A Unique, Inspirational Prison Dog
Training Program
SAVING MORE THAN DOGS SINCE 2007
Issue 38 - September 2023
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- IT'S TIME! Enter and Vote in the Photo Contest!!!
- Meet Finn - he's great and available for adoption.
- Training Tip: Rear End Awareness
- Important Hot Weather Dog Information
- We Give You Thanks
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1. IT'S TIME TO ENTER
OR VOTE IN THE
SEPTEMBER 1-30, 2023
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It's time! Many of the shelters where we rescue dogs have discontinued spay/neuter and immunization services. As a result, Paws in Prison must now absorb these additional veterinary expenses, and as you probably know from your own critters, veterinary expenses and food costs are continually rising. The "no kill" shelters are full and rural shelters still euthanize! Our goal is to get dogs rescued from these rural shelters, trained then adopted so we can rescue more dogs and also give our amazing ladies in the Paws in Prison program more training experiences.
Won't you help us by entering a photo into the Cutest Critter Photo Contest or voting on the contest cutest critters? You can enter the contest and vote by going to the special contest website from Sept 1-30. Here's how:
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Select either "ENTER CONTEST" or "VIEW ENTRIES AND VOTE" then follow the online instructions .
It is only $5 to enter your photo. Each vote for your cutest critter is a $1 per vote donation to Friends of Paws in Prison. There is no limit to the number of times each person can vote, so hurry and enter your critter if you haven't already (the sooner you enter the more time you have to get more votes) and spread the word to everyone you can! Even if you don't enter, look over these critters and vote for your favorites!
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Amazon Gift Card prizes will be awarded to the first through third place winners based on the total number of votes received at the end of the contest. We will also award a 2024 Cutest Critter Photo Calendar to each of the top 12 winners, with one winner featured each month.
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2. Meet Finn
Finn comes to us with quite the story! Picked up on the streets of Guadalupe County, he was taken to their shelter where he was lucky enough to be cared for by the "Friends of Dogs" at Guadalupe County Animal Control. They advertised Finn who was slated for death row. We are thankful to have found him.
Finn’s journey continued into foster care with Emily, a professional trainer (shown here), while he was preparing to enter our program. She says, "Finn is such a sweet boy! He was a pleasure to have in the house
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and made fast friends with both of my dogs. He loves attention and loves to cuddle and play. He took everything we did in stride and was a curious, calm, and well mannered boy."
Through the efforts of the "Friends of Dogs," we received donations that helped pay for Finn’s neuter surgery. Now Finn is living in a cell at Paws in Prison. He has two handlers in prison who adore him, 48 other women in prison to love on him and a bunch of dogs he can play with every day. They report that his training is coming along nicely.
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Finn is an 18-month-old heeler mix, weighing in at 55 pounds. Many thanks to the "Friends of Dogs" at Guadalupe Animal Control for helping us give this good boy a second chance and we're grateful for their work to save more dogs from death row. Help Finn continue his remarkable story by applying to adopt him today!
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3. Training Tip: Rear End Awareness
(and it's not what you think!)
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Rear End awareness refers to a dog's ability to be aware of the position of his rear legs and feet in relation to the front legs. This awareness helps a dog with balance, coordination, and is important in teaching your dog to adjust his body when you need him to come to your side. A lack of rear end awareness can result in clumsiness, tripping and even injuries. This becomes more important as a dog ages. Holding a treat above the dog's head becomes the "lure" to encourage movement into the desired position. Several training tricks use this ability as well.
This month's training tip is brought to you by Paws in Prison handler Joanna Ruiz.
- Start by teaching your dog to place their paws up on a small or medium bowl as a front leg platform. The size depends on the size of your dog.
- After your dog is holding this position, you will only reward when the back paws move.
- Begin moving your reward so that it forces the dog's head to turn in the opposite direction of the desired movement.
For example you should notice if you are moving your treat slowly to the left of your dog's nose, that your dogs back feet will be moving the opposite direction to the right. You should only practice one direction at a time. This training tip is demonstrated by Paws in Prison dog Remi (who is available for adoption!) in the following video.
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After your dog is offering to move one direction without luring them with a treat, then it is time to name that direction. For example, we use “Heel” when the dog is moving into the left side and then “Side” when the dog is moving to the right side.
After your dog knows both directions, you can lower the platform or remove it all together. Our end goal is to be able to say to our dog “Heel or Side” at any time and have them swing into that position. What the dog takes away from this exercise is a stronger rear-end awareness!
If you would like more information about rear end awareness,
watch this 17 minute video (skip the ad after 4 seconds).
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4. Important Hot Weather Information |
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How to Keep Your Dog From Overheating
- Ensure that your dog has fresh water and shade, with short periods outside.
- Never leave your dog in the car, even with windows cracked. Even on a cool day (the mid-60s), the temperature in a closed car rises to 130 degrees Fahrenheit in minutes. The dog’s own body temperature increases the heat and moisture (especially for larger breeds), the oxygen is used up, and death can occur within 15 minutes.
- Acclimate your dog to hot weather gradually and don’t exercise him on hot, humid days.
- Make sure your home is cooled on warm days. Install a temperature alarm in your motor home, van, and house that dials your cell phone automatically. Dogs have died when air conditioners or power failed when owners were away.
- Don’t place a crated dog where there is inadequate ventilation in warm, stagnant air.
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Carefully observe elderly dogs, those that are chronically ill, or pets with respiratory inefficiency. Rapid panting is the first symptom your dog is getting hot - that is their way of sweating.
- Although a dog’s coat can provide insulation, double coats make a dog more vulnerable to overheating and dark coats absorb heat faster in the sun.
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Use a variety of cooling products - research cooling vests.
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This cooling vest for Paws in Prison graduate Sprout was purchased on Amazon for about $25. Wet it in the sink, squeeze out excess water, then clip on. Keeps Sprout cool for about 2 hours!
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Be Aware of Hot Pavement
- Unlike their bodies, dogs do not have fur on the bottom of their feet to insulate them from hot pavement.
- Pavement can be 40 to 60 degrees hotter than the outside temperature!
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Dog shoes, socks, and booties are simple and effective ways to protect dog paw pads from injury.
- Walking your dog earlier in the day before the pavement has had a chance to heat up or later in the day after the pavement cools may be the easiest option.
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We're sorry if we omitted any names from those of you who helped us in any capacity in the month of AUGUST, but we do not always know the names of our Paws in Prison angels!
Jean M, Jeri M, Edmond B, Isabelle B,
Ruth P, Kristen C, PayPal Giving Fund, Christina P,
Deana P, Radesha D, Patricia and Paul W, Darrell B,
Petfinder Foundation, Melissa H, Judith B
We especially are grateful to the following folks who entered their pet into the Cutest Critter Photo Contest in August: Lisa C, Jill R, Jeri M, Jennifer K, Jason H, Kay R, Kimberly D, Marilyn B, Erika H, Debbie B
Next month we hope your name is here too!
Monthly Donations, no matter the size, help us know what we can count on each month. Thanks to the following folks who give recurring monthly donations:
Daniel H, Marcus L, Debbie M, Jennifer K,
Diana S, Shelly R, Heather W
Did we miss thanking you? We don't always know the name of our giving angels. Please let us know by sending an email to Donations@pawsinprison.com
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Mailing Address:
1711 S Colorado ST., Suite E-204,
Lockhart, Texas 78644
Phone: (833) 341-3523
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