Puppy Patrol

Wittenberg's Campus Safety and Police Division has welcomed a furry new member to its team - an adorable yellow Labrador puppy that will soon be ready to serve as the University's first-ever crisis response therapy dog.

Donated to Wittenberg by Black Swamp Labradors, a small, specialized, family-based breeder located in Grand Rapids, Ohio, west of Toledo, the puppy comes from a long line of highly socialized dogs, many of which are used for therapy and comfort.

"Normally, these dogs can cost up to $2,500," said Chief of Police and Director of Campus Safety Lee McCartney, adding that the division is "most grateful for the breeder's willingness to donate the dog."

The department has also secured other free services, including coverage of vet costs by King Kennels, as well as food for the duration of the dog's time with the University to ensure that the entire effort comes at no cost to Wittenberg.

"We also continue to receive additional donations for equipment and the care of the dog, who will live with its new handler, Det. Sgt. Matt Raines, and his family when not on campus," McCartney said.

The male puppy was born on June 20, 2026, and arrived on campus August 21. He currently goes by the name "Dog" pending a weeklong campus-wide contest to name the canine starting today through next Wednesday, September 2. Names to choose from include: Duke, Rosco, Maverick, Remington, Cooper, Bear, Murphy, Ranger, Berg, Rookie, Weaver, and Bayley. Once the contest closes and a name is selected, the division will host a meet-and-greet with the dog and formally reveal its official name.

Over the next few weeks, the puppy will engage in extensive training, along with his Raines as his handler. The puppy will begin training at the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy in London, Ohio, on Sept. 28 for two weeks, followed by more training with the Clark County Emergency Management (CCEM) team. Provided all goes well, the puppy will be ready for duty on campus in mid-October. Additionally, the puppy will assist the CCEM team, which currently has 21 dogs trained for times of crisis, comfort, and support.

As for its immediate training, McCartney said that the puppy is currently learning the basics for about 20 minutes at a time, three times a day.

"We want to get the dog to where it can work with other dogs, people, and its handler," he said. "It will need to be able to handle loud noises, sirens, gunshots, crying, screaming, crowds, fireworks, etc., as well as learn how to respond appropriately when someone pulls its ears, fur, or tail. It needs to know how to handle situations when someone, especially a child, is playing with it in any way. We want to go above and beyond in its training, just to cover us, and for the dog to be a valuable member of our team."

Black Swamp Labradors is known for breeding quality, health, and calm temperaments in its dogs. Its labs are certified by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals for inherited genetic health conditions (OFA'D), which means that a veterinarian performs specific diagnostic tests and specialist exams to check for certain diseases, including joint issues. Their labs also have Embark and/or Paw Print Health Testing done, and many of their pups have become proven service and therapy dogs.