Who are we?
We are a rescue located near Rochester, MN aiming to create a community that recognizes and prioritizes each dog’s individual needs and well-being through all stages of their life. Our goal is to reduce the number of animals being re-homed, surrendered to shelters, or living in unfair environments.
Our Goals:
- Get to know each dog that enters our care. Each dog that enters into our program will have a minimum of three weeks to decompress, learn age specifics manners and skills, and give staff and volunteers the time needed to make thorough assessments on their behavior needs and personalities. This allows us to match them with their perfect family.
- Educate Owners. Live, pre-adoption counseling and guidance on how to be successful week by week as their new dog adjusts to its new family and home.
- Training: Free online training course to cover foundational behaviors as well as discounted classes and LIFE program at The Family Fido.
Our Mission:
Our mission is to make rescuing dogs forever successful for both puppies and humans; through our unique training, socialization, and education process.
Meet the Founders:
Jessica Smidt CVT, KPA-CTP
Co-Founder & Trainer
Jessica Smidt is a passionate dog trainer, behavior consultant, and dedicated rescue advocate based in Rochester, Minnesota. She is the co-founder of Forever Fido Puppy Rescue, an organization committed to giving dogs of all backgrounds a fresh start—especially pregnant moms, young puppies, and those needing extra support to thrive. Since its founding, Jessica has played a hands-on role in rescuing, raising, and rehabilitating countless dogs, ensuring they are well-prepared for loving homes.
Jessica is also the founder and lead trainer at The Family Fido, a training and behavior facility that reflects her mission to strengthen the bond between people and their dogs through education, compassion, and consistency. With a focus on relationship-based and positive reinforcement training, she provides lifelong support to families, adopters, and rescue partners.
Her background is both broad and deeply rooted in animal welfare. A Certified Veterinary Technician and Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner, Jessica brings clinical knowledge and science-based training to every dog she works with.
Jessica holds certifications in Pet Protection and Animal Rights, and has completed the Master Course on Aggression in Dogs, further equipping her to support dogs with complex behavior challenges. Whether she’s supporting adopters, mentoring fosters, or guiding families through behavior consults, Jessica’s work is guided by a deep belief: that every dog deserves a chance to feel safe, loved, and understood.
Nicole Stundzia FDM
Co-Founder & Trainer
Nicole is a professional dog trainer and Licensed Family Dog Mediator based in Rochester, MN, with a deep-rooted passion for rescue work. For over 15 years, Nicole has been actively involved in dog rescue—helping more than a thousand dogs find new homes and personally fostering over 50 dogs and puppies, many from commercial breeding and neglectful environments.
In 2023, Nicole co-founded Forever Fido Puppy Rescue, an organization dedicated to giving vulnerable dogs—especially pregnant and nursing mothers—a safe and nurturing place to land. She specializes in early neurological stimulation, socialization, and enrichment for puppies, as well as decompression and rehabilitation for adult dogs transitioning into home life.
Nicole combines this hands-on rescue experience with her professional training expertise, using positive reinforcement and fear-free techniques to support dogs of all breeds and backgrounds. She has a special place in her heart for retired breeding dogs, under socialized puppies, and dogs who need a second (or third) chance.
A lifelong dog lover, Nicole shares her home with a pack of beloved pets, including her rescue Poodle Sophie, who actively competes in AKC Scent Work. Her approach to training is rooted in empathy, practicality, and the belief that every dog deserves a chance to thrive.