How Inmate Handlers Train Service Dogs That Change Lives | Jillian Ashton, Indiana Canine Assistant Network

On today's show I sat down with Jillian Ashton, president and CEO of the Indiana Canine Assistant Network (ICAN), Indiana's only accredited service dog organization through Assistance Dogs International, during International Assistance Dog Week.

Ashton explains how ICAN trains service dogs to support children, adults, and veterans with mobility and psychiatric needs, and how dogs can serve as a social bridge in public. She details ICAN's unique model of training dogs primarily in Indiana correctional facilities, including two-week in-prison team training where inmate handlers transfer skills to clients. ICAN places about 20 dogs per year, with roughly a 50% graduation rate, and it costs about $30,000 to train a dog over two years; veterans receive dogs at no charge.

The episode also covers dog breeding, puppy development timelines, volunteer roles, and how to get involved via icandog.org.

If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.

You are going to learn about:
- The Indiana Canine Assistant Network
- ICAN Dog Training and Puppy Training
- How to Volunteer with ICAN

Thank you to our partners:
Bloomrank
Discover Boone County

Check out these great clips from the show:
00:00 Purposeful Partnership
01:16 Meet ICAN and the Dogs
02:49 Why Service Dogs Matter
04:14 Accreditation and Origins
07:22 Jillian's Path to ICAN
11:18 Training Dogs in Prison
15:25 Team Training Inside Prison
17:23 Other Training Models
19:25 Costs and Funding Reality
21:02 Why Some Dogs Don't Graduate
22:20 Career Changes and Scent Work
25:49 Breeds and Tiny Service Dogs
29:32 Puppy to Placement
32:09 Puppy Birth Basics
32:39 Early Sensory Handling
33:37 Volunteer Vetting
35:27 Prison Whelp Program
38:07 Training Rotation Cycle
38:46 Volunteer Roles Explained
39:32 Service vs Therapy Dogs
40:40 Training The Trainers
44:12 Puppy Training Advice
45:35 Career Change Adoptions
47:09 Building Composure
49:09 Get Involved With ICAN
51:16 Indiana Rapid Fire
55:03 Hidden Gems Spotlight
56:55 Hoosier To Watch
59:07 Favorite Indiana Memory
01:00:31 Final Plug And Wrap

Get IN. is brought to you by our friends at Sweetwater. Whether you are looking to start a podcast or level up your current show you need to hit them up.