Boise State Tee Dog, Cowboy Kohl, passes away on National Dog Day

Cowboy Kohl retrieving a tee at a Boise State home football game.
Photo courtesy John Kelly

A very special Bronco, Cowboy Kohl, passed away in the arms of the Closson family in Pocatello, Idaho on National Dog Day, Thursday, Aug. 26. 

Kohl became the official football program’s Tee Dog for the Broncos in 2016, and was also the Bat Dog for the Boise Hawks. He was a fan favorite during Boise State football games as the crowd cheered “he’s a good boy” after fetching the kickoff tee and running off the field.

According to a Facebook post by TK Hot Retrievers, Cowboy Kohl, also known as “Revitt Up Kohl Expect Great Things,” was enjoying time at the Closson family ranch in Pocatello when he began feeling sick. He was then taken to a veterinarian, who found a cancerous tumor on Kohl’s spinal column. 

Cowboy Kohl retrieving a tee at a Boise State home football game.
[Photo of Cowboy Kohl retrieving a tee at a Boise State home football game]
Photo courtesy John Kelly

After 11 years of life, Kohl goes down in history as perhaps the single most popular Tee and Bat Dog in pro and college sports. He has made over 500 appearances on local, national and international television as well as features on Animal Planet, the Today Show and Barstool Sports. 

“[Even] with all of that fame, that is not what made Kohl special. His personality with people, especially kids is what made him a truly exceptional dog,” Kohl’s owners, family and trainers wrote in a Facebook post

Kohl’s trainers wrote that during Boise State football’s first upcoming home game against the University of Texas at El Paso, he was going to pass the torch off to his son and the new Tee Dog, Blitz.

Blitz will be filling his father’s paws as the new Bat Dog for the Boise Hawks and Tee Dog for Boise State football. His other son, Ripken, currently lives with his owner, Mike O’Donnel, in Raleigh, NC. Ripken was recently announced as the new Bat Dog for the Durham Bulls Minor League Baseball team and will become the Tee Dog for the North Carolina State University football team. 

Cowboy Kohl is remembered by his owner Britta Closson, family, trainers, fans and all the lives he touched over the years.

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