About The Family Fido

Positive training farm near Rochester

The Family Fido is a purpose-built training farm in Racine, just south of Rochester, offering private training, classes, day training, enrichment daycare and structured boarding tailored to each dog. It describes its enrichment stays as a positive-reinforcement alternative to traditional board and train, and every dog gets coaching and intentional enrichment. Its stance is to use only positive, force-free methods.

The team

Owner and head trainer Jessica Smidt is a Certified Veterinary Technician and Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner with over 13 years in the field. She coordinated the Animal Assisted Therapy program at Mayo Clinic and holds a certificate in the Master Course on Aggression in Dogs. Assistant trainer Nicole Stundzia is a Licensed Family Dog Mediator with over 15 years in rescue, fostering and behavior support.

Classes

Puppy Drop-In gives puppies up to 4 months three flexible sessions of socialization and handling. Beginner Obedience includes six flexible classes on sit, down, stay, recall, greetings and settle work. Leash Confidence Lab tackles pulling and reactivity in small checkpoint sessions with two dogs per instructor. Scent work classes are offered too, and all classes show sale prices.

What to ask

Ask about board and train programs and private training rates.