By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Photos by Fred W. Baker III
Army Capt. Lawrence Minnis sits with his two adopted pit bulls at the Washington Humane Society’s Behavior and Learning Center. Minnis met the dogs through the humane society’s Dog Tags program, in which Soldiers recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center sign up to help teach animals housed at the shelter learn how to behave.
Lawrence Minnis never met a dog he didn’t like.
‘“I want just about every dog I see,” the Army captain said with a laugh.
Minnis is especially fond of pit bulls, and he somewhat resembles his favorite breed - broad-shouldered, stocky and muscular. He sat on the floor in the back of a classroom at a Washington Humane Society shelter in Washington, D.C. recently, stroking his adopted black pit bull, Ebony.
As happy and healthy as the two appear now, they met when they were both on the mend - Minnis from a near-crippling infection and Ebony from nearly starving and freezing to death. The two shared a companionship that helped them heal and ultimately altered the course of their lives.
Minnis met Ebony through the Humane Society’s Dog Tags program in which Soldiers recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center sign up to help the shelter dogs learn to behave. It’s a program in which everyone benefits, officials said; the Soldiers get out of the hospital and learn to care for and train the dogs, and the dogs learn better behavior, making them more adoptable.
‘“They’re really loving those relationships with the animals,” said Diana Foley, behavior and training counselor with the Humane Society. ‘“It gives them a way to get away from Walter Reed. They can come here and interact with the animals.”
The program began simply enough more than a year ago. The shelter is across the street from the Walter Reed campus. Soldiers out walking would come across shelter staff members walking the dogs. They would stop and pet the dogs and seemed to enjoy getting to know them. Officials at the shelter had the idea to hook the two together through a training program for the troops and the dogs.
The six-month program is split into three levels, ranging from beginner to advanced. In the beginner class, troops learn basic animal body language and obedience commands such as ‘“sit” and ‘“stay.” In the advanced classes, troops learn to evaluate the dogs’ temperament and how to begin working with aggression issues and separation anxiety.
The skills the dogs learn in the classes translate to better placement opportunities, Foley said. The program has far expanded the amount of training the shelter’s dogs received previously.
‘“This is another way our dogs are outside of their kennels being talked to and touched and interacting with people,” she said. ‘“That’s extremely beneficial to reduce the stress levels of the animals in our kennels, and at the same time, it makes the animals far more successful in their new homes if they come into it with some basic obedience training.”
But, for all of the good it is for the dogs, it is equally beneficial for the recovering troops, Foley said.
Foley described one Soldier who came to the class who was having difficulty interacting with people. He didn’t make eye contact and kept to himself. Working with the dogs built his confidence and helped to bridge his shyness with the staff.
‘“It really helped him develop social relationships with people,” Foley said. ‘“He went from being a very, very shy person when he first entered. [Now] he’s totally not that same shy person that he came into the program being.”
Some Soldiers remain on as volunteers at the shelter long after the classes end, Foley said. Minnis continues to work with the shelter.
After a viral infection in his brain stem left him temporarily unable to walk and barely able to talk, the Army officer found himself recovering at Walter Reed. He was deployed to Iraq at the start of a promising Army career when he got sick. At Walter Reed, he found out he couldn’t deploy again.
In May 2008, his occupational therapist recommended him to the Dog Tags program. Minnis said he had wanted to get a dog for a pet anyway, so he thought it would be a good opportunity to learn a few skills. The shelter had several of his favorite breed on hand, and the dogs were good companions and good for his physical therapy.
‘“It helped me while I was still trying to walk, being active, having to walk around with the dog. [During training], I’m not focused on me having balance issues or [not] being able to speak. I’m concentrating on what I need to do to train the dog,” Minnis said. ‘“It takes the focus completely off of me and puts it on the dog and what we’re doing.”
But, Minnis’ interests soon expanded, and often he would visit the shelter just to sit and play with the dogs. He said it was his quiet time.
As it looked more like he would be medically retired, Minnis said the training took on a different perspective. He was a business major in college, and always wanted to be an entrepreneur. He figured a dog-training business would be easy-to-start and not need a lot of money or overhead.
‘“I figured it’s a perfect opportunity,” he said. ‘“I get to learn how to train [and] have a business I can work on, or at least a side business.”
Minnis eventually adopted Ebony, one of his favorite dogs. The two now regularly attend the shelter classes, helping to train others on animal behavior. Minnis also takes Ebony to the Metropolitan Police Department when he speaks to cadets going through training there, noting that he hopes to cast a more positive light on a breed that has captured a lot of negative attention.
He teaches the cadets to read a dog’s body language so they can tell when there is a real threat.
‘“I would take her with me … so they can get used to seeing a pit bull that’s not what they see on TV,” Minnis said. ‘“Often, officers don’t really know if the dog is friendly, scared or ready to attack.”
In fact, Ebony is one of the friendliest dogs the cadets will meet, he said - friendly enough that he felt comfortable bringing her home to his two small boys.
In the end, though, it is not a dog-training business that Minnis decided to pursue. It is, however, what he learned from the lessons during the training and while working with the dogs that led to what he hopes is a promising career.
During the training, Minnis said, he began pondering how leadership principles in dog training are the same as with dealing with people.
‘“Dogs are pack creatures. Humans are pack creatures. It’s the same leadership,” he said. ‘“It’s not about a title, or in our case in the military, your rank, that makes you a leader. It’s if you’re doing the natural things that make you a leader in your pack.”
Now, Minnis is researching and writing a book on the principles of leadership and packaging a presentation targeting businesses, the military and government. He already has given a few presentations on his theories, and is refining and expanding on them.
Minnis still is a few weeks away from his medical retirement, and is working to get back to 100 percent. He has joined a gym, started jogging, and adopted another pit bull from the shelter named Nina.
Between working on his recovery and his book, Minnis said, he hopes to help the humane society expand the Dog Tags program. It is worthy, he said, of reaching beyond the Capital Beltway and out to other active duty installations.
‘“Anywhere you go, there are going to be dogs that need training and Soldiers who are going through some type of therapy that will benefit from it,” he said. ‘“I want to make sure that’s going to be able to expand and reach out to a lot more Soldiers. It’s a great program.”
