The Benefits of Prison Animal Training Programs Essay Sample

In prison, it can get lonely with having the same routine every day. There are plenty of outlets for ways to keep busy. The best way to keep some inmates' minds off things is the training dog programs. To help with boredom, there are activities in places such as rehabilitation programs that introduce prisoners to dogs, feeling lonely isn’t so common anymore. Having an event to do every so often like working with dogs, helps better the mood while also improving the inmate’s responsibility. The different types of programs help connect the dog and prisoner and get used to being around another living being. The ways of training can help benefit certain goals for the dog. Many dogs become service or emotional support animals after the training is completed. The opportunity not only helps prisoners reconnect with life but saves the dogs from being killed. With many types of programs, a few of them go toward current knowledge for studies. Some studies indicate dogs can help with stress and give off an innovative way of thinking. Even though only a certain number of prisoners can participate in training dogs, many stays in the program after the dogs they trained graduate. A few dogs are taught to be service dogs for those who suffer from a stronger illness. Service dogs aid others with extreme-moderate issues, one of the issues being PTSD. Saving dogs from death and indeed providing them a chance to be adopted is the overall goal for these organizations. Dogs entirely are loving, calming, and even therapeutic. The inmates that suffer from mental illnesses benefit greatly from this program. With all the other ways to instruct the dog, everyone can enjoy them. These convicts are helping train and teach the dogs approximately once a week. The training can help with a way for them to escape reality and do something they enjoy. Prisoners working with sheltered animals have many pros such as giving diverse opportunities for not only the dog but the inmate, supporting the dog and the adoption center, and the program having many benefits for multiple things. Prisoners working with the dogs improve their empathy, and responsibility, and help develop teamwork. With all the different types of inmates working with dog programs, they all have the same end goal of helping them feel connected and change from behavior. A group of prisoners dedicates a portion of their day to working with other inmates as they each receive their specific dog, which also indirectly improves communication. Through training, the animals are prepared for adoption and mostly all are saved from death. The prisoners participated in the dog training program to help gather facts about human and animal bonds. The study proved that the “human-animal bond did not predict lower stress or higher self-esteem”(Karkdijk). To train the dog there are multiple requirements such as not violet, not having a bad past with animals, and not experiencing any behavioral issues since being incarcerated. Soon after the dog is fit enough to graduate from training, the inmates stay in the program for the following dog. This opportunity remains a reward for good behavior and is beneficial for both the human and dog. Another study considered “Animal Assisted Intervention”, the evaluation of how the study affected levels of cortisol of shelter dogs and how the dogs reacted. The reactions of the animal’s physiological and behavioral health were assessed. It is believed the location of the testing made a difference in the study. There were saliva samples collected every two weeks and at two unique locations. One test sample showed a “decrease in the cortisol baseline at the end of the AAI program”(d’Angelo). The results of the AAI study stated that the “interaction with humans in an altered environment than the living environment (i.e., an isolated room in the shelter [53] or at a private home [54]) cause a decline in cortisol concentration of dogs housed in kennels.”(d’Angelo). In every study, the dogs go through a regular animal visit and also undergo lab tests. The prisoners go over the simple rules such as when to pet the dog and easy commands. When being incarcerated for a while people start to feel alone because they were so utilized to their past. With the chance to help exercise the dogs, inmates gain a more cheerful outlook on what’s yet to come. Now, with help of training abandoned animals, there have been a lot of improvements within the prisons. There is a variety of reasons why a dog gets trained such as the potential to get adopted, to help those in need, or even to become an emotional or support dog. Each reason has a certain requirement to teach the dog. For a dog to become a service/emotional support animal, it must know a few things different from the normal training. The dog must have good reaction skills in case the owner needs to be attended to. Because service dogs are different from other dogs there are given more complicated commands, so the dog needs to react in time and recall the phrase. If the dog is abandoned, there’s a high chance he/she will have trust issues and maybe some difficulty cooperating. When teaching dogs, there are certain rules and standards it must have to be concerned trainable. When dogs are introduced to the prisons to get trained by inmates, not only do they get a new experience and grow themselves, but they save the dog's life. There is a variety of events that have to happen before the dog ends up being trained. Dogs get checked out and tested to see if they could qualify to be trained which means they cannot have any behavior issues. Over time as the dog gets comfortable with the human, it would be easier to start training them. Various programs have different lengths of how long they train for a week. Those who suffer from mental illness, have the option of dog-based therapy. For therapy, the timespan is usually “60 and 120 min, with the frequency being between 1 and 3 days/week.”(Dominguez) When the dogs completed the training that’s needed to become a service or emotional support animal, a new group of dogs comes in and the cycle continues. An inmate’s life can get pretty boring considering they have to do the same thing every day. The dog program gives them something to look forward to. They are building relationships with the animals and with other prisoners. Placing them in more social and group settings can help arrange a better life in the cells. The skills that are gained from the training can be an improvement of social skills, selflessness, and a sense of well-being. Dogs were introduced to prisons because it was believed they would improve the inmate's mood and gives them a different perceptive of life. With the dog being a shelter or an abandoned dog, it frequently means there’s not much of another choice it has. Training the dog for adoption is saving the dog and giving it a better life. Since dogs are so loving, the inmates enjoy Learning how to train the dog and attending to them at a scheduled time. With there being so many positives to this opportunity, the most significant pro is being able to save a dog’s life just by prisoners training them. Some dogs are incapable to live with people because of what their past owners did to them for another reason. Ultimately, the dog helps them, and they help the dog. Considering the causes of prisoners working with abandoned animals, finding dogs a new home is a goal with training. With training, the dog and the prisoner will grasp new things such as communicating properly and listening to instructions. Doing so, helped build and form a relationship between humans and animals. Since the inmates are so used to an ordinary routine, those who qualify to enter the dog training program. This opens up new opportunities to connect with others, build friendships, and help better their behavior. In this situation, everyone benefits from the training program. The inmate teaching him/her gets to do something that they enjoy, the dog gets to learn new commands and work on different tasks, and the adopter receives a dog who is well-trained and can help if needed.