Walking the beat with Mango

Clark University’s new police recruit wants you to know that he’s happy to see you. 

In fact, if you stop to say hi, he might even let you scratch him behind the ears. 

Mango is a 2-year-old miniature goldendoodle who travels around campus with his handler, Detective Evan Gaylord of the Clark University Police Department. Earlier this year, Mango completed his training to become a certified therapy dog—and joined the department as its first official comfort dog. He even has a bio on the website. (Favorite activities outside of work? Going on long walks, kayaking, playing with other dogs, and taking naps.) 

Gaylord and his wife, Nicole, adopted Mango in March 2023. “I had wanted a big dog,” he laughs, “but we picked out Mango”—who is about a foot tall and weighs 12 pounds. 

Mango and Gaylord are a certified Therapy Dog Team. 

Mango’s training began with “puppy kindergarten” for socialization, followed by intermediate obedience and “Canine Good Citizen” training, where he learned to interact with people and other dogs and to behave in situations with busy crowds. 

After successfully completing Therapy Dog Team Training—an in-depth program that exposed Mango and Gaylord to different types of real-world situations they may encounter—Mango earned his therapy dog certification. He will be recertified every two years.   

Mango’s primary role as police comfort dog is “to say hi to everybody and just make people feel good,” Gaylord says. “People are welcome to stop by the department to see him if they’re having a bad day. Everyone could use some comfort now and then.” 

At Clark, Mango doesn’t attend every call with Gaylord, but he eventually may start accompanying the detective on less urgent mental health calls to provide support. “If it will help someone to just sit and hang out with Mango, we’ll do that.” 

Gaylord says for the most part, Clark students have been thrilled to meet Mango. “I bring him all around campus. He goes into different buildings and brings smiles to people. Students want to pet him, talk to him, learn about him.” 

While Mango is mainly on campus with Gaylord, he occasionally visits other places, such as local schools or health care settings, and is a frequent visitor to AdCare Hospital in Worcester. 

“A lot of people laugh when they see him riding in the cruiser with me and realize he’s a police dog,” Gaylord says. “They picture a German shepherd or a bloodhound. But he has his vest with his name, department, and badge. And he’s fully trained for the job. 

“He’s a good boy.”