Duke I handlers found, however, that a live canine was not naturally amenable to the mascot lifestyle. Today, Duke Dog crashes into stadiums on ATVs, dances to the Blues Brothers, hams it up with cheerleaders, rides a tricycle and sits in spectators' laps. This top dog has cavorted with Bob Hope, skied in Colorado, ridden an elephant and sauntered down the streets of New York City. With a wag of his stubby tail and a dash of his purple cape, this boisterous bulldog inspires players and spectators to adopt a winning attitude and then thrives on the crowd's emotion. Despite the antics and silliness, puttin' on the dog has a serious side, according to Assistant Athletics Director Casey Carter.
Mascots serve many purposes for college athletics.
They are an extremely personal and tangible aspect of collegiate sports programs. He had to he approachable. His debut marked the official transition in JMU mascots from Canis familiaris to Canis dukus . Duke Dog is there to create awareness for JMU, gain positive recognition and serve as a public relations icon. This is one of the reasons JMU alumni who served as Duke Dog took the role so seriously, he says.