STORIES

"Toaster is our dream dog. He has come a million miles from where he started on the streets of Salinas. He’s brave, independent, and the snuggliest little muffin we could ever hope for. He makes friends wherever he goes—whether it's playing off-leash with his dog pals at the park or charming everyone at the Napa Valley wineries, Toaster’s confidence shines through. He even loves riding the forklift while Robbie works in the wine caves!"ke all the difference.”

In his first day of school at UnChained, his youth trainer, Laura, fell in love with his sweet face and black patch over one eye. She wasn’t phased by his yelping screams in class and his 4-foot jumps into the air. She understood his anxiety and gave him time to feel safe. Petey was soon on his way to the “Most Improved” student in class!

RobinLynn Patton began her UnChained journey as a Youth Trainer and helped Lady, a local shelter dog, gain a second chance at a better life through training, socializing and adoption. After RobinLynn helped find a loving home for Lady, she started to volunteer with UnChained, working fund-raising events in Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties and giving back to her community.

Tank was a classic, beautiful, silver-grey American Pitbull Terrier dog, who often startled people when they first saw him. With a stocky, strong body and a square-block head, he was a typical 1 year old bull-in-a-china-shop puppy. 

Thirteen-year-old Marc was paired with Bear, a 70-pound Shepard/Black Lab mix, for training. Marc learned of Bear’s story during his first UnChained class. Bear was one of 12 puppies who were separated not long after the birth and placed into 12 homes for fostering or adoption. 

Buddy was pulled from the Monterey County Shelter and went into foster care because he was shutting down in his kennel. It's not uncommon for dogs to behave this way, when they're no longer able to tolerate the stresses of shelter life. Buddy stopped eating, drinking, accepting invitations for walks, or even approaching people who passed his kennel. Buddy was deeply depressed.

The youth had been recently adopted and the experience of helping Stewart come out of his shell helped her, too. She started to talk with her new mom about her experiences in foster care and what it meant to find a home and a family. Stewart and his youth trainers taught us so much through that class and we continue to be inspired by them!

Joining UnChained is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve witnessed dogs who were scheduled for euthanasia and others who were mistreated and left behind find brand new lives full of love and happiness.

In January 2019, Sammy happily trotted into the Monterey County Youth Center to meet his Youth Trainers and get a fresh start. He loved his trainers, looking forward to belly rubs, snacks and positive feedback from the youth. He learned manners like sit, down and stay and tricks like sit pretty and agility. He graduated alongside his Youth Trainers who shared how much they adored Sammy and how “chill” he was.

Because of her love of giving, Leilani returned in 2017 for her 2nd Canines Teaching Compassion program where she worked with Mango, a little guy with a big heart. Before coming into the program, Mango lost one of his hind legs and was a bit (understandably) timid. Leilani offered Mango patience and affection that helped him learn trust and confidence. Ultimately, Leilani’s training and love helped Mango overcome his anxiety and reveal his true colors.

Hear from Youth Trainers and Probation staff about the impact of UnChained’s Canines Teaching Compassion program inside San Jose Juvenile Hall and watch the youth show what their dogs have learned. 

Moved by her musical gifts, we humbly requested Morgen to write a song for UnChained, to which she and her mother agreed with great esteem. Inspired by our Youth Trainers and what they give to their dogs, Morgen penned a beautiful song entitled “Living UnChained” that perfectly captures our mission and the special bond between our students and their program dogs.