What our clients are saying about their experiences with Sit and Stay:
“I have worked with Joana on several occasions with my family’s rescue dogs. Joana’s calm, quiet manner is fantastic- our very shy greyhound even responded. She is able to adapt and change gears as needed (not every dog technique works for every dog) and has many ideas for our “difficult” pups. An important part of training is instructing the owner- Joana is great at helping the human get it right. Joana has also worked with my parents’ dog and I wholeheartedly suggest her to clients needing one on one help with their pets.”
“Hi Joana!
I have to say Thanks again for helping me and Fosse train to be pet therapists. We just came back from Waterview Nursing Home in Cedar Grove and I continue to be amazed at how well Fosse has blended into this endeavor. He is very excited to “go and see the people” and he is so gentle and patient. I wanted to say thanks for seeing that in him – you always said in class he was going to be a great therapy dog – thanks for seeing that potential in him. You did a fabulous job exposing him to the walkers, canes, noise, wheelchair etc. A few months back a patient leaning out of his wheelchair fell on Fosse and he didn’t budge or get nervous. He stayed still even when I dropped the leash to help the gentleman up and forgave the man and went back up to him and put his head in his lap! To him it’s all second nature.”
If you’ve been following the blog/social media for Hoboken Girl, you’ll know it’s puppy central at HobokenGirl.com lately. In June, I adopted a french bulldog named Pierre. He is such a little sweetie — currently 4 months and loving life in Hoboken.
While beauty, fashion, and food may be somewhat of a hot topic of consumption of the blog, besides the occasional adoptable pets of the week, pets are not as commonly discussed on HG (until recently!). That’s why when this novice pet owner posted about who people recommended as a dog trainer on the HG Facebook page a while back, I didn’t expect such an overwhelmingly unanimous response of who to use as a trainer– Joana of Sit N Stay LLC. Joana came highly recommended by many readers (and friends with dogs), and so within the first week we had our puppy we scheduled an appointment with Joana to come to our house and give us puppy 101, essentially. As soon as Joana walked in, she laid out a blanket, had Pierre lay on it, and had him chew on a marrow bone. His leash and harness stayed on — and it was attached to us. This was done so that we wouldn’t be distracted with him running around, and then she gave us the scoop on every aspect of dog ownership you could imagine! From food choices to potty training to walking on a leash to basic commands to appropriate dog play — I took copious notes(legitimately about 20 pages). It was amazingly informative, and I don’t think our first week or two would have gone as smoothly without her coming. It was about a 2-3 hour visit. Joana uses positive training methods only, and you can clearly tell how much she loves animals — she treated Pierre as if he were her own. She also recommended an amazing vet for Pierre — Secaucus Animal Hospital. They are so wonderful! Not only does Joana do in-home training and behavioral counseling for dogs (and phone/email availability for any follow-up questions you have at any time with your pet 9-7pm daily!), but she also runs various classes at Elks Club in Hoboken. The classes are in swing right now, but they will be starting again in the fall! Definitely signing little P up for Basic Training — and who knows, maybe therapy dog training too! I just love that I can contact Joana at ANY time (M-F 9:30-7pm) and ask follow-up questions about Pierre. It’s such a relief and helpful part of her service. After she left our apartment, she also sent an email with a ton of links and helpful resources for Pierre’s training. Her Facebook Page is chock full of tons of tips as well. Just what we needed! Overall – I was extremely pleased with Joana’s expertise, professionalism, and compassion. I would recommend her to anyone with a new pup (or someone who is having behavioral issues with their dog). She’s the best! Pierre has been doing quite well — getting there with potty training, and I have him on a pretty good schedule. It’s a work in progress!
“Joana is wonderful. My daughter and I took our two puppies to her Beginner and Advanced Training courses. As first-time dog owners, Joana had her hands full (more with us than the puppies!), but she was always patient and kind. Almost a year after finishing the last course, she still takes my calls (!) anytime I have a doggie behavioral question and reassures me in her calm voice that it’s all going to be ok. I can’t recommend her highly enough.”
“Joana is a brilliant and gifted dog trainer. As a therapist, I can attest to the pivotal role that dogs play in some forms of treatment. In fact, I am currently working with Joana to train my own dog. She should be applauded for the work that she does. Her incredible skill and knowledge changes the lives of both the dogs that she trains, and the humans that love them.”
–Montclair, NJ web reviews from: Therapists of the Four Legged Variety
“Dear Joana,
Thank you for everything you have done for us. Your love and knowledge have meant so much to us. Most of all, your love of dogs is apparent in every lesson and in all that you do.”
“Hi Joana, I have to give you an update and share a little story. So Cubby and I have been very diligently working with our dog/dog aggression training and it’s been going amazing. My boyfriend, who has NEVER owned a dog, let alone trained a dog, would attempt to criticize our training approach and would say – “you’re not changing his behavior – you’re just distracting him”. I would kindly remind him that he had zero experience in this field and to not criticize. Well, as I said, Cubby has been doing AMAZING! The three of us went for a walk last night and my boyfriend was SHOCKED. He even started bragging to other people about Cubby. A large black dog who the owner was trying to control and to whom Cubby would’ve gone absolutely nuts over in the past came up to Cubby and Cubby just looked at me and sat down and I gave him a hot dog. I just wanted to give you an update and let you know that he’s doing great! I think you’re the best and wouldn’t hesitate telling everyone and highly recommending you to anyone that asked! I hope all is well! Talk to you soon.” ”
“I used to be an avid Dog Whisperer watcher, and before coming to class tried a few of the dominance based techniques with Sadie. All I got was a sullen pup who didn’t trust me. I’m so glad I did my research and found positive training and your class. Sadie, Dave and I are infinitely happier!”
“Hi Joana,
Continuing to use your techniques and following your advice, we have seen a major transformation in Onyx’s behavior. Example: Onyx is definitely listening to Hazel much more than he had in the past, is more respectful to her, and has ceased to leap on anyone, especially Hazel. I could provide numerous anecdotes of the successes we have had with your behavioral modification guides but you probably get the picture. All in all, it’s still a work in progress but there is no question that the time that you shared with us and your patient counseling have made a world of difference. Thanks very, very much, ”
“When we first started working with Joana we had a very excitable, mouthy, jumpy and untrained dog. Our very emaciated shelter dog was gaining weight fast and unintentionally hurting us every time he got excited. After only one session with Joana we had a dog who knew at least 5 different commands and we were left with a TON of knowledge about training, eating habits, toys, collars, and so on. She left us with a plan – something we could work on and monitor. Joana is the first person we call when we have a dog question. She has helped us find a vet, and was even a major influence on the dietary change that helped our dog’s on going stomach issues. We will continue to work with her when needed and I would happily recommend her to anyone with a 4 legged family member.”
–Morgan, Tom & Jagger, Hoboken, NJ
Attention Hoboken dog owners! You might be on the fence or ready to bring your four-legged friend to the next level in regards to their behavior and obedience. Whether you have a problem pooch, or just want to put and end to some nagging issues – you’d be interested to know about the Sit and Stay Dog Training & Behavioral program that takes place regularly at the Hoboken Elks Lodge at 10th & Washington Streets. They offer various six-week classes: Puppy Kindergarten, “Basic Training,” as well as advanced training for more refined dogs. From what I’ve heard, Hoboken residents have had great success with trainer Joana Watsky. Hoboken411
“Joana, We just wanted to thank you again for your time last night. This has been an overwhelming time for us and for the first time last night I felt we had the right help. We will keep looking for puppy interaction and working with her on the commands. I am very much looking forward to the training classes in January. ”
“Hi Joana,
Just wanted to let you know how much you did for us during your training session with Bianka. She is different as night and day using what you taught us. She had no problem with us using a leash in the house and seems quite comfortable having it on. Only 48 hours since you were here and I can already see that we’ve taken control with her instead of the other way around. She also responds well to the doggie push ups and the other commands you taught us. I guess most of all thank you for the hint on how to control her barking as she is already barking a lot less than she used to. I’m also calmer than before. Bianka is bringing more joy to our lives and we look forward to a long pleasure filled life with her. Thanks for what you do.”
“Hi Joana,
Martin and I thank you very much for training Clifford. Your class was really great; we learned a lot about how to make his commands more reliable but also having access to all your advice is priceless. The class was great fun and we’re so glad we took it. We’re going to send off for his CGC certificate (we can send a picture of him with it to all our relatives!!). Thanks again for everything,
“Hello Joana,
I just wanted to drop a quick note to thank you once again for your help with Stella. As you had suggested, we went back to the crating/walking schedule that we had in place when she was a pup. It worked instantly and helped acclimate her to her new surroundings without stress. We still have her on that same schedule but are able to give her more freedom in the house while we’re home without worrying about her having an accident. We have a great dog because of your help. I can’t thank you enough. Best,
“Hi Joana,
I worked with you back in December with my little 4 year old yorkie Parker. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that despite my hesitation and fear, Parker is doing WONDERFULLY! We haven’t had an accident in my apartment in months. He is free to run around my house, my moms house, my office etc. I totally trust him now! He also lets me know when he wants to go out. Its amazing! Thank you soooo much!!! I couldn’t be happier. ”
“Hi Joana,
Penny has been doing very well. We’re still following all the rules you gave us and we’ve definitely adjusted to having her on the leash all the time. I swear, that tip alone makes a world of difference! We’ve been going to the Brookdale Dog Park as much as we possibly can. She loves playing with all the other dogs and getting petted by all the dog owners! She’s definitely a million times calmer and sweeter since we started all this training. She really turned into a different dog within only a matter of days. It’s incredible. Lastly, she’s been doing wonderfully with the housebreaking! She only had one accident in the last month or so. Amazing. Thanks for checking in and thanks again for all of your help. You truly are a miracle worker! We’re looking forward to seeing you again. ”
You are an amazing teacher; direct, extremely knowledgeable and experienced and can really connect with dogs without any negativity! Very impressive! Thanks for changing me from old school discipline to the positive approach! Both me and Oliver are much happier!”
“Teddy and I have both come a long way since we met Joana in 2010. I initially signed up for her obedience class because I had reached a roadblock in doing it on my own. She showed me how to achieve the results I wanted using only positive reinforcement, which was very important to me. Teddy is now a certified therapy dog who loves working with children at the library. It’s rewarding work for both of us and we couldn’t have done it without Joana’s guidance and patience. I know that she is always just a phone call away, because training doesn’t stop when your dog graduates obedience class. I regularly recommend her to friends, family and anyone else who looks like they could use some dog handling advice.”
Hi Joana, Coby and I went to Clara Mass today. He was Amazing! He was a big hit with the staff and acted like he has been doing this forever. They asked me how long has he been a Therapy Dog and how many other facilities he’s worked for. When I said this was the first time he stepped paws into a hospital they couldn’t believe it. Thank you so much, we are going to love doing this!! “Dear Joana,
I just wanted to say thank you so much for the session on Sunday. It was so helpful and we all got a lot out of it. It was amazing how much information you were able to give us in such a relatively short amount of time. It gives us more confidence in training Sadie and will make us less anxious about her. Our kids got a lot out of it, too. You really had their attention and they have already started working with Sadie in a way that has her responding more positively. Thanks, ”
“Hi Joana!
Topper is doing really well – we practice his commands on every walk, and we put them to use in the house as well. He’s totally mastered “off”, “come”, and “look at me”, which is amazing to us! He does “quiet” well too, just not as consistently as the others. However, instead of barking furiously, he’ll give one or two yips and then be quiet, so he’s not doing badly. We also make sure to include the command word in his praise, and we’re using the gentle leader on every walk.
We just can’t thank you enough, we’ve made real progress with Topper and it has really improved our bond with him – he looks to us for direction and we’re able to give it clearly and effectively. Thank you so much!!!! Best,
“Joana,
I just wanted to thank you for all of your help this week – Murphy’s behavior is already improving! We brought him to Brookdale dog park yesterday, and we met a current “advanced” student of yours, and two past students. Everyone had great things to say about your classes (and we were all using easy-walk harnesses). Its always nice to hear good things so I wanted to pass it along. ”
“Joana,
I wanted to thank you for all the information and tips you taught us on Sunday. Your session made us feel more confident in our ability to manage and correct (as much as possible) Madison’s resource guarding, which was a huge relief to us. We’ve given her bones only while on leash and hope to have a dog play-date so we can practice your other tips soon. We both appreciated your positive approach and general attitude towards dog training, and we feel like it’s already making a difference in her behavior. She is doing the “puppy push-ups” happily and perhaps most importantly we feel like our relationship with her will be much stronger and more positive from now on. ”
“Hi Joana,
I’m just following up with you with regards to Dymo’s training. I’ve implemented some of the suggestions you made during our training session and already there is a remarkable difference in his behavior and demeanor. A few people have asked me if I got a new dog! I was telling a few coworkers who own dogs about your methods and theories and I am also passing along your business card to them. They seem very enthusiastic and open to new ideas about how to take care of their dogs. Again thank you so much for your help and advice. I’ll definitely keep and touch and keep you updated on Dymo’s progress. Sincerely,”
“My Husband and I recently had a session with Joana, and she is GREAT. She came to our apartment and stayed until we had covered everything on her list and on ours. She went through a series of commands and helped us with walking our puppy on a leash. Her advice is very professional and sound. Some of it is so simple, it’s brilliant, and you can’t believe you didn’t think of it on your own. But you won’t. Dogs aren’t intuitive to us all, which is why we need people like Joana. Our puppy isn’t problematic beyond the fact that, well, he’s a puppy. It’s a good idea to have someone help you out. You’re going to be together a long time-so start on the right foot. My aunt is a dog trainer in TX as well, and I have high standards and know what a good trainer is-and Joana is. I highly recommend Sit and Stay.
“After Rocco joined me in my home, one of the goals I had was to make sure that I was trained properly in obedience training. What *I* wanted was to learn about positive reinforcement with Rocco. I asked my dog walker, Lauren for a reference. She didn’t hesitate and told me to use the trainer that she used on her Siberian Huskies: Joana Watsky, owner of Sit and Stay. I called Joana, and we talked a lot on the phone. I wanted to make sure that I was laying the proper foundation to raising a good dog now, and not trying to correct bad behavior later. Joana explained how she worked with positive reinforcement to train puppies, and that it was never too early to teach owners these methods. Also she would cover grooming, housebreaking (with command words once outside), basic commands (sit, stand, down, “leave it”), command praise and dog psychology – plus any other questions I had. We made an appointment, and she arrived at my home last night.
Suffice to say, I already knew a lot of what she taught me and it’s a great class for a first time owner or someone, like me, who does have dog experience but is looking to fill in the gaps. I learned a lot, especially about redirecting Rocco’s love to chew everything. Often I would catch him chewing on my couch or going to a lamps electrical wire – and of course i’d say “NO”. But she taught me that it’s not enough to just do that, we have to say “Leave It” and then direct him to something that is positive, like a dog toy he can chew on. There were a lot of other things she covered, including teaching Rocco “sit”, “stand”, “down” and more.
By taking this class I also got 15% off her group obedience class in the future, which I will be attending when Rocco is about 4 months old. If you are like me, and live in or around Hoboken, have a dog and want to learn a few things – I highly recommend taking this class. ”
“John, Allie & I want to thank you for all your expertise and wonderful demeanor you have with dogs. The Therapy Dog/Advanced classes were a positive experience for all three of us and I know that Allie will be a terrific Therapy Dog.”
Hi Joana, “Last week we had our Halloween visit at the Eastern Star Assisted Living and Nursing home in Bridgewater, NJ. He went as an angel! He is doing so wonderfully and amazes me when we go to “work”. He “hams” it up with the residents and is a perfect gentleman around the ladies. I have been looking daily on petfinder and keeping my eyes open for my next dog to join our family and train with you again.”