Dog mascots of 5 U.S Universities
What is it about animals and dogs in particular that they lend themselves so readily to mascots? I think one reason is the attributes that they possess and those we wish to associate with. Given below are five dog mascots of universities in the U.S.
Southern Illinois University and the saluki
As far as mascots for colleges go, they don’t come any more disconnected than the one for the Southern Illinois University. The university sports team has for its mascot a saluki – a sighthound first domesticated in Egypt some four thousand years ago. How the saluki came to be the mascot of the Dawgs is an interesting tale in itself. The university is located in an area in the Deep South that earned the name “Little Egypt” when, according to state legend it did what Egypt had done for Joseph in the biblical story, it provided it neighboring areas with grain when those areas faced drought.
The saluki is an apt mascot for the dawgs who if their fans are to be believed are always in the hunt for the NCAA basketball tournament title each March.
The saluki is a swift and sleek animal being able to achieve speeds of 40-45 miles per hour. This makes them amongst the fastest dogs of all time. They can also jump up to 20 feet from a standing start. Their Egyptian masters made good use of the dog’s abilities when they took them on gazelle hunts. The salukis would hunt with the horses and move in packs. Salukis are related to greyhounds and Afghan hounds. In the US, the dogs were introduced a mere hundred years back. The good news is that unlike other purebreds, the salukis have a large genetic base and so the population’s health is not under any threat from inbreeding.
University of Connecticut and the husky
The University of Connecticut - UConn – athletic teams are known as the Connecticut Huskies. The major sports at the university are football and men’s and women’s basketball.
The mascot was chosen in 1934 by means of a survey conducted by the student newspaper - The Connecticut Campus. The husky dog topped the results and ever since Jonathan the husky has been the UConn mascot. The present Jonathan is twelfth in line. Go here to learn more about the UConn Husky, read the UConn Husky lyrics and download the music.
The husky is a sled dog and there are several breeds of huskies. The dog is renowned for its strength and stamina and is a popular mascot of sports goods. The dogs are mischievous and strong-willed and yet sociable and gentle with children. Huskies are work dogs and not of much use as guard dogs - they are friendly with most and bark little. On the other hand, they love to howl.
James Madison University and Duke Dog
The James Madison University or JMU has the feisty Duke Dog as its mascot. Dukes is a bulldog and has been the JMU mascot since 1947. The school is nationally recognized for its academics. James Madison University was ranked #17 overall in the nation amongst public colleges and universities, according to the February 2006 issue of Kiplinger Magazine.
The bulldog which has a fascinating history is easily the most popular dog breed to have originated in England. Also called the British bulldog, it has come to signify British pugnacity. The original bulldog, now extinct, was used for bull-baiting, hence the name. Bulldogs were used by butchers in the mistaken belief that harassing bulls before with bulldogs tenderized their meat. The butchers felt that the lactic acid released actually helped make the meat tastier. An excellent piece on the history of the bulldog can be found here.
Yale University and Handsome Dan
Yale holds the record for having the first mascot adopted by a university in America. Handsome Dan, the bulldog, is the Yale athletic team’s, there have been sixteen Dan’s to cheer and motivate Yale athletes, particularly when they take on their arch rivals from Harvard.
Handsome Dan I who started the dynasty was purchased from a local blacksmith for $ 5.00 in 1889. Handsome Dan II didn’t particularly have a very strong sense of loyalty as Harvard students gleefully proved when they kidnapped him and circulated his happy pics with the Harvard gang. Handsome Dan III was retired early as he had a fear of crowds.
This Yale page offers information on all the Handsome Dans till date.
Carnegie Mellon and Scottie
Scottie the Scottish terrier is the official mascot of the CMU athletics team. Carnegie Mellon is perhaps the latest university to adopt a mascot and a Scottish terrier is an apt choice for a university named after the Scot Andrew Carnegie. The drive to get an official mascot gathered steam in the fall of 2006. Athletics Director Susan Bassett had this to say “With all-star athletes, Nobel Prize winners, Broadway stars and pioneers in technology all calling Carnegie Mellon home, our university has a powerful reputation that we’re hoping to capture symbolically.” “We hope to instill pride and spirit, while having fun with the various opportunities a mascot will create.”
A survey in which 400 alumni participated revealed that the overwhelming majority wanted a Scottish terrier to represent them.
Popularity: 10% [?]
The 10 Most Famous Dogs of the 20th Century
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole - whoever said that got it right about man’s best friend.
Competition and comparison are a human foible; dogs don’t have the time for this. As an exercise to learn something (and I did learn a lot of interesting stuff) I have prepared a list of canines that are generally considered to be the most famous ones of the last century.
Here goes – in no particular order.
Fala – By popular opinion, the most famous dog in the world and one of the most famous presidential pets, Fala was the beloved Scottish terrier belonging to FDR Roosevelt. Born on April 8, 1940 Fala was christened Big Boy and then Murray the Outlaw of Falahill by FDR himself. This was later shortened to Fala.
When a dog is named an honorary private in the US army and has a series of political cartoons devoted to him, then it’s fair to say that it was indeed a popular and well-loved dog.
Togo - A dog hero by any standards, a poster-boy for masculinity amongst canines. A Siberian husky with a coat of black, brown, and gray, Togo was born in October 1913 and weighed 48 pounds at maturity. He was the lead sled dog during Leonard Seppala’s 1925 relay from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. Togo and Seppala weathered temperatures as low as -40°C and gale force winds in order to make diphtheria antitoxin available at Nome. Togo is single-handedly responsible for the recognition of Siberian Huskies as an official dog breed in the US. Togo left for dog heaven on December 5, 1929.
Today, he stands on display in a glass case at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Museum Headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska. The Nome serum run is commemorated every year by the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race .
Snoopy – “Yesterday I was a dog. Today I’m a dog. Tomorrow I’ll probably still be a dog. Sigh! There’s so little hope for advancement.” The owner of this quote and many other gems is Snoopy, without doubt one of the most loved and popular comic character ever created. Charles Schulz based his drawings on his childhood dog Spike. In his fantasies, Snoopy is a novelist, a beagle scout, a WWI veteran, champion player in Charlie Brown’s Little League team, and many other things. In real life, his is a humdrum existence and he is a failed lover who takes solace in food when he’s down.
Snoopy began his life at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm, his dad ran with the hunting dogs and his mom made a mean tapioca pudding. In the real world, Snoopy is a huge icon with the US armed forces and NASA.
Rin Tin Tin – A German Shepherd with his very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1623 Vine St. I guess that’s sufficient claim to fame for any canine. Rin Tin Tin was found shell-shocked in a dog kennel at Lorraine during WWI by American Lee Duncan. The dog took its name from wooden puppets called Rin Tin Tin that French kids played with.
In the US Rinty, as he was now called, was soon jumping almost 12 feet in air. He caught producer Charles Jones’ eye and his first brush with fame was in the 1922 film The Man From Hell’s River. Rin Tin Tin was a successful act and he spawned several successors in the film business.
Rin Tin Tin’s bloodline continues at the Rin Tin Tin kennel in Latexo, Texas. The current Rin Tin Tin is the 10th descendent of the German Shepherd pup that made its way to the US from France.
Lassie – Finally! A bitch in this list of top dogs. Of all the fictional dogs that have gained popularity, Lassie has probably had the longest run – since 1938 – and also across all media forms, be it films, TV, radio, or books.
This female Rough Collie is the creation of British-American author Eric Knight and ever since the first short-story in The Saturday Evening Post; Lassie stories have warmed the hearts of children and grown ups alike. Interestingly, all Lassie characters in films have been played by male dogs which are larger and do not lose their coat; thus the film shooting is not affected.
Scooby Doo – Thanks to Cartoon Network, today’s kids are well aware and some quite in love with Shaggy Rogers and his Great Dane Scooby Doo. Yet, it will come as a surprise to many that Scooby Doo has been around since 1969 entertaining kids with his gaffes, cowardice, and appetite.
Scooby also has relatives with the most rollicking names and defined characteristics – these include Scrappy Doo-his nephew; Dooby Doo-his triplet brother; Mumsy and Dada Doo, and Howdy Doo-his brother.
Balto – Balto was an Alaskan Malamute sled dog and he took part in the historic 1925 serum run to Nome from Anchorage.
Along with Togo, Balto ensured that the team of mushers managed to deliver the diphtheria serum in time to the residents of Nome. Balto’s feat led to his statue being erected at New York City’s Central Park, the statue was sculpted by Fredrick Roth. Balto’s stuffed body is on display at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
Eddie – Eddie Spaghetti, because he had worms, was supposed to be one of the many minor characters on the sitcom Frasier. Yet, at the height of the show’s popularity Moose the Jack Russell terrier which portrayed Eddie, received more fan mail than any of the human actors.
Moose passed away in 2006 and was replaced by his son Enzo, who earlier worked as a stunt double. The long-running gag of Eddie taunting Frasier with an unremitting stare was a popular one in the show.
Old Yeller – The lead character in the 1957 Walt Disney production of the same name, Old Yeller is for many their ideal of a dog and also their best loved Walt Disney film, the ultimate “one boy and his animal” tale.
The film was based on a book of the same name and was set in the old post-civil war Texas. Old Yeller’s appeal lies in the manner in which the Mountain Cur dog gains a family’s respect and then makes the ultimate sacrifice to save the family.
Gidget– The Taco Bell Chihuahua that was responsible for boosting the brand’s sales as well as the interest in the breed. Apart from this, Gidget is also famous for the phrase “¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!” Gidget is currently living a retired life in La Grange, Texas but it sure had its moments under the sun when it did its bit for Mexico and Tacos in the United States.
Popularity: 34% [?]
Dog Health Insurance
Funding Fido’s Healthcare
by Jed Yorkshire
Health insurance, car insurance, vacation insurance - why not pet insurance?
If you think about it - pet insurance makes sense. Whether your dog (or cat) is a purebred or a mutt, he’s bound to feel a little under the weather or have an accident (not on the carpet - one that’s a little more health related).
And if you have health insurance, it’ll make paying for that emergency surgery or treating your pet’s chronic illness a little more palatable.
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Popularity: 17% [?]
“He’s only playing” - or is he?
Is your dog playing
by Danielle Dickinson and Dee Scott
“He’s only playing” - Or is he?
We’ve all seen it, Buster, the 18 month old Labrador. He’s on his way to the park dragging his owner who can barely keep up, behind him on a lead. He’s so excited that when he reaches the gate his owner can hardly get the lead off him.
The second the lead is removed he races off, breaking a land speed record, straight into a group of dogs bowling them and their owners over. Another group of dogs capture Buster’s attention and he dashes off to another area of the park leaving the bewildered dogs and owners in his wake. It seems Buster is on a mission to meet everyone at the park as quickly as possible.
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Popularity: 15% [?]
Doggles® | Sunglasses for Dogs
Doggles® K9 Optix Sunglasses for Dogs >>>
$16.99
Just like their owners, dogs benefit from eye protection, whether it’s from wind, or protection from UV light.
These fashion sunglasses have pink lenses with a tiny gem-studded heart shape on the left lens. Plastic lenses are provide 100% UV blocking protection and are shatterproof. Sunglasses secure with included adjustable, elastic band. Also comes with an elastic head strap to use to stabilize glasses, if needed.
PetSmart
Popularity: 5% [?]
