Pup Start Chicago

I am Linus Van Pelt - and my human mom has been a little slow writing this review for me.... My chunky paws do not allow for me use her laptop so I had to wait for her to write this .... After a long car ride from a small town in NC I finally made it to the big city of Chicago and my mom decided I needed to attend school here - bummer. With all her research she 'FOUND' the right place for me. So I started in Kindergarten (Pup Start Classic) as a shy little puppy with Val and thanks to all her work and dedication I graduated into High School; I think these humans call it Pup Start Plus. Not only was I again in the same grade as my BFF, aka Nyka, yet I also had great teachers all lead by the incredible principal, Jen S. She dealt with my teenage attitude and helped me to become the dog I am today. You can tell that all the team cares about us- the dogs - so much. Our principal, Jen S, also truly gives it 152% (doggy math) for us. And then the extra 1% - True story: I had to go to the place that none of us want to go to (VET). After a procedure at MedVet the staff told my human that I was a quite anxious to go home - I think they exaggerated. My mom was stuck at work and could not get there quickly. Jen did not even hesitate and drove there to get me and bring me to safety at Pup Start.....my mom eventually got there as well....this work thing.... Now I am in College (Daycare and Train) which I also love, and I certainly will always look back at my early days that shaped me early on to continuously become the dog that I am today. Linus

Let me tell you how incredible Jen Smith at Found is. I’m a first time dog owner (of my sweet, sweet Reggie), with a type A personality, high expectations, busy schedule, and a decent amount of anxiety (and excitement!) around bringing a little guy home. After doing some research and talking through options with some other paw-rents, I decided to invest in the 4 week Puppy Imprinting program at Found with Jen. This is a 4 week program where your puppy stays with the trainer (overnight) from ~8 to 12 weeks in age and participates in the Pup Start program during the day. I totally understand this may seem (and be) quite excessive or high maintenance for some people, but for me / my family it was the best decision ever, and specifically having Jen as Reggie’s trainer. She was incredibly communicative, talked us through every step of the process, was so warm/welcoming and most of all, caring, and we knew Reggie was in the best of hands. Obviously I cried when I dropped him off and thought he was going to attach to Jen and have no interest in me when he came home. But he came home the goodest little puppers in the world! Fully potty/crate trained, good with basic commands and play activities, and a great introduction to various grooming activities to gain exposure and comfortability. Pictures and videos to keep me up to date and help me learn various training came along with everything too. In other words, I highly recommend Puppy Imprinting at Found with Jen!!

The Pup Start Program at Found Chicago Training is truly amazing! Our pup (Nyka) was enrolled in Pup Start Classic at 2 months of age and graduated to Pup Start Plus at 6 months of age. Jen Smith did amazing work and shows genuine love for each of her Pup Start pups. Now as a 1 year old, Nyka still goes crazy when she sees Jen. A great place for dogs filled with wonderful trainers and support staff. ❤️

As transition out of the Pup Start program, I thought I’d drop a note about our experience. We are extremely happy with the results. Millie has grown leaps and bounds since entering the program. I specifically want to call out the exceptional staff.They are kind, supportive and dedicated to the well-being and progress of our little lady. Jen Smith has been extremely supportive. She is gone above and beyond with helpful tips and insightful on how to incorporate the training at home and be the best pup parents we can be. Unbeknownst to Jen, we plan to utilize her as a resource even after we have completed the program;) We are extremely happy with the results and Millie LOVES her Pup Start friends and family. Thank again Pup Start team! We appreciate you. You guys rock!