Have you ever met a Comfort Dog?

Have you ever met a Comfort Dog?

You’ve probably heard of Therapy Dogs and Service Dogs, but have you ever met a Comfort Dog?  I recently attended the 10th Anniversary of the Live Your Legacy Summit in Norcross, Georgia.  I had no idea there would be dogs at the event!  The dogs of the Comfort Dog Ministries were being honored for their service at the event and received the Marley Legacy Award as recognition.

Rosie the Comfort Dog

I was first greeted by Comfort Dog Rosie.  I was told that her job is to bring comfort and peace to anyone that needs it.  I got my picture taken with her and also got to pet her and I can tell you that she definitely did her job.

The primary difference in Comfort Dogs is that they are there for everyone to pet and love on to comfort them if they need it.  Many therapy and service dogs wear a vest that may that they are working, Please Do Not Pet.  That is because the Service Dog is trained to help that individual, whereas Comfort Dogs are to provide comfort to anyone that is suffering and in need.  They have a patch on their vest that says Please Pet Me!  Who can resist that?!?

Jewel the Comfort Dog

I next got to meet Jewel and talk with Joseph Ferwerda, Director of the Comfort Dog Ministries.  Rosie and Jewel are a part of the Lutheran Church Charities Canine Comfort Dog Ministries.  They are headquartered in Chicago, IL and have 130 dogs across the US in 23 states; however they travel all over the US.

What does a Certified Comfort Dog Do?

The dogs in the Comfort Dog Ministries are Golden Retrievers that are trained to comfort people that are suffering and in need.  They have been to numerous areas of the country helping people that are having a hard time dealing and coping with tragic events and natural disasters.  Some places include the Orlando Shooting, the Dallas Police Shooting and Sandy Hook.  They also travel to local schools and libraries to help children and the elderly.  They have a brochure that points out various benefits of Comfort Dogs.

What a superb program.  There have been numerous articles, like this one from Positive Health Wellness, that discuss how pets can improve your health by calming us and relieving stress.  Whether it is a natural disaster, tragic event or everyday stress, these dogs bring so much comfort to people and it was a pleasure meeting them and seeing them honored for their work.

Both Rosie and Jewel have their own Facebook pages so that you can follow them and see the great work they do every day.

Have you had the opportunity to meet a Comfort Dog?  Let us know in the Comments!  We would love to hear about it.

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