INDIANAPOLIS — Paws & Think wrapped up a week-long Youth Canine Program at Warren Central High School Friday, April 11th right after school. The program, Pups and Warriors (or PAWs), helps 11 at-risk students at Warren Central who have been identified based on emotional, socio-economic, and behavior issues. The students have been training shelter dogs in basic obedience skills and manners using positive training methods, and the counselors and teachers who work with these students each day also participate in the program.
More than 14,000 animals were surrendered to Indianapolis Animal Care Services in 2017, and in order to have the best chance for adoption, the animals need to engage possible owners and demonstrate a personable disposition, despite the environment inside the shelter. A dog that has had training through positive reinforcement will be more responsive and therefore, more adoptable.
Bringing the students together with the dogs in a professionally-led, goal-oriented training program provides each with a positive, rewarding, and life-changing experience. Students in the program learned that good practice and pro-social behavior earns opportunities. Other benefits of the program include increased engagement in school, higher scholastic achievement, increased self-confidence, and a chance to learn life skills such as leadership
Dogs in the program are in need of homes, currently placed at Indianapolis Animal Care Services.
Paws & Think is a volunteer-led non-profit dedicated to improving lives through the power of the human-dog connection. Paws & Think partners with schools, health care facilities, the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center, humane societies/shelters and other organizations to improve the quality of life for at-risk youth, seniors, people with disabilities/special needs and others who can benefit from interacting with the dogs in its programs. To learn more about Paws & Think, please visit the organization’s website at www.pawsandthink.org.