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Texas A&M University's beloved mascot Reveille VII will retire at the end of the school year, but administrators said it remained unclear late Wednesday whether she will be replaced with another female collie or a different breed.
Vice President for Student Affairs Dean Bresciani said a committee consisting mostly of students would be charged with finding a permanent home for the 7-year-old dog and reviewing replacement options.
The group, which will include members of the Corps of Cadets E-2 mascot company, which cares for Reveille, will decide whether Reveille VII should be replaced with a different dog breed or by a male dog, Bresciani said. The group also may consider bringing in an adult dog rather than a puppy.
"It's not going to be what we oughta do; it's going to be what's the right thing to do," Bresciani said after announcing Reveille's pending retirement during a brief ceremony late Wednesday afternoon at the Sanders Corps Center. "We want to be thoughtful. We don't want to put the mascot in a position that's not good for the mascot."
Reveille VII and her recent predecessors have been full-blooded, female Collies, but that hasn't always been the case. The Reveille tradition dates back to 1931, when several members of the Corps of Cadets ran over a black-and-white mutt while driving back to College Station from Navasota, according A&M officials.
The students scooped her up and brought her back to campus so they could nurse her back to health. The following morning she began to bark when a bugler blew the reveille wake-up call, thus earning her name. She was named as the formal mascot the following football season when she led the band onto the field for a half-time performance.
Reveille I died in 1944, and several unofficial canine mascots followed before a formal replacement was found; but it was much later before the university began using full-blooded collies as the standard.
"I know personally, I'm almost relieved for her," said Andrew Davis, a junior cadet who served as Reveille's handler last year, as fellow cadets discussed the dog's love for playing Frisbee, as well as chasing cats and squirrels. "She's retiring. She's going to get to be able to be a dog."
Busy dog
Last year, Reveille missed a Texas A&M home football game when she was placed under mandatory supervision after biting her handler. The bite happened while the pair was jogging, according to officials who said the mascot corporal accidentally stepped on Reveille, prompting her to turn around and bite him in the thigh.
Bresciani said at the time that the dog's response was instinctual and would not prompt her retirement. He echoed his earlier sentiments on Wednesday, saying Reveille simply is at the age for retirement. He said that veterinarians suggest the mascots be retired between the ages of six and eight.
With her retirement, it seemed the right time to review what characteristics are most important in a mascot. He said that the review might find that a collie is the best dog for Texas A&M.
"We think it's time to recognize she's worked harder than Miss Revs in the past. We want to take care of our mascot," Bresciani said, explaining that Reveille VII had been subjected to more outings and public appearances than her predecessors. "As you can tell, this is not a problem dog that you see in front of you."
Flanked by members of Company E-2, Reveille VII stood quietly as Bresciani announced her retirement, seemingly unaware that her tenure would soon be up. About halfway through the program, she laid down at her handler's feet and closed her eyes.
On average, Reveille VII and her handler travel about 10,000 miles across Texas each summer, visiting various Aggie organizations and clubs, cadets said. She also has been to Washington, D.C., for the inauguration of President George Bush and to California last year for the Holiday Bowl.
"Our first concern was for her. We want to do what's right for Rev and the traditions at Texas A&M," said Ross Durr, a senior member of E-2. "We all love Rev. She's been our dog for four years. It's like having your dog at home."
Time for a change?
Bresciani said Reveille's retirement was announced early to allow time for students to participate in the decision-making process. He said he hopes the committee, which also will include student leaders, will complete its work by the end of the school year.
Though the members of E-2 will review all options, several at the news conference stressed afterward that they wanted to keep a female collie as the mascot for Texas A&M. The solution, they suggested, might be to search for a collie that was bred for temperament rather than beauty.
Bresciani also suggested that bringing on an older dog would allow administrators and cadets to better know her personality and temperament -- factors that are hard to determine in a puppy -- ahead of time.
Senior James Mulvey, a former mascot corporal, took control of Reveille VII during summer 2005. He remembered driving more than 10,0000 miles across the state that summer, taking Reveille to her numerous public appearances. Fellow seniors Grant Rollo and Durr rode up front with him while Reveille sprawled across the back seat of his truck, he said.
Rollo said Reveille VII loved finding nooks and crannies to hide in -- particularly closets. And even though it was the "first lady of Aggieland" scuffing the shoes, it didn't let the cadets out of their requirement that their shoes be shined at all times, he said.
Rollo and Mulvey roomed together that year, and Reveille seemed to have a special fondness for Rollo's closet. That is, until he started tucking dog treats in the shoes in his roommate's closet, Rollo said laughing.
But despite the antics, Rollo said, neither he nor the other cadets ever felt burdened by their duty. He described Reveille as the "heartbeat of our outfit."
"It's an honor to be a part of this outfit," fellow senior Wes Warren said. "It gives me that much more pride to be an Aggie -- all because of her."
• Holly Huffman's e-mail address is holly.huffman@theeagle.com.
