Tewksbury Police Department Asks Community to Help Name Puppy

Tewksbury Police Chief Ryan M. Columbus is pleased to share that the Tewksbury Police Department is holding a contest for students to help name a puppy who is training to become a comfort dog for the department.

Tewksbury Police have been working with Monadnock Labradoodles, a small dog breeder in southern New Hampshire, to find an appropriate young puppy that will be trained to serve as a comfort dog partnered with School Resource Officer Eric Hanley.

Once fully trained, the Labradoodle that has been selected will serve alongside Hanley and work to calm and build relationships with students in Tewksbury Public Schools, as well as at community events around town.

The initiative to add a comfort dog to the department’s roster is being fully funded by donations from Monadnock Labradoodles LLC, Walmart, Salem Five Bank, Auntie Dog Training Studio, Taught-a-Lot Childcare, and WellPet LLC.

“This newest member of the Tewksbury Police Department will help serve, protect and comfort students here in Tewksbury, so I’m excited to give the students in our community an opportunity to have a little fun while helping us choose a perfect name,” said Chief Columbus. “Lets get creative and work together to welcome this young K-9 who will become both a friend and a resource to our community.”

To submit a name before the deadline on Nov. 30, click here.

Trainers at Monadnock Labradoodles have helped select a specific puppy whose personality is appropriate for a comfort dog. Labradoodles are a cross between poodles and Labrador retrievers that were bred to create an allergy and asthma friendly breed that also have calm, clever, and confident personalities and love human interaction.

“He is a sweet, confident, calm, quiet, soulful puppy who loves human interaction and has the ability to process through new, potentially ‘scary’ environments,” said Danielle Borozinski, a manager at Monadnock Labradoodles. “He also is the largest of the litter at just over seven pounds, so he will be at least 30 pounds at adulthood, which will be great given his work.”

The puppy will join Officer Hanley and Tewksbury Police on Nov. 28, and then attend training at Auntie Dog Training Studio.