Who we are.
Established 2009
Found Training Center has since evolved into the kind of dog training facility that appreciates the complexity of dog behavior. We understand that each and every dog is an individual and should be evaluated and cared for as such. We have created a formula to evaluate the dogs in our care to get to know them – like, really get to know them. We want to know what our clients’ best friends like, dislike, and everything in between. We want to know what their fears are, along with their strengths, and have the ability translate to their caregivers just what their dog really needs. And then, our goal becomes providing the kind of environment that starts the beginning of their dog’s true transformation into a happy and healthy companion.
Our Training Department is headed by certified dog trainers who have seen it all when it comes to dog behavior. We’ve worked alongside veterinarians to formulate medication and training plans over a span of months to quell extreme clinical anxiety. We’ve gotten lunged and bitten at by mistrusting strays, only to see them transform into a true “wiggle butt” with their favorite trainers and make a few canine friends along the way. We’ve ridden our bikes alongside some of the most challenging cases only to find exercise and structure was the balance our client was missing for their companion. We pride ourselves in going the extra mile (sometimes literally) to
identify the root cause of a behavior and being as honest and effective as possible in the execution of dog training science to the best of our knowledge. We want to see our clients succeed, regardless of what we may need to sacrifice emotionally. Our passion is truly with our dogs, and we enjoy teaching a dog agility as much as introducing them how joyful a good playgroup can be.
The Kennel Department at Found is required to function differently than any other dog training facility due to the individualistic nature of our clients. From the “Doodles” to the American Bullies, we ensure each dog is placed in a socializing environment that brings out their very best. Our supervisors work collaboratively with our trainers to seek the information needed to understand each dog in a safe and compassionate way. A dog’s first day at Found Training Center is an important first milestone as we invite your dog into our pack. From personalized one-on-one time to your dog’s test with our other dogs, we combine known information with what we learn to find the best way to exercise and stimulate your pet. From extra walks to treadmill sessions to training exercises during play, our staff is trained to enforce good behavior during most any activity. We believe that even the most human and dog-selective pet deserves to make friends and experience a comforting home-away-from-home.
If we haven’t made it clear enough, every dog is welcome to board, play, and train at Found Training Center. Although we tend to collect a following of what some may call dire and prickly clients, we enjoy providing other specialized services for our puppies, seniors, and every other client in between. Whether it’s our Puppy Imprinting Program as we welcome a 12-week-old into our home or a Boot Camp Program designed for a nine-year-old struggling to adjust to city life after years in the suburbs, we will do our best to tackle every life stage with patience and understanding. We believe in training and management of dog behavior at any age and we will work to ensure that every furry face looking up at us is provided a substantial opportunity to grow, learn, and explore. We enjoy watching our clients’ faces gawk at their dog leaping over an agility obstacle or hearing our favorite phrase, “He’s a different dog!” as our clients are met by their happy wagging face sitting politely at checkout. We live for a fulfilled dog, inside and out, and we look for its reflection in their owners.
How we started.
From Rescue to Training Center.
Found Chicago began as a haven for lost and lonely canine souls who had been discarded from their homes; some, perhaps, never even knowing or understanding what a home consisted of. A rescue organization was formed to care and rehabilitate dogs with what some may categorize as a “rough” past. Some disliked humans because of their experiences. Some strongly distrusted other dogs due to lack of socialization, or sometimes only the most brutal version of dog interaction, leaving scars on their faces and legs. Although our hearts were torn at the sight of their helpless eyes, Found sought to find the best and most effective forms of rehabilitation available to demonstrate true understanding and patience to these rescued souls, in the hopes of finding them the kind of Forever they deserved all along.
As each dog cycled through Found’s Rehabilitation Program, volunteers struggled to work through each dog’s behavioral challenges, whether it be based in fear, aggression, or trust. In order to help the most desperate cases heal, professional dog trainers were incorporated to shed some light on the deep-rooted issues that had risen since each dog’s rescue. These dog trainers and rehabilitators possessed a passion like no other that quickly reached out to assist the community with their troubled rescue dogs, regardless of background. We found that, through all the heartache, difficulty and resilience needed to transform these rescue dogs into family dogs, we had developed a core of knowledge and needed to utilize it to create a standard of training and dog care that could be inclusive of any temperament and special needs a dog could have.