10 Wag-Worthy Facts About Dubs

Meet the UW鈥檚 official live mascot and all-around best boy.

Since his 2018 debut, Dubs has been winning the hearts of Huskies everywhere (even cat lovers). You鈥檒l likely spot the handsome 7-year-old pooch snapping pics with fans on Red Square or pumping up the crowds at Husky Stadium with his signature 鈥渨oo-woo.鈥

Here are 10 tail-wagging things to know about the UW鈥檚 official live mascot, who was recently highlighted in a

1. Dubs is an Alaskan malamute, an Arctic dog breed known for their friendly demeanor and floofy coat.

They’re also the largest of the husky breeds.

Dog sitting in front of cherry blossom trees
All of the UW鈥檚 live mascots in the last 66 years have been Alaskan malamutes, like Dubs.

 

2. He鈥檚 the UW鈥檚 second mascot named Dubs and the 14th live mascot in Husky history.

Learn more about the .

Vintage photo of dog
Frosty I, the UW鈥檚 first live mascot in the 1920s, was an Alaskan husky.

3. When he鈥檚 off-duty, Dubs lives with a family of Husky alums.

Although he鈥檚 an active dog who loves to play, he鈥檚 also a big cuddler (awwwww). He enjoys hanging out with his human, canine and feline siblings. .

Black-and-white puppy in a yard

Dubs as a puppy in 2018.

4. Dubs attends every home football game and many big campus events.

At football games, look for him when he runs across the field at kickoff and during halftime. The best time to snap a selfie with him is about an hour before kickoff at The Zone, located in the practice field just east of Husky Stadium.

, 鈥14, is Dubs鈥 official trainer and picked him from a litter of four.

Knight prepped Dubs for the mascot limelight during his 鈥渞edshirt season,鈥 when he overlapped for a year with his predecessor, by socializing him and training him to appear in different environments.

Two dogs chasing each other on a football field

Knight captures video of Dubs playing with her pup, Freya.

A group of people wearing purple shirts with a dog

6. Dubs travels with a pack of six student handlers.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e his advocate, making sure he鈥檚 set up properly for engaging with different people,鈥 says Knight about these 天美影院ambassadors. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e also educating people on Dubs and the live mascot program.鈥 Current Huskies in any major can during winter quarter.

Pictured: Dubs and Knight pose with the student handler team for the 2025鈥26 academic year. L to R: Jaiden Wire, 鈥27; Lily Witter, 鈥26; Kyanna Johnson, 鈥26; Beatriz Nowak, 鈥28; Penelope Huang, 鈥27; Mimi Campbell, 鈥28.

7. Dubs is extremely food-motivated.

He鈥檚 a big fan of string cheese 鈥 just the crinkle of the plastic wrap will grab his attention. His handlers give him a variety of dried snacks they call his 鈥渢rail mix鈥 combined with higher-value treats like chicken or cheese. Of course, when the Huskies take on the University of Oregon, Dubs gets all the duck jerky.

Dog waits patiently to receive treat from a person
Dog giving person a high-five

8. Dubs has perfected a slew of tricks, from high-fives and spins to his trademark on-command 鈥渨oo-woo.鈥

 

9. Dubs is a Capricorn. His birthday is Jan. 4 鈥 and he likes to celebrate with a special pup cup of whipped cream.

10. Dubs plans to be the UW鈥檚 live mascot for about 10 years before passing the reins on to a new pup.

to see what he鈥檚 up to when he鈥檚 on and off the job.

  • Dog on a football field,

    Dog on a football field

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Story by Malavika Jagannathan // Photos by University Photography, 天美影院Magazine and Anne-Lise Knight

Originally published September 2025