In classrooms and hallways across the Humble Independent School District, furry four-legged companions are helping students feel safe, seen and supported. These Comfort Dogs—therapy dogs who accompany counselors, teachers, reading coaches and special education staff to work—are doing more than just wagging their tails. They’re helping kids regulate emotions, build connections and find calm in the chaos of the school day.
The movement began when a local school counselor asked a colleague for a dog trainer recommendation. That colleague sent her to Bobbye Smith of Let’s Go!! (positive reinforcement dog training) and from that one request, a ripple effect began. Today, nearly 40 Comfort Dogs trained by Smith help a variety of students at Humble ISD.
“It’s one of the most rewarding things I do,” Smith says. “I’ve seen the good that it does.”
Smith, a passionate dog trainer and lifelong animal advocate, is proud of her business Let’s Go!, which has grown from group classes into a full-service private training business that helps families build lasting positive relationships with their dogs.
Comfort dogs are trained for about five months in three steps. First comes private in-home obedience training (six to eight weeks), followed by public access training in high-distraction environments like Lowe’s and Petco. Finally, dogs complete on-campus training to be “proofed” for real-world environments, focusing on the 3 D’s: distance, distraction and duration.
“I take these dogs everywhere to ensure they’re confident and focused no matter the setting,” Smith says. “When you’re putting on their vest, they know they’re working. They are more attentive, extremely obedient and observing the kids around them.”
That attentiveness has made a meaningful difference in the lives of both general education and special education students. Jamie DeBorde, a SPED program specialist at Kingwood Park High School and owner of Charlie, has seen the impact every day Charlie comes to work.
“Charlie helps kids regulate their emotions,” she says. “Sometimes they just come in and pet her and calm down—no talking needed.”
One graduated student of Kingwood Park High School, Blake Shaver, says, “I would go see Charlie whenever I could. She helped me destress when I was frustrated. Sometimes she would lay her head in my lap or put her arm over me. She just knew.”
DeBorde says Charlie isn’t trained to know students’ sensory needs—but seems to instinctively sense what’s needed. “Some kids don’t connect through peer groups or sports but they find connection and belonging through the dog."
Charlie’s influence also builds bridges. “Kids who wouldn’t normally be caught near each other will all gather around her in the hallway,” DeBorde says. “It brings all social groups together—they all become 10-year-olds again in the best way.”
Kristen Johnson, a counselor at Woodland Hills Elementary and owner of George, experiences the same thing when George accompanies her to school. “Sometimes students don’t want to open up to me,” she said. “But after they spend time with George and pet him they start to open up. In fact, sometimes they’ll talk to him before they talk to me.”
Dogs like Charlie and George offer a calming nonjudgmental presence. Whether helping students feel more in control, more connected or more confident, their impact is unmistakable. "A dog loves you no matter what," Johnson says. "And kids know and feel that."
The success of these Comfort Dogs in schools is just one example of what’s possible when dogs are properly trained. That foundation starts with the kind of relationship-focused training Bobbye Smith champions through her work at LET’S GO!!
“Training your dog is not an option. It’s an obligation,” Smith says “It’s not something you start after problems show up. It’s how you prevent problems from starting."
Let's Go! offers one-on-one training with the dog and the owner. "We offer many levels of training," Smith says. "And we don't just train the dog- we train and educate families."
I would go see Charlie whenever I could. She helped me destress when I was frustrated.- Blake Shaver