About | Furgiving Foundation

Who We Are

The Furgiving Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by Cory Kreager, an inmate at Idaho Correctional Institution Orofino (ICIO), driven by the desire to support fellow inmates and help them make a positive impact on their communities. Our mission is to train dogs in need of loving homes, equipping them with essential skills to become devoted companions and helpers, and provide them to individuals in need. At the same time, we provide inmates with the opportunity to develop new skills through dog training.

Our program is just as much about supporting the rehabilitation of the inmates as it is about connecting dogs with individuals in need. Through the Furgiving Project, inmates gain the opportunity to develop essential life skills—responsibility, empathy, and teamwork—while making a meaningful impact on their communities. With dedication and care, they train dogs that go on to change lives, offering companionship, support, and greater independence to their recipients.

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What We Do

At the Furgiving Foundation, we are dedicated to finding and training dogs in need of loving homes, and matching them with individuals seeking a devoted companion and helper. Our program fosters a supportive environment where both dogs and people can grow, heal, and navigate life’s challenges together.

Our process begins with the recipient. We start by reaching out to individuals who have expressed interest in receiving a K9, conducting an interview to ensure they are a good fit for our program and have realistic expectations of how a K9 can benefit them. If they meet our criteria, we provide a detailed application.

Once the application is complete, we carefully assess K9s to find the best match for the recipient’s needs. When a suitable pairing is identified, the K9 is placed with a dedicated team of trainers at Idaho Correctional Institution Orofino (ICIO), where their training journey begins.

The inmate training team is involved in every step of the process, not only guiding the K9’s training but also ensuring their overall well-being. They provide daily care, including feeding, grooming, and playtime, while consistently reinforcing commands and skills to prepare the K9 for their future role of companion and helper.

Each K9 in our program begins with a three-week basic obedience course, followed by a three-week public access course to establish a strong foundation in behavior and socialization. After completing these initial courses, training shifts to focus on the specific needs of the recipient. This next phase, guided by positive reinforcement techniques, progresses at the K9’s individual pace and can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.

Both training phases are conducted in partnership with the PAWS program at ICIO. Through PAWS, inmate trainers provide essential foundational training to each K9 and identify unique qualities in each dog that can help guide the recipient's decision of any future service dog training they may desire for their K9.

At the end of the program, recipients pick up their K9 from ICIO, where trainers personally guide them through the commands and skills their dog has learned. Each K9 ends the program with Canine Good Citizen (CGC) training, ensuring they have been thoroughly assessed and prepared for any further specialized training. Our ultimate goal is to create not only a personal helper but also a happy and healthy family member!