Which College Dog Mascot is Your Favorite?
Here in Columbia, South Carolina, we anxiously count down the days until the first college football game. I know we are not alone! So, in honor of football season starting back up, here are six popular dogs you might know from the gridiron. Happy Dog Days of College!
Reveille
School: Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. Real Name: Reveille X. Breed: Collie
I grew up in East Texas, so Reveille was a big part of college game day in our household. While you may have seen her on the sidelines, she stands out for another reason as well: she is actually a five-diamond Cadet General in the Corps of Cadets. Impressive? Absolutely! Even more impressive: that makes her the highest-ranking member of the Corps of Cadets.
She is taken care of by a mascot corporal. This candidate has to be a member of the Corps of Cadets and actually try out to earn the honor of the being Reveille’s caretaker. And this is no easy tryout period – it lasts eight weeks! It is considered a position of honor and responsibility. Not only does the mascot corporal do normal “dog owner” routines (feeding, vet visits, grooming), Reveille accompanies him to class, sleeps with him, and goes to EVERY football game. Her ranking also means high security at games: as she is escorted in she has a group of cadets that surrounds her.
This campus is known for its traditions, and ones surrounding Reveille are even present. For example, if she barks during class, the professor has to let class out. The tradition of Reveille, however, has been on the campus since 1931. It all started when two students hit a black and white mutt and decided to bring it back to campus and adopt it. When reveille played the next morning the dog barked, and so got its name. Reveille III was the first Collie to hold the position in the early 1960s, and it has been a Collie ever since. She is affectionately known as Miss Rev and The First Lady of Aggieland.
UGA X
School: University of Georgia, Athens, GA. Real Name: Que, Breed: Bulldog
Known as Uga (for those not in the SEC, it’s pronounced “Ug-uh”), this well-known bulldog has an equally well-known and colorful owner. Apparently, Sonny Seiler is as much a part of UGA history as his iconic line of Bulldogs. Seiler is a UGA alumnus, and was Jim Williams’ defense lawyer, which earned him some fame in the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. He also appeared in with UGA V in the movie version of the book (1997). The Seiler family has been keeping the UGA mascot since 1956 and Que is part of the same line all Ugas come from.
Que has been the mascot since 2015. Uga is treated like royalty on campus and goes to every football game. A lot of times the camera will pan to him on the field as he retreats from the dog days of summer in his specially built dog-house near the cheer-leader’s bench. I mean custom-built too – it has air conditioning and insulation so this classy bulldog doesn’t get overheated during day games. Don’t worry, at away games he is cooled off by laying on a bag of ice 🙂
The title of Uga is so revered on campus, they built a mausoleum at the stadium for all the previous owners of the title to be interred. The first Uga’s epitaph is “Damn Good Dog”. Of course a book and movie about the mascot line sport the same title. Not one to be left out of a game, he will even defend his end zone, as an Auburn player found out one year. Uga infamously lunged at the receiver after he scored a touchdown and got too close to Uga’s sideline. Uga felt like he was trespassing, so he tried to chase him away.
Handsome Dan XIX
School: Yale University, New Haven, CT; Real Name: Kingman; Breed: Old English Bulldogge
Handsome Dan is actually the nation’s first live dog mascot when his title was invented in 1889. I guess you could say he was the pack leader for dog mascots! It was a popular idea – at least 40 colleges and universities have bulldogs as their mascot whether it is a costumed character or an actual dog. Kassandra “Kassie” Haro is the current keeper of Sherman, and considers it an honor.
Handsome Dan has been photographed with U.S. presidents, big-name human celebrities, and anyone else who can sneak into a picture with him. All the Handsome Dans have been a hit at the football games. From head-butting people in costumes – i.e. other mascots – or playing dead during the Yale-Harvard game if asked to go to Harvard, fans love to see him on the sidelines. But he has a charitable side too by lending his aid to various charities. These include (but aren’t limited to) attending benefits for bone cancer awareness, juvenile diabetes, and events for people with disabilities.
Smokey
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN; Real Name: Smokey X; Breed: Bluetick Coonhound
Smokey became the mascot for the University of Tennessee in 1953. He was selected during a halftime competition at the homecoming game during the 1952-53 season. Several hounds were introduced for voting, and Blue Smokey (owned by Rev. Bill Brooks) was the last, and howled loudly when introduced. That made the students go wild, and the Smokey line has been a valued member of the Tennessee family ever since.
The current Smokey will be all business and have several duties. His primary responsibility is to lead the football team onto the field before every game through the “T” and after halftime. And of course he has to be present on the sidelines as support for the team! After every time the Vols score, he runs across the end zone. Life is pretty normal for him outside the Saturday games. His dog days of summer include playing in the yard, chasing Frisbees, and barking a squirrels.
Dubs
University of Washington, Seattle; Real Name: Dubs II; Breed: Alaskan Malamute
The mascot tradition has been going strong at the University of Washington for a long time. It had unofficial mascots prior to 1920, and by 1922 the university settled on a Husky. To clear up the confusion as to why the have an Alaskan Malamute rather than a Husky, Jennifer McBride (UW alumna and staff member) explains:
” ‘Husky’ is actually a generic term that can be used for any type of sled dog, which includes Alaskan Malamutes, Samoyeds, and Siberian Huskies, among others. Of all the Husky-type breeds, Alaskan Malamutes are the strongest and largest. They also tend to be the most laid-back and friendliest.”
Dubs gets the best of both worlds when it comes to living. He is the first UW mascot to both live with a family and have student handlers. That means he gets to be a regular pet at home with a family, then has UW students involved in handling him for his official duties as mascot. Training for the rigors of being in front of large crowds starts as soon as he was brought home. At events and games, handlers work in pairs – a team of 4-6 undergrads who have experience working with animals. The owners and handlers work together to make sure everyone is using consistent handling techniques (hmmmm…sounds familiar).
Scotty
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh; Real Name: Maggie; Breed: Scottish Terrier
While most mascots are from Division I schools, Carnegie Mellon is a Division III school. It’s known for producing top-tier computer scientists, engineer, and entrepreneurs, and the emphasis is on academia. The school had a costumed mascot since 1950. Popular demand and celebrity intervention led the school in 2008 to adopt a live dog mascot. Bill Cosby was the inspiration – he breeds Scottish Terriers and wanted to show up with a Scottie at his commencement speech. Cosby was able to donate Maggie, the current mascot, to the school after his speech.
Larry Cartwright is her owner and he remains responsible for her, and she fits in with his two other Scotties just fine. In fact, she’s the boss. She is named after Andrew Carnegie’s mother, Margaret Morrison. Her dog days of college include attending the games and official functions, and she is all terrier. Apparently, she isn’t fond of the costumed mascot and goes ballistic if she sees another dog, so she gets walked around quite a bit!
Related: What Does Back To School Mean For Your Dog?
Your Dog Days of Summer may or may not be turning into “back to school” days. Either way, we think it’s fun to look at colleges that incorporate live dog mascots! While this list is by no means comprehensive, it pulls together some of the popular breeds that colleges have been drawn to.
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