Since 1996 when Carol and Dana Byrnes started Diamonds in the Ruff, the business has helped scores of dogs and their owners embark on a journey to transform their lives together.
This adventure often starts in a large, open room filled with training books and art featuring dogs, including a funny sign with the phrase "properly trained, man can be dog's best friend," as well as dog figurines, many that were gifts from grateful dog owners.
"We're an animal loving family," says co-owner Carol Byrnes, whose son, Travis, is also involved in the business. "We have a number of really talented staff besides us, but we're kind of the mainstay."
Byrnes attributes some of their business's success to the relationships they've developed with students — human and canine — over the years.
"We're not just giving them information and sending them home, we are available to answer questions," she says. "It's not just 'come, sit, stand, down.' We're building positive relationships with the people, their families, their dogs and helping them get along."
Owners can bring their puppies to obedience classes as soon as the pups have received their first vaccinations. Diamonds in the Ruff offers beginner classes where pooches learn basic manners, plus intermediate classes teaching clicker training. Advanced classes include fun courses like agility training or doggie parkour. Adults and children are welcome to attend with their dog.
In 2012 Carol Byrnes also started working as a program manager with the Airway Heights Correction Center's Pawsitive Dog prison training program.
"The very first day that we walked in with the dogs, we had guys burst into tears, [and who] said 'I haven't touched a dog in X number of years,'" Byrnes says. "It's an amazing program, and probably one of the most rewarding things I've ever done."
For the program, dogs at SpokAnimal's shelter that are in need of some extra attention and training in order to become adoptable are paired with an inmate who's responsible for the dog for the next 10 to 12 weeks, around the clock.
"We like to say it takes a village to raise a dog," Byrnes says. "There's a lot of community that happens with the program."
The inmates learn a variety of life skills, and the value of teamwork as they work alongside fellow handlers and program mentors. After the dogs "graduate" and are adopted, they can continue training classes with their new owner at Diamonds in the Ruff for a reduced price.
"This is not just a job, it's a calling," Byrnes says. "We help the animals, we help the people. We help the families enjoy each other really. We go home covered in dog hair and tired, but it's the best."
2nd PLACE: Pawsitive Connection Dog Training
3rd PLACE: Method K9, Post Falls
