Pawsitive for Heroes

05/30/2026

Meet Willie Cook! Willie has been with us since December 2025 and has been doing an absolutely amazing job handling both our school and our dogs. He has quickly become a huge part of our family and we honestly couldn’t imagine the place without him.

Now, while Willie is incredible at what he does, there are moments where even he questions his life choices 😂😂😂

When we stopped out at the school the other day, we caught Willie with a look on his face that screamed, “Oh my God… somebody please help me!” Naturally, instead of helping immediately like responsible adults, we hurried up, grabbed our phones, took pictures, laughed hysterically, and THEN stepped in. Priorities, right? 😂🐶

Truthfully though, hiring Willie was one of the easiest and best decisions we’ve made. He and Chris go back a little ways, and the second Chris heard Willie wanted to join our family, it took all of about two seconds before he said, “Welcome aboard.”

Since then, Willie has fit right in with the chaos, the laughs, the dogs, and the mission. We appreciate everything you do, Willie… even if the dogs occasionally make you question your sanity 😂❤️

05/29/2026

Today was an exciting day as we officially delivered our next group of pups to Wyoming Correctional Facility where they will now begin the next phase of their journey with more advanced and intensive training. The excitement throughout the facility was incredible, and it was amazing to see how happy everyone was to welcome the program back.

These pups have already come such a long way at such a young age, and their progress continues to impress us daily. Their obedience, focus, and willingness to learn has exceeded expectations, which honestly makes us think they may not even need the full 10 months inside the facility. Then again, they may also discover the prison routine is easier than paying rent and decide to stick around awhile longer. 😂

We are extremely proud of the foundation that Chris has built with them at Lakeview and excited to watch their growth continue as they move deeper into their service dog training journey. The future is incredibly bright for these pups, and even brighter for the Veterans whose lives they will soon help change. Special thank you to our friends at Purina for their continued love and support.

Communicanine Behavior Modification LLC NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision

05/28/2026

Today wrapped up our very first round of puppies at Lakeview Shock Camp, and what an incredible journey it has already been for these young pups. Over the past several months, they have built a strong foundation in obedience, socialization, structure, and discipline. Now, they will begin the next chapter of their training as they transfer to our friends at Wyoming State Correctional Facility, where they will continue advancing their skills and spend a longer period inside the program.

We are truly excited to watch these pups continue to grow and develop into life-changing for in need. Of course, after spending this much time inside correctional facilities, there’s always the chance they come out either absolutely amazing… or completely institutionalized 😂😂😂

Most importantly, two of these pups have already been designated as successor dogs for Veterans who recently had to retire their current service dogs due to health-related concerns. When a Veteran is in need of a successor dog, they immediately move to the very top of our priority list. These dogs are not just companions, they are lifelines, partners, and a critical part of daily life.

We could not be more proud of the progress these pups have made already, and we cannot wait to see the impact they will make in the lives of those who our country. Special thank you to our friends at Buddy's Second Chance Rescue and Allie & Pals Rescue for donating their pups to our program. We also cannot forget an even bigger partner, Purina for donating pallets and pallets of their food. Milk-Bone Buffalo for sending boxes and boxes and boxes of training treats.

Communicanine Behavior Modification LLC NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision

05/26/2026

Every day inside our program brings something special, but today at Groveland State Correctional Facility was truly about lifting spirits and reminding our handlers why this work matters so much.

We had the honor of welcoming Jay Henchen and his Alex back to Groveland. Alex graduated from our program two years ago and was paired with Jay upon graduation. Seeing them together again was incredibly powerful for everyone involved.

Jay is wheelchair bound, a double amputee, and has limited use of his arms, yet his sense of humor, positivity, and quick wit light up every room he enters. He shared firsthand how much Alex has changed his daily life, giving him greater independence, and confidence.

We provided lunch for the handlers and gave them the opportunity to hear directly from someone whose life has been impacted by one of our service dogs. While our founder Chris often shares these success stories, hearing it personally from a veteran like Jay carries a completely different level of meaning and motivation.

Moments like these remind everyone involved, handlers, staff, and volunteers alike, that the hard work, , and they put into these dogs truly changes lives. It was a great morale boost for the entire team and a day none of us will forget.

Communicanine Behavior Modification LLCNYS Department of Corrections and Community SupervisionPurinaJay Slocum

05/26/2026

Every week we need to do weigh-ins with our pups at Groveland State Correctional Facility. Why? Because just like humans, somebody has to make sure they’re not sneaking extra snacks when nobody is looking 😂😂

These weigh-ins help us carefully monitor their health, growth, and make sure we have the correct dosage amounts for and . It’s an important part of keeping our future service dogs healthy, strong, and ready for the important jobs ahead of them.

Now… as you can clearly see in these photos, one particular pup has apparently decided he no longer identifies as an incarcerated trainee and instead believes he is part of the staff 😂😂😂

I’m not sure if this was an attempted disguise, an escape plan, or if he simply thought wearing a different look would earn him early parole and immediate release to “freedom.” Nice try buddy, but you still have training to finish first.

These pups continue to grow physically, mentally, and emotionally every single week. The progress has been amazing to watch, and the handlers continue doing an incredible job with them.
 NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Communicanine Behavior Modification LLC Purina Jay Slocum

05/26/2026

❤️‍🩹🇺🇸 we remember. Today. Tomorrow. Always.

We were incredibly honored to meet WNYHeroes.org "Veteran of the Year" Frank Cius.

Frank’s PTSD service dog, Georgie, was named in honor of a fallen hero. It’s one of the many reasons we so deeply admire our friends at WNY Heroes and Pawsitive for Heroes. Their incredible mission not only provides life-changing support dogs to veterans, but honors the legacies of fallen heroes by naming these dogs after them -- ensuring their names and sacrifice continue to live on in such a meaningful way. ❤️🇺🇸

Thank you, Frank, for your bravery and your service. We will forever remember your sacrifice, Staff Sgt. Georgie Wagner.

05/23/2026

🇺🇸 American Working Dog Certification 🇺🇸

Congratulations to Army Veteran Kat Mehnert and her amazing Abby for doing an outstanding job this morning while testing for their American Working Dog Certification. Their hard work, , and commitment truly showed throughout the evaluation, and we could not be more proud of this incredible team.

A special thank you goes out to Amton Auto & Truck, Inc. in Tonawanda for sponsoring Abby and helping make a life-changing difference for one of our . Your continues to impact lives in such a meaningful way.

Great job Kat and Abby, today was a huge accomplishment and only the beginning of many more successes ahead!

05/21/2026

Thank you so much to Walton Options for inviting Pawsitive for Heroes out to the Third Thursday event in North Augusta, SC! 🇺🇸🐾

What an incredible opportunity to connect with the community, share our mission, and spread awareness about the life-changing impact service dogs have for our veterans. We are so grateful for the support and the chance to be part of such a wonderful event!
Sara and October had the best time!

05/21/2026

Hi Pooch Parents, 🐶
I wanted to send a quick little reminder that the Painted Pups calendar is still open for pups to join! 📅🐾

Right now, I only have 5 spots left to fill in order for the calendar to be a go, and I would absolutely LOVE to see a few more Pooch Playoffs pups featured. ❤️

This special 11x14 wall calendar will feature 12 amazing dogs, each highlighted as a beautiful digital oil painting for their month. 🎨 It is honestly going to be SUCH a fun keepsake while also helping us finish our fundraising goal for WNY Heroes and the Pawsitive for Heroes program. 🇺🇸

Each featured pup spot is $125 and includes:
🐾 Your dog featured as one of the 12 calendar pups
🐾 One 11x14 Painted Pups calendar
🐾 The chance to help us sponsor another service dog for a local veteran ❤️

Additional calendars can also be purchased for $20 each.

I’ve included some examples of last year’s calendar below so you can see how beautiful these turned out! ✨

If you would like your pup to grab one of the final 5 spots, simply reply to this email and I will send over an invoice. Spots are first come, first served and invoices must be paid within 24 hours to hold your pup’s place.

Thank you all again for being part of this incredible community. 🐾

Ashley