(COLORADO) — Is your dog bad? Send them to prison. The Prison Trained K-9 Companion Program (PTKCP) aims to fix up your dog and give incarcerated individuals an opportunity to show off their work performance.

The program by Colorado Correctional Industries (CCi) began in 2002 as a basic dog obedience training program that taught incarcerated individuals how to train dogs.

“The program helps participants by teaching them valuable life skills and providing them with experience that gives them opportunities to succeed in the broader community,” said Christian Andrade, Marketing and Communications Lead at the Colorado Department of Corrections.

Now, the program provides basic obedience for privately owned dogs for an initial four-week period, where they learn how to sit, stay, down, recall, and how to heel on a loose leash. Inmates who participate in this program learn new skills and earn a salary that is based on their work performance. They are also eligible to earn a vocational certification in Canine Behavior Modification.

Currently, it operates in six different correctional facilities throughout Colorado. The training also provides dog-to-dog socialization and includes crate training, as the dogs are housed in crates within the cell with the inmate handler assigned to care and train them.

According to Andrade, the program trains an average of 1,000 dogs per year.

“The program has dogs arriving and leaving on a weekly basis, several days a week, at various locations,” Andrade said. “These include boarding-in training dogs, program-owned dogs trained for adoption, and returning dogs taking advantage of our Alumni privileges.”

Those who are looking for a furry best friend can also adopt from the program. Individuals interested can look at available dogs online and complete an application through the website. After completing an application, there is an initial phone consultation. If they are a good fit, arrangements are made for them to meet the dog and complete a Go Home class, which prepares the adopters to maintain the dog’s training and successfully transition them to their home.

The program-owned dogs typically receive a total of eight weeks of training. The program collaborates with several shelters and rescue partners to transfer “suitable” puppies and dogs they have for adoption.

Dogs up for adoption receive vaccinations, heartworm testing, a microchip, and neuter or spay.

To see dogs up for adoption or learn more about how to send your dog to jail, click the link above.