Jonathan Van Ness' Tips for Pet Parents Are All You Need to Know Before Welcoming a Furry Friend
Jonathan Van Ness has been a pet parent for well over a decade and has encountered quite a few bumps in the road that is pet parenting. There was the time when Liza, one of their four cats, had to stat at the vet for six months to be treated for an irritable bowel. Then came Pablo, a one-eyed pup who was living on the street for two years until Van Ness adopted the dog. And there have been plenty of moments in between. As a result, Van Ness has learned a few pet parenting tips that make things a little bit easier for new and long-time pet owners alike.
This knowledge, combined with their unwavering love for animals, is why Van Ness partnered with Purina to talk about how pet owners can create memorable moments for their pets this holiday season and all year long.
"My pets have given me so much joy, especially this year, so I'm excited to share tips and treat suggestions with other pet owners that will show our pets love, comfort, and gratitude," Van Ness said in a press release. Together with the senior pet behavior expert at Purina, Dr. Annie Valuska, Ph.D., Van Ness came up with a few fun activities to try out with your pets, like playing hide and seek with your cats or making an agility course for your pups. They also came up with these tips that will make you an expert at pet parenting, whether it's your first time or third.
Dedicate a certain amount of time to them each day.
Van Ness says one of the most important things your pet needs is your time. For them, that means spending 45 minutes on focused playtime each day with their four cats. "They need more enrichment," Van Ness tells Woman's Day about their feline friends. "They need more games and things to keep themselves learning and challenged. . . Otherwise, they're just kind of bored, and then, they act out." As for Pablo, the TV personality says their dog needs regular walks and outdoor playtime. "[Pets] need the newness of different games and different activities, but they need the consistency of actually doing that every day," they say.
Van Ness' dedicated time to their pets has made a difference. Before they did so, their cats were visibly upset and fought often. "They used to get up in the middle of the night and wake me up at 4 in the morning scream-meowing, and [now] they're just all so chill because they're worn out from their day," Van Ness says, adding that they don't pace around anymore with pent up energy. "Investing that time, that's really [important]. What you invest in relationships, it will show an improvement."
Know when your pet needs more help than you can give them.
Whether you're adopting a pet or shopping for one, you never really know what past trauma your new furry friend may have. When Van Ness adopted Pablo, they didn't think they'd have to send him to a dog behavior specialist, but they really needed help. "I needed to find a dog behavior specialist that could help us make four cats and a dog work," they say. "I just wanna have my own Fab Five, and I just want them to get along and love each other." Most pets, but especially dogs, need stability in their early days with a new family, and since Van Ness was moving from Texas to New York in a pandemic, Pablo wasn't getting that.
Van Ness had to accept that their pup needed more than they could give him in that moment, so they sent him to a place that is used to working with dogs who need a little extra attention. "I jokingly refer to it as the Center for Dogs Who Get Upset Sometimes," Van Ness says. "They only work with a few dogs at a time, and this is something that's totally workable, but you just gotta be ready and have the resources and be patient, and we're doing all that."
Try not to have too many expectations of what you're going to do with your pet.
"When we have too many expectations of like how easy something could be or how challenging something could be, it [should be] more like the animal's gonna tell us how much they're gonna need," they say. Your dog may not be the kind of dog who loves every single being it comes into contact with, and that's OK. Your cat may not be super cuddly, and that's OK, too. "We just have such a huge amount of kitties and puppies that need homes," Van Ness says. "And you can get a dog who gets upset sometimes or a cat that has a tum-tum issue from wherever you get them."
So, whether you're adopting or shopping, consider putting Van Ness' pet parenting tips into practice. They can help you be a better pet parent, and they can make raising your new furry little friend that much easier. It's a win-win!
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