The newest member of the Washington Capitals made his debut Saturday, and unlike his teammates, he did so in Alex Ovechkin’s arms.
Captain, a 10-week-old yellow Labrador, is in training to become a service dog. Ovechkin showed the pup off during the team’s red-carpet arrival outside Capital One Arena before the Caps faced the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Capitals have partnered with America’s VetDogs, an organization that provides service dogs to veterans and first responders with disabilities, the team said in a news release.
Over the next 14 to 16 months, Captain will undergo basic training and socialization with the Caps. He’ll be at certain practices, home games and community events until it’s time to begin his formal service dog training.
Once Captain is trained, he will be matched with a veteran or first responder at no cost.
Fans can follow Captain’s progress on his Instagram or Twitter.