Pawsitive for Heroes

06/19/2026

Congratulations to the following Veterans for their American Working Dog Certification

Jason and his amazing service dog RJ, Nicole her service dog Maggie, Mike with his service dog Ginger. They did an outstanding job this morning while testing for their American Working Dog Certification. Their hard work, dedication, and commitment truly showed throughout the evaluation, and we could not be more proud of this incredible team.

Great job to all three, today was a huge accomplishment and only the beginning of many more successes ahead!

06/19/2026

Tuesday July 7, 2026 at 6pm begins another CGC class for those interested. Yes, all classes are open to the public.

Please contact Paws Manager Nikole Clark at [email protected] or 716-630-5020. Limited spots available. Classes are 1hr in duration. Class is 6weeks long and $200

06/18/2026

Welcoming another new batch of beautiful pups coming into the program. We cannot wait to get these guys going inside the correctional facility. We officially receive them next week. This is a great working breed and will do amazing things for sure.

06/18/2026

06/17/2026

Our newest addition to our program. These guys are 8weeks old. Many thanks to our trainer Jennifer Gambino with Vom Kugelblitz Kennels and Training Academy. Jenn also handles our upcoming service dogs at Greene State Correctional Facility. I pop in monthly to see how things are going, if any changes need to be made, equipment etc.. Jenn is also a breeder, which is a huge asset as well. These pups will be heading to Lakeview Shock Camp next Wednesday morning with our other pups.

Purina NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision New York State Department of Veterans' Services

06/17/2026

Yesterday morning’s class at Niagara County Correctional was another reminder of just how far these incredible dogs have come.

It feels like just yesterday we picked up this group of pups at only 13 weeks old. Looking at them now, it’s hard to believe how much they have grown, not just in size, but in confidence, maturity, and intelligence. Every week they continue to impress us with their progress and dedication to learning the skills that will one day change a Veteran’s life.

The three Rottweilers in this class were brought to us from Chicago, Illinois. Did you know that Rottweilers are ranked as the 5th smartest dog breed? Watching them work each week certainly proves why. Their ability to learn, adapt, and perform complex tasks continues to amaze us.

Joining them is Mac, our gentle giant Newfoundland, who came to us from Cincinnati, Ohio. Mac has grown into an impressive young dog and continues to make great strides in his training.

The exciting part is that these dogs are not simply learning tasks, and commands, they are preparing for their futures as service dogs. We are proud to share that a new group of Veterans has recently been accepted into our program and will soon begin their journey toward receiving a highly trained service dog.

Communicanine Behavior Modification LLC Jay Slocum Niagara County Sheriff

06/15/2026

Our new vehicle for GA is complete. Again, we cannot say thank you enough to the following amazing sponsors who make it all possible. Thank you Streamline Designs for all of your assistance.

GEICO, Copart, Enterprise, Crash Champions Collision Repair, Purina, Moore For Kids, New Era Cap, National Auto Body Council

06/15/2026

Liberty attended her final adoption event yesterday as a foster. Because today she starts on her new journey, Liberty is being transferred to WNYHeroes.org Pawsitive for Heroes to embark on her biggest adventure yet - service dog training!

Liberty was a young pup in an open intake shelter, thank you to her selfless fosters Stephanie and Kevin she was able to enter foster care.

Liberty came from Laredo Animal Care Services. With the help of Austin Pets Alive! and Dog Is My CoPilot, Inc..

There is so much behind the scenes work, and so many organizations that work together in order to save these beautiful dogs.

06/13/2026

American Working Dog Certification

Congratulations to Veterans Jason and his service dog Winston and Robert and his service dog Vanessa. Outstanding job this morning while testing for their American Working Dog Certification. Their hard work, dedication, and commitment truly showed throughout the evaluation, and we could not be more proud of this incredible team.

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

06/12/2026

Another great morning training our future service dogs inside Wyoming State Correctional Facility!

Today, our President/Founder had the opportunity to bring inside our new Pawsitive for Heroes Program Manager, Becca, his Executive Assistant, and Nina from American Working Dog to see firsthand the incredible work being done by our handlers and dogs.
As we continue to grow our programs and strengthen our team, it just keeps getting more exciting.

The energy, dedication, and commitment inside the facility are truly something special. Today’s class seemed to fly by, and these handlers are absolutely crushing it. Their hard work and passion for the program are evident every single day.

A huge shoutout to our friends at Lakeview Shock Camp for giving these dogs such an incredible foundation before arriving at Wyoming. They have provided a fantastic jump start that is clearly paying dividends.

We are especially excited to see what the data shows as we continue evaluating our decision to bring dogs into the program at a younger age. While the numbers will eventually tell the story, Chris already has a pretty good feeling about the outcome. Then again, Chris also thinks every puppy is a genius, every dog is graduating top of their class, and every tail wag is a sign of future greatness. 😂

All jokes aside, the progress we’re seeing is remarkable, and we can’t wait to watch these dogs continue their journey toward changing the lives of Veterans across the country.

NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Communicanine Behavior Modification LLC