Guide dogs training with local students learn and teach

Luigi left La Loma Junior High in May with his head held high, and the crowd gathered for graduation cheering his name. On Saturday, the placid yellow lab raised in Modesto will pass a far more demanding bar, on duty leading his new partner through their joint graduation ceremony at Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Concord dog trainer helps turn pups into proper pets

Rajani LaRocca of Concord watched her almost 2-year-old Havanese dog Boomer trot through the forest at the Old Rifle Range conservation land Tuesday morning during a small group dog training session, smiling when Boomer came right to her when he was called. “It’s an amazing thing having him trained,” LaRocca said. “It makes our relationship even better.”