“Lucy” was ruled by fear. Fear of being abandoned, fear of rejection, fear of fear itself. For an eight year child, life wasn’t to be enjoyed as much endured.  Adopted from China, Lucy had attachment disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, and was prone to screaming meltdowns. Desperate to try anything to give their child a taste of childhood, Lucy’s parents reached out to 4 Paws for Ability, a non-profit agency placing mobility, hearing, seizure, autism, and emotional assistance dogs with persons often turned down by other groups. A yellow Lab named “Jolly” was paired with Lucy, but this was no easy thing. If Lucy didn’t fret that the dog would be one more thing to reject her, she worried that Jolly would draw her parents’ attention away from her.  Jolly could easily become a new threat. How was this to work?

Training from 4 Paws is required for the families who learn strategies to ensure that the dogs and children bond, even if it requires careful manipulation. “You want the dog to feel: I don’t know what it is about this kid, but whenever this kid is around, good things happen,” a trainer tells Lucy’s parents.  But training the dog to accept behavior she’s meant to prevent can backfire. Instead of trying to calm Lucy down, Jolly could learn instead to look forward to Lucy’s emotional breakdowns because they’ll lead to a treat. How is this prevented?

The resolution to Lucy’s story, and more inspiring stories like hers, are shared in the book, The Underdogs: Children, Dogs, and the Power of Unconditional Love, and this article by Kerry Lauerman from which the thumbnail image comes provides a compelling synopsis.