Because they’re cute, characterful and come in many different varieties, dogs make good mascots. Famously the UGA bulldogs for example.

While having a lion as a symbol is all very well, you can’t get a real one to sit on the edge of the pitch and support you while you’re playing a game can you? In a lot of ways – dogs make sense. Anyway, we don’t mention mascots this time because a sports team is involved but because the state of Michigan, in the USA wants a state dog. They’ve already got a state trout – the Brook Trout; a state bird – the robin and state reptile, the painted turtle, and now the Detroit Kennel Club is suggesting that they should get a state dog too.
If they’ve got a trout representing them, I think they should definitely get a dog, and quickly. Dogs have much more charisma than fish and look a lot better into the bargain.

From time to time different states and municipalities in the US decide to get state dogs, on one occasion a petition from a group of primary school children resulted in a dog being officially instated as a state animal.

Anyway, the joy with dogs is that while they are all people-friendly and personable, there is a wide-variety as well. In theory state animals should be chose to represent native species to the area, but in practice of course they can also represent what the state aspires to in terms of character traits and image. A bulldog for determination, a collie for intelligence, a German Shepherd for being watchful and on guard…

Regardless of whether the state will or won’t let a dog join the Robin and Brook Trout as official state animals, the Detroit Kennel Club is holding a little survey on the matter and wants your opinion on which dog should represent Michigan.
See their website: