The name Give a Sit is more than a silly play on words. We really do “give a sh*t” about you and your dog. The name itself is in honor of Elle’s late father, Ben Williams, who’s call sign in the Marine Corps was “Give a Shit”. The squad prided themselves on helping fellow soldiers and civilians during the Vietnam war.

Our founder Elle has always had a deep passion for animals and how to make their world among humans a better place. Communication is at the center of most conflicts humans and animals have. By bridging the gap, we can do so much to better the lives of our animals and our relationship with them.

Elle started working with dogs in 2017. It all started with a special needs dog named Donut. Donut suffered from seizures, putting Elle in a position to learn all she could about how the canine brain works. “My passion started with how a dogs mind works, how they think and navigate the world. The more I learned the more I wanted to know.”

After Donut passed, Elle was informed about a small, 11 month old staffordshire terrier who was due to be put down the next day. “I don’t know what it was exactly that drew me to the dog, I knew there will always be a dog who needs saving that day, but something was special about her.” Elle adopted the dog the next day, with no idea how much she would change Elle’s life.

Elle named her Olive. She was a handful from the start. Energy for days, puppy nipping, jumpy, pulling on the lead, leash reactivity, the list went on and on. She found herself in a position many of Give a Sit’s clients find themselves in “I don’t know what to do with this dog!” That’s when she sought out a dog trainer. 

After graduating 3 levels of Obedience courses with Olive, Elle saw the difference communication made. She wanted to spread the knowledge, to help other dogs who where on their last chance with their owners. “Holly, dog trainer and my mentor, showed me how positive reinforcement can really change a dogs life. I became more understanding and less frustrated. I had tools to help Olive make good choices and best of all, she wants to listen to me and I want to know what she has to say as well.”

Olive is now Elle’s top obedience demo dog. “If I can take a pound puppy and turn her into a professional demo dog, I can definitely make even the most unruly dog into a happy household companion. All it takes is an open mind, direction and practice. If a student can give me that, there’s nothing stopping us.”

After training her own dogs, Elle sought out a mentorship with Furry Tail Dog Training’s owner, Holly S. Along side real world learning, Elle completed her education with the CCPDT. She also obtained her FearFree certification, canine First Aid/CPR certification, Small Animal Psychology certification , Small Animal Nutrition certification and Small Animal Grooming certification. Elle’s passion is learning everything she can to insure her students get the most well rounded education.