Brian & Guster
A Brighter Tomorrow
For some children, school is a fun place to make friends, learn, develop skills, and participate in sports and clubs. And for others, school can be a place ridden with anxiety, hardship, and isolation.
At a middle school in Douglas County, Colorado, those two realities collide every day. But this year, students from all walks of life have a new schoolmate who is helping to reshape their experience at school… and his name is Guster.
In the summer of 2025, Freedom Service Dogs and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office history was made as we partnered our first-ever FSD Facility Dog, Guster, with School Resource Officer (SRO) Brian Corbin. This partnership marked the beginning of a new kind of collaborative partnership between law enforcement and FSD assistance dogs.
A devoted father and husband, Brian has worked in Colorado law enforcement for nearly twenty years, serving as a deputy and a mentor to other first responders. Growing up without many resources, Brian felt a strong desire to support children who don’t always have someone to turn to, which is why he transitioned to his current role as an SRO at a Colorado middle school six years ago.
“At first, I didn’t know if I was going to like being an SRO,” Brian said. “But it’s the total opposite. I love it, and I’ll probably do this for the rest of my career. It just fits my mindset of helping people.”
Every day, Brian supports students from diverse backgrounds—kids who are outgoing, shy, struggling, popular, from different socioeconomic backgrounds, or just trying to find where they fit in. But even with the relationships he’s built over the years, Brian knew that his deputy uniform was still creating a barrier between him and some of the students that needed his help most. That’s when he decided he wanted to make a change to enrich his work.
Brian learned about animal-assisted therapy and the impact therapy animals can have in the lives of children and teens. After working with his department to explore the idea, Brian connected with FSD and began the process of being matched with an FSD Facility Dog custom-trained to support youth, staff, and the broader community by providing additional comfort and stress relief and building rapport between Brian and the students within the school.
It became clear early on that it would take a special dog to pioneer this new partnership type, and as if it were written in the stars, all signs pointed to a stoic and affectionate yellow Labrador retriever named Guster.
When Brian met Guster, the match felt perfect. After completing their placement class at the FSD facility, the pair spent the summer preparing for their first school year together attending community events and spreading awareness about public safety. Come August and the start of the 2025-2026 school year, both Brian and Guster felt ready to make a difference.
The moment they walked into the school on the first day of classes, everything changed.
Word spread quickly that everyone’s favorite SRO was accompanied by an adorable furry companion who was highly-skilled at supporting students, making the whole school buzz with excitement. Kids who were anxious about returning to school stopped to pet him, and children who had never connected with Brian felt more comfortable talking to him knowing Guster was there to help. Brian shared, “Kids and parents leave the school feeling better than they did when they first got there after interacting with Guster.”
Throughout those first few weeks, Brian watched students’ stress melt away as they bent down to pet Guster. It didn’t matter whether they had a tough morning, a stressful class, or just needed some extra love and encouragement—Guster met them exactly where they were.
“When the kids pet him, you see their entire body language get relaxed. The stress relief he provides in even a small moment makes an impact,” Brian said. “He’s non-judgemental, and he’s not asking them for anything. His only job is to be there for the love and pets,” Brian said.
School administrators and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office saw the difference Brian and Guster brought to the school as well:
“We’re incredibly excited to introduce Guster to our students. Our SRO program is one of the strongest in the state, and Guster brings a new and powerful tool to help us connect with students, support their mental health, and strengthen the relationship between youth and law enforcement.”
This year, Brian and Guster have reached more kids than ever before. Guster’s calm demeanor has allowed Brian to build trust in moments where it matters most. But Guster’s impact doesn’t end at the last bell of the school day. He’s also played a big role in helping Brian push outside his comfort zone and be more open-minded. “Guster’s shown me that I can learn something new at school every day too and that it’s OK to make mistakes,” Brian shared. “He helps me teach students that same lesson—no one is perfect and we can come back from mistakes and hard times!”
As this duo look to their bright future, they see a long road ahead filled with endless possibilities and so much joy. “I believe we will support students in their everyday life and at school, whether it’s during the good times or the bad ones,” Brian said. “Guster and I are just one team, and we interact with hundreds of people. By supporting FSD, you truly create a ripple effect for so many others.”
Brian and Guster may not wear capes, but for their school, they are true heroes. Through everyday moments of connection and compassion, this duo proves something powerful to all the students: school is a place where you belong.
Read more about Team Brian and Guster HERE
Watch Guster’s Swearing In Ceremony HERE
This holiday season and beyond, you can support more game changing teams like Brian and Guster by giving a gift of any amount to Freedom Service Dogs. Your gift will be felt by hundreds, allowing us to provide the highest quality care and training to each of our puppies with a purpose and our graduates. Give now and make a dog-sized difference!
If you or someone you know is a school resource officer or mental health professional whose practice may benefit from an FSD Facility Dog, visit freedomservicedogs.org, email [email protected], or give us a call at 303-922-6231.
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Published by 12/2/2025
Contact Erin Conley at [email protected] for all media inquiries.