Steph has been working with adopted dogs (and now dogs straight from breeders) since 2010 and is studying for certification with the Academy for Dog Trainers. Her experience from the ultra scared to the highly dangerous to the silly, young and old, has given her a look into the wide world of dog behavior, training, and management. Good Sit is part of a larger network of trusted, experienced dog trainers in the San Francisco and San Jose Bay Area that have the best at heart for your dogs. From bite cases to puppy manners to teaching dogs how to dog, we got ya.
We specialize in traditionally guarding and bully breeds while serving all good boys and girls, all breeds and backgrounds. With said experience, we especially enjoy working on reactivity, aggression, and fear-based behavior utilizing force-free techniques (yes, you read that right) and watch the dogs bloom into happier, less stressed individuals that help your family.
Looking for group puppy classes? Head to this page.
Interested in learning more? Contact us to set up a time to talk about what you’re looking for in your next pet!
How do training sessions work?
Our sessions are 45-60 minutes long, with the first session being 60 minutes long and involving as many members of the family as possible! The goal is to hit the ground running on things you can do around the home on the daily. In our experience, dogs’ brains tend to go fizzle after about 30 minutes of intense training. Day one is more about training the humans; the hour is okay for the pups in that regard.
Sessions beyond the first are typically 30 minutes of our trainer working with the pup on her own, then the last 15 minutes is a mini “transfer” of what they covered and what your homework will be. This setup helps create bite-sized assignments family members can accomplish fairly easily without having the dog — or the humans — get frustrated or pooped out.
We want you to succeed.
It’s a big world out there for a dog.
Let’s work together to get them fitting into it and your life well.
Our Training Packages aren’t set up like the norm
Are you after teaching your dog how to walk without freaking out on leash? Is your new family member learning how to dog in a suburban world? Maybe you’re wanting to teach your dog how to play better with other pups or be less growly at humans. Whatever it is, we can discuss expectations for our initial package (our expected teaching schedule for 1-2 months) and go from there.
We currently offer private dog training in and around your home for those families within our service range. For those outside of our service range, we can come to your home for an additional travel fee or we can meet at a location within Mountain View.
Get special attention with professional flair. No need for shock collars, prong collars, choke chains, or pulling on the leash. We focus on creating low stress setups and situations to help your dog be the best they can be.
What we have covered in the past:
- traditional obedience cues: sit, stay, down, place, go to mat, coming when called
- first dog for the family: how to welcome your dog into your home
- new hotness training: loose leash walking, long line hiking, off-leash hiking
- stopping lunging, barking, and snapping on leash
- polite dog-dog introductions and interactions — particularly useful for play dates and the park!
- defensive leash handling
- resting indoors
- settling while eating out at restaurants
- people fear/aggression
- dog fear/aggression
- barrier frustration (fence running, leash aggression, door runners, redirecting onto people, etc.)
- socialization with people, places, dogs, things
- inter-household dog-dog aggression
Before we start!
You know you want to start training with us? Let’s move it to a phone call. We offer a free half hour fact finding consultation call that helps everyone iron out all the details before we start our first session, from schedule to location to any nagging questions you may have.
Don’t want to commit to a package of sessions?
A One-off or one-and-done session jam packs information to keep you and your dog occupied for a good few months (or month depending on how speedy you are) with a training plan you can immediately implement while getting professional, experienced eyes on what your pup (and you!) are doing, what you’re doing well, and what can be better.
A 90-minute initial session may be right for you if:
- you live outside of our standard service area
- you prefer rapid fire questioning the professional and getting real-time answers without being pressed for time
- you’re a self-starter who doesn’t need someone keeping tabs on you
- you want to do the training yourself and just need a little guidance for getting started
- you keep “weird” hours
This $250 session still includes our free 30-minute initial consult call to determine if we are a good fit for each other while discussing your focuses and getting a chance to ask our own trainer questions on approach, opinions, training methodology, and expectations.
This type of session can also be utilized for analyzing a foster or new adoption for introduction to your family and the wider world, observing family members having trouble co-existing, or for determining if training, determining rehoming, giving feedback for a veterinarian, or working with another professional is the better option for tougher cases.
This session can be done remotely/via video, though it is encouraged to be done in person.
Know this session setup is right for you? Schedule a a consult call now to get started:
Service Area for Dog Training: Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Los Altos, parts of Los Altos Hills
What breeds or mixes have we worked with? So far:
rottweiler golden retriver labradoodle schipperke german shepherd dog american bulldog mystery mutt american pitbull terrier staffordshire terrier boston terrier chihuahua shikoku inu golden retriever designer dog jack russell terrier chessie hungarian vizsla american bulldog rhodesian ridgeback siberian husky great pyrenees alaskan husky nenet’s laika poodle alaskan malamute boxer dog icelandic sheepdog treewalking coonhound aussie doodle belgian malinois american akita inu corgi schnoodle maltese chesapeake bay retriever king charles cavalier spaniel english springer spaniel greyhound irish wolfhound spinone italiano bearded griffon shiba inu cocker spaniel doberman pincher pomeranian english bulldog great dane border collie australian shepherd labrador retriever french bulldog australian cattle dog black mouth cur