About Us
Formed in 2014, Tribute Comfort Dogs visit with our service members, veterans, 1st responders and their families, supporting them by bringing comfort and joy. We salute their courage and are grateful for their service and sacrifice.
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Founded by a military family, our Comfort Dogs are handled by people who understand the sacrifices that our Hero Families have made. We are service members, veterans, and their immediate family members, and we have experienced the challenges of military service. Whether its graduation day, deployment day, welcome home, a memorial or a funeral, we know the power of a smile, a handshake, a thank you and just simply showing up. And we know the comfort of a dog's unconditional love.
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That's why we're here. We want to share our love of dogs with our heroes and their families. We want to provide comfort and show the power of a supportive community.
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In 2022 we expanded our program to include a certified Animal-Assisted Crisis Response (AACR) Team.
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2023 our Founders donated a 35' Motorcoach to become our first Mobile AACR and Podcast Unit we named Rover.
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2024 we started working on the custom design and work on Rover.
Meet the Team
Our Pups Past and Present, as describe by our Founder.
Jager (2008-2022) Bluetick Coonhound
Founding Dog
Comfort Dog
Gunner (2011-2018) Labrador Retriever
Comfort Dog
Brie (2019- ) Labrador Retriever
Animal-Assisted Crisis Response
Maddie (2023- ) Labrador Retriever
Animal-Assisted Crisis Response Prospect
Jager was adopted from a shelter in Washington state as my original SAR prospect. I started him on HITT and as a true coonhound style he excelled at the challenge and let everyone know he was enjoying it too.
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In 2011 we moved to Texas and became a military family, experiencing our 1st deployment ceremony in 2012. Yep, I took Jager with us to my husband's deployment ceremony to be my rock and support me. Jager ended up supporting many families that Saturday and our org was born.
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He was my steadfast boy for funerals and memorials supporting our Hero Families. He had a quiet calming way about him. Very respectful, Jager would stand next to families, waiting for a hand to slide down his sweet face and he listen intently to every word they shared about their loved ones. He was truly a gift. He taught me to be the handler and trainer I am today.
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American Kennel Club Title - Canine Good Citizen
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Pet Partners registered with Complex (highest) rating since 2015
Retired 2021
Crossed the rainbow bridge 2022
We adopted Gunner and his littermate brother Odin in 2011, when they were 5 months old. We were their 2nd family, or 3rd if you include their breeder. I knew Gunner boy was destine for greatness, at the time I wasn't sure what for, but there was something very special about him and Odin with his crazy high drive, was my dream USAR prospect.
As the boys grew, so did Gunner's love to be with people, all people, not just his people. He breezed through training, aced his AKC CGC evaluation and earned Pet Partners' Therapy Dog highest rating of Complex.
In his short career as a Comfort Dog, Guns was my go to boy for all events celebrating our Hero Families. Our handsome boy was a people magnet, which is where I learned that these amazing dog were the perfect social facilitators.
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American Kennel Club Title - Canine Good Citizen
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Pet Partner registered with Complex (highest) rating since 2015
Crossed the rainbow bridge 2018.
We brought home Brie in the summer of 2019. We raised her knowing that her job was to work as a comfort dog. She's smart, sweet, fun and very much a quiet thinker. She's probably the chillest Lab I have ever worked with.
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In her own quirky ways she reminds us a lot of Gunner. From her very sweet air-kisses, to the way she tackles Odin when they play ball. Even her naughty counter surfing and obsession with boxes.
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Although I am a trainer myself, I took her to classes at a training center closer to Dallas. This way, she was traveling, meeting lots of people, seeing lots of other pups, all in a well controlled environment. She went from Puppy thru Advanced classes and then on to CGC prep & testing,
She passed her Pet Partners evaluation with flying colors and just like her brothers before her, she earn the highest rating of "Complex".
She has her shy moments, but don't her fool you. When it's time to work, she's all business. She has earn all of the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen titles and she is now the ​K9 half of our Animal-Assisted Crisis Response (AACR) team.
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American Kennel Club Titles -
CGC - Canine Good Citizen
CGCA - Canine Good Citizen Advanced
CGCU - Canine Good Citizen Urban
FDC - Farm Dog Certified
TKN - Trick Dog Novice
TKI - Trick Dog Intermediate
Pet Partners Registered with Complex (highest) rating since 2021.
Baby Maddie came home at the end June of 2023. She is our next Comfort Dog prospect. She is a very sweet and busy girl. Ms. Maddie is the complete and total opposite of Brie. Lets just say...she is very creative, energetic and wears her heart on her sleeve.
After she completed her puppy vaccine series, Mad was introduced to the pool and swimming lessons along side of Brie. She took to dock diving like a duck out of water. She was a jumping fool. We look forward to taking her back to the pool next year for some big air and splashes.
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She is currently in puppy class but as an outlet for her creative and energetic juices, she is currently enrolled in puppy agility.
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As a true Lab, her favorite treats are ALL the treats. And as a true puppy, her favorite toys are ALL the toys everyone else is playing with.
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She loves her one on one quiet time working on treat puzzles and snuffle mats.
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She is a true joy to work with.