Cell Dogs: What do you think?

A couple of nights ago I watched a program called Cell Dogs on Animal Planet. Tell you the truth, I was very impressed with the way the inmates treated and trained their new companion dogs.

The goal of this particular prison with the cell dogs was to give the selected inmates a chance to calm down, spend time with someone other than other mean, and learn to love a dog. Also, the dogs that were chosen to be cell dogs were being trained by the inmates to become service dogs later, once they mastered the basic service dog commands.

Throughout the program, I noticed one dog named Missy, who was very nervous and extremely shy when she first arrived at the prison. By the end of the program, Missy was running around, happily playing with her inmate companion. She had mastered a number of basic commands, too.

Another dog, Buddy, who was also nervous, had already been taught an advanced command: to open a door on command.

Oh yeah, all the dogs were trained with clickers and were treated wonderfully.

In my opinion, if done correctly, the whole "Cell Dog" program throughout the lands is a great thing. I believe that the convicted inmates who participate in the program benifit and are able to expand their knowledge to the world of dogs. The dogs are rescued dogs who were days from being put to sleep, but with this program they were saved, trained, loved, and are being prepared to be amazing service dogs.

What do you think of this "Cell Dog" program and any other program like this?

I didnt see the progam ,but what you have said about it sounds really good ,as long as the dogs are being cared for and treated well and its saving their life and perhaps even the prisoners

Good idea I would say, but, are the inmates supervised? as there could be some nasty people about who would ill treat the dogs.

It shouild be tried over here, to try and get our prison population back to earth.

Ian

I wanted to watch that but forgot it was on.

I've seen it too, but its a while back.

I thought it was a great program, and I was very impressed.

I seem to remember that there is some supervision of some sort. I can't remember....

But great idea. And it wasnt only benifitting the dogs, no the inmates learned a lot too. Emotions and responsibility among things.....

sounds like a great idea !!

Is the one dog assigned to the one inmate or are the dogs shared?
what happens to the dogs when the inmate leaves ?

No..did not see..but wish I had .. it is a very good idea with discrete supervision.
Through 'an organisation' I have had contact with many prisoners, some with terrible histories As a result of childhood experiences many never learned never to trust other humans but they relate well to animals who do not 'reject people'.
I think association with animals is a good way to nurture any small spark of humanity inside these 'lost' people and it may well speed their rehabilitation back into the community as well as improving their lives.

The dogs are one dog per inmate. The dogs are not there to stay.. They are there to be trained and then given up for adoption.

I think that most of - if not all of - the inmates are lifers.

Great idea, but those dogs are going to get so use to the prisoner they are asigned to and then took away for adoption.

How long do they have the dogs for?