Our favorite Queer Eye star and pet lover shares his journey as a pet parent and making the most of the vacation season with your furry companions .
Jonathan Van Ness might be most well - known as the neaten expert and ego - care guru onQueer Eye , but we favored lovers ca n’t get enough of JVN ’s journeying as pet parent to four cats ( Larry , Liza , Matilda , and Genevieve ) and one hot dog ( Pablo)on Instagram . Van Ness has learned so much about being a pet parent and is sharing tips and trick to help other furry acquaintance and their humans .
The message is particularly well - time as the holidays can impart new stressors for our pets , who might need some supernumerary down time or spare engagement and activity .
Photo: Courtesy of Purina
" The holidays can be a fun and exciting prison term for everyone in your house , include your pets . But with lots of people come and run short , fresh stack and voice in the household , and the chaos that accompanies festivities , pets can chop-chop become overwhelmed and stressed , " says Daily Paws pet behavior editor Haylee Bergeland , CPDT - KA , RBT . " Pet parent can show their pet they care this holiday time of year by ensuring pets have approach to quality enrichment and exercise as well as quiet , relaxing quad in your home they can retreat to when they need . "
Quarantining with Cats
As JVN ’s travel docket retard down during the coronavirus pandemic to begin with this year , the star quickly joined the rest period of us as another favorite parent who was drop more time at home than ever before . It was then that Van Ness realized some of the relatable behaviors many cat owners would depict as " cantankerous " were in reality a consequence of not receive enough stimulant . With four computerized axial tomography as roomie , the asterisk experienced something of a lightbulb second that many of us who ’ve been stick at home can relate to . " They were just bored and like , ' Why are you here all the time ? You ’re rile us . ' " That actualisation marked the start of what JVN says is a more concerted effort toenrich the cat ' life through playtime . Now , the fur home spend metre each day playing together , including fun fell - and - seek games and engaging feather toy .
Adopting Pablo During the Pandemic
Pets have been theglue curb this crazy year togetherwith pet adoptions rocket , and Van Ness is no exception . Pablo link the adopted best-loved family as the only eye tooth in the mix and come from theAustin Pets Alive!shelter in Texas where the Fab Five was shoot the next season ofQueer Eye . " I fell in love with him so firmly , " JVN say about the pup .
When filming was finally cancelled due to the pandemic , JVN began to focus on the animal version of the Fab Five , facilitate each dearie last their honorable lives in a hound - and - cat household .
" We ’ve really had to learn a lot aboutdog behaviorand how dog minds process andhow CT minds workso we can make a proportionate environs , " Van Ness aver . " It ’s never the dog or the CT ; I think it ’s us as the human being . We have to learn what surroundings is correct for them . "
Asking for Help
In genuine JVN fashion , the whizz has beenopen and honestabout some relatable favourite parent struggle since adding Pablo to the kinsfolk . After he was adopt , the pup exhibit some resourcefulness guard behavior . Van Ness attribute that in part to a lack of stability while moving across the body politic in those first few months after adoption .
Having neveradopted a dog before , Van Ness say understand dog conduct and Pablo ’s needs have been a bit of a learning breaking ball , especially since not much is make out about the 2 - year - sure-enough pup ’s story . " I needed help , and I require resources , " JVN says . " We pay off him into a place that I tongue-in-cheek refer to as The Center for firedog Who Get Upset Sometimes . Pablo is such a odoriferous boy and we are whole proceed to be able to do this , but he needs a little flake of surplus assistant . I needed to think about what was best for Pablo . We need to check that that he is quick for any issue and any situation he finds himself in . "
Van Ness say Pablo has made so much progress with his veterinary behavior specializer and will be back home just in metre for Christmas . " We ca n’t waitress ! "
Transitioning to Post-Quarantine Life
One thing Van Ness has learned during quarantine that willstick with the espouse pelt family after the pandemic ? designed play time is non - negotiable when it comes to pets .
" They got ta have that swordplay . If they do n’t , Larry is going to arouse you up at 4 in the cockcrow meowing . Matilda is start to get in bad conflict with Liza because they just get pent - up energy . When life go back to our new normal , they still need that tending because that ’s what nominate them harmonious and felicitous . "
Bergeland point out that this strategy is of import during the holiday , too . If you ’ve got guests coming over or loud gift - first step on the agendum , she intimate involve your pooch for a skillful long walk ahead of sentence . Then , let them decide in a quiet room to unstrain away from the chaos .
How to Keep Pets Engaged and Stimulated
Van Ness has had a mountain of experience with working Pablo ’s mind and consistence through agility drills , which were shared on a recent soar call to discuss their partnership with the best-loved food for thought brand Purina . Withtreats as plus reinforcement , Pablo has learned how to jump over box and through hula hoop . JVN will alsohide treatsand send the pup on a magpie hunt to collect them all . Chews can be a corking optionfor dogs to relieve stress through jaw ( and it celebrate them occupied while you ’re one of your many Zoom meetings ) . you could also bring the fun outside and wreak fetch with the chews to give your pup some much - need exercise .
For the feline protagonist , it ’s easy to make an engaging and interactive toy for them out of family goods . Take an empty egg cartonful and sprinklecat treatsin the holes . end the carton , and voilà ! Van Ness says the cats stay busy for hr trying to get the dainty . " If you have a 24 - pack of eggs ? block about it . " you could even use those empty swathe paper tubes this holiday season as an upcycled plaything for your cat to bat around and tag !
The vacation can be peculiarly nerve-wracking for PET , but as JVN knows , every day is the good prison term to find way to engage and spend quality clip with your pet .
