Airway Heights
Corrections Center




and

Diamonds in the Ruff

Offender handlers help shelter dogs become more adoptable under the guidance of Diamonds in the Ruff trainers Kim Imel, LVT and Carol Byrnes, CPDT-KA using force-free positive training methods.

The dogs live in the cells with their carefully screened handlers who work and play with them throughout the day, every day. The dogs are under the direct care of their handlers 24/7. Trainers Carol and Kim meet with the offenders and dogs weekly to review the work they have been doing and work on the next week's assignments. At the end of their training, the dogs will take the Canine Good Citizen exam before graduating and being adopted by waiting families.

As much as the dogs grow and improve, the staff, trainers and handlers report the positive changes they see in all of the offenders as a direct result of having the dogs in the prison.

Why positive training methods? Why a book called "Don't Shoot the Dog?" as required reading?
In the words of one of our offender trainers after reading "Don't Shoot the Dog" by Karen Pryor and experiencing the power and change in perspective: "If my parents had read this book, taught me this way, I probably wouldn't be in prison today." Force and intimidation has no place in dog training. And it sure has no place in a prison program. The shift in thinking from "Catch 'em in the act" to "Catch 'em doing something good" has a ripple effect inside prison walls. We hope those who experience the power of positive training will take this new way of seeing the world with them when they re-join society someday. DSTD should be required reading for everyone. Others commented that after so much taking from people which led them to prison, this was an opportunity to give back.

Half Way Hounds!

Once selected to go into the training program, we'd like to have the dogs go into a temporary foster home until the program's start date so they can recover from their spay/neuter surgery. This would be a short term foster situation with predictable time frames. If you can help, contact Lisa at foster@spokanimal.org or contact Kim at prisondogs@spokanimal.org

Donated Dog Tags!
Our adopted prison dogs will all go home wearing ID tags donated by Dog Tag Art.
Visit Dog Tag Art to create your own custom ID tag for your dog or cat today!

Special thanks to Staci at Nature's Pet Market for all her hard work and leg work securing amazing donations of food and toys for the program!