Picture a dog, discarded and forgotten, now imagine it becoming a hero in a police uniform. This is the heart of our latest episode, where Carol Skaziak of the Throwaway Dogs Project takes us on a riveting journey from obscurity to glory for canines who prove to be much more than meets the eye. Carol, with roots that run deep in PR, marketing, and law enforcement, unveils the transformation of rescue dogs into indispensable assets for police departments, offering a narrative that intertwines second chances with societal impact.
Throughout the episode, we traverse the tales of breeds like pit bulls, shattering long-held stereotypes as they emerge as champions in scent detection and arson investigation. We spotlight a particular pit bull whose journey to becoming Law Enforcement Dog of the Year redefines the role these dogs can play in law enforcement. Carol and I engage in a rich discussion about the meticulous selection process, the victories of dogs finding their calling, and the invaluable training that prepares them and their handlers for the field's challenges.
As we wrap up our conversation, Carol's passion and sense of purpose shine through, revealing the tenacity it takes to spearhead a mission-driven nonprofit in a competitive industry. We touch upon the complexities and the fulfillment that come from uniting a community to back a cause that offers more than just a service—it provides a transformative experience for both the dogs and the departments they join. So join us for an intimate exploration of dedication, impact, and the indomitable bond between humans and their four-legged partners.
Picture a dog, discarded and forgotten, now imagine it becoming a hero in a police uniform. This is the heart of our latest episode, where Carol Skaziak of the Throwaway Dogs Project takes us on a riveting journey from obscurity to glory for canines who prove to be much more than meets the eye. Carol, with roots that run deep in PR, marketing, and law enforcement, unveils the transformation of rescue dogs into indispensable assets for police departments, offering a narrative that intertwines second chances with societal impact.
Throughout the episode, we traverse the tales of breeds like pit bulls, shattering long-held stereotypes as they emerge as champions in scent detection and arson investigation. We spotlight a particular pit bull whose journey to becoming Law Enforcement Dog of the Year redefines the role these dogs can play in law enforcement. Carol and I engage in a rich discussion about the meticulous selection process, the victories of dogs finding their calling, and the invaluable training that prepares them and their handlers for the field's challenges.
As we wrap up our conversation, Carol's passion and sense of purpose shine through, revealing the tenacity it takes to spearhead a mission-driven nonprofit in a competitive industry. We touch upon the complexities and the fulfillment that come from uniting a community to back a cause that offers more than just a service—it provides a transformative experience for both the dogs and the departments they join. So join us for an intimate exploration of dedication, impact, and the indomitable bond between humans and their four-legged partners.
To date, we have donated 57 trained police dogs in the 10 years Over half a million dollars. That we have saved departments money on doing this, which is amazing.
Speaker 1:But those rescue dogs mainly the ones that we pull from shelters normally will just be a single purpose scent detection dog. We don't make them into any sort of patrol dog because, again, we also have a very important job to fulfill to train these dogs to protect their handler. Absolutely. We take our job very seriously. What people don't see is the back office of how we are constantly saying, nope, not that dog, nope, not this dog. They're only seeing the happy stories. So out of the 57, there's hundreds that unfortunately we had to turn down in order to make a good quality police dog.
Speaker 2:What is going on everybody? Welcome back to the Big Dog Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Wilson. Logan is in the background. How you doing, son? Good, Good, I got that, you know.
Speaker 2:Always riveting conversation with Logan Wilson, it's big time. Well, look, we're continuing a mini series that we're running right now and this is new, you know, for the big dog podcast. We're getting heavy in the dogs and two years in and we've never been dog topics, which is kind of funny because everyone's like Josh, like you're the dog trainer, Like what's going on? But the show is definitely business mindset, family driven. What's going on? But the show is definitely business mindset, family driven. But we're getting into dogs here these next couple of months and we're trying to bring in the best of the best and influential people in the space and share their stories. And today I couldn't be more excited to introduce you to Carol Skasiak, and she is the founder and CEO of the Throwaway Dogs Project and Canine Law and Order and incredible nonprofits doing really big things here in the US. And, Carol, thank you so much for joining us today.
Speaker 1:Oh, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2:It's been a lot of fun. We know a lot of the same people you know and I've heard a ton about you and you know some of our friends that we share. Some are super respectable, some are kind of suspect, but that's kind of. You know and I've heard a ton about you and you know some of our friends that we share. Some are super respectable, some are kind of suspect, but that's kind of. You know the dog world in and of itself, but welcome, you know, to the big dog podcast and tell us a little bit about you.
Speaker 1:Well, thanks again for having me and yes, you are absolutely right, um it, the dog world definitely is, is a small world and and it's a pleasure to actually meet you and see you.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I have.
Speaker 1:I have been in this industry now for 10 years. We are going on 11 years.
Speaker 1:And, to be honest with you, how this started. It really was never even on my radar. So 10 years ago I was a PR and marketing person for a luxury boarding facility and one of my jobs was to write a newsletter every month and it was really one of my arch nemesis. I hated doing it. It was hard to come up with topics and it would go out to the clients. So what was happening over the past few months prior to that, we were having clients bring dogs in and they were leaving the dogs. They weren't coming to pick it up and we would try and rehome the dog. Lawyers had to get involved and it was happening over and over again.
Speaker 1:So I decided you know what, this month I'm going to write an article on the throwaway society of dogs. And I wrote this great article and I showed it to to the owner and he said nah, we're not doing this, it's too depressing. He's like turn it around, make it something positive and and we'll go with that.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So I did what everybody does I, I'm I was like okay, we'll do a contest. Tell me how your your your rescue dog saved you and the the 12 great stories I will put in a calendar, we'll get a photographer.
Speaker 1:We'll have everybody in for a month, but the best story is going to go on the cover. Yeah, so, um it it actually worked out. Clients were responding and we were getting all these great stories and the 12 best ones, you know. We hired a photographer, but the one story that stood out was who is now my partner? Uh, jason Walters, who is a canine handler for step the transit, and his partner was a rescue dog that was moments away from being euthanized. And, um, who is now is was his partner and he was an explosive and patrol dog and I love this story.
Speaker 1:Um, I put, you know, I put it in words, and we, we, we, we plastered Winchester on on the cover and and he is our, you know, our, our cover dog now for 10 years, he has his famous jump over over the barrels. But, being in PR and marketing now, it was my job to promote the heck out of this. So I did, I promoted the heck out of this calendar and we were. It took off. We were in every newspaper, every news station, we were even in magazines at that point and after the dust settled.
Speaker 1:I'm like I was just so touched by all of this. I'm like I think I really want to try and do something about it. Yeah, my husband is in law enforcement in philadelphia so I've been married for um for 25 years he he has been serving 26 years uh with the philadelphia police department, so I am definitely a part of the family in blue. Just never have really been involved in the canine world.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:And I asked Jason, who you know, who is my partner, you know, will you do this with me? Will you help me? I could, I could be, you know, the the mastermind, but I need you to physically help me with these dogs. Yeah, we, we kicked it off. The first couple years was absolutely atrocious. We didn't know what we were doing. We tried our best and, you know, we would pull in a shelter dog or two.
Speaker 1:After like the third and fourth year, we started to develop like a reputation a good reputation and it just started to increase and increase and then, as very influential canine people in the industry started to learn about us, they would call us and say hey, you know what we think you're doing a great thing.
Speaker 2:So we want to be a part of that.
Speaker 1:And believe me, being a woman in this industry when I first started civilian woman. Yeah, it was brutal Like it was. It was brutal, but I definitely earned the respect of the people that I want to, you know, earn that respect from in this industry, and I love it. I love it.
Speaker 2:I love it. I love it. That's awesome. And you know, specifically, the big thing that you guys are doing is you're you're finding these throwaway dogs and repurposing, training, rehabbing, with the hope of placing with different agencies.
Speaker 1:Correct. So when we did first start out, it was basically we were. We were looking at owner surrender dogs, shelter dogs and rescue dogs and, to be honest with you, I said we hit a lot of brick walls at the beginning because we wanted to save them all and, as you know, being in the dog industry, you can't save them all, and that was the hardest battle that I had to overcome. I can't save them all and that was the hardest battle that I had to overcome. I can't save them all. So we started out that way and then we realized, hey, you know what we're? We're pulling too many dogs, we're spending all this money and time with training them and now we don't have a place to put them. So we we kind of restructured what we have done. We built our reputation and now, when the applications come in, we go out and find the dogs that will specifically match for that department.
Speaker 2:Then we'll start our training process.
Speaker 2:So you're not, which makes a lot of sense too, right, because if you're pulling every dog that you might be able to do something with, but there isn't necessarily a need for that dog and what its particular skills and strengths are. But if you're able to know, hey, this department has needs X, y, z. This department is short on, you know, detection. Yes, this department is short on you know detection. Yes, you know it's a great patrol dogs, but they're not doing great on drugs and you know explosives, things like that. It's like, ok, you can go out now with very intentional purpose, look for some common traits and now, ok, does this dog have what it takes at a baseline to have the potential to fill that slot? So I mean, no, that makes a whole lot of sense and I can definitely tell how, in the beginning, where it's like, all right, let's get this dog, let's get that dog, let's, let's do the next thing. You know, you got 38 dogs at your house.
Speaker 1:Right and in all reality. I know that the name kind of says that we are a rescue and we're really not a rescue right. We don't hold onto these dogs and throughout the years, because of we built up such a stellar reputation, we also now have reputable breeders and brokers that say to us you know what I love, what you're doing? Here's a dog. So we have like a genuine working line dog, that now we can also be able to pay it forward.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's great.
Speaker 1:To date we have donated 57 trained police dogs. In the 10 years it's over over a half a million dollars that we have saved departments, you know, money on doing this, which is incredible.
Speaker 1:But those rescue dogs mainly the ones that we pull from shelters normally will just be a single purpose scent detection dog. We don't make them into any sort of patrol dog because, again, we also have a very important job to fulfill to train these dogs, to protect their handler. We take our job very seriously. What people don't see is the back office of how we are constantly saying no, not that dog. No, not this dog, that dog's washed out. They're only seeing the happy story.
Speaker 1:So, out of the 57, there's hundreds that unfortunately, we had to turn down in order to make a good quality police dog.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but the point you make is so true. I was having a conversation with someone the other day and you know, I know you've seen it I mean far more times than I have but you know, when there's a failure in the field of a patrol dog in the field and the of of a patrol dog, and 90 plus percent of the time when that dog fails in a situation it's a training, lack of training or that dog was never going to be that dog to begin with and maybe it's limited resources by the department, maybe it's limited resources and abilities by the handler because of limited resources from the department. There's a lot of things that can go into it, but when that dog is in a situation and it's not able to execute at the highest level needed it does, the handler is absolute and anybody else around is also at risk. It becomes such a huge liability around is also at risk. It becomes such a huge liability and I. That's another reason why I love what you guys are doing. You know, with the placements and specific to the needs of the department, not just peddling dogs, you're filling specific needs which is going to go and help that handler, help that community and, you know, be a strong influence in that that department in in region. And the right dog is so, so paramount.
Speaker 2:And people think I'm on the pet side, right. And so people are like hey, josh, I got this German shepherd. You know, let's go ahead and get started on protection, training and and this and that. And I just crack up laughing. Or my favorite is whatever enunciation they want to put on uh, malinois, that's always the best. You know malinois, you know bohemian malinois? Uh, whatever people want to say all these crazy things, yeah, it's like hey, I got one, let's teach it to do this like timeout, you know, that's not the qualifier. The qualifier isn't the breed of the dog.
Speaker 1:No, if you could only see how many emails, phone calls and messages that come in on a daily basis, literally hundreds of mainly owner surrenders, and they have the perfect dog and make a great police dog. He's only have five bites and he bit my kid in the face and it's like perfect, we, we, that's not what we're looking for, and you know.
Speaker 1:But the general public doesn't understand that it does take a special dog, a certain quality, yep, um. So back in 2016, um, I actually dabbled in doing pit bulls. Okay, did not want to do this and I have to admit it, like I kicked and screamed. We did get somebody emailed us and sent videos of this one pit bull, and I'll be damned like the videos showed everything that this dog had, everything.
Speaker 1:Right and I'm like, oh, do we do this, do we not do this? Well, we ended up taking her in and she kind of really made this. Is she kind of put us on the map, believe it or not? Um, because we made international news because of of of her being a pit bull.
Speaker 1:And we did. We trained her up. It was a hard job for me to place her because I did not have a placement for her, so I went against my own rules. We took her in, we, we, we trained her for narcotic detection and it took me a while to find a department that would actually want to try this out Again. They have a bad stigma and after that we were featured in People magazine in South Africa.
Speaker 1:Wow, which I never knew even existed, yeah, but it started the ball rolling. And then, after her, there was an internationally known dog ring in Canada called Save the 21.
Speaker 1:And there was 21 pit bulls that were taken, seized from a dog ring, a dog fighting ring and, long story short, these dogs were in custody for about two years. For about two years A gentleman and his wife from Dog Tales Rescue Sanctuary in Canada fought really hard to save these 21 dogs that were evaluated inside and out all around. They were cleared to be safe, which others were euthanized. But these 21 dogs really had something and a chance to live. So after two years being in custody, they were, they were saved. But they were ordered out of the Providence of Ontario and they were sent down to Florida and Dogs Playing for Life took them and we were called in and said you have to come and evaluate some of these dogs. And we took five of those dogs in after doing extensive evaluations and five of those dogs were really had what we wanted in a police dog as far as scent detection.
Speaker 2:Sure.
Speaker 1:And we placed three of those in law enforcement and the other two I ended up adopting one, and another one went to sort of a companion dog. But those three dogs put us again on the map internationally. Cesar Milan called us. We were on the Cesar show because of it. My theory is, if they can do the job and they are clear headed and rock solid, why not give them a purpose?
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1:It changed my life. I was never a pit bull lover. I knew nothing about them. It's not that I was discriminative, but I just knew nothing about them. I have to tell you that the dog and he just passed a few months ago from there was the best dog that I've ever owned in my life like and it was something it opened my eyes and I wanted to.
Speaker 2:I wanted other people to see that and they did make a difference in their community man, that's such an awesome story too, because that's so out of the box, that's so out of the norm, right, and it's one of those things where you know you ask 50 people, they're like no, no, no, that's so out of the box, that's so out of the norm, right, and it's one of those things where you know you ask 50 people, they're like no, no, no, that's bullshit, that didn't, that's not going to happen, that's not going to work right.
Speaker 2:But again, the, the right dog, the right situation, the right attention, the right care, the, the preparation, the setup, and you have these dogs from an absolute, atrocious, brutal background where so many places just saying this is the background, they're not getting placed, just euthanize all, and you know the fact that that is 21 were saved, but then those five were on to go on to do other things, even three particularly very special things that that that's nowhere on the map as far as their roadmap of those dogs, life and trajectory, and so that's pretty dang incredible one of the dogs um we actually sent to millville fire department and he is the first arson detection pit bull ever ever he won law enforcement dog of the year uh we did.
Speaker 1:I know this dog we yeah, we went to a gala in florida with this like this was such a huge accomplishment, but it's gonna, it's. It doesn't always take just me. I need that, that chief, that that commander to to give this a and that's actually on our application? Are you open to you know, uh, different breeds?
Speaker 2:such as a bully breed.
Speaker 1:I will tell you, a lot of them will say yes. And then when we have our interview, um, they're backpedaling a little bit, but it's not only up to the chief. Then we have to go to you know the town manager it's not only up to the chief Then we have to go to you know the town manager. The board of the town, Like it's a big deal, Like I don't think that everybody knows when a department gets a dog. It's not the chief of police, that just says okay you know it's the whole community kind of, is involved.
Speaker 1:Is the budget approved? You know, even though your dog is free, it's you still need a budget Right and and so some of them are open, Some of them are not open. I have not placed any more since then. Um, it really is a tough sell. I won't give up on it. I'll tell you that. I'll keep trying. But, um, it was something that changed my life. It changed, it opened my eyes, and it's just I'm, I'm, I'm really proud of it.
Speaker 2:That's awesome. They, um, you're talking about dealing with the different departments and kind of, hey, it's not one person just saying, hey, we need a dog. Um, we have learned that over the years, uh, my, my location up in Detroit, with my team up there, they did a therapy dog for a department up there that to to work with, you know, officers in the department, or that dog can be taken to a, let's say, it's a domestic thing. There's kids, you know, the dog can can be there to kind of distract or whatever. And it's really incredible. And so this was years ago. You know we trained this dog for the department. There are dogs all over social media. They're having a ton of fun with this dog and implementing the dog.
Speaker 2:And then we get a call from another department in a township you know nearby. Then we get a call from another department from a town nearby, and so it's stacking up and we just brought in um, a university, their private police department. They are training five therapy dogs, uh, for their department, for um, uh, you know if there's any incidents, but for students, for whatever, yeah, but it is a process going through for these agencies and departments to get the dog, to fund the acquisition of the dog, the training of the dog, whatever it may be. It is quite the process and I never thought about it like that. I'm like well, if you want, just pay it, we'll get it set up and gone. No, no, no, no. There's a lot of signatures that are in play.
Speaker 2:But, I love seeing how the departments are putting dogs to work outside of your typical single, dual purpose, traditional roles. It's big, and when they first approached us about it and telling us what they wanted to do and I started thinking about for me, I was thinking about, you know, domestic incidents and stuff where there's kids who are super confused and not necessarily knowing what's going on and probably what they see on a regular basis isn't great. And knowing that a dog can help a kid disconnect from what other bullshit's happening in front of them because adults don't know how to handle themselves, yeah, um, it's, it's amazing and I love seeing the departments apply the dogs for and these are totally different type of dog right now. We, you know, and and that's where it's like. But the dog has a purpose for genetics, for how it was bred, and that's why people think oh, it's got pointy ears, let me go do bite. Well, no, maybe, but is this a show line, pointy ear? Is this a working line, pointy ear? How is it neutral? Is it stable? Like what are we looking at with this dog? Well, it loves to bite. It bites everybody. Well, timeout, that's probably not the dog you want to throw in a.
Speaker 2:You know back of a, an SUV, with a couple officers on their way to do a thing. They're they're trying to prep for, you know, a mission and now you got a freaking dog trying to eat everybody you know in mission and now you got a freaking dog trying to eat everybody you know in the back. But finding the right dog for that purpose and all the different things that the dogs can do is just incredible. Um, now talk to me about when did so? 10, 11 years ago. You start this journey and the first couple of years, like anybody going out with something, I mean, it's just a cluster. You're learning, you have the great idea and now you've got to find out practically how we make this work and relationships are growing. You know you're meeting people, you're dealing with different types of dogs. At what point does the canine law and order type trainings and events? When does that start to come in to play?
Speaker 1:So that came into play right around when COVID hit.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And it actually started because you mentioned it earlier. What was happening was I was. You spend a lot of time and money into training these dogs and you try and vet the departments that the dog goes to as best that you can, but there's always, there's always bad apples regardless whether it's law enforcement or not, but there's also budgets in that come into play, and for some reason maintenance training on on canines is not always top priority right especially with some of the departments that I was placing dogs with.
Speaker 1:Okay because, there's no money right and what was happening was they were breaking my dogs kind of, and the dogs were coming back broken. Uh handler was so inexperienced so in an uh inexperience that you know something happened. So I'm like we're spending so much money like this.
Speaker 1:We need to fix this and this was also was right around the time, like when George Floyd happened and defund the police was happening. This was just. It wasn't okay. So I at this point I had a lot of great names in the canine business that were starting to attach themselves and be a part of my team and I'm like, how about we start putting training seminars together? And the first training seminar was 30 handlers and I'll never forget it and I was so happy. And this one in April we are right at 100 handlers from all over the country and we are now welcoming we have federal level handlers coming in. So which is blows my mind blows my mind.
Speaker 1:But my thing is I have to put a twist on it, right, Because I don't want them to have to pay for it, so it's at no cost. But then they come and I wanted to have this atmosphere where it's almost like a retreat for them. So for three days, you know, I want to be able to have them feel like they're at home. So you know, we're providing three meals a day, which is elaborate buffets, all the beverages, goodie bags, like gift bags we select and put together for them so they can go home with just some little special tokens for them as well as their canine yeah we have motivational speakers and so after training, the networking that happens, I wanted to just create like a safe place for them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like-minded people yeah you know, my husband is extremely supportive of what I do and I travel yeah, I love it. So they can talk about training and we have successfully.
Speaker 2:This is our our sixth seminar.
Speaker 1:Third big one in Maryland, so we always have one, really, really big one, and it is. It is so important because this seminar potentially could save their lives.
Speaker 2:A hundred percent, a hundred percent, and that's why we followed along, cause we've, we've and I want people to understand, you know what you just said. When these teams are coming to these trainings, guys, what she just said was she wants to be at no cost to them. There's no, there's no reason why a team shouldn't be able to come out Right. A team shouldn't be able to come out right. It's a free training for them. So they do look for sponsors for stuff, and we're going to drop links on the show and where people can go to donate or sponsor a team or whatnot. But you know, we've done it in the past, we've done it again this year, you know, sponsoring a couple teams and it's a big deal. Guys. Deal, guys like, let's remove all the barriers for people to get the training that they need. And that's one thing I so many things I love about what you're doing.
Speaker 2:But it's not just talking about it, it's it's actually doing it and removing those roadblocks for people to be able to do it, because, cause when you say, hey, this could save a life, that is probably the biggest understatement you know ever. I mean that these, these men and women and their partners, I mean they are in it, they're in the thick of it and to be able to create scenarios and pictures, you know, for these dogs and for the handlers and for that training and repetition and the decoys that you guys have. Oh, my gosh, I mean you. You just have some of the best of the best in the decoy world who are helping to train and develop these dogs and build that confidence up with these animals to where they just feel, you know, just, they're superhuman. Right, it's how these dogs are and with that confidence is like that with that dog. That confidence is also there with the handler, who can stay clear headed and focused in the moments. And it's a beautiful thing, it really is.
Speaker 1:And it's important because we're not just that type of seminar that is just send the dog, let's do a bite. We are doing aggression for man. You know, equipment fixation like building clearing you know, stuff that's important.
Speaker 1:You know vehicle stops with extractions, you know stuff is being done not only with the canine, but this is also going to save the officer's life, potentially, because it will happen just one time and and that's all. It takes is one time, and we have done several scenarios where it has opened the eyes of officers and when they would come back to the second, the second seminar seminar, they would say to us that scenario last year changed the way I did things.
Speaker 2:That's all we wanted to hear that's it, that's what we want. That's huge. And so you do the one in Maryland, which is the biggest, and then you do a second one, and where's that one at?
Speaker 1:We do. So we have been doing a smaller one in North Carolina, up outside of New Bern, north Carolina. We've been doing a smaller one. We are going to start we are putting things into production now of possibly starting up a mobile training unit where we will do smaller ones and actually go to the departments and focus on just that department. It won't be all the bells and whistles where we have elaborate buffets or anything, but it is this, it will just be a training event. Some of these departments can't get to us so we are hoping, you know, to have sponsors that will, that will help us sponsor this fund to the canine law and order fund. So I can, you know, send my trainers to, you know, texas, to California, to Florida, ohio, detroit, you know, just to focus on the department itself and what their needs are.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's huge and I love that you're still 10 years in the game, still looking at ways to increase impact.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know you've had tremendous success, you know, in these first 10 years, and you know a third of which you're trying to figure it out, yeah. Right, and that's the thing I always joke about when I'm talking to, to CEOs and founders and stuff, is that I'm like man, how much time in the beginning were we just figuring it out? And now this is where we're at, 10 years Cause I I started with off leash canine training. I opened my first location in January of 2014. So we're right at that 10 year mark also.
Speaker 2:And you know, in the beginning it was just go, go, go, go go, with no, I would like to say I was strategic, but I was also working like 60 hour a week, other job and you know and starting this business.
Speaker 2:And it wasn't strategic, it was I'm awake, I need to be working and this is what I did and we did that for years. And I do think about the impact we've been able to have over the years and how many families we've been able to touch and dogs we've been able to help. And I'm like man and we wasted so much time in the beginning trying to figure it out. Now I'm like we should exponentially be able to have more impact in the next 10 years because we're better right, we're more educated, we are more mature, we're better at our craft, we're able to develop people. It's not just you anymore. You have an amazing team of trainers and decoys and support staff and things you didn't have in the beginning and now you do. And now it's like what is that impact the next 10 years can have? So the fact you're talking about this mobile unit is really I think it's brilliant.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's just. It was a lot of growing pains in the beginning, a lot of tears on my part.
Speaker 2:Again.
Speaker 1:I work with all men Like you know, you guys don't have emotions. I do and they used to tell me. They said stop crying. All you do is cry. Well, leave me alone. It's my passion coming out, but I'll figure this out, and I did over the 10 years. I did, we figured it out. I still cry and I, and it's okay but because that's it's.
Speaker 1:I wear my heart on my sleeve. I'm so passionate about what I do this is. This is about not only about the dogs, but it's also about the, the officer, but in the end, we're serving the community. I never would have imagined in 10 years that I would be doing this Never, you know, 100% Like this wasn't even in my wheelhouse and I don't know how it became. But that's what I call a true calling, and it's agreed.
Speaker 1:Sometimes you cannot explain it and you just do it, and I was meant to do this and I I want to make a difference.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I love that so much. Talk about for the listeners. Or you know our viewers on YouTube and stuff about for the listeners, or you know our viewers on YouTube and stuff. Talk about the training grounds in Maryland. I want people to understand, kind of, when you talk about room clearing and vehicle extractions and very realistic scenarios. Can you talk a little bit about the setup that you have there? I don't want people thinking you're doing this thing in a Lowe's parking lot. You know it's. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Yes. So, first off, my vision um, there was really nowhere that could hold all of us. And what? Because I wanted to create that retreat like atmosphere. I I wanted everybody to train to eat and sleep, you know, in the same location. So we did with with help, because it takes a village we found frontier campground which is right outside ocean city, maryland, and that was like my dream because now we have the cabins there, there is a Western town there that we utilize. It backs off to the bay. So we have water, we're able to do water work there also, and there is tons and tons of woods and forests for us to do, you know, tracking and scenario work there. But with that Western town we are able to recreate some realistic situation scenario trainings. But we do leave the property also and we have there's a school that's close by that will do some building clearing there, and also a warehouse. So we're not always on that property.
Speaker 1:We do utilize that property, but it's we. We utilize the surrounding area there in order for it to really be realistic and real life and have you been making use of that property since you started in 2020 with it?
Speaker 1:no, no, so that the first year we were on a small farm in virginia okay, that nobody stayed on, you know, um. And then then we moved up to this will be our third year at this campground and there's no more cabins left. We sell the cabins out, it's just we take up the whole campground, which is pretty awesome. There are civilians there, there's some civilians on property and they love it. They, you know they're able to watch at a safe distance and see what we do and and it's it's pretty exciting.
Speaker 2:The one who's just clueless, wondering what the hell is going on. They're thinking something really bad's going down, you know, and everybody starts rolling in, and then all the dogs, oh my gosh. So you, you made a comment about how passionate you are about the impact it has on the community, and a hundred teams are coming out this year from across the country. People are coming out and I mean it's not community, it is communities. I mean it is communities that you're impacting and what an incredible, what an incredible thing.
Speaker 2:And you know, and and I think that speaks volumes to you as a person and like I can just tell, it is our first time interacting, you and I, you know, face to face, but like you're a force right, and I always believe when people, when they get their passion in alignment Right With with their purpose, it people are unstoppable. Like doesn't mean everything's simple and goes smooth, but like failure isn't even an option. Right, because you're in perfect alignment with passion and purpose. And so, yeah, the headaches, the roadblocks, the stumbles, the lessons learned, there's no failures, it's all lessons and you keep falling forward because it's in perfect alignment.
Speaker 1:I actually like that saying there's no failures, there are lessons. That's actually a great saying, that saying there's no failures, there are lessons.
Speaker 2:That's actually a great saying. Yeah, I mean, I get them every day, and so you know. I had to stop telling myself, josh, you're kind of dumb. No, I'm not dumb, my failures are lessons.
Speaker 2:My failures are lessons and so. But the thing is, you know when, as hard as it was and probably still is for a female in the area that you chosen to to run with this thing, that you legitimately are a force and that's why it's having the impact, that it is, because the universe cannot deny alignment. And I believe that so much you know, because you're the one to do it, nobody else you, you're the one who had to do it, you're the one who had to have the vision, the thought, the idea. You're the one who had to run that, that newsletter, which you hated doing, which turned into a calendar, which sparked the huh there's actually a lot of dogs here and it wasn't one of those things that necessarily made a whole lot of sense as to why this was nagging at you. But you're like I think we can help here and it's that, that, that place where you're coming at it from an area of serve and and to serve others not necessarily not yourself and it's like, okay, this is kind of a rough concept of where I am and what we're doing, and now where it's at, 10 years later, the clarity of it.
Speaker 2:Meanwhile, every step and hiccup and trip along the way was 100% necessary to get to where you are now. And people stop with the hiccups. They try to get their purpose and passion and alignment with the hiccups. They try to get their purpose and passion and alignment. But that first sign of trouble, that first sign of failure, that first sign of oh, this is going to be harder than I could have ever imagined. People stop and you kept going. And can you talk a little bit about that, like what? What ultimately keeps you going, even on the hardest of days?
Speaker 1:keeps you going, even on the hardest of days, so I think that my passion allows me to inspire others. I have to scream this on the top of my lungs because I certainly could not have done this without the team that I have in place right.
Speaker 1:It definitely takes a village and I have an amazing team right now in place who I believe that my passion inspired them. Not that they weren't, they didn't have the passion that I do, but I I feel I'm inspiring to them, so that gives them the oomph to want to, to help. Also, you know, do this and make you know and have a purpose.
Speaker 1:Yeah to help. Also, you know, do this and make you know and have a purpose. Yeah, but this also brings out every vampire that possibly could exist in this industry. Yes, and not everybody is has that same end goal and what I try to tell my team is um, because I again very emotional.
Speaker 1:I will, I will cry at the drop of a dime. Someone hurts my feelings, but I get up and I and I I brushed myself off and I'm like, all right, we could do this. But some people aren't in for it for the end result. They're in for it for self profit and I have created something that is extremely marketable. And it wasn't intentional right, because my passion, my passion, developed this. It became this extremely marketable project. So we have some people with good intentions, but some people also with not good intentions, and it's it's hard for me sometimes to determine who's who's actually the vampire. And we have come across some really, really like, not nice people. But we're still here and we're still going, stay focused and and and just concentrate on the mission and not worry about you know those people. But I know that the people that are intended to be with us will continue to stick with us. Sure, and that's what's rewarding.
Speaker 2:So what? Um, I know you talked a little bit about the mobile unit trying to put that team to be mobile and go visit departments one-on-one and conduct trainings for them, specifically to the areas maybe they're struggling with and having problems. You know what do you see? The next, you know, five years looking like for Throwaway Dog Project and Canine Law and Order.
Speaker 1:I definitely see us expanding, for sure. I feel that that one sponsor, that one backer is finally going to get wind of us and believe in the same mission that we are and in for it for good intentions, not for them looking good or them, you know, making money off of this, because it certainly is not about making money.
Speaker 1:I have worked 10 years. Um, basically, just, I have no family time, I have no friend time, I have nothing, because everything was put into this. So I believe in five years, we are going to run into that that one sponsor that is going to say this is freaking amazing and help us fund this, and that we're able to hire these trainers to to be on our, our, our mobile unit and go and make a difference all over the country, and that that's that is my goal. And, of course, again, never, never to charge the department, never. And this does rub people the wrong way in this industry. Some people, because this is their living right, this is their living, this is how they make money, they go and they do seminars and they do training, and we're not focused on the big departments that can afford training.
Speaker 2:Right Sure.
Speaker 1:Focused on the departments that could never afford them at all you know, that's, that's our. Our mission is for the departments that can't really afford it.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 1:I don't want to take anybody's job away. That was never our intention, you know, to take jobs away from hardworking people.
Speaker 2:This is for departments that really don't have the funds to do this.
Speaker 1:And even with dogs, you know you know, donating dogs for free dogs you know, you know donating dogs for free. You know you would think that you know there are some, some brokers that are get their their panties twisted over this, but it's the brokers that are confident and know that I'm not going to touch their business. Right, it's just I'm going to focus on departments that that really can't even touch your products.
Speaker 2:Well, it comes back to you know mindset. Also, right, are people approaching life, their businesses, their passions, projects, whatever, from a place of scarcity or a place of abundance? Right, and that's the thing I talk about all the time. People are like well, josh, so-and-so left your team, they're going to start their own dog training business. Ok, like and like it, there's a lot of dogs out here for people to train, right? Like, do I think it's a good idea? No, because I know them and I know their character and I know their. But that's not my problem now. Right, certain people I make it my problem If I know how they. They don't work for me because their treatment of animals and things like that, you know, is so off base with with our, you know, expectations. I will absolutely try to bury that person so they never touch a dog again. But you know, in general, like, like, yeah, they want to do it a different way. They want to do their own thing. I did my own thing. Like, who am I to stop somebody from doing their own? I don't wish to stop anybody, but I also believe in the market and if they're negatively impacting me by doing their thing and that's negatively impacting my business. Well, what changes do I need to make with my business in order to not be impacted by them doing their business? And you know the market is saying that's a better value, that's a better result, that's a better experience.
Speaker 2:Maybe I need to step up my game, you know, with what you're doing from the, the non-profit side and giving that training away. We're talking about three days of training. You know you're talking about the dogs you've placed. You said a number of 57 dogs, I think in the 10 years. You know half a million dollars in saved money and resources for departments over those years. That's huge. If you're a broker professionally in the industry and that's all you do and focus on and you're worried about 57 dogs over 10 years, man, get your head out of your ass Like that. That shouldn't even be a thought. Yeah, if anything, they should be, they should. If they had an abundant mindset, they're thinking, hey, you know what I love what you're doing. It's incredible what you're doing. I'm actually going to give you two dogs a year.
Speaker 1:Well, that has happened and, like I said, our own trainers that now volunteer their time.
Speaker 2:they do handler courses, they sell police dogs but they're like hey, we want to be a part of this we're not threatened by you.
Speaker 1:We want to do this with you, and that's how I have been so lucky to have some amazing trainers and some really, really good dogs donated to us that we just pay it forward and give those dogs Clarity and mission, and clarity and vision.
Speaker 2:It's easy for people to get on board with If people are truly. You said my people are going to be with me, people are supposed to be a part of this, are going to be a part of this, and when that's the case you know it is you don't worry about everybody else, someone's. There's somebody out there who's going to find a problem with anything.
Speaker 1:You know those coattail riders um definitely, um you know, have have shown themselves and they're not. You know, have have shown themselves and they're not. They're not successful because the mission and the passion is not there. And that's okay, you know, that's okay. We're going to move forward and and continue to make a difference, with or without them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you stay focused on what you're doing. Yeah, it's funny how that plays out and works out. So what are the? I want to honor your time and whatnot, but what are? Before I let you go, what do you want people to know about your group, your team, your organization that I maybe haven't asked or we haven't talked about? And then part two is what are the best ways for people to connect with your organization, learn more about and you know if they felt led, you know, donate and help, support what you're doing?
Speaker 1:Our team I mean our team is is is extremely dedicated and passionate and I I would hope that the public would see that, just following us on social media, um, going to our website, um, just see the impact that we, we do Um, it is so important and then ultimately donate. Help us do this, because we cannot do it without, without the support of our followers, without those donations. That's super, super important. It's so expensive, you know, to we're not just like doing like rescuing a dog from a shelter and it goes into a home. I mean, it is so tedious and time consuming to train these dogs. Our trainers are. Their time is very precious and not everything is for free. So you know our trainers that we, you know they can only donate so much of their time, but at some point they have to be paid, and so we need the help of our followers to make donations and help us continue this, this mission.
Speaker 2:That's awesome. That's awesome. Well, carol, I can't thank you enough for taking time this morning to jump on and share your story. It's super inspiring and motivating. I want to go run through a wall right now and like what do I need to do better? Who else can we help?
Speaker 1:You should come to Law order and check it out. I would love for you to see it yeah, I do.
Speaker 2:I actually I'll check the calendar and see if I'm, if I'm not traveling, because I've got a couple buddies who are going to be up there and um, and so there's several good reasons to to pop in, but I'll look at it and I'll let you know for sure. If not not, you still know. You know we're supporting you and we're going to be, um, uh, promoting your stuff and I'm actually, with your permission, I'm going to tie a link to y'all's sites and donate pages, um, to our sites um cross promoting and we'll get you guys in our next newsletters that you love so much Um yeah.
Speaker 2:I love them. I haven't written one in a while, so I love them. Now I really do. But we're going to do everything we can to to spread the word to you know. However, however, we can to the best of our ability and and hopefully that helps get some additional support over your way. But thank you for everything that you do and thank you for being a bad badass person, a great human being, and I can't wait to connect with you again. Guys, I appreciate you all tuning in. Share the show, share Carol's story, share their websites, their social media, follow them on there. If you've got questions for Carol, hit us up and we'll send them her way. If you want to learn more about the Throwaway Dogs project and we're going to catch you next time on the Big Dog Podcast-