Some Oklahomans need "a new leash on life". An Oklahoma non-profit by that name makes it their mission to hand them one-- with a cold nose and a warm furry muzzle at the other end.

Barbara Lewis, president, said A New Leash on Life, Inc. was founded to improve people's lives by utilizing the special abilities of dogs. New Leash trains Assistance Dogs for people with disabilities; Therapy Dogs to cheer the elderly and motivate children learning to read or in therapy; and Companion Dogs for adoption from unwanted shelter dogs through an inmate training program at a local correctional facility.

The New Leash training facility sits on 40-acres just south of Blanchard on property Lewis' family has owned since 1960's. New Leash also has offices in Norman and will soon in Oklahoma City. Companion dogs are trained by inmates from the CCA Davis Correctional Facility in Holdenville.

Assistance Dogs

New Leash Assistance Dogs work with children and adults with disabilities, health, mobility and developmental challenges to increase their self-reliance, independence and quality of life.

"These dogs are with their humans 24/7, go every place they go, open doors, pull wheelchairs, turn light switches on and off, retrieve dropped items or go get help. They learn to watchfully anticipate whatever their human needs and then provide it," Lewis said. "They develop an almost telepathic communication with people."

One New Leash client, David Surgnier, has Multiple Sclerosis, lives alone and is confined to a wheel chair. However, he is able to continue his work as an environmental engineer, constantly flying from one location to another, thanks to his dog Maxie, a Golden Retriever.

While Maxie pulls David's wheelchair through the airports, retrieves items he drops and opens doors, David said the most important thing he does is to force him to get out of bed every morning and keep going. 'You can't think about how bad you feel with a cold nose in your face. Maxie is priceless."

Assistance Dogs are donated to New Leash by Oklahoma breeders. The puppies spend the first 14 months of early training and socialization with volunteer puppy raisers. After they complete advanced training, the dogs are matched with their newnowner. New Leash trainers work in the home with the client and dog to help them learn to work as a team. It takes about two years and $8,000 to train an assistance dog. There is no charge to the new owners. The program has placed approximately 20 Assistance Dogs to date.

Therapy Dogs

All Therapy Dogs must have had basic manners training and completed their Canine Good Citizen training from a New Leash approved program to qualify for Therapy Dog training. Michelle Traw of Norman, Therapy Dog program director, said Therapy Dogs are trained to work at three levels.

At levels one and two, volunteers use their pet dogs that have been through the New Leash training to visit nursing homes. New Leash also works with 4-H clubs throughout the state to teach students to train Therapy Dogs and take them on visitations.

"With level three dogs, we work with therapists and their patients s on a one-on-one basis on goal oriented therapy. The dogs help motivate patients to work longer and harder with therapists, Traw said.

Therapy dogs are trained for specific things like sitting very still while someone buckles and unbuckles a collar; walking at a snail's pace beside a stroke patient learning to walk again, or placing a toy in the lap of a patient, so they can throw it again and again.

New Leash also teaches Therapy dogs to appear to "read and look" at books in children's reading programs. "They never criticize or laugh at the kids like humans do, so the children develop more confidence and skill reading out loud. They can't just lay down next to the child and sleep either," Traw said. This program is now underway at Taft Middle School in Oklahoma City where 22 children from seven nationalities are learning to read, speak and write English before they are put in regular classrooms.

Traw said some dogs that were raised for an Assistance Dog, but are better suited for therapy dog, are placed as "special needs" dogs with very disabled children or adults. The dog is a companion and therapists use the dog to encourage patients to try new things. These dogs go to therapy sessions and the family receives the same training support as the Assistance Dogs.

Companion Dogs Trained "Behind Bars"

A third New Leash program teaches inmates at CCA Davis Correctional Facility in Holdenville to train unadoptable shelter dogs into well-mannered companion dogs, who are then adopted in the community.

Research shows the inmates benefit as much as the dogs, who would probably have been euthanized. The inmates become more patient, tolerant and less aggressive, learn a skill and the reward of community service. Some 45 dogs have been adopted through the program. As the inmate handlers, sometimes tearfully, hand the leash of their dog over to its new owner, they receive another dog to continue the 10-week program. New Leash pays for all the expenses of the program, including food, vet supplies, training treats and supplies. ss

Prior to starting A New Leash on Life, Inc., in 2005, Lewis was the Oklahoma field agent for a national assistance dog-training agency for 16 years. Lewis works seven days a week and drives 250 miles a day to carry on the work of A New Leash on Life, Inc. When asked what drives her to make A New Leash on Life her life, she said, "It's the clients. Seeing how important these dogs are to the people they serve makes me go to any length to make sure our programs continue.

A New Leash on Life, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that depends solely on donations from the public and volunteers to support its mission of changing people's lives through specially trained dogs. For more information on A New Leash On Life, Inc.'s other programs, see www.newleashinc.org or call 405-224-7715.