New students!

I spent part of my Saturday with a couple new girls at the JJC that will be starting the Teacher's Pet program on July 7th. I will call them M. and B. (I don't know maybe I should use fake names, what do you think, would it be easier to figure out who I'm talking about if I use fake names instead of initials?)
On my way up to the units I was told by a security guard that H (a current student) wasn't happy that I was coming. :( She doesn't want to sit through any classroom work today, especially since she had already done this part. So, now I know that negative things about class are being said to the new girls regarding the work we would be doing today. This could make things difficult for me. When I first walked in to their living quarters, one of the new girls, M, said to me right away that she did not like dogs and does not want to be a part of the program. (In other facilities, the kids do essays on why they want to be in the class and are chosen that way or they choose to take a survey to be in the class, so usually all the kids WANT to be there. At the JJC they don't have a choice, if they are chosen, they have to participate.) I asked her if she'd at least give me a chance today and then make a decision about whether or not she'd like the program. That was quite a gamble since the first few hours is all classroom work and can be very boring depending on the kid!
We pulled a table over near a receptacle so I could plug in my computer to begin the presentation. As I started talking and setting up the presentation I noticed that for some reason the screen on my computer wasn't working! The computer itself was working but the screen was very faint. That was all I brought with me to work with today! I had to have this computer to show the presentation! What now! One of the new girls, B, said that she's really good with computer's and she'd take a look at it and see if she could get it working, so, I allowed her to and just kept talking about why I was there today and what Teacher's Pet is all about. As I was talking H raised her hand, I called on her and she said, "Miss Lisa, I have my copy of the presentation that you're going to show if that would help any!" Yay! Here H didn't even want to be here today and now she was able to help me out! H went and grabbed her presentation and set if on the table so all of us could see it. She was very pleased with herself as I thanked her.
B was unable to get the computer screen to work so we just shut it down and continued using H's hard copy of the presentation. The girls both seemed very interested and H, being the only one from my regular class that was there today, was very eager to help out and point things out that she felt I missed and were important for the girls to know. Once we were done with the presentation H felt that she needed to let the girls know what "Miss Lisa's rules" are because I had forgotten to say. So H told them, "be respectful to Miss Lisa, to each other and to the dogs. Raise your hand when you want to answer a question or ask a question. No using bad words, never call anyone names or make fun of anyone, and clean up after your dog! Oh, and Miss Lisa especially doesn't like the words stupid and idiot, so don't ever use them!"

God I LOVE these kids!

We also got a chance to talk a little bit about the new dogs coming in on July 7th and about graduation for the dogs we have now, which will be July 2nd. The new girls will be able to attend graduation and see what it's all about.
Before leaving I asked the new girls how they felt about the class so far. B said she's very excited and can't wait to start. M, the one who made it clear in the beginning that she didn't want to be there, said "I think I'm going to like this, but do you think I can work with a small dog?" I told her I have a couple small dogs this time and I'll make sure she gets one of them if that what she feels most comfortable with.
Before leaving I pulled H aside to talk to her about Lilly. Lilly will be staying in our program. H has done a wonderful job with her, especially in the past couple weeks. H has really stepped up to the plate with training and has really focused on what is best for Lilly but I still feel Lilly needs some more socialization. Since H has been doing so well, after much thought, I've decided to let H make the decision as to what would happen to Lilly in class. Either H keeps working with her or one of the other kids works with Lilly and H works with a new dog. When I told her that, tears welled up in her eyes. I asked her what was wrong and she said "I'd love to keep working with Lilly, I just don't know if that's what's best for her and I want to do what's best for Lilly, not what I want". Now tears welled up in my eyes. That's exactly what I was hoping she'd say. H came into the class very self centered and could have cared less about much, but herself. H asked if she could think about it. I asked her what she would be thinking about and why, she said "I know Lilly really good, better then anyone, and I know how she works, but she needs socialization, she probably needs to work with others too."
So, I told H she could take some time and let me know next week what she's decided, and if she decided it was to hard of a decision to make, let me know and we'll talk it over and make the decision together. H will make the right decision. To me there isn't a wrong decision here. If H continues to work with Lilly, she knows what needs to be done and will get the job done. If she decides to pass her on to someone else, then H can help them out a little here and there, and I have full trust in all the other kids that they will get the job done. It's a win win situation for Lilly. I just thought it's important for H to have, and be trusted with, this important decision.

So, it turned out H was all talk before I got there, she didn't mind at all participating in class. She was really quite helpful. She also volunteered to use my Dog Breed Book to show the new girls how different breeds have different characteristics, etc.
I just love these kids!!!

Thanks for reading!!!

Dog Day Afternoon.....

Yesterday we were able to give the doggies some much needed baths! The boys had court yesterday afternoon so I went in a few hours early so we were able to get a good couple of hours in with the dogs. N.W. and A. were both working and weren't able to be there so I'll make some extra time for them next week so Cass and Tucker can get their baths too!
Fortuneatly we were able to get the other four dogs, Awestin, Lilly, Midnight, and Happy washed up before the thunderstorms moved in. Here are some pictures......

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

I also did a couple videos yesterday. One is T and Happy and the other is NB with Awestin. I just asked the kids to talk a little about what they have learned so far in class about dogs and about themselves.

I posted the video's on the Teacher's Pet blog. If you want to see them (and you should, their great!), go to www.teacherspetmi.blogspot.com

Thanks for reading!

Hot, wet, day!

Today is suppose to be a really HOT DAY!
So I've decided it would be a great day for the kids to give the dogs a bath! What am I getting myself into?! It should be a great time. Hopefully all the dogs don't mind.

I'll post some pics and talk a little more about how it went later!

A Great Day......

Today was a great day with the kids. We got through week five and week six has started off great. We only have the rest of this week and next week with this group of dogs, then we will be trying something new. We'll bring in a new group of dogs to work with the same kids! It's pretty exciting. The kids have some anxieties still, about having to let go of the dogs they're working with now, but at the same time they are really excited to meet some new dogs and help them find their forever homes! We may keep Lilly, one of the dogs we have now, in the program. She still needs some work on socialization but she really has come a long way! I had a meeting today with a few people from the facility we are working at and the manager for the Shelter. It went well. These people are so easy to work with! (We don't come across that to often.) A few of the superiors at the facility have decided that the kids and families of the kids working with the dogs will not be able to adopt the dogs. That's a new one for us. Usually one or even two kids end up going home with the dogs they trained. I guess this is a good thing because the rescues we've worked with in the past really check out the adopters and the Shelter does not, you just fill out the app., pay the money, and walk out with the dog. The way the JJC (Juvenile Justice Center) is looking at it is that they want their kids to learn selflessness and want them to learn to do something for someone/something without getting anything in return, just knowing that they've done something wonderful. Thankfully, I won't be the one who has to tell the kids that! Someone else will break the news. Not that any of them would have been adopting their dogs anyway, but they all dream that its a possibility. It'll be interesting to see if it changes the dynamic of the group. I don't think it will for future classes but with this group it will be a disappointment. I don't know, I guess we'll find out!
The facility has decided to change the name of the program too. They were originally calling it "Paws for a Cause" but there is already a non-profit named that so to avoid stepping on any ones "paws" we've decided on "Macomb County Teacher's Pet". That will get our name out there a little too!
Guess that's it for now! I would have had some videos and pictures had my batteries on my camera not died today! Thursday, I promise!

Thanks for reading!Lisa

Bitter Sweet

So we have now entered our 5th week of training with the dogs. For some odd reason, in EVERY class we teach, in week five, our dogs don't want to work. It's kind of like hitting that platoe (sp?) when you're dieting. Tuesday was rough! But today was a great day! Today the dogs and kids looked like pros! You'd think they've been training for months. We have a very large area to work in and all the kids spread out at times. At one point today Berry ( security/direct care staff worker) and I just sat down and looked around at the kids and just couldn't believe our eyes. Each kids was working and their dog was responding and it's only week five. It was truly a beautiful site to see! :)


It was one of those bitter-sweet days. K is going home tomorrow. He's been there a really long time and is done serving his time. He's a great kid and there is no doubt in my mind he has learned his lesson and will not be back. At the beginning of our program K was quiet, didn't like to ask/answer questions, and seemed hesitant about training his dog Tucker. Today he was a pro! Tucker now knows sit, stay, lay down, shake, dance, and his dance is perfect, and he's really good on a leash! Tucker will stay in the program and work with A until we swap the dogs out but he really could be adopted out now if we had too. And to think that Tucker was considered un-adoptable just five weeks ago!

At the end of class today I asked K if he is proud of himself. He looked at me with this big beautiful smile and said "Yes, I am proud of myself.". I could see it in his face and smile, it had all just sunk in. He realized he had accomplished something to be proud of and not only we're other people proud of him but he was proud of himself. He now has the courage he needs to go home tomorrow.



I wish you the best K and will pray for your future to be as bright as that smile I saw today. (tear)

A, Tucker, and K taking a walk (A's red shirt means she has a ways to go, K's gold shirt means he's almost there!)

Hoorah!!!

Due to the economy, donations for Teacher's Pet has been next to nothing. So, I decided to write some letters and just start mailing them to different business that sell dog training supplies. We always need leashes, harnesses, collars, books, DVD's, dog toys, etc. We have received a few leashes, collars, and books in the mail. Last night I received a call from a very nice lady at petexpertise.com. She told me that she loved what we are doing and Pet Expertise would like to help in any way possible! They are sending us a couple boxes of supplies!!! She told me that when ever we need something I should check their website for it and if they have it, call her and she will ship it out if they are able to. If they are not able to get it to us free of charge I will be given a special code to use online and will be able to purchase supplies at cost! What a generous donation! She also said that they will continue supporting us throughout the years. Most people ask us to put them on our website or brochures, she never even asked for that. She just said they love what we're doing and will help in any way possible. That phone call made my day yesterday and today!

I should go, have to run errands and then off to work!

Some info on the kids.......

I will give as much info about the kids as I can. Like I said before, I cannot give their real names and any pictures I post will only be from behind them or from the neck down, no faces. I'm thinking for now I will just use their initials.



The girls....



There are three girls in class right now, all are there for pretty much the same reason and all of them are dual diagnosis too, which means they've been diagnosed with two different mental illnesses.



H (Lilly)- The first week of class is all classroom work and for this program we tried something new. We took a field trip to the shelter the dogs are staying at. H had previously been very quiet in class. After our visit to the shelter we went back to class and discussed how the kids felt about the shelter and dogs. H immediately spoke up and said, "those dogs are locked up just like us" and she asked if she could go back to the shelter to help clean the dogs cages because "no animal should have to live like that". I had the kids make a list of three dogs they would like to work with. H listed 1)Cass 2)Awestin 3)Midnight. I try to give the kids their first choice and if that doesn't work move down the list. When I got to H I had already assigned her three choices to other students. So, I assigned Lilly to H. She got upset and told me it wasn't fair. The following week after our first hour with the dogs. H came up to me in the classroom with the piece of paper with her list on it. She handed it to me and asked me to throw it out because she didn't want to remember that Lilly was not on that list. H is already very stressed out over Lilly leaving the program or getting a different trainer. She talks about it everyday. She will really miss Lilly but by the time H graduates from class she will have learned more about herself, what she has gained as a person, and what she has done for the dogs. H has already expressed interest in working as a mentor for the next session and possibly working with our program once she's "on the outs" (back home).

A (Tucker) – A is paired with Tucker and is also working with K (one of the boys in class) A is extremely helpful in class and working great with K. She is even trying to push K towards putting forth more effort while training. She likes to help out the other kids too. T (one of the boys) had a problem taking his dog, Happy, out of the cage one day and I demonstrated how to do it properly. A walked over and suggested an easier way for T and she was absolutely right! (I love it when the kids come up with a better way of doing things then the norm!) She’s pretty quiet in class but when she speaks up she is always right on the ball! A will be transferred soon to a different facility which is very disappointing for me. She's doing such a great job and her therapist has seen a huge change in her self esteem since starting the class. I can only pray that she doesn't lose what she has learned in this short time.

N (Cass) – N has been very quiet so far. She likes working on her own, away from everyone else. She’s doing an excellent job with her dog. She’s working with Cass, 100% male Pit Bull and unbelievably strong. N has his full attention and is great at keeping him focused. She speaks up when she’s having problems with him and works on each problem diligently until it is corrected. N seems a little uncomfortable in class and I think it might be because of the boys. I get the feeling she doesn't like to be around them so much. N seems very mature for her age, I think she's 15. N has also had a big improvement with her self esteem since starting class.

The boys.......

D (Midnight)– D was very quiet in class at first. After the visit to the shelter he really opened up and contributes a lot to class. He is doing well with his dog, Midnight, he sometimes needs encouragement to keep working though. Last Thursday in class D was quite disruptive in class and made a comment to H while she was reading something out of her journal to the class. When he realized what he said upset H, he tried to correct it, but it seemed everything that came out just upset her more. I won’t call a kid out in class in front of everyone so I addressed the whole class before they left telling them that I expect the same respect as other staff and expect each of them to respect each other as well. After class, D apologized. He also apologized at the beginning of the next class to me again and to H. D has also been trying to be helpful as far as passing out folders, papers, etc., in class. I have seen lots of smiles from D! I loves when he is able to accomplish something with Midnight or when he answers a question correctly in class. D's family is from another country and apparently the men are very disrespectful of woman. Example, his mother is not allowed to speak in counseling sessions unless his father allows her too. I think D is learning some respect for me, the volunteers, and the girls in class and I think he's enjoying the response he is getting because of it! We always try not to pick favorites but secretly, D is one of my favorites!

N (Awestin) – I was told in the beginning that N would have a problem with eye contact, that he was having difficulty keeping his eyes above the neck while speaking to women. So far, I haven’t seen him do that at all. He is always looking me in the eyes when speaking (and he talks a lot!) with me and has been respectful. Sometimes he talks to much in class. I addressed it in class last Thursday and N and D apologized to me after class. N told me Thursday that he has never really “wanted” to be anything when he gets older and now he would really like to be a Veterinarian or something in the animal field! He loves comparing his feelings to a dogs feelings and puts himself in the dogs paws. N and D apparently have not gotten along too well in the past but seem to be getting along fine in class. N is Bi-racial and in the past has had trouble feeling like he "fits in". He seems to be building a couple good friendships in class and seems to be feeling good about himself.

T (Happy) – T is trying so hard but he gets distracted so easily and it doesn't surprise me that his dog, Happy, is the most difficult dog in the program. The kids tend to pick the dog that is most like them, without even realizing it. T is determined to train Happy and works all hour without taking a break. He told me that training Happy will need a lot of patience and patience is what he himself needs to work on. One of our volunteers has been focusing on T and Happy and it’s working out well. T needs that extra one on one attention to keep focused. Maybe next session he'll do better working on his own. That is definitely my goal for him.

K (Tucker & A) – K seemed very hesitant to do the work, until recently! He is working with A and Tucker. Tucker was responding more to A. I explained to K how dogs read body language and respond better to a higher tone of voice. He had said he feels that what I’m asking him to do is not “manly”. He didn't have any problems with his body language and tone shortly after our discussion! He was all smiles while doing it too! He just needed some time on his own to work on it, A worked with H and Lilly during this time. In class he does not want to share anything he is writing in his journal but if I ask him questions he’ll answer everyone of them and seems very pleased with himself after sharing. K will also be leaving the program early, possibly this week. Another disappointment for me. He's just coming out of his shell and realizing he really can accomplish things if he just works at it. I'm afraid he'll lose that if he doesn't have more time to work on it.

These kids are really not "bad" kids, they just don't know that. They've grown up in terrible situations that most of us can't even imagine. Some have been constantly told they are no good, can't accomplish anything, and will go no where in life, expect jail, which is why they are in jail. Some have been used, abused, and uncared for. The word "jail" sounds awful but really this is the best place for them. Not only are they paying for the crime they committed but they are learning a lot about themselves and receiving some great thearpy that will help them be a better person when they leave.

So, there they are, "my kids". I tend to start calling the kids in my classes "my kids" after a couple sessions and the dogs become "my dogs". I get very attached to them all. I am a weeping baby at graduation! In the past I've had the opportunity to continue seeing my kids on several different occasions after they graduate. This time, once they leave the facility, I may never see them again. I'm not sure right now how I'll deal with that. It will drive my crazy wanting to know how they are doing and what they are doing. I guess it will be bitter sweet if I don't see them again, because if I do, it will be because they are back in jail and I certainly don't want that for them. I have a feeling a few of the kids will keep in contact somehow and will probably end up helping us out at our summer camps and in the rescues. We have a couple kids from one of our other locations that continue to help us out whenever and where ever they can.

Hopefully tomorrow after class I'll have some time to post a few pictures and talk about class!

Thanks for reading!

A little more regarding the dogs.....

I was suppose to be done blogging today but it seems I can't get enough of it right now! I decided to get started on writing some info on the kids but checked the blog and noticed I had some comments and thought it would be good time to address them.

Thank you Aunt Karen for the compliment on being attentive to dog's behavior but not being anthropomorphic. Fact is....dogs are dogs. If you think of a dog as "human-like" and treat a dog like a human, you end up with a huge problem! For example, a lot of people get little dogs like chihuahuas, yorkies, and Pomeranians. They carry them around like babies, share the food off their plates, and share their beds with them....then wonder why their dog tries to bite anyone who comes near them. Dogs like being dogs, they like knowing their place in the family and like having a leader, someone to teach them how to behave. If they don't get direction, they feel anxious and unsure of themselves. The anxiety can cause them to act out, bite out of fear, bark, and chew things. Don't get me wrong though....dogs have feelings and, believe it or not, they can think objectively.

Now on to a question I was asked: What happens to the dogs if they have not reached their goals in training by the end?
I will put them back into the program, and if I have to, continue working with them myself. For an example Cass was used because of the way he pulls on the leash. Cass and his trainer will overcome this by the end of this month. There is no doubt in my mind. They are working very hard and if his trainer can not make it to class (she has been having some dental work & hasn't been in class a couple times) then my volunteers, other kids in the class, or even myself will work with Cass on his loose leash walking.
The dogs I'm worried about right now are Lilly and Happy. Lilly needs a lot of work on socialization. Socialization can take a long time. I'm thinking it will do her some good to come back into the class for the last six weeks and work with a different trainer for more socialization. Right now all of the volunteers are walking up to Lilly on a regular basis and giving her a treat if she behaves. If she barks or gets into a defensive posture then we ignore her and walk away. Lilly's protective behavior was being fueled by her trainer without her trainer even realizing what she was doing. Every time Lilly would bark defensively at someone, her trainer (I'll call her H), would immediately wrap her arms around Lilly and try to calm her with a soft lovable tone. Lilly took this as she was doing the right thing. Now, H doesn't say a word to her or touch her when she is acting this way. So, right now, I say Lilly may have to stay, but at the same time we never know when the dog will have a break through and suddenly "get it". Next week, when I walk up to Lilly, she could sit right down or wag her tail playfully instead of barking. So we'll play it by ear.
Happy is another dog I'm concerned with right now. He is so distracted by everything around him and is pretty scatterbrained. Same thing with Happy as Lilly, we'll play it by ear and if they need to stay they'll stay in the program!
Great question!!!

Please ask questions! Sometimes I can be very scatterbrained and bounce from one subject to the next and forget important information, so I love questions! If any other dog trainers or teachers are reading this blog and have any suggestions for me, I would love to hear those too!

I also wanted to talk a little bit about breeds. Each time I work with the kids we do one hour of training with the dogs and one hour of classroom time. In the classroom, one of the things the kids learn, is the different breeds and their characteristics. I mentioned earlier about how we always have a Beagle and a Pit Bull. People buy them thinking Beagles are so cute, cuddly, and funny, like Snoopy. Fact is, Beagles are full of energy, independent, prey driven, and difficult to train. You need a lot of patience training a Beagle, which is just one of the things
our kids working with them learn!
People buy Pit Bulls because they think, "I'll look really cool having a Pit Bull" or think they will be good watch dogs. Pit Bulls must have training and I don't mean to be a good watch dog! They are so smart, easily trainable, and very lovable. But some people buy them and train them to protect and they think it's funny when their Pit Bull growls and someone. It is already in their breed to protect. They should NEVER have any type of training to protect. If you train them to protect, someone walks in your door and gets bit, or, a kid accidentally kicks a soccer ball into your yard, comes to get it and gets bit. Pit Bulls need good owners and obedience training. If you have a Pit Bull that bites and misbehaves then you shouldn't own a Pit Bull.
Neither of these breeds are good breeds for an inexperienced dog owner.

So, what the kids learn when they learn about the different breeds is all the different characteristics and health problems that comes with each breed. It really helps them with their training and will help them when they decide to get a dog someday. At the same time they learn about how people have different characteristics and problems. It helps them not to be judgemental and want to learn more about each other and be more understanding.


Once in a while I might mention what my family and I did for the day too.....or maybe I'll start another blog for that but for now.....today Bobby, Genesis, Joey, and I went to Shadbush Nature Center to see the Civil War re-enactment. We learned about how the woman washed the clothes, make dinners, and make candles. This particular group of woman was called "The Sisters of the Union". One little kid there read their sign and said "Mom, what is The Sister's of the Onion?". It was really funny! We also learned a little about the doctors and the tools and medicines they used. Bobby was a little shocked when he asked the doctor what the saw was for (amputations)!
After that we drove out to Stoney Creek Metro Park to take a look at the Picnic area we are having our family reunion (my mother's side of the family) at this summer. I needed to know how many signs we would be needing and how much room we'll have for games and stuff.
On our way home we stopped at the Octagon House. I just love that house, it's beautiful! Unfortunately, it was closed today but they still got to see the outside of it and we talked a little about the underground railroads. We also found out they'll be doing tours tomorrow and on the 28th, and a tea party on the 18th, so we'll make one of those dates. Then we stopped for Slerpies at 7-11!
When we got home we pulled out some terra cotta pots we've been painting and finished them. We're going to put some citronella candles in them and use them outside on the deck. We used metallic paint on the inside so when you light the candle the pot has a pretty glow!

Now it's off to make dinner! Thanks for reading and keep the questions coming!!!

The Dogs.....

All of the dogs are from a local county shelter. There are six in all. Three of the dogs are surrenders, meaning they've been turned in by their owners for some reason. I know that two of them were turned in because their owners could no longer afford to take care of them, the other I'm not sure why he was turned in although his behavior problems could definitely be why. The other three dogs were all found as strays in the city.

Here are our dogs.....(and I am using the dogs real names).....

Cass - 100% Pit Bull, Male, 1 1/2 year old. Cass is extremely strong! It is next to impossible to walk this dog on a leash. This is his trainer's #1 concern right now. She is working hard to get him to calm down on a leash. He is responding well to treats and so far knows, sit, down, and paw. He is getting better on the leash but still needs a lot of work! Cass is one of the surrenders due to the economy.

Awestin - Awestin is a Yellow Lab. Probably about one year old, male. Yellow Labs are know for being difficult to train and getting into a lot of mischief, which I assume is why he was turned into the shelter. His trainer is doing an excellent job with him so far. One of the employees at the facility is adopting Awestin when he graduates from the program.

Happy - Happy is a Brittney Spaniel. He is about 2-3 years old. Happy was a stray. He is very high strung. Happy may have been let loose by his owner. Sometimes with hunting breeds, when they are done with them, they are either let loose or turned in. Sad how some people use these dogs to get THEIR job done and just throw them away when the job is finished.

Lilly - Lilly is a Pit/Australian Shep. mix. I think she's about 2 years old. She was a stray. Lilly is very smart and has become very protective of her trainer. We started off just figuring out what she knows already but quickly realized that she needs to work on socialization. For now that is all her trainer will work on. Without socialization this dog would never end up in a "forever" home. Because of her trainer and this program she will have a good chance of finding that home! Lilly's trainer will literally be saving Lilly's life. What an accomplishment.

Midnight - Midnight is a female about 1 1/2 years old. She is a Rottweiler mix and an extremely sweet dog! She can be pretty goofy too! She is learning at a very fast pace but gets distracted easily. She was a stray and we can see that in her personality. She is always on guard and aware of her surroundings. She loves to play with the other dogs and the kids. Midnight will make a great pet for a family with children and it would be nice if they have another dog too.

Tucker (aka Tuck Tuck) - Tucker is a male beagle, about 1 1/2 years old. He is a surrender. We get a lot of beagles in the program. We always have at least one beagle and one pit bull in our class. Both breeds really need some good training to be a good family dog (yes, pit bulls make good family pets!). Beagles can be very difficult to train. They are very distracted by all the different scents around them so it can be difficult to keep their attention during training. Tuck Tuck has two trainers, a boy and a girl. At first he really took to the girl and wouldn't listen at all to the boy. He is working very good with both trainers now.

So those are the dogs we are working with right now. Around the first week of July these dogs will be adopted out, provided they are ready for their "forever" homes and we will bring in another six dogs to work with.

The kids in this program will work with dogs for appoximately 14-15 weeks. We usually do an eight to 10 week program else where but in this facility the kids are there at least six months so we are able to keep them in the program longer. Once they graduate from the program, provided they are still in the facility, the kids will be able to come to the next session to mentor the new kids. It's wonderful to watch them demonstrate what they've learned to the new kids.

This is all I will post for today! Tomorrow I'll work on telling you what I can about the kids!

First Blog EVER!!!

Hello,



This is the first blog I've ever done. I've never been much interested in blogs until my Aunt started doing one when she travels and I just love reading it! So, I've decided to give it a try myself.

I assume that most reading it, if anyone does, probably knows me but for anyone who somehow discovers this that doesn't know me I will give a little background on myself and why I'm doing this blog....



I am Lisa Rabine and I work/volunteer for an organization called Teacher's Pet. At Teacher's Pet we pair "at-risk" youth with shelter/rescue dogs for an eight to 13 week training program. The kids learn about stress reduction and management of dogs, identifing breeds and characteristics, and put themselves in the "dogs paws". They learn about the basics of dog training and teach the dogs to sit, stay, laydown, leave-it, and several other commands, and some really cool tricks too.



I have recently started working with a group of kids that are incarcerated. As of now I don't feel comfortable giving the name of the location or the names of the kids. I also will not say what the kids are serving time for and really what they are there for is not important. What is important is what they go on to do from now on and when they are released.



So, right now I guess I will post after each training day and whenever else I have something to say!