puppies inside: Baraga Correctional Facility

Showing posts with label Baraga Correctional Facility. Show all posts

Saturday, May 2, 2015

"R" is not for "18th"

Chippewa
March 30, 2015

Leader Dogs for the Blind's prison puppy-raising program at the Chippewa Correctional Facility has now been in operation for over a year and a half. The first puppies have returned to Leader dogs to meet their destiny. Like puppies that are raised on the outside, some of these inside puppies "graduated" and were placed with clients as working Leader Dogs, some found other jobs (one became a bed-bug detector!), others were "career-changed" for medical or other reasons (one was able to return to his raiser who is now on parole).

As we like to say, each dog ends up just where it needs to be.

The program has grown, and Tammy and I have not been visiting the prisons each month, so it is difficult for me to keep track of the teams. I remember when it was decided that the puppies raised in the Baraga Correctional Facility would be named "alphabetically." I wasn't sure what to think about that practice, as raisers in the Chippewa Correctional Facility were free to name their puppies however they chose.

Now I see that naming alphabetically can make it easier to remember exactly how many puppies have been raised.

Before we can do any training, Tammy presents FLD Rebel, the latest addition to Unit 8. If Chippewa had followed Baraga's method of naming, I could assume that Rebel is their 18th puppy. But they didn't so I don't know for sure - I think he might actually be their 23nd puppy!

At any number, the "hand off" is always fun...

Two men are facing the camera, a woman is approaching from behind them just over the shoulder of the man on the left. The man on the left is wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt and is bald with a gray beard. The man on the right is wearing an oranged jacket and glasses. Both men are smiling.

Rial (right), FLD Rebel's main raiser and his assistant, Pick (left) wait with their back turned toward the door as Tammy brings in FLD Rebel.

The woman who was approaching is handing a small black lab puppy over the right shoulder of the man wearing an orange jacket. The man is leaning his head to his right against the puppy's head. The puppy's front paws are resting on the man's shoulder.

Following the tradition started in the Ford Dodge Correctional Facility in Iowa, Tammy hands FLD Rebel over the shoulder of his raiser.

The man dressed in blue on the left is now looking at the black lab puppy, which is being held by the man on the right. The man on the left is petting the puppy under it's chin with his right hand. The man on the right is holding the puppy's left paw in his left hand and lookng down at it.

Assistant raiser Pick meets FLD Rebel. Rial looks like a father counting the number of toes on his newborn.

The man on the left has looked up to the camera with a surprised and excited look on his face while he continues to pet the lab puppy with his right hand. The man on the right is holding the puppy in his right arm and holding the puppy's front paw with his left hand. The puppy is snuggled into the man on the right's chest while looking at the man on the left, his eyes wide open.

Pick has come a long way. He joined the program as a self-proclaimed "helper." He wanted to be involved, but did not want to raise a puppy himself. He ran for poop bags, he cleaned up messes, he participated in all of our training sessions. I was glad to see that he was finally going to serves as FLD Rebel's assistant raiser.

The man dressed in orange is holding the lab puppy with his right arm. The man and the puppy are both wide-eyed, looking toward the camera.

The eyes have it! Rial and Rebel both look like they are not too sure of what they have gotten themselves into.

The man dressed in blue is now cradling the puppy in his left arm and holding the puppy's body with his right hand. The man and puppy are looking to the right. In the background are two men sitting on lunchroom stools with puppies lying on the floor at their feet. The woman and another man are standing behind them looking over paperwork. These people are slightly out of focus.

Pick shows off FLD Rebel to the others.

This is a close up shot of the man dressed in blue holding the puppy close to his face. The man is looking down at the puppy and the puppy is looking at the camear. Someone else's hand is petting the puppy behind his left ear from the right. The puppy's left paw is stretched out toward the camera.

FLD Rebel is in good hands. He came to Chippewa with a flaw, a small bump on his head that was treated by the veterinarians at Leader Dogs. The inmates showed concern, but overlooked the bare spot on the little guy's head and thought him adorable anyway.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

As of the end of March, 2015

Chippewa
March 30, 2015

A group shot of 25 men and one women, with 13 puppies. There are four overlapping rows, the first row are ment kneeling or sitting on the floor with 7 puppies, the second row is six men and one woman (she is second from the left) standing or sitting behind the first row holding three puppies, the third row is eight men, mostly standing behind the 2nd row to the right, with on man sitting on the far right holding one puppy, the last row are five men standing on chairs behind the rest with the man on the far right holding a puppy. There is a big flat screen television on the white brick wall behind the group.

Chippewa puppy raisers (and retiring MDOC employee Joyce) and their charges pose for a group shot.

Baraga
March 31, 2015


Baraga puppy raisers pose with their pups.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Sit, down, around, exam

October 22, 2014

Baraga

It was time to work. Deb led the teams through SIT and DOWN exercises that become progressively more difficult. I handed FLD Henry off to Corey so I could concentrate on taking photos.

A man wearing the blue prison uniform and a blue jacekt and navy blue knit cap is sitting with his forearms on his knees. He is smiling and leaning slightly forward toward a yellow lab/golden retriever mix puppy that is sitting in front of him, facing him. The puppy is wearing the baby blue Future Leader Dog "working" jacket. There are other men just out of view on either side of the photo.

FLD Henry is focused on Corey, who seems pretty happy to work with the pup.

An african american man wearing the blue prison uniform with a long sleeved white shirt under the short sleeve blue shirt is standing in front of a metal wall. He is looking off to the right and holding the leash to a small chocolate lab in his left hand. The lab is sitting at the man's left side and is looking at the camera.

FLD Hershel holds a nice sit for Brown.

SIT

With no distractions, holding for more than 30 seconds.
With people walking around.
With people greeting the teams.

A man wearing an orange kint cap, salmon colored sweatshirt and blue prison pants is on the left of the photo stretching with his right hand to reach something out of the shot to the left. His left hand is holding the leash to a yellow lab puppy sitting on the tile floor on his left side. The puppy is watching the man. Another man is standing in front of a metal wall on the right. He is wearing the blud prison uniform with his arms at his side. He is holding the leash of a small yellow lab in his left hand. The lab is sitting at the man's left side.

Beano (left) reaches for some extra kibble for FLD Axel when Deb asks the men without puppies to start walking around. FLD Farley (right) sits nicely next to Paul.

At least six men are either walking from left to right or are standing with their puppy sitting on their left side. Two men on the left closest to the camera walking by are wearing green sweatshirts and blue prison pants. An african american man is standing with his small chocolate lab, a man wearing a white shirt and blue prison pants is walking by him. A woman is standing behind him wearing an orange sweatshirt and black pants with a large german shepherd puppy sitting on her left side. Another man wearing the blue prison uniform is walking on the far right side, with an african american man dressed in a white shirt and blue pants standing behind him with a small golden retriever sitting at his left side.

Here come the distractions!

DOWN

With no distractions, holding for more than 30 seconds.
With people walking around.
With people jogging by.

AROUND - without a door. Really? Yep, we can practice "around" even if we don't have a door. (For a description of how we work around, visit this post "Training take 1."

A young black lab is standing on the left, curved slightly behind the legs of an inmate wearing blue prison pants and black shoes. The puppy is looking up at his handler, and is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana.

FLD Eco moves into the "around" position while keeping an eye on his handler.

HANDLER'S EXAM - Each puppy's handler checked eyes, ears, teeth, felt each leg and paw, and ran a brush down its back. Then other team members did the same exam so the puppies get used to other people handling them.

An african american man who is standing is leaning over to a small chocolate lab puppy and his hands are on the puppy's head, checking his teeth. The man is wearing a prison blue uniform with a long sleeve white shirt under the blue shirt, and white shoes.

Brown checks FLD Hershel's teeth during the handler's exam.

A man is standing on the left with his arms at his side looking down. The man is wearing blue prison pants and a blue jacekt with orange stripes, with a white shirt underneath. Another man is standing on the right, leaning over to check the teeth of a yellow lab puppy who is standing between the two men. The man on the right is wearing the blue prison uniform with a long sleeve white shirt under the blue shirt. The man has his hands on the puppy's head and mouth.

FLD Farley leans into his raiser, Steve, while another inmate checks him over.

And just because...

A man wearing blue prison pants and a blue t-shirt is standing on the left with his hands clasped at his waist. He is holding the leash to a young black lab that is sitting on his left side. The man is looking down at the puppy. The puppy is looking toward the camera and is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana. Another man is standing next to a metal wall facing right with his legs crossed. He is wearing blue prison pants and a blue jacket with orange stripes. At his feet in front of him is a yellow lab puppy lying on a green mat facing him.

FLD Copo holds a nice sit next to his handler, Black. In the background, FLD Farley lies on his mat in front of his handler, Steve.

A closer shot of the black lab puppy sitting next to the man. The puppy is now looking straight up at the man.

FLD Copo looks up at Black.

Now the man is leaning down with his face close to the nose of the black lab. The lab is reaching to the man's face.

Black leans in for a puppy kiss.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Ten years to tell a story

October 22, 2014

Baraga

When Deb Donnelly and I arrive, the teams in Unit 8 are ready and waiting for us. Puppies are settled on mats with Kongs and Nylabones at the ready.

A low shot of a young black lab puppy lying on a green thick mat. To the left are the lower legs of the puppy's raiser, he is wearing blue prison pants and black shoes, his right hand is just visible between his knees. The puppy is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana and there is a red Kong on the mat by his right shoulder. The puppy's head is resting on the mat.

A relaxed FLD Eco seems to be listening intently.

Another low shot, this time of a small chocolate lab lying on the tile floor with his chin on the floor between his front paws. He is just behind the lower legs of his raiser, who is also wearing blue prison pants and black shoes. To the left in the background is a blue mat, but the puppy chose to lie on the floor instead. There is also a yellow, green and blue Nylabone puppy chew toy on the tile in front of the mat.

FLD Hershel, on the other hand, doesn't seem interested. What is it about the floor that is more comfortable than his mat?

Deb has lots to talk about. She's come from a circular road trip to prisons in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin before getting to Baraga and continuing on to Chippewa. She reports that Minnesota's Lino Lakes Correctional Facility, which started raising puppies in July of 2013, had their first puppy issued to a client the day before. Leader Dog "Lino" is now a working guide dog.

With the return of the first Baraga puppies looming in December, the men are interested about the process. Deb explains that Leader Dogs for the Blind takes in 44 puppies each month. Leader Dog veterinarians can only accommodate 11 dogs a week. (This places a demand on the breeding department on the other end.) When the puppies return they are subject to a series of medical exams and x-rays to assure excellent health. Some are pulled for breeding; those that aren't are spayed or neutered. About 14 percent are career-changed for medical issues. The rest go into formal guide work training.

"We always train more dogs than we need," Deb says. Up to 24 blind or visually impaired clients in a given "class" live in the Polk Residence at Leader Dogs for about three and a half weeks. Here they learn to care for and work with their new partner. Extra dogs are necessary so the trainers can make the perfect match with each team.

There are questions about what will happen in December when she comes to bring FLDs Axel, Bear and Copo back to Leader Dog. Deb suggests that the men develop a "good-bye" ceremony for themselves, something that can be consistently recreated for each puppy that leaves.

Saying good-bye to your puppy is hard, no matter whom the puppy raiser happens to be. After returning five of my own puppies I can attest that it never gets easier.

"The dogs do way better than the people do in this," Deb says. "They adapt very well, most of them, very quickly. It's like going to camp for them." A collective sigh and the looks on the men's faces make me believe they are not quite convinced.

A black lab is lying on a thick green mat between the legs of his raiser, who is sitting on a lunchroom table stool. The man is on the left side of the table and is wearing blue prison pants and a long sleeved white shirt. His elbows are resting on his knees and he is looking up toward the right. A second man is sitting on the stool opposite on the right. He is also wearing the blue prison pants and a long-sleeved white shirt. This man also has his elbows on his knees leaning forward with his hands clasped. He is looking at the camera. In the background are two other men sitting at another table. The puppy is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana and has a white Nylabone chew toy between his front paws, and a second one on the tile floor next to his mat. The puppy's chin is resting on his right leg and he is looking at the camera.

Ricky (left) and Doug (right) sit with their puppy. FLD Bear is one of the puppies slated to return to Leader Dogs for the Blind in December.

An african american man is sitting on a lunch table stool, bending over to pet a golden retriever puppy that is lying on the lile floor between the man's feet. The man is wearing the blue prison pants and a long sleeve white t-shirt and white shoes. The man's left forearm is resting on his left knee and he is petting the puppy's side with his right hand. The puppy is lying on its left side with its head toward the camera. He is wearing the blue bandana. A nylabone chew toy is on the floor by his head.

P reaches over to give a sleepy FLD Gage a pet. This little guy will be staying for a while, but P will be sad to see FLD Bear leave. P was promoted from FLD Bear's team to raise Gage.

A man wearing blue prison pants and a green jacket is sitting on a lunch table stool with his left forearm across his left knee and his right elbow on his right kneww with his chin in his right hand. The man is looking forward to the left. At his feet is a black lab that is lying facing right. There is a lunch table in front of the team, and another one in the back ground.

Black and FLD Copo, who is also slated to return in December.

Inmate raiser Black will have it especially hard in December. He was promoted from FLD Bear's team to take over as Copo's raiser, so he'll be saying good-bye to two puppies.

Black feels so changed by this program that he recently made a generous donation to Leader Dogs for the Blind. (His job in the Baraga Correctional Facility pays him 74 cents per day.)

Deb feels their pain. FLD Jedi, the 20th puppy she's raised, is due to go back to Leader Dog within a couple of weeks.

A woman dressed in black pants and an orange fleece jacket is standing with her hands on her hips on the right of the picture. At her feet is sprawled a large german shepheard dog, he is practically lying on her feet with his chin resting on the tile floor. He is facing to the right. On the left of the picture is an african american man sitting on a lunch table stool facing the woman. He is wearing the blue prison uniform and white shoes. At his feet in front of him is a small chocolate lab that is sitting on a blue mat with a yellow, green, and lbue nylabone puppy chew toy in front of him. The puppy is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandan and is facing the right.

Deb Donnelly speaks to the inmate raisers with FLD Jedi sprawled at her feet. Brown (left) sits with his charge, FLD Hershel.

"There's somebody out there who needs this dog more than I do," she says. She tells a story about one of the puppies she raised long ago. The puppy "graduated" and was matched with a young man, it was his first Leader dog. Deb got the chance to meet the painfully shy and reserved man. He had a difficult time speaking to her.

Some years later, when he received a second dog, Deb witnessed an amazing transformation. The man stood up in front of everyone. (Back then the graduating teams were introduced as a group to the raisers during "visitation" night at Leader dog. Now the puppy raiser has an individual visit with the new team.) Deb says he would never have done that the first time she met him. He announced that his goal was to meet one million people. He asked that each and every person should come up and shake his hand.

With a catch in her voice, Deb says, "It took me 10 years before I could even tell this story."

A close head shot of the large german shepherd puppy lying across the woman's purple running shoes. The dog is facing the camera with his chin on the tile floor. His leash is lying on the floor by him and his left front leg and paw are across the woman's shoes. He is looking directly into the camera. He is also wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana.

FLD Jedi makes sure he stays close to Deb.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

We work

September 12, 2014

Baraga

Tammy got the group working on our September skills right away.

A man wearing the blue prison uniform and a blue knit cap is standing on the left facing the camera. His hands are at his side and he is holding a leash in his right hand. A small yellow lab/golden retriever mix puppy is sitting on his left side. Another man, wearing blue prison pants and a long-sleeve white t-shirt is standng in front of a door with a window in it. His right hand is in his right pant pocket, and his left hand is holding a leash attached to a young yellow lab puppy that is lying on the tile floor on his left side. The puppy is facing the man and is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana. A woman wearing blue jeans and a grey sweatshirt with a treat pouch around her waist is standing on the right with her back to the camera.

Tammy leads the group in the relaxation protocol. Corey is handling FLD Henry; Bart is handling FLD Farley.

An african american man wearing blue prison pants and a white long sleeve and glasses is standing facing the camera with a small golden retriever puppy sitting on his left side. The man is looking down at the puppy and the puppy is looking up at him. The man's hands are hanging down at his sides. The puppy's leash is lying on the tile floor attached to his collar. The puppy is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana.

P and FLD Gage have great focus during the relaxation protocol.

Two men are sitting on opposite sides of a steel lunchroom table. The man on the left is wearing blue prison pants and a white long-sleeve t-shirt, his left elbow is on the table and his right elbow is resting on his right knee, his hands are clasped. The man on the other side of the table is wearing the blue prison unform and his resting his folded arms on the table. A third man is standing to the right, but his head is out of the picture. He is wearing blue prison pants and a white t-shirt. He also has a blue surgical glove on his left hand. His right hand is holding a leash attached to the collar of a young yellow lab, which is moving toward him from left to right.

FLD Farley is interested in the blue glove that his raiser, Steve, is wearing. Teammates Bart and Paul look on as Steve asks Farley to get into heel position.

A closer shot of the man standing, with the man sitting at the table with his arms folded. Now the yellow lab pup is just about to sit at the man's left side, his nose is reaching up toward the man's left gloved hand.

Steve demonstrates how FLD Farley can't keep his eyes off the glove. I show the team how to work on impulse control with Farley so he can ignore the glove.

Six puppies are lying down along a wall on the right, all but one are facing left. Opposte the puppies are a line of men dressed in blue prison pants and white t-shirts. The men are sitting or standing and looking at the pups.

Here the puppies demonstrate a nice down/stay.

We head out to the yard to do the CGC and IFT assessments. I am so busy helping Tammy that I don't get many photos...but FLDs Axel, Bear, Copo, Dax, Eco, Farley, and Gage (the puppies eligible for the CGC) are all successful.

A man dressed in the blue prison uniform is standing on the left, but he is only visible from the waist down. He holding a leash to a small yellow lab/golden retriever mix puppy that is standing on his left side. Both are facing the camera, but the puppy is looking at an older black lab that is being walked by from the right.

FLD Henry stands calmly as FLD Bear and his handler walk by during the loose leash walking portion of the IFT.

Tammy decided to add a tic-tac-toe game after the group CGC and IFT assessments. Lots of fun and good training!

An outside shot on cement with a white brick building in the background. A group of men are standing in the background with their backs facing the building. There are nine cream colored plastic chairs set up in three rows of three like a tic-tac-toe board. There are two men sitting in two chairs in the first row (furthest from the camera), one man in the middle seat in the middle row, and one man in the far right seat in the last row. The men sitting have puppies with them.

Tammy designates two teams - "sit" and "down." The game is played like tic-tac-toe, but the puppies on the sit team have to sit for the duration, or they are out. The puppies on the down team have to hold a down or they are out. This is a fun game that challenges the raisers and their pups to hold position in spite of the distraction of other puppies and handlers walking by.

Three men and their puppies are sitting in a row. The man on the right has a german shepherd, the man in themiddle has a yellow lab, and the man on the left has a golden retriever. The puppies should all be lying down, but the only one that is is the golden retriever! There is a man in the background on the left standing with a black lab sitting at his left side. The men are all smiling.

Unfortunately, two of the "down" team puppies don't want to hold position. A row or diagonal of puppies on the same team must hold position for at least three seconds after the last pup is in position. As you can see, only FLD Gage with P stays down. Steve and FLD Farley (middle) and Chad and FLD Dax (right) are disqualified and the game goes on.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

All flavors

September 12, 2014

Baraga

"Puppies are awake, but quiet," I report as Tammy turns the Leader Dog van west. We plan the afternoon's training session as we drive. September's topics are STAY, TRAFFIC, and STAIRS. Of course, traffic is out.

As an American Kennel Club (AKC) evaluator, Tammy can "test" some of the older puppies for the AKC Canine Good Citizen program. She plans to have all the teams participate (good training), with the assistant raisers marking the scores she gives. We'll do FLDs Axel and Bear's In-For-Training (IFT) assessments at the same time; everything except traffic.

Poor FLD Chewy gets carsick during the long drive. We stop in Ishpeming to clean out his crate and park FLDs Hershel and Henry. Although we arrive at the Baraga Correctional Facility about 1:30 p.m., we don't actually get into Unit 8 until after 2:00. Evidently, chocolate labs are popular in the UP and some MDOC employees want to meet the little guy before we present him to his raiser.

"Now we have all flavors," RUM Steve says as he picks up Hershel. Eight puppies now - two yellow labs, three black labs, one German Shepherd, one golden retriever, and a tiny chocolate lab to round out the mix.

When we get down to Unit 8, we hand off FLDs Chewy and Henry to the inmates. I race in ahead of Tammy to be sure I capture the delivery of FLD Hershel.

An african american man dressing in prison blue pants and a white long sleeved t-shirt is sitting in the foreground on the right, facing the camera. His hands are clasped in his lap. On the left is a group of inmates sitting at metal lunch tables. There are two puppies visible sitting in front of their raisers. In the background, two women are coming in through the lunch room door. The first woman, wearing blue jeans and a grey shirts, is carrying a small chocoalte lab puppy.

Raiser Brown patiently awaits his new charge. The room fills with "Awwwwwws" as Tammy shows off Hershel to the other teams.

A clsoer shot of the man sitting in the chair. He is looking at the camera with a half-smile on his face. The woman wearing the grey sweatshirt is standing behind him to the left and and smiling. She is about to hand the small chocolate lab puppy over the man's left shoulder. The puppy is already looking at the man.

Tammy loves this part of her volunteer job - handing off a new puppy!

This is a head shot of the man and the chocolate lab being set on his left shoulder. The man is smiling broader now, and his eyes are sneaking a peak at the puppy. The puppy's front paws are resting on the man's shoulder, still being held by the woman.

The meeting - a bit tentative?

Another head shot of the man, who is now REALLY smiling! He is reaching up to hold the chocolate lab puppy with both of his hands, his left hand over the top of the puppy and his right hand supporting the puppy's chest. The puppy appears to be sliding down the front of the man's chest.

Tentative? I think not. FLD Hershel, meet Brown!

Two african american men are standing in front of a metal wall, both are wearing white long sleeved t-shirts. The man on the left is cradling the small chocolate lab puppy in his arms, the puppy is on his back and the puppy's leash is lying across his body. Both men are smiling at the camera.

Team FLD Hershel. Brown and Phil, one of his two assistant raisers, pose for a team picture. The third team member was not present.

Monday, November 24, 2014

Baraga testimonials

The Leader Dogs for the Blind award-winning prison puppy-raising program has a positive effect no matter where the puppies are being raised. The program started 12 years ago at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility in Iowa. According to Warden James McKinney, the recidivism rate at his facility is significantly lower than at prisons nationwide. He attributes this to the puppy-raising program.

Inmate raisers at the Chippewa Correctional Facility read personal testimonials at their Puppy Days celebration in July. (Read Scott's speech here, Ro's speech here, and Doug's speech here.)

Two raisers at the Baraga Correctional Facility agreed to share their personal stories. Here are their words...

RICKY

My name is Richard Dean Hetherington, but most people call me Ricky. I am 37 years old and from the Oakland County area. Right now, I am currently serving time at the Baraga Correctional Facility where I have been blessed in being part of the Leader Dog Program.

I am so grateful, and thankful for this program and the people involved. Even more, I am blessed to have my little buddy Bear come into my life. Bear, and this program, have taught me more about my life, and life in general, than any program in 15 years of prison. This little guy has given me more than I’ll ever be able to teach him.

Ricky and FLD Bear.

When I wake up in the morning I am waking up for someone other than myself. When situations happen here in prison, or even in the world, I have to stop, and think how my reaction will affect me, my team and Bear. Everyday, I learn love, patience, responsibility and being able to think things through.

Teamwork has been something new. Teamwork, and getting along can be a problem in prison. I’ve watched my team evolve, and change as men. All of us have worked through and reacted differently in situations. People don’t realize that we’re not just training puppies. We are trying to change ourselves. This program has not only given us the tools, but has given us hands on training. Dealing with people, and problems in and out of prison.

The best thing for me personally, is a sense of pride. A sense of purpose. For once in my life I am proud of myself. I feel like I have found something I love, and I’m good at. To be ale to give back, and be part of something bigger than myself or my problems. Seeing, and hearing my family proud. To have them hear and see the change in me.

I started this program in a dark, ugly place in my life. My whole life revolved around selfishness, impulse and hopelessness. Inside and out of prison I felt lost with no purpose. Today, I know what it feels like to wake up with a purpose. To have hope that today will be a good day. To be proud of what I’m part of, that I will be responsible, patient, and think things through. To love and be loved.

Bear, and the people in this program make the day, and this place, not so dark and ugly. Pretty crazy, what a convict can teach a puppy. What’s even crazier is what a little puppy can teach a convict.

Thank you,

Ricky D. and Bear

STEVE

My name is Steven Williams and I am a prisoner at Baraga Correctional Facility for the crime of larceny from a building, serving a term of 2-15 years. I am 51 years old.

The Leader Dog program recently introduced at this facility has helped me change my ways of thinking – acting – and responding to people in more positive ways than numerous rehabs and incarcerations combined.

I started doing drugs at nine years old – sneaking beer and smoking pot. I have been addicted to drugs my whole life. I have had many devastating and negative responses to my lifestyle. And the feelings of uselessness, shame, embarrassment and hopelessness I believed that drugs could make it all go away. My dad was an alcoholic. My mom is a saint. Dysfunction and poverty was a way of life, thought normal. I started dealing drugs then became my best customer. I lied, cheated, stole and showed no respect. I made myself believe I raised four children – I had myself believing I was a hard worker – all lies of a drug addict.

Truth is I am 51 years old with too many incarcerations and rehabs – but the love I have for a FLD puppy is melting my layers of lies and irresponsibility, and helping me challenge my patience and persistence. I am a caring puppy handler who is finding a pride in a puppy I co-raised named Axel – and through my diligence and, hopefully, responsible actions I am now the raiser of my second puppy, Farley. This simple program has built more positive pride and sense of achievement in me than all my wasted years combined. To be able to know that my work will personally make the life of a handicapped person better is a blessing that I have never known.

A close up shot of a man's face pressed next to the head of a small yellow lab puppy. The man is wearing a blue prison shirt, he is smiling and holding the puppy with his left hand. The puppy is facing forward.

Steve and FLD Farley.

The vision of the Warden, RUM and ARUSs at Baraga are not only changing our lives one puppy at a time – but the lives of the prison atmosphere.

After years of negativity – and lies – it’s more than a gift of Leader Dog to allow us this opportunity – it’s a gift of life that allows us this opportunity to change who we are and who I am.

Thank you

Baraga "stars"

August 14, 2014

Baraga

There were now seven puppies being raised in the Baraga Correctional Facility. Thanks to Tammy, an AKC CGC Approved Evaluator, the four oldest, FLDs Axel, Bear, Copo and Dax, were able to earn an ACK S.T.A.R. Puppy certificate.

As the "star" teams lined up for photographs, the other teams asked to have their pictures taken too. I was happy to oblige.

Here are the S.T.A.R.s...

Four men kneel on one knee on the cement, all are wearing the blue prison pants and white t-shirts. A young yellow lab is sitting between the second and third man, all are looking at the camera. The puppy is wearing a black graduation hat, the blue Future Leader Dog bandana, and a medal around his neck. The men are holding certificates up, and there is a sign that reads "I'm a star" in front of the lab. In the background is a wooden staircase on the left and a white brick building on the right.

TEAM AXEL Baraga has three-man teams with one main raiser and two assistants. From left to right are Doug (who joined the team after Steve was given FLD Farley to raise), Beano (FLD Axel's main raiser), FLD Axel, Mondo, and Steve (who started as Axel's assistant raiser). Steve was on the team when Axel passed the AKC S.T.A.R. test, but he wanted Doug in the photo with the team. "He worked his *** of with Axel," Steve said.

A man wearing blue prison pants and a long-sleeved white t-shirt is squatting in front of a wooden staircase and pointing at the camera with his right hand. He is looking down at a young yellow lab that is sitting on his left side. The lab is wearing a black graduation hat with a yellow tassel, the blue Future Leader Dog bandana and a medal around his neck. There are legs of two other men standing to the right.

Beano points to get FLD Axel to look at the camera.

Two men dressed in blue prison pants and white t-shirts are leaning over a young black lab who is sitting between the legs of the second man. The first man, on the left, is wearing a blue baseball cap. The men are smiling as the second man is putting a black graduation hat on the lab. The lab is also wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana and a medal around his neck. There are legs of a third man standing to the right.

Black (left) and Ricky (right) have fun putting the graduation hat on FLD Bear.

Three men are squatting in a row, all are wearing blue prison pants and white t-shirts, the man on the left is wearing a blue baseball cap. the men are holidng up certificates and smiling at the camera. A young black lab is sitting in front of the middle man with a pained expression on his face. He is wearing a black graduation hat and the blue Future Leader Dog bandana and a medal around his nec. There are wood rails from a staircase behind them. The middle man is also holding a sign in front of the lab that reads, "I'm a star."

TEAM BEAR From left to right are Black, Ricky (FLD Bear's main raiser), FLD Bear and P (who is now the main raiser for FLD Gage; Doug has taken his place on Bear's team).

Three men dressed in blue prison uniforms and white t-shirts squat in front of a wooden staircase, holding certificates up. All are looking at the camera. There is a young black lab lying down between the man on the left and the man in the middle. The middle man has his right hand on the lab's back. The lab is wearing a black graduation hat, the blue Future Leader Dog bandana and a medal around his neck, he is looking at the camera. There is a sign lying on the cement in front of the dog that reads, "I'm a star!"

TEAM COPO From left to right are Harvey (FLD Copo's main raiser), FLD Copo, Luke and Keylor.

Three men squat on cement in front of a wooden staircase, they are all wearing the blue prison pants and white t-shirts, and holding certificates up in front of their knees. Between the middle man and the man on the right a young german shepherd is sitting and leaning against the middle man, who has his left arm around the puppy. The puppy is wearing a black graduation hat, the blue Future Leader dog bandana and a medal around his neck, the dog looks like he doesn't like the hat on. A sign is lying in front of the dog, and reads "I'm a star!"

TEAM DAX From left to right is Patrick, Chad (FLD Dax's main raiser), FLD Dax and Kyle. Dax doesn't seem impressed.

And here are the other teams...

Three men squat in front of a wooden staircase wearing blue prison pants, the two men on the left are wearing white t-shirts, the man on the right is wearing the blue prison shirt. In front of the middle man sits a small black lab puppy. Everyone is looking at the camera.

TEAM ECO From left to right are Wayne, James (FLD Eco's main raiser), FLD Eco and Jerod.

Three men are squatting in front of a wooden staircase on the cement, all are wearing blue prison pants and white t-shirts. In front of the middle man is a small yellow lab puppy, who is sitting and looking at the camera. Between the middle man and the man on the right a small yellow lab/golden retriever mix puppy is lying down with his head facing the camera. The man on the right, an african american, is holding the leash to the puppy lying down.

TEAM FARLEY From left to right are Steve (FLD Farley's main raiser), Paul, FLD Farley, FLD Henry (the puppy I'm raising) and Brown.

Three men are squatting in front of a wooden staircase, wearing blue prison pants and white t-shirts. The men in the middle and right are african american. In front of the middle man sits a small golden retriever puppy, who is looking slightly down to the ground, with his leash lying on the ground beside him.

TEAM GAGE From left to right are Mater, P (FLD Gage's main raiser; P started the program as an assistant on FLD Bear's team), FLD Gage and Shearon.

Before leaving, Tammy reminds the men to stay aware of the end goal and purpose of a Leader Dog. Stealing a line from Bev Blanchard, Manager of Canine Development at Leader Dogs for the Blind, she said, "If your grandmother became blind, would you want this dog to be her Leader Dog?"

Saturday, May 2, 2015

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Monday, November 24, 2014

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