Tips for a Happy Pet
photos by Javier Angulo, photos by Keaton Weyers, design my Jade Cupples
Having a bit of the winter blues? Could your pet be as well? Wondering how you can help your animals when you must leave them at home? PULSE sat down with a few pet owners and got some tips and tricks that could make your pet less blue.
Talking with Ingrid Barajas about her dog Kiko, she explains that the time spend away from Kiko is usually a 9-5 business day, with some visits in between. Barajas explains she has a tight routine with Kiko and he knows exactly what’s going on. “I want to say it’s the best part of his day, those three walks that we have,” says Barajas. They go on long walks multiple times a day as a way to get Kiko out of the house and tire him out while she’s at school or work.
The Smith family has other approaches to keeping their pets happy and healthy. PULSE talked to Phoenix and Jennifer Smith about the routines of all of their exotic pets, and what a usual day is like for them.
Discussing the possibilities of what their animals might get up too while they are gone for the six hours during the week days. The smiths predict that the dogs Huck and Uno sleep, while the cat Coraline runs around Phoenix’s room looking at the world through his window or is outside hunting. Now the bearded dragon Gordita is usually in the same position she was when Aspen Smith comes home from school.
“Georgia gets out all the time” the Smiths proclaim that one of their dogs likes to get out and go for strolls on his own. He’ll greet them at the driveway when they come home from school. “Uno, a few times has broken out of his crate magically.” So while they seem to not have as strict of a routine as Barajas, their animals seem pretty happy.
PULSE sat down with a student Naomi Klockars, who has an emotional support animal (ESA), and Klockers told us how she feels about having her cat Mustard with her in her dorm, and how it is beneficial for both her and him.
Klockers expresses how long Mustard is alone per day. “I would say like once per day, like two hour gap. Luckily I have someone I know that checks in on him. So he’s not left alone too long.”
When Mustard is by himself for a long period of time Klockers has some special routines to keep him calm while she’s gone, “He likes to watch cartoons.” She specified, “He likes adventure time.”
Wondering how to reward your cat without giving them all sorts of treats that are unhealthy, find things they like to do. Klockers expresses this by how she rewards Mustard, “He likes going outside, so I’ll take him on a leash and I’ll take him outside.”
Wondering if your mental health would increase with an (ESA), “When I was younger I had a lot of anxiety, but definitely having a cat around [helps],” says Klockers.