When it seemed no one could get through to a troubled teen, a special dog nuzzled her way in. That teen says that dog changed her life.

"Down, Down. Good girl!"

As Danielle Hammill works sweetly and patiently with the little lab in front of her, it's impossible to ignore the love in her eyes. What isn't nearly as evident is the effort it took for Danielle to shake her addictions.

"I was doing drugs. I was partying. I had under-ages. I went to juvey like every other week," Danielle tells us.

The 15 year old from Mondovi says she was expelled from two schools, was in and out of treatment homes and has a lengthy court record. She hated her court ordered therapy.

"I’d swear. I'd walk out. I'd be really disrespectful to Kathy and the other group members," Danielle says.

"We started out a while ago, not necessarily on the right foot," says Kathy Benson, Danielle’s counselor at the L.E. Phillips-Libertas Treatment Center in Chippewa Falls.

About six months ago, she started bringing another therapist to work—Zoey, her 2-year-old black lab.

"I think a dog can get down and under a person's defenses very quickly—much more quickly than a person can at times," Kathy says.

Six months ago, Danielle says Zoey changed her life.

"She like puts this different vibe in the room,” Danielle says. “It makes you feel better when you're here."

With Zoey by her side, Danielle became more open to getting help, to moving forward and forgiving.

"That's a big thing I needed to learn and I’m still learning,” Danielle says. “She shows you that's what you've gotta do and move on with life. You can't just sit there and dwell on the past."

"They don't bring up the past or remember they didn't get their walk yesterday or maybe enough treats. They are just very forgiving," Kathy says.

Kathy says working with Zoey also teaches acceptance, passion and creativity. It helps people get outside of themselves and focus on the present. With Danielle, what Kathy saw surprised her.

"Danielle does things with Zoey where Danielle is so patient. It just amazes me because I guess before I didn't think of her being that patient of a person, but she can be very patient and persistent and very good at rewarding her,” Kathy says. “But, it also helps me to see that she can be a bit tough on Zoey. I don't mean tough in a mean way, but a little bit tough, a little bit strict and I think she's that way on herself, too—even if she wouldn't admit it."

"It's not really like I work with Zoey; it's like me and Zoey work with each other,” Danielle says. “She teaches me patience and I demonstrate it on her, I guess."

"If you think of behavioral psychology: It's repetition, it's consistency, it's kindness, the continual setting of boundaries, and being present,” Kathy explains. “I think dogs and humans learn a lot in the same way. So, I think we can learn from them."

So, with the help of a loving little lab, a 15 year old made the choice to change and she did. She's now choosing to focus on her future.

"I think I’m going to be successful and demonstrate the things that she taught me," Danielle tells us. "She can't judge you at all. She just loves you no matter what."

Kathy says she's convinced anyone can benefit from pet therapy, unless of course they're afraid of dogs or have allergies. There's no extra charge to have Zoey in the room.