Meet the canine companions of students across campus
By MIA BALTIERRA — features@theaggie.org
Second-year animal science major Ashley Cabrera and Louie, her five-year-old shih tzu
Q: Tell me about your dog.
A: He has a closet. He has an Instagram and everything, @louie_the_pawteenth.
Q: When did you get your dog?
A: Last year. He was a stray. I’m from SoCal, so he actually went to our house and stayed at our door so my brother decided to keep him. At the time, I had wanted to have an emotional support animal […] so I drove him up here, and now he’s mine.
Q: What’s it like having a dog at college?
A: It’s been interesting. He comes to class with me sometimes. He’s the calmest dog ever, he doesn’t bark at anything. He’s very loving, and he’s helped me deal with stress. He loves people, so it’s great to have him on campus.
Q: What can you tell me about his personality?
A: He’s loving. He’s also very sassy. He loves water a little too much; he’s obsessed with water. He’s very well-mannered.
Q: Can you share any interesting or funny stories about him being on campus or in general?
A: I used to live at the dairy facility as a resident, and he tried to play with the cows because he thought they were big dogs. They would come up to him and stuff. I wouldn’t let him [get too close], but they would both pay attention to each other.
Elizabeth Hernandez, a third-year design major, and her four-month-old German shepherd, Luna
Q: Tell me about your dog.
A: She’s a puppy; she just turned four months old last week.
Q: When did you get your dog?
A: About a month ago, we got her about half an hour away in Vacaville — me and my partner. We got her the day after Picnic Day. After the [Doxie] Derby, we were like, ‘We want a puppy,’ so we were looking around, and we got Luna.
Q: What’s it like having a dog at college?
A: In terms of productivity, it’s a bit better, just because I have to wake up so early every day. Normally, I’m used to waking up a little bit later — aside from when I have to go to work — but with her, I’m basically up at seven every day because she wakes me up. I take her on campus once a week typically. When I have more time, I’ll bring her in during the middle of the day to get her used to people.
Q: What can you tell me about her personality?
A: She’s a little scared of dogs, but she’s great with people. She’s very playful; she likes playing with literally anything. Especially after she eats, she gets a burst of energy.
Q: Can you share any interesting or funny stories about her being on campus or in general?
A: [On] Saturday, I helped volunteer at a model UN conference they do here for high schoolers, and we had her in one of the skits. She was one of those villains in the Justice League skit that they were performing. Whenever I can, I bring her with me, and she just socializes with other people.
Scout, a 10-year-old Australian cattle dog (red heeler). Parker Flickinger, a graduate student in community and regional development.
Q: Tell me about your dog.
A: [It’s a] long story, but Scout isn’t my personal dog. He’s owned by my pastor, actually. My pastor runs a little chapel off campus [called The Belfry]. It’s a student chapel. I volunteer there, and I take him on therapy walks, so he can be pet and play with other students.
Q: What’s it like having a dog at college?
A: I take him out with the chapel and with my own personnel volunteering as well, to be out there, be friendly and help students feel safe and comfortable here on campus. I walk him around and the students can come say hello and play with him, and he can make them feel safe and happy. It’s just letting students know they are not alone, and I just happened to find a dog that could help with that.
Q: What can you tell me about his personality?
A: Scout is definitely a people[’s] dog. He’s definitely quiet and mellow. He’s in his retirement because he’s an older dog. [Australian cattle dogs] are often very high energy because they are bred to chase cattle. He isn’t super keen on other animals, but he loves people of all ages.
Q: Can you share any interesting or funny stories about him being on campus or in general?
A: We were just doing a therapy session with ASUCD. He has also done sessions at the Hillel House, [which is] the Jewish community center on campus. I need to take a full tally, but he has played with over a thousand students on campus.
Yogi, a six-year-old American cocker spaniel. Natalie Jean, a recent master’s graduate in earth and planetary sciences.
Q: When did you get your dog?
A: I adopted him when he was about two years old. My sister had two other dogs with her boyfriend, so she had too many dogs on hand and she was working a busy job in a tiny little apartment, so I would dogsit for them all the time, and I saw him and realized, ‘Okay, maybe if I take one of your dogs off your hands, you can be a little more relaxed at home,’ and I decided to adopt him. She was totally okay with that, so that’s how I got him, but he’s originally from Kingman, Arizona. I adopted him in Louisiana, and now he’s in California.
Q: What’s it like having a dog at college?
A: I think it’s helped with my anxiety with college classes and just deadlines. […] When I go home and pet him, it’s an easy way to get your mind off of things. It forces me to exercise. It’s really easy to stay home and work on your computer the entire time, but it was a way for me to take a step back and not be so anxious all the time. It’s helped my mental health a lot.
Q: What can you tell me about his personality?
A: He’s definitely a people’s dog. He likes to meet other students. He’s very shy but friendly. With other animals, he’ll be talkative, but with people, he’ll just give you body language, so I think it’s just a shy demeanor. He’s not a cuddle bug, but he’s lovable. His favorite things are balls; he just likes to roll on them.
Q: Can you share any interesting or funny stories about him being on campus or in general?
A: He’s very familiar with the squirrels that live by our house. One time, when he had the chance to go outside, the squirrel was caught off guard, and Yogi just kind of snuck up behind him. The squirrel didn’t have the chance to run up the tree, so Yogi had grabbed him by the tail by then. I was screaming, ‘No, don’t hurt him!’ but he didn’t know what to do. He just had him by the tail and the squirrel was trying to leave, but he let go when I said, ‘Yogi, let him go!’ He still wanted to play with him. He wasn’t aggressive; he has no killer instinct.
Three-year-old field golden retriever, Riley. Paige Karpinen, a fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major.
Q: Tell me about your dog.
A: It’s my boyfriend’s dog, she’s a field golden [retriever].
Q: When did you get your dog?
A: My boyfriend moved here a year ago, and he had her before, so he didn’t get her anywhere local.
Q: What’s it like having a dog at college?
A: I live walking distance from campus, so we walk here a lot. I think it’s nice because it’s an excuse to get out of the apartment. We have to take her out two to three times a day to go on walks. Campus is very dog friendly and I always see other people with dogs. My boyfriend goes on bike rides and she’ll run alongside him.
Q: What can you tell me about her personality?
A: She’s very energetic, she’s very loving, she’s very well-behaved. My boyfriend took a long time to train her, so she listens. She loves people.
Q: Can you share any interesting or funny stories about her being on campus or in general?
A: She loves the Arboretum. When we walk her there, she loves chasing the ducks, but she doesn’t try to catch them. She just wants to chase them enough that they run away from her. It’s like a little game she plays.
Written by: Mia Baltierra — features@theaggie.org
