The Washington Nationals’ season just got a whole lot cuter. The baseball team’s new team dog, Natty, is set to make his team debut on Friday when the Nats take on the Baltimore Orioles.
The 8-week-old puppy will be the Nationals’ official team dog, in partnership with Canine Companions and Eukanuba. The announcement comes nearly two months after the team opened a contest to vote on the new team dog’s name, where fans had the opportunity to choose between Cherry, Monty, Natty, and Tater.
The golden retriever and Labrador retriever mix was born on March 5. Natty is one of six brothers and sisters that will be trained for service. The adorable pup will live with his volunteer puppy raisers, Jackie and Laura, in Virginia while he prepares for professional training with Canine Companion instructors in 18 months.
While Natty will spend the next year and a half with the Nats learning socialization skills, the goal of the partnership is to have him become a service dog for a person with a disability.
The first pitch for Friday’s game against the Orioles is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. Can’t make it Friday? The team dog will also make appearances at Nats Park throughout the season.
Feature image courtesy Washington Nationals
