Continuing with the NextUp ‘Paws for Mental Health’ series, created in partnership with Purina, we are delighted to introduce Sarah Jolly, the Market Activation Manager for Nestlé Purina. After recently relocating to St. Louis, MO, Sarah was ecstatic to finally welcome a four-legged member into her life! Glitch, an eight-year-old Chihuahua Mix, was the perfect addition to her family of foodies who love to hike and travel.
How has having a pet influenced your daily routine, especially in relation to your work schedule? How does your work arrangement (in office, remote, hybrid) affect the time you spend with your pet?
Since adding Glitch to our family last fall, I’ve noticed more joy, flexibility, and prioritization in my daily routines. Thankfully, Glitch is VERY food motivated. He’s extremely vocal when it comes to mealtime and will ensure that you never forget about it. My morning wake-up call has shifted from a phone alarm to Glitch’s morning stretches and excitement for breakfast. When I’m working from home, he reminds me when it’s time to wrap up my workday with a song of eager grumbles and a dance filled with jumps, twists, and spins; exclusively saved for dinner time. I typically hit my hyperfocus stride in the late afternoons which used to result in later nights at the office and less time spent on self-care or with loved ones. Since Glitch joined our little family, our evening routines are filled with more time spent together creating memories and making plans for new adventures.
How does your pet add to your well-being & mental health at work? (For example, taking breaks in the day to go on walks.)
Glitch is still building confidence with new people and new places. Watching him approach the uncertainties and overcome his fears makes me want to do the same. With a recent move to a new city and experiencing a full winter for the first time in about eight years, I had a tough time adjusting to the dark and cold days. My activity levels were down, and I lost interest in making meaningful connections with colleagues. Incorporating a fetch session during a break, a short walk during daylight hours, or just connecting over a tail wag here and there, Glitch always adds a bit of brightness and movement to my workdays.
Can you share any memorable or funny anecdotes about how your pet has interacted with your work environment or colleagues?
Glitch conveniently loves playtime during virtual meetings. In some instances, I’ll snuggle him in my lap and give him all the pets if I need to temporarily redirect his energy. However, he’s on the larger end of the small dog spectrum which means that his trademark ears always end up in the video frame. His cameos are typically followed by a series of comments and laughs in the meeting chat.
What is it about your pet that contributes the most to your overall happiness and sense of well-being?
One thing that has made me SO happy is that Glitch has always been up for an adventure. My boyfriend and I love to travel, and Glitch has fit into our lives seamlessly from day one. Within our first few months with Glitch, we ventured across the country spending time in California, Georgia, Florida, and Pennsylvania. We’ve done 5Ks, parades, and festivals with our buddy by our side. He has a unique way of charming new people with his quirky characteristics which brings me so much pride.
What is your favorite thing to do with your pet?
Any time spent outside together brings me such a sense of peace. My favorite days are spent relaxing in the sun together in our backyard. Glitch also LOVES to play fetch and catch the ball in mid-air. He’ll bring the ball right back to your hand every time. If you don’t react fast enough, he may even throw the ball back in your direction to get you to keep playing. It’s a fun time for everyone involved and often leads to tons of laughter.
What is your most cherished memory with Glitch?
My most cherished memory was seeing Glitch bond with my dad over the holidays this past year. My dad is the typical tough guy who never wanted a dog… until we adopted our first family dog, Bailey. She was a soft-coated Wheaten Terrier who became my dad’s best friend and brought our family closer together. Glitch’s laid-back demeanor and joy for playing seemed to bring back a side of my dad that I hadn’t seen since we had Bailey in our lives which was a really beautiful moment.
Stay tuned for more from NextUp’s Paws for Mental Health series, created in partnership with Purina. We’d love to hear from you! Share your story on how your furry friends are PAWSitively impacting your mental health on social media. Be sure to tag @NextUp and use #PawsforMentalHealth!
