Two-year-old Bluetick Coonhound Neyland was scouted to be the next live mascot for the Tennessee Volunteers, and his temperament and training will be put to the test at the upcoming Orange and White game on April 11.

“Naturally, it’s hard to throw any animal in front of 102,000 people. Even I have a hard time staying out there for the whole game. It gets loud, but we’re definitely seeing a lot more personality with Smokey XII. We’re excited to see how well he interacts with people this weekend and with the noise,” Garrett Reeves, Smokey’s handler and a UT junior, said.

Flanked by handlers Reeves and senior Owen Marcey, as well as a team of UT veterinarians and behaviorists, Smokey XII has been in training for this prestigious position since December.

“We want to make sure that Smokey not just has his obedience cues, but he’s also been acclimated and not afraid of the fireworks and the fans and the noise. We play a big part in easing him into that,” Julia Albright, a veterinary behaviorist, said. “That looks like slowly trying to find ways to expose him to more and more intense levels (of noise). But of course, Neyland Stadium is the most exciting place ever on Saturdays in the fall. So we do the best we can, but it’s very difficult to imitate that and simulate that.”

As Smokey XII continues to train for Saturdays in Neyland Stadium, the handlers have been utilizing clicker-based and rewards-based training. Smokey XII is a fast learner, and eager to please.

“The click is an indicator that he’s about to get a reward. He knows when he hears that click, that he’s done a command that we’ve told him to, and he’s done it well enough to where he’s going to receive a treat. That’s kind of been a huge difference between (Neyland) and (Smokey XI) — (Neyland) loves treats. It’s really hard for him to not listen to you whenever you’ve got some food in your hand,” Reeves said.

Building that connection with Smokey XII is important, because that leads to more trust and obedience as he acclimates to Neyland Stadium’s loud atmosphere.  

“We train once or twice a week with him. It’s all about consistency. If you want to get better at anything, whether you’re a human or a four-legged animal, you have to be consistent in your training. We’ve been doing that for pretty much since December, and he’s progressed significantly since then. So I think he’s just going to continue to build on it,” Reeves said. 

This intensive training and trust-building will come to fruition on Saturday, and his team will continue to monitor Smokey XII for signs of distress.

“We are making sure he has body language that shows he’s comfortable and that he wants to be there. And of course, nobody is expecting the dog to be 100% comfortable for the whole football game, so we’ll be taking cues and taking him back to the area where we have for him to rest,” Albright said.

Smokey XII, like any other 2-year-old puppy, is food motivated and people loving. He loves to roll in the grass, play with toys and is curious about everyone and everything. These traits not only make for a lifelong pet, but a strong representation of the Volunteer spirit.

“The addition of (Smokey XII) has been awesome, because I’ve been learning just as much as he has. This is what the entire tradition of having a live mascot is for. I’m just glad that we can, we can showcase it and really just let him kind of be a Bluetick, which is what he is. I’ve always told my parents or whoever asked about what I do, there’s nothing like a Bluetick Coonhound. They’re so beautiful, and they’re just awesome dogs,” Reeves said.

This is the first time in Volunteer history that the live mascot has been a rescue dog, coming from the East Tennessee Bluetick Coonhound rescue community. Being a rescue, Smokey XII not only has found a home in the hearts of Volunteer fans, but a home as one of the most famous dogs in the world.

“That walk-on title is extremely fitting for this animal — we’ve never had a rescue dog, and he’s arguably going to be one of those famous dogs on the face of the earth. He’s definitely climbing a ladder in social status, for sure. He doesn’t know that yet, but I think he’s kind of getting his first taste of it … this game is going to be his tryout, and see if he is cut out for it. I’ve got all the confidence in the world in him. He hasn’t shown me anything so far that he can’t handle it,” Reeves said.