"Rook taught me how to stay calm and relaxed. He also taught me how to have time to wait for things and don't rush. Most important, he showed me how to love." This powerful statement came from Devon, an adjudicated male youth while reflecting on his time with Rook, a German Shepherd/Border Collie mix. Devon participated in Teacher's Pet, an Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) nonprofit program. The program simultaneously helps youth and hard-to-adopt shelter dogs by providing a safe, therapeutic environment for learning together. This program serves various types of youth, including (a) adjudicated youth serving time at a residential detention center; (b) youth with emotional impairments enrolled at local, alternative schools; and (c) youth from the community participating at a dog training summer camp. Further information on the program can be found on the website: teacherspetmi.org. The Teacher's Pet program builds upon the symbiotic relationship between the youth and the dog. By training hard-to-adopt shelter dogs, the youth give and receive unconditional love, as well as carry out something selfless, positive, and meaningful. This bonding experience allows the youth to improve in the areas of (a) empathy, (b) patience, (c) impulse control, (d) perseverance, and (e) hope. While learning these skills, the young men and women positively impact the quality of life for shelter dogs, offering an improved likelihood of adoption. This innovative program emerged from theory and research, specifically looking at similar prison and youth intervention programs across the United States and Canada.