The Buffalo Sabres have introduced Ralph, an 8-month-old Samoyed who will serve as the team’s official dog for the 2026-27 season while training to become a service dog for a local veteran.
Ralph is named after original Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson, according to the Sabres’ Nov. 11 announcement. The name grew out of a conversation between Mary Wilson and the founder of Pawsitive for Heroes, the program overseeing his training.
A name honoring Ralph Wilson
The team said the choice connects Buffalo’s hockey and football communities while honoring Wilson’s military service and community legacy. Wilson was a World War II veteran, according to the announcement.
Pawsitive for Heroes described the naming as an extension of its relationship with the Sabres, bringing the two Buffalo teams together through a shared emphasis on service and generosity.
Training for a role beyond the rink
The Sabres’ team dog program, presented by Azuna, is entering its sixth year. Like the dogs who preceded him, Ralph will train through Pawsitive for Heroes, a program run by WNY Heroes, with the goal of becoming a service dog for a local veteran.
The training also involves people at a local correctional facility. According to the Sabres, Pawsitive for Heroes dogs are trained there as part of an effort to give incarcerated participants, including veterans, a skill they can use after their release.
The announcement introduces Ralph at the training stage. His eventual service role will follow that preparation through the program.
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