{"id":146,"date":"2023-10-05T20:14:22","date_gmt":"2023-10-06T03:14:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theredlandsbulldog.com\/?p=146"},"modified":"2023-10-05T20:14:23","modified_gmt":"2023-10-06T03:14:23","slug":"a-day-in-the-life-of-george-sassy-but-loving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theredlandsbulldog.com\/index.php\/2023\/10\/05\/a-day-in-the-life-of-george-sassy-but-loving\/","title":{"rendered":"A Day in the Life of George: Sassy but Loving"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It was love at first sight for Dr. Joe Modica and George the bulldog. George was only 8 weeks old and weighed 3 pounds when he was first brought home in spring 2022. Dr. Modica is George\u2019s owner and the director of the University of Redlands School of Performing Arts Conservatory of Music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

George is now the school mascot and an integral part of the campus, often seen in admissions, in the library or at outdoor events surrounded by students eager to pet him. His handlers characterize him as lazy but sweet, and never turns down a treat. They hope to have him attend more outdoor sports events this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adopting George <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After Addie, the previous bulldog mascot, retired at the end of the 2021-2022 academic year, the hunt was on for a new handler and new bulldog. Modica received an email asking if any faculty member wanted to be the next handler of the university mascot. He immediately thought this could be a good opportunity for him and his family, so he talked to his wife, and they decided to apply.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis would be a really cool thing to do for our community and for our kids and for our family,\u201d Modica said. \u201cHow many times do you get a chance to be a handler for a mascot? That doesn\u2019t come around every day.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modica was excited to be selected to host the new mascot. He and his family also already had pets at home, including two Great Danes named Franklin and Grizzly, as well as cats, lizards, and chickens. They were allowed to research and choose whatever dog to be the mascot they felt \u201cfit best with [their] family.\u201d Since their current dogs and cats were male, it made most sense to get another male dog. The Modica family talked to other owners of mascots and considered breeders and shelters. They ended up choosing a breeder in Monterey, and soon after, George was born.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
George as a puppy. Photo courtesy of Gemma Lang.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey texted us when George\u2019s litter was born, and we got to sort of look at them on FaceTime and we saw George and it was just immediate love. I was the first one that he came to, and he just started licking my face like crazy, so we’ve been best buddies ever since,\u201d explained Modica. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even after George retires from being the university\u2019s mascot, Modica and his family get to keep him forever. Modica says George will remain mascot as long as he is healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

George\u2019s Daily Routine <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Over the summer, George spends his time playing in the water and sleeping. Despite not being able to swim, he loves going on floaties and hangs out on the steps of the family pool. He also enjoys jumping around in a kiddie pool and playing with his Great Dane brothers.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe sleeps most of the time so he’s a lazy guy. And actually, bulldogs don\u2019t typically like heat, but he loves to lay in the sun in the summertime,\u201d Modica said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the academic year, Modica goes to the gym every morning, and when he gets home, George is waiting for him. Modica feeds George and his brothers breakfast, and then pours himself coffee.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modica explained, \u201cI get ready for work, and he lays there right by me, he won\u2019t leave my side. He knows it’s a work day. And as soon as I\u2019m done and I pour my coffee, he goes to the door. That\u2019s his cue, dad\u2019s pouring coffee, it\u2019s almost time to go. And then he waits by the door, and I ask him, \u2018George, do you want to go to work?\u2019 And he gets very excited. He goes right out to the truck and gets in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once he gets to school, George loves to play keep-away, sleep, and chew on any kind of balls, says handler Lexi Riffel \u201826. Handlers are University of Redlands students who have the job of taking George out to greet other students and to events on campus. Riffel has always loved dogs and grew up with four dogs at home.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
George and his handler Lexi Riffel. Photo courtesy of Lexi Riffel. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Gemma Lang \u201824 is another one of George\u2019s handlers. She was Addie\u2019s assistant handler, and when Addie retired, she moved to helping with George. Lang has been helping take care of George since Modica first brought him home in May 2022.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI met Georgie when he was about 7 weeks old and I babysat him over the summer when he was just a little infant, and then I just started working with him during that fall semester,\u201d says Lang. She takes him to work with her in Admissions, where he gets to hang out and greet families taking tours.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of Lang\u2019s favorite memories with George is when she first met him as a puppy. They were trying to get a photo of him and Addie on the steps of the Admin building. Lang recalled holding him for the first time and said, \u201che was just the littlest little thing ever, he could barely keep his eyes open.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
George and his handler Gemma Lang. Photo courtesy of Gemma Lang.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Riffel and Lang adore George, and said that he\u2019s part of their family and that they love him like one of their own dogs. They agreed that meeting people through George is one of the best parts of the job.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve met some of my really close friends through my job, which is kind of unexpected, but really cool,\u201d says Riffel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

George can most often be found in Hunsaker, Armacost Library, Admissions, and Dr. Modica\u2019s office in Watchorn Hall, according to his handlers.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s usually in Watchorn in Dr. Modica\u2019s office. I also like to walk around Hunsaker with him on Monday afternoons, and when it\u2019s nicer weather, I\u2019ll go to the quad with him. I just try to be where a lot of students are during the week,\u201d Riffel explains.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goals With George<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that George is over a year old, his humans have big dreams for his future. They agree that George will try and come to more football games and athletic events this year. George can only attend outdoor events because indoor events are too loud and overwhelming for him, said Riffel. Modica thinks being more present on campus would be good for George as well as Redlands students.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lang also loves involving George in things she\u2019s passionate about on campus, like Outdoor Programs. \u201cHe was able to come to Outdoor Programs for FYJ and just show his mascot support because I\u2019m involved in outdoor programs, so it\u2019s fun getting to take him to little places that I like,\u201d Lang said. She is also excited that George will be at her graduation this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
George in Outdoor Programs. Photo courtesy of Gemma Lang.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

George\u2019s Personality <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

George\u2019s caretakers said that there are different aspects of his personality that stick out to them, but they can all agree on one thing: he\u2019s lazy but loving. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riffel and Lang agreed that getting George to walk when he doesn\u2019t want to is one of the biggest challenges of their job. When George is feeling tired or lazy, he will just lay there until he gets a treat or someone drags him up. \u201cIt looks like he\u2019s melting into the floor,\u201d Riffel said. George is very strong willed and stubborn, and he won\u2019t do anything he\u2019s opposed to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe loves to eat; he\u2019s very food obsessed,\u201d explains Lang. \u201cHe loves literally anything…he will literally go to everyone that\u2019s eating food in Admissions and he\u2019ll put his head on their lap and stare at them until he gets food.\u201d Treats are also a good way to motivate him to walk when he is feeling lazy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He loves any toys he can chew on, with some particular favorites being plastic chewy balls and his tug of war rope. \u201cIf it\u2019s chewable, he loves it. He\u2019s not picky,\u201d said Modica. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

George is playful, loving, sassy, and aloof when you first meet him, but warms up after a while, explained Riffel. George also likes butt scratches and has very stinky farts, and slobbers a lot. Nothing fazes him, and he\u2019s very chill and go-with-the-flow. He\u2019s such an easy dog and loves meeting other dogs and kids, said Modica.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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George with owners Dr. Joe Modica and his wife Candice Stewert in May 2022. Photo taken from the University of Redlands website.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s so sweet once you get to spend more time with him,\u201d says Riffel. George is especially attached to his handlers and loves being around them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be afraid to come up to George and pet him,\u201d said Riffel. They want students to know they shouldn\u2019t be afraid to approach George. He can be sassy and may not approach students, but he still wants pets!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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