For the Animals Shall Not Be Measured by Man ...

“For the animals shall not be measured by man.  In a world older and more complete than ours, they move finished and complete, gifted with the extension of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear.  They are not brethren, they are not underlings, they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth.”  - Henry Beston

Our handlers were asked, "What does this quote mean to you?"

Inmate handler Richard Atkinson wrote:

That in this grand scheme of Life, we do not stand as the standard by which all of God's creatures are measured.  That in this current existence in which we consider ourselves civilized, which is so new, dogs and other animals, though viewed by many as savages, exist among us in their true nature.  Yet still able and willing to adapt, while still maintaining true to form by which the Universe set for them.  Retaining senses and basic instincts we have found ourselves lacking in our transformation into civility.  Still moving in tune are they to nature and their primality.  So far removed have we become. They see the world and experience it in ways we have lost or never will know.

They are not like us humans in that we can never see through their eyes, nor they completely through ours.  We will always be different - yet they are not less nor beneath us.  They are equal entities living the purpose the Universe has set for them on this planet we share.

FINDING FREEDOM by Rusty Thomas

“A human being is part of the whole, called by us “Universe” a part limited in time and space.  He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest – a kind of optical delusion of consciousness.  This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us.  Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” 
- Einstein, The Einstein Papers

The Pawsitive Dog Program has enriched my life in ways I hadn’t expected in the past year since I enrolled.  There are two teachings I have been gifted.  The first and most obvious is the practical dog training methods.  The second teaching, and I think the most meaningful training, is a subtle learning that infuses your whole being.

First, of course, and I will boast, has been the training I have received from a very experienced and qualified staff that I have much gratitude for.  Our staff, with fifty plus years of combined experience, has provided me and the rest of the prison dog handlers with a holistic perspective to dog training. Every Thursday we receive practical and theoretical training in basic dog obedience, dog behavior modification training, puppy training and socialization, instruction on writing treatment plans and protocols for separation anxiety, dog-on-dog aggression and resource guarding.  The staff also empowers us by holding us accountable

to our commitments.

I can go on and on about the instruction I have received.  However, when I mentioned earlier we receive a holistic perspective of dog training, what I mean is that we don’t just learn about a dog’s behavior.  We are taught that our dogs are one of all “living creatures and the whole of nature” as Einstein mentions in his papers.  We are all interconnected and by being aware of this life condition, we get to the root of the psychological and spiritual aspect of problem behavior; not only with our dogs but with our own life-alienating behaviors as well.  Our dogs have the opportunity to be canine citizens and we, offenders, have an opportunity to become better human citizens on this planet we all share.

This canine and human citizenship training is the secondary learning I have received.  It is a special training I wasn’t aware of being part of the offered curriculum.  This special training is something our instructors let us discover on our own as if giving us a very valuable map that will guide us on our journey to a treasure by giving us a dog.

I set out thinking I’m going to teach the dog, and this four-pawed smiling creature gently teaches me to escape from the mental, emotional and spiritual prison we all seem to live in one capacity or another.  The dogs and I seem to have a symbiotic relationship in citizenship training.

I have been taught to observe the dog’s behavior and emotional content.  This practice of observation has assisted me in cultivating awareness within myself.  For example, when I was given my first dog to train, I would become so frustrated while walking this Beagle breed.  He would stick his nose to the ground and take off dragging me behind as I was yanking his leash.  My leash hand would be looking like I was trying to start an old lawn mower rather than walking a dog.  Then I would stop and recall our instruction of stop and act like a tree.  The best learning I received from this experience is self-observation.  What was I physically doing?  I was pulling which created resistance.  How was I feeling?  I was feeling frustrated and helpless, which was being transferred to my dog.  What was I thinking?  “What a stupid dog” – “Damn, I don’t know what I’m doing.” 

I had to learn that I had a habit behavior of yanking on the leash.  Once it was in my awareness, I thought how many other habits do I have that I’m unaware of?  It was a beginning of citizenship training from my dog.  It was as important to know my own thinking, feeling and behaviors, as it is to know the dog’s.

In addition, the dogs were tugging at my heart.  This deep feeling of love and compassion I felt was throwing me out of balance.  Being in this physical prison, there isn’t much focus on emotion, although we all feel it.  Whether pleasant or unpleasant, we try to hide it or become numb to it, or only act on the anger.  I suspect holding our feelings in or medicating unpleasant feelings is how we found ourselves here.  I know it is true for me.  Yet here is this dog, loving me, teaching, playing, and helping me release my pain of heart.

I recall a line from the movie “Eat, Pray, Love” that I’ll paraphrase – sometimes when one loses balance for love, one sometimes gains balance for life.  When I’m interacting with the dogs, I feel a sense of softness, a silkiness of joy and happiness that I have rarely felt.  What I mean is the quality of happiness and joy.  Most of us feel happy and joyful at different times when one of our immediate needs or values are met by someone in our life.  Yet, to me, that quality of happiness is not the same as this in-the-moment love I have when playing with the dogs.  It is like a feather tickling my heart and sifting out every happy molecule in my body.  Yes, in this moment, I lose balance for love.

I ask myself, “How can I cultivate this same feeling with my own species?”  I see the dogs loosening the shackles of fear that keep me from feeling.  When I feel and let it cut deep, whether pleasant or unpleasant, without trying to hide it, fade it, or fix it, I feel most alive and free.  I feel as I do when playing with the dogs; a sense of openness, spaciousness, and interconnectedness. 

Therefore, I agree unequivocally that our task in citizenship is to “free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”

“When the student is ready, the teacher appears.”  Thank you, my dog friends, for mapping me back to my heart.

My Exit Story by D. Hilburn

My name is Dan Hilburn and I am a dog handler here at AHCC.  I have been in the dog program for about 16 months and have trained 5 dogs since I started in 2014.  My background with training dogs was really non-existent and, because I lived in apartments most of my adult life, I never was able to have a dog as places I lived didn't allow pets.  I did, however, have friends and family who had dogs, so I would interact and play with them when I was around them.

I have been incarcerated now for 13 years and have spent most of my time working in prison industries.  I worked in the food factory, the optical lab and two different garment factories.  Though I did learn some new skills, I can't say that I enjoyed the work, as most of the jobs were repetitious and tedious.

When I saw the dogs come into the Unit for the first time, I was very excited to see them.  I couldn't wait for them to get into yellow collars so I could give them some love.  My best Buddy was one of the dog handlers, so I had a lot of access to his dogs.  I became interested in one day becoming a dog handler.

My opportunity finally came after I quit working at industries.  A spot opened up and I put in my application.  I was accepted!  I started out as an alternate and then became a full-time handler.  I will admit when I first started, it wasn't always easy.  When you are working with a dog and also trying to work with another handler, it can be difficult.  There are a lot of challenges to overcome.  You and your partner need to work together and be able to communicate.  The first guy I was partnered with didn't work out.  I became discouraged and resigned my position.  About a year later, I re-applied and tried again.  The second time around has been much better and my new partner and I have been able to work well as a team.


Each dog that we have worked with comes with its own personality and also its own set of challenges.  Over a 10-week period it is up to us to shape the dog into a pet that an owner would be proud to own.  I would say that across the board, this program turns out exactly the type of dog that anyone who loves dogs would want.

With every dog I have trained, the one constant I see over and over again is unconditional love from the dog towards myself and also the other guys in my unit.  It warms your heart and makes the tough guys crumble.


Each dog is eagerly anticipated by all at the beginning of each new session and is much loved by all.  When it's time for the dog to leave, it is always bittersweet to see them go.  But we know that we did our job and they will move on to their new owners where they will bring love and joy, and they will enjoy their new lives.

This program teaches patience, communication skills, training techniques, problem solving, planning, and how to love something other than yourself.

My time in the program has come to an end.  I will never forget the lessons learned and the love I received from each dog I trained.  I will be releasing soon and I know that the skills I've learned in this program will serve me well during my transition back into the community.

WHAT THE DOG PROGRAM MEANS TO ME
by T. Durst

WOW!!  Where do I begin?  The AHCC Pawsitive Dog Program gives me so many things.  It doesn't seem possible to list them all.  In a nutshell, I believe strongly that the program, dogs, and the volunteer trainers have given me back a little humanity from serving 21 years of prison existence so far.

I have been incarcerated since 1994.  Since then I have served my sentence as best as I can while learning all I can to prevent the thinking it takes to commit crime. An important part of this process has been to join the Pawsitive Dog Program at AHCC.

How can a program be explained that teaches so much more than just dog training?  To me, the dogs are the reason I give my time to the program, but how can I train these dogs without learning how to train?  The answer is in all the classes, all the book reports, all the homework, and contact with all the dogs that I have been privileged to work with.

The responsibility for another life - the dog - has helped in the decision to stay an Alternate Dog Handler.  (At least long enough to truly learn how to train the dogs.)  I have found a very important aspect of staying an Alternate - being able to help to train three or four dogs at a time each session that we have the dogs here.  To help the dogs by taking one or two weak talents the dogs may have and making them a little better.  As an Alternate, I haven't had the responsibility to shape the behaviors of just one dog.  I believe this is the main reason that I have enjoyed training the dogs so much.

I truly believe there are parallels between learning and training these dogs, and the interactions we as humans use daily to co-exist.  The lessons I learn are used daily to work on co-existence in the setting here.  The benefit has been to both myself and the dogs.  We both learn to be a better being.

We take dogs with little to no training, and help them become very adoptable animals.  The processes in doing this is very interesting to observe.  So much so, I see the parallels of an incorrigible dog to myself, and see the process used to correct the unwanted behaviors to make us both much more sociable.

So there can be no mistake, we are asked to agree to having a dog in our cell 24-7.  A dog with unacceptable behaviors that need correcting; and we work hard to correct these behaviors with style.  As for the duties of an Alternate Dog Handler, we assist the Handlers in every way we can to help the dogs practice at their training skills. We can help by watching the dogs as they train and give feed back.  We can work with the Handlers during training sessions.  And we do all the duties required of a Dog Handler (including being certified as a dog handler and taking all the classes that they do) with the exception of actually having a dog in our cell 24-7.

The dogs are a very big responsibility.  For a person that has been in prison for over 21 years, I feel very privileged to be part of such a positive program.  A program that teaches me the things needed to be a responsible part of society.  A program that saves the dogs' lives and fills their futures with all sorts of good by giving them basic instruction that helps them be wonderful to be around.

In sum:  I am very grateful for a chance to prove that I can accept responsibility, learn the proper techniques of training a dog, and learn to be a much better person.

What the Dog Program Means to Me
by M. Martin

It is a reminder that we can change, if we work for it.

When I see the dogs I feel like I can connect to them; coming into a strange place, surrounded by strange people with different sights and sounds.  I'm glad I can be there to comfort the dog, help it feel wanted.

I chose the dog program over every other job they have here because I have always lived with dogs and being away from my own makes me sad.  The dogs bring happiness into a place where happiness is almost non-existent.  I can see it all around, the impact these dogs have on the people here.

And it makes me wonder.  Are we helping the dogs?  Or are the dogs helping us?

Who is truly the teacher and who is truly the student?

What the Dog Training Program Means to Me

by Dan in K-unit at Airway Heights Corrections Center

My name is Dan and I am currently a Dog Handler in the Pawsitive Dog Training Program here at AHCC.  I have been in the program now for almost 1 year.  Before I became a dog handler in the program, I had never had any dog training experience.  I had several dogs when I was growing up, and I also played with my brother's dogs as well as my friend's dogs.  When I interacted with these dogs in the past, I can't say that a whole lot of training occurred.  When I think about what I know now versus what I knew then about dog training, let's just say our dogs and my friend's dogs could have used some of the training that I am using today in the dog program.

I have been incarcerated now since 2003 and I have had a variety of jobs here at the prison, but I would have to say that being a dog handler and working with these dogs has been the best job ever.  Most of the jobs here in prison are tedious and boring, but we are required to program and staying busy is a must or else your time here just drags by slowly.  I have worked hard on myself in the last 12 years to be a better man and I feel that I need to be able to make amends for the people that I have hurt because of my negative actions in the past.  I feel being a dog handler and giving these dogs a second chance at life, helps me to make amends and give back to the community in some small way.

Being a dog handler allows me and my training partner to take a dog that comes to us with a variety of behaviors both good and bad, then over and 11 week period through observation, trial, and error, shape the dog into one that is obedient and the type of dog anyone would be proud to have.

Working with the dogs teaches you to be responsible, compassionate, caring, dedicated, organized, and have good listening and communication skills.  When I get a new dog to work with I always wonder about what kind of life the dog had before it came to me.  Was it happy?  Did someone love it and take care of it?  Why did they give up on it?  How can I shape him into the type of dog that no one would want to give up?

The dog's welfare is of great concern to me and I really want them to succeed.  In order to achieve this, my partner and I will formulate a training schedule based on the dog's strengths and weaknesses, and we will also incorporate the training tat will be expected so that the dog will pass his collar and graduation tests.  This is where the good listening, communication, and organization skills come into play.

Here in K-unit, we have 4-5 dogs and several handlers who all live together and work together to achieve the common goal of getting the dog trained and up to speed on what he needs to know.  So it actually feels like a small community of people with the same common goals and interest.  We have a mentor, as well as each other, to help out when we need a helping hand or some advice on some area of training that might need work.  It takes a community to train our dogs and also a little help from our friends.

We also have excellent support here from the outside staff.  We have a professional training staff who take time out of their busy lives to come into the prison once a week to train us on new techniques, answer questions, test the dogs, and give us and the dogs whatever support we need.  The outside staff are wonderful people who inspire us week after week to want to be better trainers, and men who can be trusted and looked up to in life.  The outside staff has always been diligent, dedicated, and they give us lots of encouragement to let us know we have what it takes to get the job done.  They really show that they care because it isn't easy coming into a prison week after week to work with people that society looks down on.  We never get the impression that when these ladies are here that they would rather be some place else.  They are always upbeat, pleasant and professional, and they always treat us with dignity and respect.  All of these same statements hold true for the prison staff as well, and we applaud all of these people for their support and encouragement.

These dogs mean a lot to the other inmates here at the prison, who live and interact with the dogs on a daily basis in the units.  They are a constant source of delight and fun.  They make a dark place a lot brighter.  As much as we love these dogs and enjoy what we are doing, there are many inmates who also love and care about these dogs' welfare as much as we do.  A dog doesn't care about what you have done or who you are.  They will accept you unconditionally and love you no matter what you're about.  That's very appealing to people here in prison because love and acceptance are a rare commodity in a prison setting.  Many of the men's faces light up when the dogs arrive in the prison for the first time.  There is an atmosphere of joy and excitement in the air.  When it is time for the dogs to go, there is also a lot of emotion.  But most are glad to see them go on to their next step in their lives and get the good home they deserve.  We also know that somewhere in the dog's memory we will be there.  There will remember their time with us, and they will know that they were loved and that we did our best for them.  Each dog presents a new challenge.  Each dog has their own personality and each dog brings laughter and joy into our hearts.

It is extremely rewarding when a dog that you are working with learns a new behavior that you have been working on and is able to reliably show you that he knows that behavior when cued, either during testing or just day-to-day normal routine.  At the end of the training session it is bittersweet to see the dogs go, but getting them ready for their new owners and new homes is what this program is all about.

At the end of the session, we are proud of our accomplishments; we are proud of the dogs; we are thankful for the support and encouragement.  We all feel al little bit better about ourselves, because we cared enough about a living creature to love it, teach it new skills, possibly save its life and then let it go on to a new home to be loved by someone else.  This program makes me want to be a better human being and these dogs and the people who support us help make that happen.  Thank you for caring!