Students at a Chilliwack elementary school got to meet some puppies in training via Zoom as part of the RCMP Name the Puppy contest.

Grade 3 students at Strathcona elementary watched on Thursday morning as some of the 13 puppies played tug-of-war together, chewed on toys, and raced through the camera frame past a tipped-over bowl of water.

The fluffy canines were at BC RCMP Headquarters in Surrey on March 11 with officers Sgt. Michael Jordan of Chilliwack and Const. Ross Findlay who spoke about how the human police dog handlers train puppies to become full-fledged police service dogs.

The kids had the chance to ask many questions about the puppies and were encouraged to take part in the Canada-wide Name the Puppy contest.

The Police Dog Service Training Centre (PDSTC) in Innisfail, Alta., is asking young Canadians to suggest names for the 13 German shepherd puppies born at the centre this year.

Some of the puppies born at the Police Dog Service Training Centre (PDSTC) in Innisfail, Alta. (RCMP)

“Children are encouraged to be original and imaginative in finding names that will serve these puppies well in their careers with Canada’s national police force. When thinking of names, it is important to keep in mind that these are working police dogs, not pets,” the press release reads.

Contest rules:

• Names must begin with the letter “P”

• Names must have no more than nine letters

• Names must be one or two syllables

• Contestants must live in Canada

• Contestants must be four to 14 years old

• Only one entry per child will be eligible

The deadline to submit entires is March 18.

RELATED: Six puppies rescued by FVRD in Chilliwack now have names

Winning names will be chosen by the PDSTC staff. A draw will determine the winning entry in the event of multiple submissions of the same puppy name.

Contest winners and the winning puppy names will be announced on April 28.

The 13 children whose names are selected will each receive a laminated 8×10-inch photo of the pup they name, a plush dog named Justice and an RCMP water bottle.

For more info and to enter the contest, go to rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/depot/name-the-puppy-contest.

Grade 3 Strathcona elementary students wave goodbye to RCMP officers and some puppies following a Zoom meeting with them on Thursday, March 11, 2021. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

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