A Program Where Soldiers and Pups Heal Together

Came across this  story and had to share it.  What could be better than when both human and pup healing, and working towards helping each other?

At the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, soldiers are healing from various war injuries.  The center has a program with the Humane Society’s Dog Tags  program where both dogs and soldier are matched to help the dogs learn how to behave.

“They’re really loving those relationships with the animals,” said Diana Foley, behavior and training counselor with the Humane Society. “It gives them a way to get away from Walter Reed. They can come here and interact with the animals.”

Army Captian Lawrence Minnis with his two pit bulls, adopted from Washington Humane Society’s behavior and Learning Center, November 12 2009

photo by fred W. Baker III

The shelter is right across the street from Walter Reed and soldiers who  are out walking would walk up to the dogs being walked and there was a connection between the two and that is how the program started, only a  year ago.

There is a three level,  six-month program, ranging from beginners to advanced where basic body language, obedience commands, and leaning how to evaluate a dog’s temperament are taught.

The soldiers gain useful skills and the pups learn how to become a better candidate towards finding a home.

For all of the good it is for the dogs, it is equally beneficial for the recovering troops, Foley said.

“It’s really just an outlet to be social with people and social with the animals and have time away from the hospital,” she said.

Foley described one soldier who came to the class who was having difficulty interacting with people. He didn’t make eye contact and kept to himself. Working with the dogs built his confidence and helped to bridge his shyness with the staff.

“It really helped him develop social relationships with people,” Foley said. “He went from being a very, very shy person when he first entered. [Now] he’s totally not that same shy person that he came into the program being.”

One special person, Army Captain Lawrence Minnis a solder recovering from brain stem infection that left  him temporarily unable to walk and talk,  at Walter Reed is not only progressing along in his medical recovery, but is now promoting the Dog Tags program.  In the beginning he was happy to be working with his favorite breed of pup, the pit bull.  It was his quiet time to be at the shelter and being with the pups.

He eventually adopted  one of them, Ebony, and now teaches some of the classes and even takes Ebony to the Metropolitan Police Department speaking to the cadets about the pit bull and educating them about the breed.

Though his training at the Humane society, he has learned much  regarding what has become his calling, to spread the word on leadership principles and to further expand the Dog Tags program.

“Dogs are pack creatures. Humans are pack creatures. It’s the same leadership,” he said. “It’s not about a title, or in our case in the military, your rank, that makes you a leader. It’s if you’re doing the natural things that make you a leader in your pack.”

“Anywhere you go, there are going to be dogs that need training and soldiers who are going through some type of therapy that will benefit from it,” he said. “I want to make sure that’s going to be able to expand and reach out to a lot more soldiers. It’s a great program.”

This was such a good story…. one to share and so nice to know how a  good idea can grow, with the right moment and the right person……and  how it specially touched Minnis so deeply,  it  has sparked and paved his way towards what is most important to him.

Kaley corgi kisses !!! …..

http://www.army.com/news/item/6122

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