COLLEGE STATION, TX — Her fur might have frizzed a bit from the rainy weather, but Texas A&M’s new mascot still turned heads as she crossed campus today. Today, Miss Reveille X took her first steps onto Kyle Field as the newest first lady of Texas A&M.”
Colton Ray, Reveille IX's former handler, and trainer to the newcomer, was involved in the selection of the collie puppy that would become Reveille X. The senior cadet said he looked for befitting qualities in a puppy.
“Some of those things were human interaction, being high energy, [having her] tail up, and to just be able to interact with students as if we were interacting with students," Ray said.
As was so for the dogs before her, Reveille X is considered the highest ranking member of the Corps of Cadets. She will be constantly guided by her handler, incoming sophomore student Lucas Scroggins.
Rev’s predecessor, who has aged out of the mascot position, formally retired on Friday, and will live out the rest of her life at the Stevenson Companion Animal Life-Care Center.
Name: batie bishop, texas a&m junior, reveille ix handler
“She’s still going to be waited on hand and foot," assured Batie Bishop, Texas A&M junior and another former handler of Reveille IX. "The only difference is she’s not going to be taken places, having pictures taken of her.”
While the cadets will be able to visit Reveille IX, they said they’ll still miss being around her regularly. A bond is formed with each of these animals and their handlers.
“It’s just really hard to see your dog go," Bishop commented.
Reveille X has already been living with handler Scroggins for three weeks in his dorm room. She attends classes with him, and will now be featured at all kinds of public events.
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