Good morning, and thanks for spending part of your day with Extra Points.

We’re switching the schedule up a little bit this week, thanks to a crazy news cycle and some huge behind-the-scenes projects we’re working here at Extra Points HQ.

Today, I want to pass the mic over to a new contributor to Extra Points, Kate Oczypok, a freelance writer in PA. Kate wanted to explore something I’ve been curious about for a while…how do live dog mascots work? And specifically, how do bulldogs work? I sort of thought that an environment with lots of people, noise, and potential heat and stress, might not be the ideal situation for a bulldog. But I’ve never asked anybody about it before.

Kate did. We’ll get to her thoughts here, but first, a word from our sponsors:

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Bulldogs Make Great Mascots, and Live Mascots Butler Blue and Drake’s Griff Are Here to Tell You Why

Bulldogs have long been the mascot of sports teams. Despite their health problems, their temperament and ability to look tough while still looking adorable at the same time makes the breed perfect for live mascot programs.

“Bulldogs make the best mascots because they look tough, but act like complete babies,” said Erin Bell, Drake University’s live mascot director. “They are incredibly docile, gentle, patient, and social.” The breed is very approachable too.

Drake University’s Griff and Butler University’s Blue and take their jobs seriously. Both English bulldogs, they are part of 43 universities that have the breed as their mascot.

Drake University’s live mascot program began in 2009, although Bell didn’t realize it until a bit later. The story begins when Bell’s family’s bulldog, Porterhouse, won Drake’s annual Beautiful Bulldog Contest. The contest, now in its 45^th year, typically takes place during the Drake Relays, an annual track and field event.

“It was different with Porterhouse,” Bell said. “He was asked to come to things throughout his year as the Most Beautiful Bulldog, which my husband and I were happy to do in our spare time.” Porterhouse loved chasing basketballs across Drake’s Knapp Center court to lead basketball teams at the start of games, which helped grow his popularity on campus.

At the end of his reign and prior to crowning 2010’s winner, the university’s athletic director asked if Bell’s family would be willing to keep Porterhouse as the mascot for the school. They quickly agreed and took him events for five years until his death in 2013.

“He was an exceptional dog who was larger than life,” Bell said.

Shortly after Porterhouse’s death, Drake expressed an immediate desire to set up a formal and official program within the university to continue the live mascot tradition. Bell took the lead on launching the program and started working for the school in 2015. The second live mascot, Griff I, was introduced in October of that year. He served from 2015 through 2020 until his retirement. He lived with Bell’s family almost four more years until his death. His predecessor, Griff II, took over immediately and is about to begin his fifth year as school mascot.

A typical day for Griff starts at home, where Bell said he is beloved by her husband and children and is treated like a prince. Bell and Griff typically have at least one, and often multiple events or functions on campus to attend. They also spend time in her office on campus.

Griff enjoys being on campus and rolling in the grass, getting lots of love from students. Fall is of course his favorite time of the year, as it is typically perfect “bulldog weather.”

For those unfamiliar, bulldogs are a brachycephalic breed, which means that due to their flatter noses, they are prone to more heat-related and breathing problems. Griff lays low during the summer months for his health and safety.

For those concerned with the treatment of live bulldog mascots, Bell invites anyone to spend time with Griff and her.

“I think they would quickly realize how happy, loved, and content Griff is, and how it is my absolute priority to keep him safe and happy,” she said. “Literally every decision I make is in consideration of this.”

Evan Krauss, Butler Blue IV’s handler (who is also a 2016 alum of the school),  echoed this sentiment, saying the school bases their live mascot program around the health and safety of Blue. “Whether it’s mandatory time caps during summer events when it’s hot out or having medicine in my backpack with me for a bee sting, we are the best prepared we could be for any circumstance,” he said. “Also, if he’s not feeling it that day, we don’t do it.”

Blue not feeling up for an event does not happen often, but Krauss reminded that Blue is a living, breathing animal, and is not forced into any situations that would make him uncomfortable.

As Butler’s bulldog, Blue has access to the best care available. Arguably, he gets better care than many humans do. City Way Animal Clinics is Blue’s general practitioner. Blue also has a dermatologist, physical therapist, and ophthalmologist.

Butler University’s live mascot program started 24 years ago, when a woman named Kelly Walker started the program with Blue I (Blue IV is now currently serving as mascot). Back then, things were simple. Blue went to a handful of events here and there and that was it.

Krauss’s predecessor, Michael Kaltenmark, took over the program after Walker and he transitioned it to a much more hands-on experience with Blue II and Blue III.

Krauss started working with Blue III (aka Trippy, a play on the word triple) when he was a year-and-a-half, when Krauss was a sophomore. After training Krauss for a few years, Kaltenmark decided to step away from handling and managing the mascot program and put it in Krauss’s hands.

“A big fixture of our program is that Blue will have one family his entire life,” Krauss said. “I was there the day [Blue IV] was born, and he’s lived with [my wife Kennedy and] me since he was 10 weeks old.” Like his predecessors, Blue IV will stay with the Krauss family even after he retires from mascot life.

Bulldog breeders often get a bad reputation for unsafe breeding practices. This is not the case for mascots like Griff and Blue. Blue is still close with his breeders, who live in Indianapolis. Krauss said Kaltenmark, Jodi Madaj (Blue’s breeder), and he are all still a close-knit group.

“[Blue] will wiggle out of his pants if I say the words Uncle Michael or Grandma JoJo,” Krauss said.

Madaj met Kaltenmark when he was Blue II’s mascot handler and Madaj’s son was a student at Butler in 2005. Through conversations, they found out Madaj’s bulldog Deuce was related to Blue II.

“When they were discussing Blue II’s retirement and looking for his replacement, Michael asked if I was interested in a puppy,” Madaj said. “Of course, I said yes.” Her family owns Trip’s sister Phoebe. Phoebe is Blue IV’s great-grandmother.

The Madaj family donated Blue IV to Butler University. She doesn’t consider herself a breeder, but more of a collector. “I have a litter every two or three years, and almost every pup has gone to someone I know, or I’ve kept them,” she added.

If you’ve ever wondered whether mascots have a work mode and home mode, Krauss did admit that Blue seems to have an “A mode” and “B mode” when he’s working versus not working. Blue III (who passed away in April) was more dramatic with his switch from work to home.

“He very much turned on a switch,” Krauss said. “Blue III had remarkable energy—we weren’t exactly sure where that came from.”

Blue IV is a bit more relaxed at home and tends to curl up next to Krauss’s wife and watch TV at night. However, when it is time to work, he can flip that switch and greet the community.

Griff on the other hand tends to act sillier at home when he’s not working. When Bell and he are out and about on campus, he tends to show his goofy side more than when he’s inside the Knapp Center, at an event, or sitting in his own branded lawn chair doing a meet-and-greet photo line.

“I swear he knows when he’s working and when he’s not,” Bell added. “He’s got a huge personality that is so lovable, and I love when people get to know and see all of it.”

Bell tries to convey how funny and happy he is through his social media with lots of behind-the-scenes and at-home posts.

It’s easy to see on Griff’s social media profiles that he doesn’t mind posing for photos, and loves to roam around off leash.

“He does love going to basketball games where there is a lot of attention and spilled popcorn,” Bell said.

Drake recently started a live mascot intern program, and this spring, the first “Grifftern” Nate graduated. While Bell is sad to see Nate move on, she has hired two new Griffterns to fill his shoes.

“I cannot overstate how much it has helped me to have another set of hands, eyes, and ears with me for many of the functions,” Bell added.

Bell believes the live mascot program adds to the college experience, as Griff is a morale booster, community builder, and helps build common bonds among the university community. “He is the most charming ambassador, and his influence is greater than I think anyone anticipated, his effect on campus and the community is nothing but 100 percent positive and unifying,” she added.

For a small Midwestern college like Butler, Madaj said the exposure is immeasurable. “A lot of people are fans of a university because they like their mascot and sports programs, not because of any affinity to the school itself,” she said.

You can follow Drake University’s Griff II on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X at @drakeugriff. Blue IV can be found on Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok @thebutlerblue. Kate can be reached at kate.oczypok@gmail.com.