Sitting next to his best mate with an irresistible smile, you would never know Caesar used to be a shy and anxious dog that nobody wanted.
The 10-year-old Staffy-Labrador cross now lives the life of a rockstar at the Ron Barwick Prison in southern Tasmania after he was adopted by dozens of inmates.
"I reckon he's got 100 friends; you see Caesar walking up and down the landing all day getting pats, which is perfect for him because he is never without a human," his best friend and handler Rick* said.
"He's loved by a lot of people in here."
Before he found his forever home behind bars, Caesar was a regular visitor to the minimum security prison through the "Pups on Parole" program, where inmates train and socialise dogs for future adoption.
But despite making a lot of progress through training and socialisation, Caesar's separation anxiety meant no-one on the outside wanted him — his condition means he cannot be left alone for more than half an hour at a time.
"He initially came to Ron Barwick for extra training so he would be able to go to a family, but he would fret so much when he left the prison so the prognosis wasn't good," Custodial officer Wayne Schulze said.
"He was only ever happy when he was here."
The mission to save Caesar
A group of prisoners rallied together to keep Caesar and raised about $1,400 to cover his adoption fees, vet bills and food.
Now the once-anxious dog is thriving behind bars, thanks to guaranteed company 24 hours a day.
"Caesar is attached to everyone in here and that dog is the closest thing we've got to family," Brad* said.
"He's just a dog enjoying life and let me tell you he does enjoy it, he knows where to go to get food."
A few months ago, the prison also adopted eight-month-old Zeus, who is going through his formal training of learning how to sit, shake and walk calmly on a lead.
Not only has the prison provided the two pooches with a home and a new sense of security, but their presence is also having huge mental health benefits for the inmates.
"I've seen troubled men come into this place, but when they spend a bit of time with Caesar, it's amazing what it'll do," Mr Schulze said.
"A bloke who is feeling down will see Caesar walk past and he'll give him a pat and get a lick in return and they will both walk away happy."
Giving prisoners a new lease on life
Inmates have learnt how to train and socialise dogs through the "Pups on Parole" program, a joint initiative by the Tasmania Prison Service and Dogs Home of Tasmania.
The program, which prepares puppies and dogs for future adoption, has been running for more than 10 years with a 100 per cent success rate.
"You can have the toughest-looking prisoner in here, but you see them go to water when they see the dogs and pups," Brad said.
"It gives us our dignity back, we are doing something for the animals and not just for ourselves."
"A dog being in a pound is just the same as being locked up, so the men know how the animal feels and there is a healthy, mutual respect," Mr Schulze said.
The program has helped hundreds of dogs find their forever home on the outside.
"Some dogs only have one chance left, so we have to set them up so they don't fail and it's about the best thing we've got to look forward to," Brad said.
Caesar will soon lose Rick when he is released from prison in the coming weeks, but already there are people lining up to care for him.
He will continue to stay on a strict diet due to his size, but he will always find a way to sneak in treats from the inmates.
Zeus will stay with his handler and continue his formal training, as well as learn a few more manners from Caesar.
*Not their real names.
