Lantana resident Todd Anderson and his dog Blizzard rarely get in a full walk around the block these days without someone stopping to ask Todd if they can love on Blizzard for a few minutes. It’s hard to blame them. At nearly seven years old, Blizzard, an all-white Bichon Frisé, is one of the cutest, fluffiest, and most mild-mannered pups you’d ever hope to meet. It also helps that he looks like a walking Q-tip and loves people—toss him a toy or a treat, and he’ll walk right past it if he can get to it and love on the person who threw it.
In Todd’s eyes, the constant love fest is always welcome—no matter how long it may take to complete their neighborhood stroll. But what has always struck him about each interaction was what those same passersby would say as they stood up to walk away.
“This was five years ago; I started to notice a pattern where people would say, ‘I was having the worst day imaginable, but now I feel so much better after seeing Blizzard. Thank you,’” Todd said. “I’m not lying when I say I hear similar statements over and over again. Whatever terrible day they are having gets better in an instant. I began to wonder if there was more I could do.”
He added, “It’s fulfilling to see firsthand the impact a dog can have on people. You feel a sense of purpose.”
Todd and Blizzard couldn’t help but want to fill their lives with even more purpose. That ultimately led them to Canines for Christ. This international, Christian-based nonprofit therapy dog ministry program uses ordinary people and their beloved dogs to share God’s message of love, hope, kindness, and compassion with the community. A few of the many places, groups, and individuals CFC visits include hospitals, victims gatherings, women’s shelters, senior living locations (including home-bound seniors), courts to support children’s testimony, veteran service centers, first responders, cancer centers, schools, libraries, and special needs facilities for the mentally and physically disabled. They also visit prisons, crisis response locations, and more, as requested.
Todd can’t take credit for Canines for Christ. The organization was founded in 2007 in Tampa, Florida, by Chaplain Larry Randolph and his wife, Susan, and has grown to include over 1,200 members in 38 states and eight foreign countries. That said, it can be argued that he, his wife, Parvin, and Blizzard are three of CFC’s biggest and most loyal local supporters in Denton County.
Canines for Christ has 19 active members in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Todd is part of a small but mighty group of do-gooders in Argyle who routinely map out where they want to go with their dogs each week. There are currently 10 active members and 13 dogs in his chapter. One day, they might be at a school; the next, they might be at one of many local nursing homes or churches.
“Dogs bring so much comfort to people—the statistics prove that,” Todd said. “People know it’s essentially unconditional love walking through the door on four paws. They feel complete acceptance, and they can put their guard down. We are there to encourage them, give them direction, answer questions, or simply let them spend time with our dogs. Blizzard brings a lot of life to any room. He’ll sit, stay, shake hands. … People are brought to tears because it means that much to them.”
Blizzard is a natural at his job, so much so that Todd even credits his fur baby for saving his life in many ways.
Todd, a long-time Delta Airlines and American Eagle aircraft mechanic, was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in his hands five years ago. At first, one of his thumbs started hurting for no apparent reason. A few weeks later, the other thumb had similar painful episodes. After a quick trip to the doctor, he learned the cartilage in that area of his hand had worn out after years of manual labor.
He tried surgery, but when that didn’t work, he was forced into early retirement.
“Being a mechanic was all I knew to do. I was 59 years old and loved what I did, and I had absolutely zero intentions of retiring. I kept thinking, ‘What am I supposed to do now?’” Todd said. “That’s when I started walking Blizzard more often, and people stopped me to pet him. I felt like I was onto something, so I went home and researched different organizations. CFC jumped out at me.”
Blizzard needed to pass a 10-step canine good citizen test to become a full-fledged member of Canines for Christ. And he did pass with flying colors. Truth be told, he already had a head start on how to behave like a good boy should, given that Todd and Parvin had previously put him through standard puppy training.
“He doesn’t know how to get mad. He’s never growled once or showed his teeth, and he’s never been teased or poked,” Todd said. “He’s also not afraid of anything; I have to vacuum around him at the house sometimes because he’ll just lay there.”
Meanwhile, Todd saw the latest opportunity as a perfectly timed blessing and jumped in feet first.
He quickly became a certified chaplain for the organization and has found a new calling after years of being a mechanic.
“You feel good after bringing so much joy to someone’s life,” Todd said. “Blizzard will walk in, and you can see these people stop and start smiling at him—he knows exactly what to do, and people love him. They genuinely love him.”
To learn more about Canines for Christ, please visit k9forchrist.org.
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