Canines inspire disabled trainer

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The Pueblo Chieftain

By Tracy Harmon

CANON CITY - Whether they are incarcerated humans or unwanted dogs, Debi Stevens is willing to give them another chance.

Stevens has overseen the Prison-Trained Canine Companion Program for nearly four years. She takes unwanted dogs from shelters, shows inmates how to train them and then finds the well-behaved critters new homes.

Where many people see unruly critters that are "throw-away" dogs, Stevens sees untapped potential. The same goes for many of the inmates she hires to work for Correctional Industries.

"The first time I saw inmate Robert Hamilton, he was in a wheelchair," Stevens recalls of one of her workers. "He asked if he could apply to work in the program and I know at the time he did not think he would ever see me again."

It wasn't pity for the wheelchair-bound inmate that made Stevens want to hire him. She saw something else.

"I thought he could do the job because of his positive, outgoing attitude," Stevens said.

Hamilton, now 23, came to prison four years ago. In the commission of robbing a jewelry store, he was shot in the stomach at close range with a shotgun.

The explosion severed the artery taking blood to his leg and "it bled to death" he said.

"It was my leg or my life," Hamilton explained.

But losing a leg and being sent to prison did not mean Hamilton had to give up on life.

"When life deals you a hand, you have to figure out how to deal with it. No matter what your challenges are, don't back down," Hamilton said.

So when he decided he wanted to train dogs, he set out to do just that. He didn't want to continue to work as a cellhouse porter, mopping floors for the rest of his time. "I hounded Mrs. Stevens to try to get in the program," Hamilton said. "I just have a love of dogs and I wanted to show people what I can do."

At Territorial prison, he gets around on two crutches attached to his arms as he trains the dogs. The dogs instinctively seem to know they can't pull too hard on the leash.

"The dogs say, 'This guy has three legs' and my dog will walk out wider from me," Hamilton said.

Despite his disadvantage, Hamilton has not fallen down on the job.

"A bull mastiff ran into me once and I had to do my 'Matrix' moves, but I didn't fall down," Hamilton said.

In 15 months, he's trained 10 dogs and one service dog, Charlie, who was adopted out to a disabled owner.

"It takes someone like me to know what others in my situation or worse feel and I can help tremendously in that area," Hamilton said of the service dog.

"It's a business and I learn not to get so attached to my dogs, but I spent five months with my service dog, Charlie, so it was kind of hard to see him go," Hamilton said. "Mrs. Stevens had me with a new dog the same day," so there was no time for Hamilton to be said.

The job doesn't come easy.

"Mr. Hamilton has to work twice as hard to train the dogs. He has trained small and large dogs and done a really super job," Stevens said.

"I love a challenge - if it is not hard, I pretty much don't want to do it. I just go about things different," Hamilton said.

He credits his 13 fellow dog trainers with giving him some help when he needs it.

"I love this program. This is a way to challenge myself, do something positive and get certified. I want to live life as a dog trainer - that's where my heart is," Hamilton said.

It seems he'll get a chance to prove he can do that as he is soon to be released from prison.

"I plan to get in the field and I want to specialize in service dogs. These dogs bring out the best in me," Hamilton said.