Knoxville's Best Dog Training

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Knoxville Dog Training Experts

Sit Means Sit Dog Training Knoxville provides professional dog training services in Knoxville and surrounding Tennessee areas.

We take pride in being the first Sit Means Sit Franchise in the beautiful state of Tennessee! Using a results-oriented dog obedience training system, we are able to achieve our client’s goals, both canine and human alike by developing a well behaved, socialized dog.

Sit Means Sit Dog Training Knoxville trains thousands of puppies and dogs, and more importantly, humans each year. Our mission: Revolutionizing the quality of life with happy, obedient, and confident dogs. Using the unique Sit Means Sit training method, our experienced and dedicated dog trainers will teach you how to have off leash control of your dog, even around severe distractions. Don’t just own a dog for the sake of owning a dog. Invest a little to get a lifetime of enrichment with your furry friends!

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About Sit Means Sit Dog Training

Dog Training Programs

Any Dog Any Age Any Problem

Board and Train

Board And Train Programs

Our Board and Train programs are designed for busy pet parents to fast-track their dogs’ obedience training. Your furry family member will enter this full-immersion training program for 5-20 days and return home with the equivalency of a masters degree in doggie manners. During your dog’s time in our Board and Train Program, they will focus their full attention on learning valuable skills like confidence, socialization, and obedience. You’ll be amazed at the results you see in your dog’s behavior!

Why Choose Board and Train:

  • Your dog is demonstrating behavioral issues but you don’t have enough time to train them or take them back and forth to classes.
  • You want your dog to gain transferable skills that they’ll be able to apply in many different contexts.
  • You want the skills to continue training your dog once they finish the program.

Thinking about taking your dog’s training to the next level? Contact us today for your free consultation!

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Private Dog Training

One On One Training “Private Lessons”

Meet one-on-one with our professional dog trainers and learn how you can implement the Sit Means Sit training method at home!  These success-based programs give the client the tools necessary to be able to lead their dog through the challenges with which most dog and puppy owners struggle.

We describe these programs as the programs for the clients who don’t mind the twists and turns of the road. Every dog represents its own unique challenge, they like to throw curve balls at their owners during the training process. We show the clients how to hit those curve balls. As with all of our programs, these programs are designed to control your dog with:

  • Come on command
  • Sit next to you
  • Walk with you
  • Sit at a distance
  • Wait at the door
  • Down next to you
  • No jumping
  • Down at a distance
  • Play biting
  • Place
  • Quiet on command
  • Aggressive behaviors
  • No digging
  • Submissive behaviors
  • Boundary Training
  • Anxious behaviors
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Hybrid Day Stay And Train

Day Stay And Train “Hybrid”

Our Day Stay and Train program is for the clients who love the idea of having a professional dog trainer help give them a head start in their dogs training but don’t like the idea of being without their furry friend for an extended stay. The dog comes with us during the day and is returned home during the evening for their families enjoyment.

As with all of our programs, these programs are designed to control your dog with:

  • Come on command
  • Sit next to you
  • Walk with you
  • Sit at a distance
  • Wait at the door
  • Down next to you
  • No jumping
  • Down at a distance
  • Play biting
  • Place
  • Quiet on command
  • Aggressive behaviors
  • No digging
  • Submissive behaviors
  • Boundary Training
  • Anxious behaviors
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FAQs

Get answers to some of our most commonly asked questions:

Each of our training programs is custom tailored to the specific situation. There are a number of factors that we evaluate prior to building a training package for you such as your dog’s age, temperament, previous training, as well as the desired goals of the owner. What will work for one dog and owner, won’t necessarily fit well with another. Because of these factors, we offer a free demonstration & consultation as an opportunity to meet with your family as well as your dog to gain insight into the unique circumstances that affect your dog’s training. During the demonstration we will evaluate the factors and develop a training plan for your dog and family. From the training plan we will be able to give you an accurate idea of cost to accomplish your goals. There is no cost or obligation associated with the free demonstration.

Sit Means Sit uses a variety of training methods and tools to achieve the goals of the customer and their dog.

The Sit Means Sit mission:

Revolutionizing the quality of life with happy, obedient, and confident dogs.

With this mission in-mind, we customize our training approach to meet with our customer's personality as well as what will result in the best possible training experience for both dog and owner. As you view our portfolio of dog training videos, we hope that you will pay close attention to the attitude of all the dogs trained by Sit Means Sit. We pride ourselves on being able to maintain a happy and relaxed attitude in our dogs.

Sit Means Sit specializes in a diversified approach to dog training. We use an attention-based dog training system developed by Founder and CEO, Fred Hassen. This approach utilizes a variety of training tools to enable our trainers to gain the dog’s attention even in distracting situations. One of the tools that we use often in our training program is our customized Sit Means Sit Collar (remote electronic dog training collar). The reason we choose to utilize technology in our training is obvious when you understand the advantages that technology allows us.

Firstly, Sit Means Sit firmly believes in safe dog training. The technology we employ is 100% safe for dogs and humans. The Sit Means Sit Collar uses state of the art digital technology to control the output from the collar to prevent it from harming your dog. The technology that is utilized in the construction of our collar is similar technology to “electronic muscle stimulators” and “TENS” units. You may be familiar with the use of these devices in the medical field (they are very common in the Chiropractic and Physical Therapy fields) or perhaps you’ve seen devices advertised on TV as “electronic muscle massagers”. These devices essentially use low-level, adjustable electronic stimulation to creating muscle contractions. In the medical field, they are used as tools to help alleviate pain, promote blood circulation and encourage healing.

In the dog training field, specifically Sit Means Sit, remote dog training collars are used as a tool to provide a remote controlled cue. The cue is designed to neither cause pain nor to disrupt the dog’s emotional state, but rather to function as an adjustable “tap”. The approach used by Sit Means Sit trainers is to treat the “tap” from the collar as a cue for the dog to pay attention. This is no different than tapping a person on the shoulder to gain their attention. The goal of tapping them on the shoulder is not to hurt them or cause emotional distress, but rather to let them know that you want to communicate something to them.

The “tap” delivered from the Sit Means Sit Collar is a highly adjustable sensation that can be set to levels that are often imperceptible to people. Obviously this adjustability is necessary because some dogs are sensitive, while others are quite tough. There is no way to determine what levels your dog will respond to until you begin to train them with a collar. Another reason why the collars are so adjustable is because distractions from the environment are never consistent. Relate this to training with a treat. How many times will that treat work perfectly indoors, but fails to maintain your dog’s attention when a cat is running by. Sit Means Sit has found that dogs can be taught to pay attention around extreme distractions very effectively.

During the fundamental Sit Means Sit training, the dogs and handlers are taught how to condition their dog to the collar in a constructive and positive manner. By adjusting the level of the collar appropriately for the dog and the situation, as well as linking the tap from the collar with an item of high value, we can effectively teach the dog that the “tap” from the collar is related to something of value. This approach to fundamentals allows for a smooth transition into distraction training and off leash control through attention to command.

You can relate the advantages that a Sit Means Sit Collar can provide you in dog training with the advantages that a state-of-the-art smartphone provides you. Cell phones these days are no longer just phones, but mini-computers with built-in cameras, internet access and applications. These tools enhance our communication with others, allow for a diversified means of gathering and sharing information as well it’s just flat out cool what can be done with them, provided you have the knowledge. You can still choose to use you old-fashioned wall-mount telephone in your kitchen if you like, but now you’re restricted to the the length of the cord, and it’s not exactly easy to send photos to your in-laws using that wall-mount phone. Effectively limiting what you can do while you’re talking on the phone. There’s nothing wrong with doing things that way, it’s just limiting. This same relationship can also be said of using a leash to train your dog. It’s just limiting. With a smartphone you can do it all from the convenience of wherever you want.

Building on the premise of safety, the use of a remote controlled cue allows for greater freedom of communication, and in turn more efficient training through the enhancement of near-instantaneous timing. Being able to re-direct your dog’s energy or attention while he is at a distance from you greatly enhances the reliability you can achieve in a short period of time. It's also allows for you to communicate with your dog without confrontation from yelling. Also, the uniqueness of the Sit Means Sit approach stands head and shoulders above other technology-based dog training systems because of our ability to establish a neutral communication system allowing for unprecedented problem solving abilities, and through our enhanced communication skills a truly politically correct training approach. We invite you to view our training first-hand by contacting us for a free demonstration with a local trainer.

Training with a remote dog training collar like the Sit Means Sit dog training collar is really no different than training your dog with a leash or with treats. Reinforcement in any form is a required and necessary part of your dog’s life. Even after they are trained, it will still be necessary to maintain your rules and boundaries. This is really no different than we encounter with people learning to drive a car. Obtaining your driver’s license only shows that you understand the rules of the road, and have demonstrated your ability to operate a car safely. It does not guarantee that you will stop at every stop sign, and drive the speed limit all the time. Obviously there are a lot of factors that change as you drive, and some drivers are more honest than others. The bottom line however is that there are police officers responsible for maintaining the law and enforcing the rules that we have agreed to.

When looking at dog training from this standpoint, it easy to see how reinforcement of rules will be inevitable at some point. Every dog is different though, and some dogs require more or less reinforcement than others.

The good news is that proper and thorough training will result in your dog being more reliable even without training equipment or training ‘aids’ as we call them. Training your dog to be reliable without a Sit Means Sit dog training collar on is a matter of transferring attention through conditioning. There are three broad phases of training that you will encounter as you train your dog. Sticking with the your training and reinforcing your rules consistently over a long enough period of time will get your dog as reliable as they can be. The phases of training are as follows:

Phase 1: The Teaching/Control Phase ~ 6-12+ weeks

During phase one, the goal is to achieve control over your dog, teach them the rules, boundaries and desired behaviors you want. It also the time to teach the dog to pay attention and perform these commands around distractions. This phase lasts between 6-12 weeks on average, however in certain situations it may take longer to gain the reliability needed before moving on to phase two. Once your dog is capable of performing commands quickly and reliably around a variety of distractions with minimal problem solving required, then your dog and you are ready to move on to phase two.

Phase 2: The Reinforcement Phase ~ 6-12+ weeks

During phase two, the goal is to begin phasing out your training aid (remote dog training collar). In phase one, we use the dog training collar on a regular basis to regain attention and maintain our rules. Now in phase two we begin to reduce our dependence on the dog training collar and introduce consistency via variable reinforcement. You may or may not need your dog training collar, but we want to teach the dog that you are still in control even if the perception of the dog is that you are not. This phase will last between 6 – 12 weeks on average, and will require you to stick with phase two for longer than average. It’s also not uncommon as dogs mature and age to have to revert back into phase one training again for several weeks depending on how your dog’s performance and behavior is. When your dog is capable of performing commands without the need for reinforcement for approximately 6 weeks, then your dog is very likely to be reliable without their training aid present. We are ultimately looking to have your dog learn how to filter our distractions entirely. When this is achieved, your dog is much less likely to act out in an unwanted manner because of distractions.

Phase 3: The Maintenance Phase ~ Ongoing

The third and final phase of training a dog is the maintenance phase. During this phase, you will likely be using your dog training collar or other dog training aid very little as your dog is capable of ignoring distraction. The catch however is that they are still capable of distraction (they are not robots). A smart trainer recognizes this and is ready to maintain their rules, commands and boundaries at anytime. It is not uncommon to have a dog who sense the lack of maintenance and begins to revert back in their behavior. The benefit of having done your dog training properly to begin with is that regression is easily minimized and dealt with by simply jumping back into training for a short time to remind the dog of the expectations.

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(865)-730-0364 Contact Us

Trainers & Staff

Professional trainers. Attentive friendly staff.

Jessica HendersonHead Trainer, Owner

Hello, I’m Jessica Henderson! I’ve been training dogs and horses since we moved to Tennessee when I was in 4th grade. I was self taught in my animal training adventures – meaning lots of trial and error – until after I graduated with a B.S. in Psychology in 2007 from The University of the South. My first job after college was working on a horse breeding farm where I studied several professional methods of horse training to train the young ones up in the manner desired by our clients.

I married my college sweetheart in 2013 and we have since collected a couple cats, a dog, and a horse on our small farm. I continued my animal-based education at The University of Tennessee and earned an Animal Science degree in 2015. In the spring of 2017, I fostered and finish-trained a service dog for a disabled veteran as a volunteer. Shortly after, our roommate adopted a large German Shepherd who had no manners, but a sweet personality.

With me being occupied because of the service dog training, my roommate contacted Sit Means Sit for help in dealing with her big guy. Jimmy Archuleta came out to the house to do a demonstration. We signed up and throughout the process I was continually impressed with how quickly and efficiently the training progressed. I have had a blast with the program and look forward to helping many others with their pups!

Ami InsleyTrainer

My name is Ami Insley and I’m a graduate of the University of Tennessee. I have a Bachelors of Science in Animal Science and I’ve worked with animals since I was in high school. I started out volunteering at animal shelters and my first job was as a kennel assistant at a large boarding facility in South Carolina. After moving to Knoxville, Tennessee for college, I picked up a part time job at Forest Park Veterinary Clinic as a kennel worker.

For nearly four years, I learned not only how to handle dogs, but also a good deal of information about how to care for a dog throughout their entire life. I then took that knowledge and expanded it after being hired as a full time employee at Village Veterinary Medical Center in Farragut. I also expanded my furry family by adopting an owner surrendered, mostly blind Cornish Rex cat that I named Wisp. I sometimes think she’s a dog in a cat body because she fetches and definetly understands what it means when I change my tone of voice or use body language with her.

Along with my cat, Village gave me a good deal of insight on how to communicate with clients and how to successfully run a kennel. I was also introduced to a myriad of dogs, young, old, trained, untrained, hyper, and super mellow. This exposure to so many dogs really helped me to define what traits I prefer in a dog and in May of 2017, I adopted my first dog (as an adult), Thunder. Thunder is an adult German Shepherd who is goofy and tends to over think things when he’s excited. Adopting him changed my life in more ways than I could explain. I grew up with a twelve pound chihuahua/pug mix, so adopting a 114# GSD was certainly a huge difference. I wasn’t prepared to manage such a large dog and I quickly found out that he is as strong as an ox. Before I knew it, Thunder was bolting out of doors and hauling me around when on a leash. My roommates told me the only way he could continue living with us was if I got him under control. I recalled seeing a Sit Means Sit booth at Village’s annual pet fair back in April and decided to look up the number on Google. I got in contact with Jimmy and we set up a free demo.

To be totally honest, I drool over working dogs. I have always been a sucker for Border Collies and I may have been sold on the program just with the first siting of Jimmy’s dog Dolly. Even so, I sat through the demo with awe as Dolly and Tea worked. And then to make it really cemented in my mind that this was what I wanted for Thunder, Jimmy had me put a collar on my boy and we worked him with the start of “come.” I had only had Thunder for a week at this point and he didn’t even know his own name but Jimmy showed me how to get him to focus on me and do what I asked. So we signed up. After a couple of lessons, Jimmy asked me if I was interested in becoming a trainer and working for him. I didn’t have any real experience with dog training, but prior to adopting Thunder, I had been considering learning how to train dogs. It seemed rather perfect that Jimmy should ask me this. I mulled it over for a little while before agreeing, but I’m truly glad that I did. I have continued with Thunder’s training and have applied my knowledge to train my foster dog. I also look forward to training my own demo dog and working with clients to help them have a positive relationship with their own pups.

Service Areas

We proudly serve the following areas in Knoxville.

Counties

  • Anderson
  • Blount
  • Campbell
  • Grainger
  • Jefferson
  • Knox
  • Loudon
  • Morgan
  • Roane
  • Sevier
  • Union
  • and surrounding areas

Don't See Your Location?

Sit Means Sit has 157 locations across the US and Canada.

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Dog Training Videos

Check out a few videos to see our dog trainers at work!

The Four Benchmarks in Training

Heel Up and Down The Stairs

Gambit – One Year Old Havanese

Sit Means Sit Commercial

5 Star Reviews

We love customers and their dogs. They love us.

Kat C.

Sit Means Sit has been awesome with my dog, Lirael. After boarding and training for a week with them, she has become a much better listener and Ami has been amazing in our private lessons helping my family and I learn to continue to keep Lirael practicing everything they taught her.

Jasen B.

They saved my dog’s life!! My dog was able to weasel through a gap in the fence at the dog park that was located right next to a busy parkway. Thanks to the training by Jennifer, I was able to recall him safely back to the park without a problem. This from a hound that…

Robert M.

Best money that I’ve ever spent on Max, my German shepherd!

Bruce R.

The training works! When I brought my dog Chance to Sit Means Sit I hated taking him for a walk. He would bark and carry on at everyone we encountered, if it was an animal it was even worse. I’d end up dragging him instead of walking him. He started improving after the first lesson…