the time and energy that a puppy needs to thrive. So I did what many well-intentioned 
people do, I went to pet adoption events and to the shelter and eventually rescued 2 dogs. Although they are great dogs and I loved them dearly, they came with their own baggage, emotional and behavioral problems that were beyond my ability to fix.
Attempting to be a responsible dog owner I got on YouTube, read a few books, and set off to train my dogs. I worked with them for several weeks and thought I was making progress. I decided to test them and took them to the dog park to see how they did around distractions. 5 minutes into the visit my dogs became uncontrollable and I decided I was hopeless as a trainer. Like many of you I then turned to ‘professional’ help from one of the big box stores. After a few weeks (and a decent amount of money) I tried the dog park again. Same results, except this time I was older, poorer, and more perplexed than ever. I gave up and thought my dogs were hopeless.
Then I met a Sit Means Sit Trainer randomly in one of those big box stores. They had complete control over their dog yet it was clearly very happy and very excited. I wanted that type of relationship with my dog. After speaking to my wife we decided to let Sit Means Sit train our dogs and opted for the 2 week immersion program. The results were phenomenal. I finally had dogs that would run and play but were also obedient, even around other dogs and heavy distractions.
Right then and there I was a believer, but I also wanted something more. I wanted to help bring people the same feeling of accomplishment and pride that I got from my dogs. I wanted to help them have the relationships with their dogs that they so desperately wanted. So I decided to go all in and become a dog trainer.
I have been training dogs for 6 years now and have experience with dogs of all sizes and temperaments.
Ryan currently owns two amazing dogs, a pit bull/lab mix named Atlas as well as his demo dog/business partner, a cattle dog mix named Daisy.
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Lacey | Business and Operations Manager
I have had dogs as family members since I was born, so I learned from an early age how dogs live, love and behave. That was the platform which launched my love for dogs and training. Having had the pleasure of living with everything from a Mastiff, to a Border Collie, to a Pit Bull Terrier, to a pure bred mutt, my love for dogs of all sizes and breeds goes far! When I was old enough, I started to volunteer at local shelters to help socialize and give attention to the dogs that wouldn’t have that otherwise in that environment. I saw the major disadvantage most of the shelter dogs had of never having any proper training, so they weren’t as ‘adoptable’ as a more calm and confident dog who had been thru some sort of obedience training.
When I moved to North Texas to finish college, I volunteered at a large county shelter that was having a major problem getting the dogs adopted and was having to put a large amount to sleep. I started evaluating each dog to see what their personality was and to figure out what training they might need to help their chances of getting out. I helped rehabilitate many shy and nervous dogs, litters of puppies, and adults that had no exposure to humans and most would consider feral. I helped the more aggressive dogs get a second chance by training how to meet and greet other dogs. Finally, I was able to be part of a few rescues, forming my own and working with many others including Texas Husky Rescue. Thru that all, I saw how important the focus of the dog was, and how difficult it was to achieve with treats or just a leash.
That experience was priceless, and after moving back to San Antonio I am continuing to help with rescues and the city shelter here in any way I can. The experience of learning that different training methods work with different dogs’ needs helped me look for a training program that helped grasp the attention of these dogs and also incorporate techniques that will teach them the right way to behave and live. Dogs that were literally stuck in a kennel for days on end until their stray hold was up and they could be considered for adoption were hyper and so happy to get out that they couldn’t focus on behaving and showing the wonderful side that I knew they were highly capable of showing. Finding Sit Means Sit methodology and techniques makes sense to me because if you don’t have the focus of the dog, you can’t move onto the next step of training! I loved what I learned with my own personal rescue Pitbull and couldn’t wait to start working for Sit Means Sit!
Being able to get the full attention to teach a dog basic manners inside and outside the home is essential to a happy, confident and successful relationship with your dog. I want to help families and individuals have a wonderful relationship with their canine family members and help shelter and rescue dogs get the chance to live a happy long life they deserve!
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Sevanna | Head Trainer
When I was younger, I grew up with my mom showing dogs in various events. She liked to compete in obedience trials, so that is what I was able to get the most experience with. W
hen I was about 10 years old, I started taking my own dog to classes geared towards competition events such as obedience, rally, and agility. However, being that young, many classes would not allow me to participate. I started working one on one with people I met through classes, and have been learning everything I possibly could ever since. As far as
competition events, I have titled my Belgian Malinois in AKC obedience, rally, agility, and herding. I titled my miniature poodle in AKC obedience, rally, and agility.
Aside from competition events, I have also been very involved in different aspects of the working-dog world. I fostered Military Working Dog puppies for Lackland Air Force Base for several years. Through that, I not only got the opportunity to be involved in basic training and socialization, but in some of the more advanced training as well. I have also been involved in the training of several narcotics dogs who are currently working for various police departments.
Another area I have grown quite fond of is service dog work. I have been involved in everything from puppy-raising to final training and matching dogs with clients. I have worked with Destination K9 Service Dogs out of San Antonio and have been able to see the great things that dogs are able to learn to help people. My most recent service dog success was a standard poodle named Brodie, who was able to fully complete his training and become a Diabetic Alert Dog who is now assisting his handler every day!
Since I started at Sit Means Sit, I have been able to apply my experience to new, unique methods of training. I still learn something new every time I work with a dog, and can’t wait to work with you and your pup!
