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  1. Pen Pals: Handlers and Their Dogs Transform Each Other

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    Courtesy of Virginia Department of Corrections Newsletter

    Any normal dog handler might have been intimidated by Happy, an excitable, obnoxious and sometimes rude mix of part Pit Bull and part bad attitude.

    But dog handler Donna Blanton greeted her new assignment with enthusiasm. “I love the difficult dogs, the dogs with attitude because I think those are the true saves,” Ms. Blanton said. Happy is now in a foster home and awaiting adoption. “To be able to save her life, really makes a difference,” Ms. Blanton added.

    That quickly, the dog handler captured the essence of the Pen Pals program, a rescue effort run at three Virginia prisons by Fetch-A-Cure. Pen Pals is designed to train dogs from the Richmond area. Each year the Pen Pals Programs at FCCW, Buckingham Correctional Center and Lunenburg Correctional Center train an average of 90 dogs. Some of the dogs have graduated to professional jobs. A few have become therapy dogs, and for a time, one of the canines actually worked at FCCW with her owner, a psychologist, until both moved to a new job.

    But the vast majority the 244 dogs that have successfully completed the program since it began at FCCW in 2003 have become pets. They completed the six-week obedience training, living with offenders around the clock in their cells.

    Many of the dogs, like Happy, make a seemingly magical transformation into wonderful pets. For the majority of the FCCW inmates who participate in the program, Pen Pals is an extraordinary blessing and a privilege, they said. Many consider it a good opportunity to reconnect with another living being, which helps them eventually to reconnect with their fellow humans. The handlers at FCCW said they learn to communicate with the dogs, especially with non-verbal flowing commands, encouraged by their trainer Kasey Herrera, a master trainer and a behavior specialist who owns 2SpeakDog, a dog training business in Richmond. She volunteers her time by coming to FCCW at least once a week.

    “It’s not just teaching them dog handling,” Ms. Herrera said. Handlers learn responsibility, motivation, basic communication skills and basic working skills. This is not easy for them, but when they succeed there is satisfaction. On this day there was a meet and greet for Briar, a most agreeable Jack Russell. Later, Ms. Herrera will make a home visit and examine fences, notice relationships, such as how the dog might interact with children, and make suggestions about what to do in different situations. Pen Pals checks references and then follows up in what Ms. Herrera calls the canine release program. Before the placement is official, adopters receive a free training session. The handlers readily embrace the notion that they are doing much more than saving the dogs, much more than just training them. They teach about healthy, positive behaviors and ultimately add quality to the dogs’ lives. The women benefit too.

    Anecdotal evidence suggests handlers experience a lower recidivism rate and otherwise have a better track record of succeeding after release. The current crop of handlers at FCCW say the credit goes, at least in part, to the lessons they learn from the dogs. “This teaches me patience every single day,” said Ms. Hughes, who gained the most from one of her most difficult dogs. “He had a lot of problems. I learned so much from him.” Ms. Hughes and Ms. Burnette work as a team, asking for help with a particular dog-training issue, and moving quickly to offer help to others as they make progress with their dogs.

    “No dog is the same,” Ms. Burnette said. “You learn in the moment, and it can be very frustrating, very frustrating at times, but then it is also very rewarding.” Many say they learn to laugh, to play, to persist and to work very hard. “This gives me a sense of purpose,” said Jennifer Kszepka. “Nothing gives me the drive that this does, realizing that the dog needs me.” Ultimately, this is about getting a second chance, for the dogs and the offenders. Ms. Kszepka remembers one of her most important lessons. “When I came in they told me, ‘You can come into this program and learn how to train a dog, or you can come into this program and be transformed.’”

     

     

  2. Pen Pals Program – The Road from Handler to Owner

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    The Pixie’s Pen Pals Program depends on a lot of people to be successful.  We have the FETCH staff that administrate the program and do boring things like food orders and fielding inquiries about our dogs, the skilled and experienced trainers that give our program the training knowledge it needs, the volunteers who taxi our dogs back and forth to vet visits and adoption events, and the vet staff that keep our dogs healthy.

    The most important of all though, are the inmate handlers that train the dogs in prison, and the adopters who then give them a lifelong home.  One of our newest Pen Pals alumni is both.  Lucian was an inmate handler at Deerfield Correctional Center where he trained seven of our Pen Pals dogs.  Lucian was released in 2015 and recently decided that now was the time he was ready to adopt.  Here is his story in his own words:

    I was a handler at Deerfield Men’s Work Center. I entered the correctional system Sept. 9, 2009 and became a handler February 2013 until June 2014- when I left Deerfield for the work release program until I was released January 2015. I decided to become a volunteer with the program in July 2012 after I saw the transformation of one of the dogs from a scared timid pup into a confident well mannered companion. I was a volunteer from July 2012-Feb 2013 during that time I worked with and learned from the permanent handlers until I was ready to be a full time handler in February 2013. I had the privilege of training 7 different dogs during my 16 months with the program. Sochi, an energetic 6 month old boxer/beagle mix was my first dog- she taught me so much patience and in a big sense trained me. Next was Phoebe, a year old Aussie Kelpie/Cattle dog mix- she was a calm intelligent and athletic one. Then Prince Bailey II he was a nice lap dog and a silly playful boy. By the time I got Naya, an awesome frisbee catching Shepard mix who passed the CGC (Canine Good Citizenship) in a then record 2 1/2 weeks in the program, I felt like a much stronger trainer thanks to Virginia and Katie and my fellow handlers. Poppins was my next project- she was a beagle mix and a handful- again a lesson in patience and understanding. Then there was Brie- a pit bull mix and hands down my favorite dog- I had her for about 5 months and I bonded so closely with her that it was hard to give her up when she got adopted. Lastly but not least-ly Domino a border collie-Shepard mix who was rescued on the side of the road by Katie- we picked at least 100 ticks off of him and his brother Lucky. He was the culmination of everything I learned in the program and was one of my smartest dogs. I ran into Lucky back in July 2016 in my neighborhood in Richmond (small world) and it was a sign to reach out to the program to adopt, which I had already planned to do when I had Brie. My friend and Dog Son Trevor has been the best dog in the world!! His training has lined up perfectly with the skills that I learned from the program.

    We connect on that level. His transition was almost seamless I think because of that. I could tell that he was comfortable with me almost immediately and I believe partly that is because I use the same techniques as his Pen Pal trainers, who did an amazing job with him. I have seen the spectrum of well trained dogs and not so well trained dogs and I can honestly say that Trevor was extremely well trained. I know the passion and patience it takes to train a dog while locked up- you are in your darkest moments at times and these dogs become the light in your life. Trevor is mine and Sarah’s new light now and I am so thankful to the Pen Pals program and his trainers/handlers. No dog is beyond saving and neither is a human.

  3. A Heartwarming “tail” of a Pen Pals Dynamic Duo

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    Rob endured a spinal cord injury in 2009 and during our 4 month hospital stay he would be visited by volunteer therapy dogs and their owners. It was always the highlight of his day. Just before Rob was about to be discharged from the hospital he asked if we could adopt a dog and he started searching on line for organizations and programs in the Chesterfield, VA area. How could I say no? He found Parker and fell in love.

     

     

    We reached out to SOS who connected us to the Pen Pals program. We visited Parker at the correctional center and when the inmates that were training him found out Rob was a wheelchair user they started training him from a sitting position.  We were so impressed with the training and Parker’s well mannered demeanor.

     

    After a few visits we all decided it was a good match and we brought Parker home, with detailed instructions and a daily schedule that was provided by the inmates.

     

    Rob and Parker have been inseparable since that day and I love that they are such good company for each other. Parker is sweet and friendly but he is also very protective of Rob and I am comforted by that.

     

    courtesy of Sharon Drennan, Rob’s mother

  4. KEEPING BELOVED FURRY FRIENDS CLOSER LONGER: Richmond’s new veterinary radiation center

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    BOOMERHealth

    KEEPING BELOVED FURRY FRIENDS CLOSER LONGER

    Richmond’s new veterinary radiation center

    BY TERRI L. JONES
    In 2010, Colleen Greene’s Australian shepherd, Kasey, was diagnosed with a  brain  tumor. The doctors said the dog had only two months to live without radiation, but the closest radiation centers were in Northern Virginia and Raleigh. Five Sundays in a row, Greene drove Kasey to Springfield and then returned each Friday to take him home for the weekend. After receiving chemotherapy as well as radiation, Kasey lived another three years and two months and celebrated his 16th birthday.

    So when Chloe, Greene’s 15-year-old beagle mix, was diagnosed with a bladder tumor early last year, Greene again made the trek to Northern Virginia, this time staying in a hotel while Chloe underwent five days of palliative radiation therapy. The treatment resolved the beagle’s urinary symptoms for 10 months, also increasing her energy level and appetite. But then in November, Chloe experienced a recurrence of her symptoms. This time, Greene and her best friend didn’t have to head north on I-95 for therapy – instead, they just crossed the river from their home in Mid­lothian for treatment in the newly opened Advanced Radiation Treatment Center (ARTC) on Staples Mill Road.

    FETCH a Cure, a Richmond nonprofit that educates pet owners about animal can­cer and helps fund treatment, was the driving force behind this new center. After the nonprofit’s founder , Mike Holland, had to take his St. Bernard, Hannah , to Northern Virginia for radiation in  2006, bringing a veterinary radiation center to RVA became an important part of the nonprofit’s mission. To operate the center, FETCH partnered with The Oncology Service (TOS), which provides veterinary care in Richmond and Northern Virginia, and began fundraising the $1 million for equipment and office/clinic space in 2014 . By October 2016, all  the pieces were finally in place, and the new center opened, giving area pet parents the comfort of keeping their sick dogs and cats close while being treated.

    “Not only are we closer to home for this community,” says Dr. Lauren Smith, radiation oncologist at ARTC, “but we’re also delivering top-notch services.”

    By ” top-notch services,” Smith is refer­ring to the state-of-the-art CT and radiation equipment that allows her to more pre­cisely target tumors , not only improving the effectiveness of the radiation but also decreasing the number of treatment ses­sions and reducing damage to surrounding tissue. Only 10 to 12 other practices across the country, typically universities with greater access to funding, have equipment this sophisticated, which puts Richmond on the map for animal cancer treatment.

    While Smith is hesitant to use the word “curative” in relation to the therapy, often radiation can gain pets two or three extra years, which is significant in a dog or cat’s lifespan. But the pet’s quality of life is always  the  doctor’s  primary goal.  “I feel like we’re always walking this tightrope of trying to kill as much cancer as possible while making sure patient s are feeling as good as possible,” explains Smith.

    Chloe’s first round of therapy staved off her symptoms for 10 months (an extra four months beyond what the doctors predicted). Smith says a second round of radiation is typically about half as effective. Says Chloe’s mom: “We’re just accepting every day as an extra day and enjoying it.” Although radiation can give many pets extra time with their families, there’s a sizable price tag attached, which can sometimes keep pet owners from moving forward. “There have been a couple of peo­ple who have looked at me like I didn’t have a brain [for spending so much money],” Greene admits.

    FETCH, which helped fund Kasey ‘s therapy as well as Chloe’s first treatment, contributes to life-saving cancer treatments for 30 to 40 pets in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. each year. (Treatment is not limited to that provided by TOS or ARTC.) Pet owners qualify for these gifts, which range from 20 to 40 percent of the cost and average $2,200, based on their financials and pets’ prognosis. To pay these gifts forward, many recipients choose to volunteer their time or donate to the organization.

    After just a month into operation, ARTC already has a handful of patients. With the capacity to serve about 100 animals per year, the center is expected to draw clients from  Charlottesville to Tidewater.

    “It’s been a labor of love,” says FETCHs’ executive director, Joanne Silverman. And Greene, along with many other RVA families, will feel that love every additional day they have their pets with them.

     

    Terri L. Jones is a local freelance writer and  frequent contributor to BOOMER. Having lost a dog, Alfie, and a cat, Darden, to cancer within months of each other in 2014, she is passionate about helping others gain extra time with their pets.

  5. Winter proofing your dog’s paws

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    Winter Proofing Your dog’s paws

    Courtesy of Cesar’s Way
    Dog laying on the snow.

     

    Winter can be brutal on our dog’s paw pads. Exposed to the elements and toxic chemicals, the paw pads are at risk for drying, cracking, trauma, frostbite and chemical burns. Luckily, there are some tips and products out there that can help keep your dog’s paws happy and healthy this winter.

    Many protective balms are available to help protect your dog’s paws, and even some human products can do the trick. Do your research. Once you find the balm that you like, take these steps:

    Prep the paws
    Before using the balm, make sure the paw is ready. Good grooming is essential for healthy winter feet. If your dog has long hair use a clipper (beard trimmer with the shortest plastic guard equipped works well) to keep the hair between the paw pads short so that it is even with the pad.

    Related: How to recognize and treat foot pad injuries in dogs

    Trim the hair around the paws especially if they have a lot of feathering to make sure none of the hair comes into contact with the ground. This will help prevent ice balls from forming between and around the paw pads which can be painful and result in trauma. It also makes it easier to apply the balm to the pads. Keeping the nails trimmed is important year-round but even more so in the winter because long nails force the paw to splay out and make it more likely that snow and ice will accumulate between the paw pads.

    Apply a thin even layer of balm just before going out for a wintery walk. After the walk wipe your dog’s paws with a warm washcloth to remove snow, ice and ice melt. Then apply another layer of balm to soothe any irritation and to keep them from drying out. Bag Balm can be found in most drug stores and pet stores. If you can’t find Bag Balm then Vaseline is an acceptable alternative.

    Dog boots
    Another good option to protect your dog’s paws is dog boots. These boots are made by various manufacturers and can be easily found online and in pet stores. They consist of a sock like boot with a Velcro strap to help keep them in place. Some have soles which provide the additional benefit of adding traction. These boots protect the paw by helping them stay dry and preventing exposure to salt and de-icers.

    Be sure to check that the strap is not too tight; the boot should be snug so that it doesn’t slip off but not so tight that it constricts the paw. Dogs tend to not to like wearing the boots at first so acclimate them to wearing them by putting them on your dog for short periods of time in the house. Praise them and gradually increasing the length of time as they get used to them.

    Salt and de-icers can be toxic
    Be aware that salt and most de-icers can be toxic to our canine friends. Try to keep your dog away from roads and sidewalks that have been heavily treated with salt and chemical de-icers. There are pet friendly de-icers available for use on your own sidewalks and driveway and you should encourage your neighbors to do the same.

    Immediately after a walk, wash your dog’s paws with warm water as described earlier to help prevent them from ingesting any salt or chemicals that may be on their paws. While outdoors, do not let your dog eat slush or drink from puddles near heavily treated roads and sidewalks.

    Dogs are susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia just as people are so use common sense as to how long your walks can be. Keep them short and watch for signs of hypothermia such as shivering, anxiety and moving slowly.

    Winter can be tough on our dog’s feet but good grooming and protecting the paws by using a balm or booties will go a long way to keeping your dog’s feet healthy.

    Tell us in the comments how you treat your dog’s paws during the winter.

    https://www.cesarsway.com/dog-care/paws/winter-proofing-your-dogs-paws