Concordia Nebraska comfort dog Nico is a well-known fixture on campus 

It’s kind of hard to miss a 90-pound, big Golden Retriever named Nicodemus. This gentle, giant, tawny fluff of a dog is a well-known fixture on the Concordia University, Nebraska campus. But Nicodemus – or Nico for short – is not just another cute pup, he’s a dedicated and hard working registered Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dog. Concordia Nebraska students see Nico on campus most Fridays for “Fit and Fur” time with the golden pup. He is also on campus during finals week each semester and is frequently found at churches, schools and community events around Seward, as well.  

The Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry is a nation-wide, human-care ministry that utilizes the unique, calming nature and skills of purebred Golden Retrievers. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs are working animals, intentionally trained to interact with all ages and circumstances who are suffering or in need. The dogs are owned by The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod and are permanently placed with churches that have all-volunteer, trained teams who coordinate the animals’ work in the church, the community and beyond.  

Randy Newsome of Seward has three titles with Nico: he is the “Top Dog,” as well Nico’s primary care giver and one of Nico’s handlers.  A retired dairy farmer originally from California, he said his experience with Nico and the comfort dog ministry is incredibly rewarding.  

Nico is a gentle giant and this is such a rewarding ministry. Nico allows people to feel joy and see the mercy and compassion of Jesus. It’s such a gift.

Newsome moved to Seward in 1995 after working at his family’s dairy farm in Tulare, California, since 1950. He operated a dairy farm east of Seward from 1995 to 2013. When he moved to the area, his children were in high school. His daughter Kelly Math ‘00 is a Concordia Nebraska alumna. She and her brother now both live in Omaha.  

“My wife Marcia and I have been married for 52 years. I retired from the dairy business in 2013 and had some health issues. When I recovered from them, The Rock Lutheran Church in Seward had been introduced to the comfort dog ministry, and they decided it was something they wanted to do.”  

Comfort dogs undergo an incredible amount of training, and their ongoing care features detailed, specific instructions. Permanent placement includes full training for handlers and caregivers along with ongoing support, coaching and training. Handlers are not allowed to have other pets and follow specific routines with the dogs each day at home and while serving in the community. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs live in the homes of their assigned caregivers. Associated costs are covered by donations.  

Nico has lived with the Newsomes since August 2017.  

“The mission statement of the Comfort Dog Ministry is to share the mercy, compassion, presence and the proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering in need. The dog is the bridge that gets you in the door,” said Newsome. “With Nico, I show up and shut up. I let people talk and share their needs and concerns. I pray for them and let them pet the dog.”  

Interactions with animals like Nico have been proven to lower heart rate, reduce stress and curb stress hormones, said Newsome.  Although there are many ways in which Nico could serve in the Seward area, Newsome said it’s wise to have a focus area for the ministry work.  

“Since Seward is such a small town, we decided our emphasis was going to be on kids,” he explained. “We go to the middle school, the high school and the elementary school weekly and to Concordia Nebraska on Fridays. We go to the St. John Child Development Center, to St. John’s school weekly and to the local Catholic school once a month. We also go to Our Redeemer Lutheran School in Staplehurst once a month, and we go to the rest homes and care facilities on Saturdays.”  

Nico often works with local public elementary, middle and high schools, St. John’s Child Development Center and school, Redeemer in Staplehurst, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School in Seward, in other local schools, with Head Start, Boy Scouts, at senior care facilities and elsewhere. Sundays are mostly reserved for worship at The Rock. 

“We only go where we are invited,” said Newsome. “And we’re invited to a lot of neat places. Nico even had a part in the local high school’s production of the musical ‘Annie’ a few years ago. Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dogs is an all-volunteer organization. We are funded totally through donations, we are not are funded through our host church’s budget.  We are so blessed to be able to take care of Nico through those generous donations.”  

Nico has also served the greater community throughout the state of Nebraska and beyond.  He has attended funerals and visitations.  In the wake of mass shootings, he and team members travelled to Las Vegas in 2017 and to El Paso in 2019 to provide support.   

“Those events are important, but so is what we do locally,” said Newsome. “You cannot judge success by crowd size or location. If you touched one person with the visit, it was worth it.”  

Although Nico lives with the Newsomes, there are several other handlers on his team. A handler accompanies Nico on each visit he makes, but a ministry helper comes along, as well. Nico handlers are Linda Brettman, Sara Moll, Sue Briggs, Brenda Rief, Marcia Newsome and Randy Newsome.  

“The ministry helpers are there so the handler can control dog. The ministry helpers talk to people,” explained Newsome.  

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs serve every day in the community in which they are placed and are also often deployed in times of disaster and crisis to bring comfort to all those affected, including first responders and the volunteers who serve them. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog ministry began in 2008. LCC currently has more than 130 LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs serving in more than 27 states. Seven of the dogs are based in Nebraska.  

All dogs in the LCC program are Golden Retrievers, which are used because of their mellow demeanor. The breed is generally calm and good with people.    

“If you take a pup that's about eight weeks old and you turn them upside down on their back on your hand, how much they struggle to right themselves will give you a real good indication of their demeanor and how aggressive they're going to be,” explained Newsome.  

Nico is one of the program’s largest comfort dogs, although not the heaviest. He simply has an exceptionally large and tall stature for the breed. His brother Ezra was also an LCC comfort dog and passed away about a year ago.  

Comfort dogs follow a specialized diet and exercise program to maintain their weight and overall health.   

Nico was trained and ready to serve at 16 and a half months, said Newsome. Dogs are usually closer to two years, but Nico was ready to go early.  When dogs can no longer perform their ministry duties, they are retired and continue to live with their primary handler family. Golden retrievers have a lifespan of about 10 to 12 years.  

“The dogs know that when they are wearing their vest, they are working. They are trained to a different set of behaviors when the vests are on,” he said, “They are taught to go to the bathroom on demand. For a reward, when we remove the vest, Nico gets 10 minutes of playtime to run in the backyard, then he gets a full body massage. We have a routine before we go out to serve in the community, too. Nico gets very excited when we do the full process of brushing his teeth, brushing his coat and making sure he’s clean and smelling nice so he makes a good impression. He knows that means it’s time to go out and serve.”  

Nico turned nine on April 2.  

“We have noticed that he’s aging a little. He no longer acts as much like a teen, he’s more like a middle-aged guy,” laughed Newsome.  “He still works hard and enjoys work time and play time. And he loves peanut butter as a treat, but he doesn’t get it very often…has to watch his waistline!”  

Newsome said the greater comfort dog community is filled with support and kind friends, and that all teams work together for the same purpose. Older teams help new teams get started, and Newsome said it’s a joy to work with so many like-minded people.  

Most dogs come to their assignments and handlers with a name. All are completely trained before deployment and have a Bible verse. Nico’s is John 3:17: "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that through Him the world might be saved." Nico has his own business cards and his own social media account.  

“When I was a farmer, dogs were always outside. I never, ever imagined I’d be involved in something like this, but it’s been such a blessing. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Nico and serve Concordia Nebraska,” said Newsome.  “Nico is a gentle giant and this is such a rewarding ministry. Nico allows people to feel joy and see the mercy and compassion of Jesus. It’s such a gift.”  

Concordia University, Nebraska students have access to multiple services, venues and people designed to ensure physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.