Meet 10 Collegiate Canine Mascots

Each fall, fans across the nation gather to celebrate their sport of choice, whether that be football, basketball, hockey, or even catching the tail end of baseball. With so many collegiate sports available to watch, one can’t help but notice the array of mascots representing their teams. 

Some college team mascots are quite unusual, featuring trees, ducks, goats, hens, oranges, and other unlikely characters. However, there’s something to be said about Man’s Best Friend serving as a fiercely loyal companion to athletes and fans alike, creating international recognition with wagging tails and friendly expressions. 

Canine mascots are a source of pride for college fans across the country who don their team colors to root for their favorite teams. Collegiate dog mascots unite people despite their differences, bring joy and happiness, and create a sense of belonging. 

See what makes these 10 collegiate canine mascots so beloved and unique.  

Famous Bulldog Canine Mascots

Bulldog mascots are among the most famous athletic mascots in history featured across several sports teams. Over 40 teams have chosen English Bulldogs as their mascot due to the steady, loyal, and courageous nature characteristic of the breed. After all, a Bulldog with a bone will not let it go. Here are some of the more well-known Bulldog mascots. 

1. University of Georgia - Uga the English Bulldog

As the beloved University of Georgia mascot, “Uga” the white English Bulldog has delighted UGA fans since 1956. “Boom,” the name of the current mascot, is actually called Uga XI, the 11th Bulldog to serve as Uga, taking over for “Que” as Uga X, who retired in April 2023. Uga X served since the 2015 season and saw Georgia go 91-18 with two back-to-back national championships. 

Uga lives quite a charmed life. He wears a spiked collar that gets almost lost in his skin rolls and a custom jersey to match the players’ gear. Uga enjoys a little air-conditioned doghouse on the sidelines, and he has a custom-designed suite at the Georgia Center Hotel. Even their burials are special with all the past Ugas interred in a marble mausoleum, the only university to bury their mascots in the stadium. Sports Illustrated named Uga the #1 Mascot in College Football History in 2019, and it’s easy to see why with this English Bulldog’s prestigious position.  

2. Yale University - Handsome Dan the Olde English Bulldogge

Handsome Dan is Yale University’s Olde English Bulldogge mascot, representing the Ivy League’s New Haven campus since 1889 as the first university to adopt a live mascot. The original Handsome Dan was chosen for his ability to tolerate crowds and because he truly represented the epitome of his breed, winning the Westminster Dog Show and 30 additional titles. Students even taught him to react to the phrase “Speak to Harvard,” where “He would bark ferociously and work himself into physical contortions of rage never before dreamed of by a dog,” noted the Philadelphia Press as reported in Yale Alumni Magazine. 

Handsome Dan is memorialized in the Yale Fight song with fans shouting, “Bulldog! Bulldog! Bow, wow, wow!” The current Handsome Dan XIX is named Kingston and has been the mascot since March 2021. Handsome Dans throughout the years have raised millions of dollars for charity, enjoyed cultural fame through appearances with celebrities and presidents, and even has a featured menu item named after him at Shake Shack. 

3. Butler University, Butler Blue the English Bulldog

Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana has called themselves the Bulldogs since 1919 but did not adopt a live mascot until 2000. Since then, four generations of adorable, loyal English Bulldogs have had the honor of being called Butler Blue. The current Butler Blue IV is a 65-pound AKC-registered fawn, red, and white English Bulldog with an easy-going personality and a distinguishing mark above his right eyebrow. Affectionately known as "Blue," he was carefully selected by a panel of prominent university figures and an expert veterinarian assembled to choose the very best puppy from Jodi and Cameron Madaj’s litter of 3 puppies.

Blue regularly makes appearances around campus and the community in addition to helping Butler fans cheer on the Bulldogs at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Fans can buy special Bulldog gear, request appearances and autographs, and attend fun community events while children can download coloring pages featuring the friendly English Bulldog. Blue even has his own book called Good Boy, Blue! about his quest to be a good boy on the first day of his new job. Blue was declared “Mayor of March,” serving as an unofficial ambassador during the 2021 NCAA Tournament. 

4. Georgetown University, Jack the English Bulldog

The official mascot of Georgetown University Hoyas in Washington, DC is Jack the English Bulldog. However, Jack was preceded by a variety of canine mascots before solidifying his place in history, including Bull Terriers and Great Danes. In 1962, a student committee chose a new mascot modeled after Yale’s Olde English Bulldogge tradition. They wanted to call the selected English Bulldog “Hoya,” but the stubborn dog would only respond to his name “Jack,” so Jack the English Bulldog became Georgetown University’s official mascot. 

Past Jack mascots have captivated fans at Capital One Arena, pretending to drive a mini truck, riding on skateboards, and delighting fans with rambunctious antics. Jack has also stolen pizza from students and has historically exhibited other naughty behavior that even got him kicked off campus one time! 

Other Amazing Canine Mascots

Bulldogs are not the only dogs in the dog park when canine mascots come to mind. Plenty of other dog breeds exhibit characteristics that sports teams are proud to adopt, such as tenacity, a good work ethic, protection, speed and agility, and friendliness. 

In addition, there may be canine mascots that are a more unique choice in dog breeds. While some dog mascots don’t enjoy the spotlight as much as others, that doesn’t make them any less fantastic.

(Sydney Herdle/UConn Photo)

5. University of Connecticut, Jonathan the Siberian Husky

Siberian Huskies are the second-most utilized dog breed for team mascots. Jonathan the Siberian Husky is the well-known mascot of UConn in Storrs, CT. The Husky mascot is always named “Jonathan” after Jonathan Trumbull, the last colonial and first state governor of Connecticut. Up to when UConn changed its logo to a black and white Husky in 2013, all Jonathans had been solid white with one blue and one brown eye. 

Jonathan the Husky is thought to be one of the first college mascots in the nation to have students select the mascot by popular poll in 1933. The Jonathan legacy has had its share of funny moments. Jonathan II scared Brown University’s bear mascot so much that it chased up a tree, and Jonathan III is known for chasing Yale’s Handsome Dan around the stadium when introduced to each other at the Yale Bowl. Currently, members of the co-ed service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega care for Jonathan XV who took the title in June 2023. Jonathan has been fortunate enough to see several men’s and women’s national championships in basketball under his reign. 

@bostonu_dos Are you Rhett-y for hockey tonight Terriers?! 🏒 @BUAthletics #Terriers #bostonu ♬ Narco - Blasterjaxx & Timmy Trumpet

6. Boston University, Rhett the Boston Terrier

It’s only natural that a Boston school claims the Boston Terrier as a mascot, and Boston University has had the honor since 1922. Rhett the Boston Terrier was inspired when Mitchell wrote in Gone with the Wind, “No one loves Scarlett more than Rhett” because Boston University’s main color is scarlet. 

Rhett, currently represented by a Boston Terrier named Artoo, can be seen around campus and at athletic events wearing a custom jersey, a referee uniform, or his signature red superhero cape. As for the past Rhett, he passed away in March of 2020. “I loved that dog so much. He was so goofy-looking but he brought me a sense of comfort,” said one senior. 

7. University of Tennesee - Smokey the Bluetick Coonhound

One of the most animated and dynamic mascots on our list is Smokey the Bluetick Coonhound from the University of Tennesee in Knoxville. Smokey is both a prominent live mascot and a costumed mascot for the Volunteers (Vols). The UT Pep Club held a contest in 1953 to find a mascot representing their geographical area, and 10 hound dogs lined up for consideration. A dog named “Blue Smokey” howled when his name was called, and the fans in the stadium erupted into cheers. Now on Smokey XI, the beloved Bluetick Coonhound spends game days with the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity until it’s time to take the field. 

Costumed Smokey debuted in the 1980s and was an instant hit. He has won several national mascot competitions including Best College Live Animal Program from the Mascot Hall of Fame with his fresh, silly antics that delight crowds of fans, schoolchildren, community members, and more.

8. The Saluki, Southern Illinois University

The area around Carbondale, IL where Southern Illinois University can be found is called “Little Egypt.” While you won’t see pyramids, what you will find is the Saluki dog breed as the mascot for SIU. Salukis are ancient sighthounds originating from Egypt that are closely related to Borzois, Whippets, and Greyhounds. This Egyptian-themed mascot has represented Southern Illinois University since 1951. 

The Saluki breed is one of the fastest sighthounds, sprinting as fast as 42 miles per hour, and can cover two to three miles consistently at high speeds. Their agile, quick nature and independent spirit make the Saluki a great choice for a school's athletic mascot. 

9. Texas A&M Aggies, Reveille the Rough Collie

One may assume with a nickname like the “Aggies” that the mascot might be a cow or horse. However, after a series of other dog breeds were considered, the Rough Collie was adopted as the mascot in 1966 and chosen to represent “loyalty, camaraderie, and, of course, school spirit.” While her official name is Reveille X, this Rough Collie goes by several nicknames, including Rev, Miss Rev, the First Lady of Aggieland, the Queen of Aggieland, and even “Ma’am.” 

A dog named Reveille has served as the official mascot of Texas A&M University since a group of cadets accidentally hit a mixed-breed dog and cared for its injuries in the dorm. When the morning came, the bugler playing Reveille sparked a barking fit from the injured dog. Ever since then, the Corps of Cadets have been closely associated with Reveille the Rough Collie’s care. Currently, a freshman cadet who demonstrates academic excellence and responsibility is chosen to be Reveille’s handler, attending classes, posing for photoshoots, and leading the Aggies to victory.

10. University of Maryland, Baltimore Campus - True Grit the Chesapeake Bay Retriever 

Just about everyone is familiar with Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers, but they might not know about another one of the 6 retrievers: The Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Native to the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland, they are powerful duck-retrieving gundogs in the sporting group who are intelligent, tireless, and affectionate.

In 1966, a contest allowed students to submit their mascot ideas for the newly formed university. Out of submissions suggesting crabs, unicorns, muskrats, and angels, a student named Tom Berlin won the contest with a Chesapeake Bay Retriever eventually named Campus Sam/Sammy. Alumna Paulette Raye created a bronze sculpture of the mascot named after a dog called Nitty Gritty with a father named True Grit. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever sculpture officially became known as True Grit because it “sounded bold and strong – like the team.”​​ Today, fans and graduates rub True Grit’s worn bronze muzzle for good luck. 

Find Your Family’s Mascot at Pawrade

What’s more fun than gathering to celebrate the Big Game with a fluffy puppy by your side to entertain your guests? Here at Pawrade, we believe everyone needs a personal canine mascot to cheer you on when you’re having a bad day or encourage you to be the best you can be in life. 

From English Bulldogs to Hounds, Pawrade has partnered with the best breeders in the country who have a proven game plan to raise happy puppies adhering to our thorough guidelines. We vet each application and hand-select breeders that uphold our rigorous standards. All of our puppies for sale come with comprehensive health guarantees to keep the health of your puppy first.

We’ve done all the research for you so all you have to focus on is which dip to make for your guests. With our convenient travel options and a scam-free experience using a secure transaction management system, we make choosing puppies for sale an easy goal to achieve. We can’t wait to hear who your favorite canine mascot will be!