“Most of the dogs didn’t really catch my attention until I’d seen this boxer named Quincy,” one UnChained participant recounted. The students work alongside coaches, a professional dog trainer, and volunteer classroom assistants. By establishing an emotional connection and teaching young people about a dog’s needs, Wolf says her team sees a change occur. Students learn from professional dog trainers and implement a clicker method where a dog is praised and rewarded for good behavior with a treat. There’s a vulnerability that the dogs allow the kids to open up with.”The dogs in the program are rescued from shelters and are vetted by a professional dog trainer before they join the program.

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Persons: Melissa, Wolf, “, ” Wolf, Melissa Wolf — Allie Torgan, CNN Wolf, I’d, Quincy, ”, they’ve, CNN “ You’ve, “ It’s, she’ll, she’s Organizations: Santa Cruz , CA CNN, CNN, Quincy Locations: Santa Cruz , CA, California, Texas, chihuahua