Dogs in prison? They’re not inmates—they’re trainees! It’s the Pawsitive Dog Training Program at Airway Heights Correction Center, a facility which houses over 2,000 medium- and long-term minimum-custody male inmates, just outside Spokane, Washington.
I asked facility Superintendent James Key, Department of Corrections, about the program and its effect on the inmates and staff at AHCC.
Val Hughes: When the program was proposed at AHCC, what did you think?
Superintendent Key: There were other institutions in the WA DOC that had dog programs and I had read articles from other state DOCs that had implemented similar programs. I wondered logistically how the program would affect the orderly running of the institution and how the staff would react to this new program of bringing animals into the institution.
Val Hughes: What’s your take on the effect of involvement in the program on the men?
Superintendent Key: The program has given the men a sense of purpose. It has had a profound effect on their outlook of giving back to society, taking responsibility for another living being, self-reflection, and improving their self-worth as an individual. I have witnessed testimonials at the Dog Graduations on what they have learned about themselves, how they’ve grown as individuals, and their sense of accomplishment in regards to training the dogs. I have also seen the dog handlers show emotion when they hand the dog over to the adoptive family, and a lot of these men serve their time caring about no one except themselves.
Val Hughes: What’s the effect on inmates not involved in the program, if any?
Superintendent Key: The men who are not involved were very skeptical at the beginning of the program. The living units are the home of the incarcerated population. As the program moved forward I saw acceptance and softening of the men in the living units who were not involved in the program. The dogs in the living units became part of their everyday life and had a positive effect on the tone of the unit.
Val Hughes: How has staff been affected?
Superintendent Key: Staff are always the key to any successful implementation of any new program, and they depend on the orderly operation of the institution to complete their work in a safe manner for all involved. Staff from all levels of the institution were involved from day one in the development, coordination, and managing of the program. The program has had a positive effect on staff. They have a sense of ownership in the program and are engaged in changing behavior in the incarcerated population. Staff support the program and adopt a lot of the dogs that are trained in the program.
Val Hughes: How do you think involvement in the program will affect the men after their release?
Superintendent Key: We currently have no data on how the program will affect recidivism. Our research shows that there is a reduction [at the institution] of serious infractions, violence, and grievances filed by the men who participate in the program. I feel confident in saying that the men who participate in the program will not be the same persons when released as they were when they entered prison.
Val Hughes: What’s the effect on the prison in general?
Superintendent Key: The Dog Program leads to a safer and healthier prison environment. This program continues to be very successful and all the credit goes to the staff involved—Carol, Kim, and the rest of the volunteers who give their time to the program.
Photo by Carol Byrnes
Many of the men currently involved in the dog training program answered some basic questions about dogs, the program, and what they’ve learned.
Why did you want to become involved in the dog training program?
“I became involved with the program because I enjoy spending time with dogs.”
“I love dogs and have always had a dog. And I wanted to learn how to train dogs and have a better relationship with them.”
“I wanted to become involved because I love dogs. I had dogs all my life and I wanted to learn how to train a dog, of course.”
“I have always had dogs and this program allows me to pay forward my time and saves these dogs’ lives and gives someone a wonderful pet.”
“I get to work, play, and live with a dog. The same reasons why you’d want to own one.”
“I love working with and being around animals. Also the positive reinforcement, clicker training, was new to me and I wanted to learn all about it.”
“I wanted to better my attitude and learn something new, take something positive from prison.”
“I love dogs. I want to help the dogs get into a happy family that will love them, too.”
What have you learned in the program that might help you in your life on a daily basis? What have you learned in the program that might help you when you’re released?
“I have learned to be able to set goals and stay positive—and patience, lots of it.”
“Set goals and be patient and work for what you want in life. And it helps with self-confidence and to be more responsible.”
“I have learned how to be patient with myself and how to be patient with others. I have learned that not everything is about me. Also it it helps to be more focused on my actions.”
“Working with others. Values. Thinking positive. How I can bring out the best in others.”
“The most valuable lessons have been patience and how to teach. Also how to listen.”
“Punishment is ineffective and ultimately detrimental. Strong relationships and learning depend upon rewards. Punishment can’t teach us what to do, only what not to do.”
“I have learned that positive reinforcement training is the very best technique to modify the behavior of all creatures, including people.”
“It has taught me how to have compassion not only for the dogs, but for other people as well. And it has also taught me an extreme amount of patience.”
“I learned even the smallest acknowledgement of someone’s bad behavior can be considered a reinforcement and set someone up for failure and problems or bad habits in their future.”
“I have learned that praise to those doing the right thing, regardless if it’s a person or any other living creature, can go a long way in rehabilitation.”
“To have patience with whatever comes my way in life. To have Pawsitive training for success, and also not negative training for unsuccess.”
“I have learned that it is best to train in positive ways instead of negative ways. I have learned that if you are positive with people, just like with the dogs, you can have happy social interactions.“
What has surprised you most about the dog training program?
“That the program helps with your personality to be more self-confident and think everything through.”
“I have been surprised to see that there are a lot of ways to train your dog without abusing your dog. Like clicker training.”
“How the dogs bring out the good side of other offenders. How positive reinforcement works better than [punishment] negative reinforcement.”
“I have been surprised by how effective positive reinforcement training is, without using any form of punishment, to achieve the desired behavior.”
“The effect that these dogs and the program in general can have in people. I have seen people change, including myself. I try ten times harder to stay out of trouble because now I have something to look forward to.”
“How effective clicker training is.”
“The teamwork that people put into the training of the dogs.”
“How quickly dogs learn new things.”
Is there anything you’d like to say about the dog training program that these questions haven’t asked about? Tell us, please!
“I think every prisoner should at least have a chance at being in the program. It teaches how to care for someone else and to be more responsible.”
“It looks to me as if there should be a dog program at every med/min prison, nationwide! It improves the place for everyone—inmates, staff—and saves dogs that would otherwise be destroyed.”
“This program is a success because of our amazing volunteers, Carol Byrnes and Kim Imel.”
“The trainers and the administration have put forth a lot of effort against many challenges to make this program work. Any assistance others could provide would help to make it more successful.”
“This program is by far the best program in the prison system. It allows incarcerated individuals the chance to give back to the community. It also teaches us a new way of doing things positively, and it brings a sense of peace and happiness to the general population in the prison.”
Several of the current trainers spoke about their past experiences with dogs—and people—and about the different way of dealing with both that they’ve learned from the dog training program.
Mr. Merrow:
I have been in the program for about 3.5 years. I have had dogs most of my life and wanted to know how to train them. I also wanted to know how to understand what a dog is trying to say by their body language. I have learned a lot of patience. Also that these tools can help me deal with people and train children to have better behaviors.
I learned how to listen empathetically, which is listening and understanding the emotions of your dog or even other people. This is something that will be very useful when I get out. I think what surprised me the most was how the dogs try to communicate with us by using their bodies. Body language is the key element to being able to communicate with your dog.
I want to thank the people who make this program possible. This program has changed the lives of so many dogs as well as the inmates involved. The dogs that come through here have a second chance at having a good life. Thank you to the trainers who take time out of their busy lives to come in here to train us.
Mr. Trejo-Ramirez:
I have been involved with the dog program for about a year now. I have always liked dogs. Growing up, I remember dogs being a big part of my life. I love the idea of being able to help these dogs by training them, increasing their chances to find a forever home. Not to mention that for me, working with these animals is a big privilege. It takes my mind out of this place.
This experience is priceless. Never in my life did I think I’d have a dog in this place.
This program has not only taught me to work with dogs, but also how to better communicate with people. It has given me a tool and a new set of skills to face the free world—maybe even start my own business as a dog trainer. I’ve been surprised by the effect that these dogs and the program in general can have in people.
A lot of people don’t know, but this program runs on donations and the kindness and generosity of volunteers out there donating their time and experience. So we need more people out there supporting this great cause.
Mr. Sosa:
I have been in this program for 4.5 years.
When I was younger, dogs didn’t mean a lot to me. To me, they were just dogs. And also, because of my family—they were careless to them. We thought the dogs were like clothes. We had them and then after a while, we threw them away, and anytime we felt like it, we got another dog. Or we would get rid of them for bad behavior. That is the reason I wanted to be involved in the dog program. I wanted to make a difference in myself so I can understand how to treat and care about the dogs better. Now they are not just dogs to me. They are valuable companions in life.
I have learned how to communicate better and express myself differently and to humble myself and listen to other people. As a mentor in this program, I learned to coach people without being bossy and to set my ego and pride aside. That is why I am in the dog program—because it helps me to grow as a person and as a mentor and I use the tools I’ve learned every day.
I learned to become more responsible for a life of a dog and how to treat them better. Also it is a career for me, so when I get out I could use these skills and get a job or volunteer in a shelter. When I get a dog once I get out, I could train my dog to have better behavior. I could love them the way it is supposed to be and not leave them behind. So I can care about them in a better way than I did in the past. I can also help other people learn how to train their dogs.
What surprised me about the program was that I was wrong the way I treated my dogs in the past. I was surprised that dogs could be trained without punishment. I learned that there is a positive way to train and love a dog.
I would like to say that I am happy and grateful with the trainers and the staff that make this program possible because, believe it or not, this program changed my life in many ways. You can’t imagine, especially being in prison. This program changed the way I used to think and treat dogs and other people and myself. In this program I accomplished more than what I believed I could ever do. Thank you to everyone that is involved in this program for giving me a chance to become a good dog trainer and a mentor and a better person.
To read more about the Pawsitive Dog Training Program, visit SpokAnimal’s website at http://www.spokanimal.org/prisonpups.php or the program’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PawsitiveDogPrisonProgram/.
Donations are always needed. No taxpayer funds provide supplies or support for this program. Donations can be made to SpokAnimal, 710 N. Napa, Spokane, WA 99202, or through PayPal. Pawsitive Dogs’ prison page on SpokAnimal’s website (www.spokanimal.org) features a special PayPal link on the program page. Be sure to note PRISON DOGS in the comments section if you send in a check.
For information on the program or to become a Half Way Hounds prison dog foster home, contact MJ at halfwayhounds@spokanimal.org.
To Adopt a Prison Pup
For more information on adopting a prison pup and to download the application, go to http://www.spokanimal.org/adoptprisonpup.php. Email your application to halfwayhounds@spokanimal.org.
Send a Care Package to a Prison Pup!
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