Puppies Behind Bars

In 2006, Puppies Behind Bars began raising service dogs for the disabled. Their program provides prison inmates the opportunity to train these dogs alongside wounded war veterans through their Dog Tags program. In addition to basic obedience, manners, and socialization, inmate puppy raisers are responsible for teaching the pups almost eighty commands.

Once the pups reach eighteen months of age, they are tested to determine their suitability for formal training by PBB.  When a puppy is matched with a disabled individual, final training continues specific to the client’s needs. Currently, over forty service dogs are being raised in three of their six prisons.