Hairy Dawg
Title:
UGA Mascot
Major:
Paw-formance Arts
Year:
Class of 1981
Hometown:
Athens, GA
He’s silent but super enthusiastic. He’s muscley but gives the coziest hugs. And, sure, he has a permanent scowl on his face, but everyone still wants to take a selfie with him.
Also, he’s hairy, but, then again, that’s in his name.
Hairy Dawg, the UGA’s costumed mascot, has roamed the Georgia Bulldogs sidelines since the 1981 Sugar Bowl, when the Dawgs defeated Notre Dame for a National Championship.
The mascot is a member of UGA’s Spirit Squad, which includes Bulldogs cheerleaders and the Dance Dawgs.
Although Hairy Dawg’s furrowed eyes and fangy grin are now immediately identified with UGA, he isn’t the first costumed Bulldog mascot. A floppy-eared and less-intimidating mascot named Fluffie Dog debuted for the Bulldogs in 1975. However, as the 1980s Georgia football team became known for its “junkyard dog” reputation, it needed a more menacing mascot.
So Fluffie got the boot, and UGA alumnus Tom Sapp, an art director in advertising, was asked to create a tougher dog mascot. According toThe Saturday in Athens Podcast, Sapp was given three weeks to make the costume for the Sugar Bowl against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He built Hairy Dawg in his garage with a friend working during their off hours.
With Hairy Dawg cheering from the sidelines, the Bulldogs beat Notre Dame and won the 1981 National Championship. After Hairy’s debut, Sapp found a career in mascot-making. He’s gone on to design Michigan State’s Sparty and Atlanta Hawks’ Harry Hawk, among others.
These days, Hairy Dawg can be spotted at any Georgia Bulldogs sports or other special events, and he’s also turned up in a few national TV ads—always exemplifying the playful but tenacious Bulldog spirit.
