The scene is unbearably sweet: A little girl, about eight, is training a puppy. Like a pro, she lifts her voice into a confident “Sit” while raising her palm upward, just as she learned. No luck. The girl tries again: “Sit.” This time, success! She does a little celebratory jump, and the dog leaps up to kiss her, licking her hair bow off her head. No adult in the room minds when the training session momentarily derails into giggles and wags. Here, at Bark and Heal, dog training isn’t the ultimate goal. Therapy is. Bark and Heal unites kids and dogs who face challenges disproportionate to their small sizes. The kids are residents at Alexander Youth Network’s Transition House. They’ve recently completed treatment at the organization’s residential psychiatric center; here, they reinforce positive behaviors and gain new life skills before they return to their families or foster homes. The pup, Sunny, is an eight-month-old rescue dog with Billies’ Buddies Animal Rescue who’s awaiting adoption. Each Wednesday evening, the kids and dog gather to bond, to play, and to help each other home.