The Green Bay Rockers Baseball Club is going to be featuring some new four-legged team members this year, thanks to a new collaboration with Practical Obedience Custom Dog Training. For several seasons, The Green Bay Rockers of the Northwoods Baseball League have occasionally featured a bat dog during games – dogs trained to retrieve bats from home plate after a hit or walk and return them to the dugout. As one of the most popular promotions, the Rockers sought to bring it local for the 2025 season, asking local dog trainers at Practical Obedience if they could train up this season’s bat dogs.
“When this unique opportunity arose, we knew we needed dogs who could thrive in a high-energy environment filled with fans, music, and constant movement,” said Kailey, a trainer at Practical Obedience. “Training a dog to retrieve is only one small piece of the puzzle to success for a bat dog. Our graduates from the Puppy DaySchool program were a natural fit for the level of confidence and experience required to take on the full scope of what’s required.”
Practical Obedience’s Puppy DaySchool focuses on preparing young dogs for the challenges of the real world by introducing them to a wide variety of people, loud noises, and public environments. This foundation of socialization and desensitization is critical for a bat dog, who must remain focused amidst the bustling activity of a ballpark.
Following a series of auditions featuring eight promising candidates, Practical Obedience selected two outstanding graduates: Scout and Wally. Both dogs are owned by clients, who enrolled their puppies in this outstanding program which is designed to help create the “go anywhere” dog.
Scout, a yellow Labrador retriever about to turn one year old, distinguished herself early on with her strong natural retrieving instinct and enthusiastic demeanor. As the program’s initial test subject, Scout helped trainers refine their methods for preparing a bat dog for professional game-day responsibilities.
Wally, a one year old Labrador retriever, quickly followed suit. His eagerness to learn, coupled with his strong motivation for food rewards, made his training both efficient and successful. Wally has consistently demonstrated excellent focus and a great work ethic on and off the field.
In addition to their retrieving duties, both Scout and Wally are known for their friendly dispositions and as they settle into their new roles will be available for fan interactions and photos along the concourse during games.
Practical Obedience’s bat dogs will appear at Monday and Wednesday night home games throughout the season. Scout will be accompanied by her trainer, Kailey, on Mondays, while Wally will be handled by his trainer, Ally, on Wednesdays. You can learn more about this and find a link to get tickets for the games at practicaldogobedience.com as well as learn more about their premier Puppy DaySchool Program. We hope to make this year the most successful – and fun – season for the Green Bay Rockers yet!
Photo caption: Scout, a yellow Labrador retriever, trains to be a bat dog for Green Bay Rockers games this season.
