Gillette Stadium’s geese-chasing dog keeps Patriots practice fields clear

Boyd spends his workday running geese off the Patriots’ practice fields at Gillette Stadium, a job Ryan Bjorn built for him after adopting and training the border collie-husky mix. Before each practice, Boyd circles the turf to clear the area for New England’s players and keep the birds from settling in.

Geese are a bigger issue on the practice fields than on the stadium’s main surface, which uses artificial turf, and Boyd’s patrol helps prevent the birds from landing and nesting around the complex. Bjorn had seen the same approach work at Maryland SoccerPlex, where a dog was also used to drive geese away from the playing surfaces.

Boyd first became part of the Patriots’ public image in 2019, when the team introduced him as a five-year-old member of the field crew. By January 2026, he was still on the job and due to turn 12 in February. The routine is simple: Boyd runs, the geese leave, and the fields stay usable.

The Patriots have tied training camp to pet-related initiatives, including Pet Adoption Day activities and the Pawtriots merchandise line that supports animal welfare efforts through the Patriots Foundation. In 2026, training camp was the 67th annual and the 23rd straight held at Gillette Stadium.