Making a Mascot: The NIU Huskie
The Huskie has been NIU’s mascot since 1940, and it was chosen to symbolize the strength, dedication, endurance and perseverance of our student body.
National Mascot Day is coming up on June 17. To celebrate, NIU STEAM Educator Judy Dymond, Ed.D. interviewed Lisa Boland, head trainer for the NIU Mission Mascot Program. Keep reading to find out more about the NIU Huskie and what’s involved in choosing and training a live animal mascot!
Lisa Boland, how did you become involved as a handler for NIU mascots?
I was in the right place at the right time! I trained dogs and specialized in Siberian Huskies. I was nearby in Sycamore and assisted with Mission I’s boot camp.
The Huskie dogs need maintenance. They are living creatures, so they change every day and need to work on their skills.
Can you share some of your favorite experiences?
My favorite experiences are sport-related – the Bowl Games. They have a different level of hype and enthusiasm.
Mission Mondays are also great – it makes your whole day. Mission III can restore a good mood. We travel to different locations on campus – I have a list, so we make sure that we get to different locations. We move every hour. I discovered esports through one of those visits on Mission Monday. I didn’t even know we had esports!
What is the job of the mascot?
The job of a Mascot is to participate in NIU’s events. The mascot is a participatory animal – promoting school spirit. Mission III travels around campus on Mission Mondays and for other academic events. He visits STEM Fest and other groups and clubs. He also helps out for recruiting and admissions to welcome new people to campus.
The qualities of our Huskie dogs are that they are live, touchable, adorable dogs! They are engaging.
Recently, Mission III participated in Puppy Pop-up – so the dog could get exposure without being overwhelmed.
The trainer develops a rapport with the dog and looks for cues – knows its body language, when it is uncomfortable. The trainer steps in when necessary – possibly asking the person engaging with the dog to kneel down if they are extremely tall – so sometimes we need to educate the person.
Tell us how a Huskie is selected to become a mascot for NIU. What specific characteristics and traits do you look for?
We look for a dog that is young and stable. Mission III is stable – a puppy in its growing stage.
Mission I was retired at 10 years old and lives in Kentucky. Dogs are considered in retirement age at 11-13 years old. Mission II had to retire early due to severe allergies.
When we were looking for Mission III, we wanted a dog that had a multi-faceted background – one that had rescue experience, day shows, and sports. We are familiar with reputable breeders.
We wanted a dog with a stable temperament and one that likes people. We wanted a dog that is motivated and one that could handle being startled.
NIU Huskies always have blue eyes and are black and white. We look for breeder puppies that will interact with strangers and have good recovery time. We want a dog that is curious and stable, characteristics that can be identified in young puppies.
What specific training is required for the mascot?
Being a mascot is not a simple task. Any dog can’t be a mascot – the dog must love it!
Mission III gets the basic training – sit, stay, down. He also receives practice with special tasks such as photo-taking – so he learns to trust all the cameras in his face.
We try to do something novel every day, such as the Festival in the Park.
Prior to graduation, I wore a graduation gown around the house for several days to help get Mission III ready for graduation happy hour. We want him ready – so he doesn’t get startled. We prepare him for the longevity of his career as a mascot – introducing something novel every day. He changes every day, so as his trainer, I need to continuously train him to integrate him into a lifestyle.
Tell us more about Mission III. Is there anything that might surprise people about Mission III?
He is sweet and has a kind heart. He adores children and is very smart. He wants to work and please.
Mission III is a hardworking dog. He attends all of the football games and runs to the end zone for touchdowns. Mission III works every day in this role, so we try to make it fun and happy!
