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When students walk through the doors at Cresthill Middle School in Highlands Ranch, many of them make the same stop to greet Guster. He is a yellow Labrador Retriever and graduate from Freedom Service Dogs who frequently sits near the front desk with school resource officer Deputy Brian Corbin, and Guster has quickly become a familiar and welcome sight in the halls.
Students at the Douglas County school now have a new kind of support system: a trained facility dog whose job is to help them navigate the stress, anxiety and social pressures of middle school. As young students adjust to academic demands and social challenges, many can feel isolated or overwhelmed. Guster and Corbin aim to offer a calming presence and a sense of safety…