Don’t fret — all of our furry friends are beloved here at Truman State University! That said, which pet is truly the best according to Truman students? We interviewed pet owners on campus and got the scoop on who gets a scratch behind the ears and which pet has to sleep in the doghouse. Read on to decide for yourself which pet rules and which pet drools — spoiler alert, they all rule.
Albert
- Owner’s name: Krystal Jones
- Pet’s age: 12 years
- Type of dog: Lab mix
Jones got to bring her dog Albert with her to college, and has had him for 10 years.
A fun fact about Albert is that he loves to dance! Jones said he does a prance-like jump, and if someone does it back to him, he’ll do it again. That’s not Albert’s only quirk though.
“He loves to eat basketballs. It’s a weird thing, but he likes it,” Jones said. “He deflates it; he tries to get it apart, which we usually don’t let him, but he likes to deflate basketballs.”
Watch your basketballs and your hearts, because Albert is likely to steal them both.
Chewy
- Owner’s name: Jacintha Thomas
- Pet’s age: 5 months
- Type of dog: Miniature schnauzer
Chewy sure does love to chew on some interesting things! Though she has probably 30 toys, Thomas said she loves toilet paper rolls and water bottles more than anything else.
“She’ll literally just shred it, she doesn’t eat them, she just shreds them to pieces and then she leaves them for me to pick up later,” Thomas said.
Chewy was named after Chewbacca from “Star Wars,” see the resemblance?
Bailey
- Owner’s name: Maddie Rupprecht
- Pet’s age: 1 year
- Type of dog: Dalmatian and blue heeler mix
This sweet puppy turns one year old this week, so happy birthday, Bailey!
Rupprecht said Bailey is her first dog, and she is very intelligent because of her blue heeler genetics. She is still training Bailey, but she already knows several tricks, and Rupprecht was able to potty train her in just a few hours.
While Bailey might be intelligent, Rupprecht said she is not intelligent enough to sneak out. Bailey’s intelligence is not the only thing that sets her apart however.
“She has a thing with ears and feet and licking them, I don’t know why,” Maddie said.
Ears and feet obsession aside, Bailey’s intelligence makes her a fit right in among Truman students.
Rudy
- Owner’s name: Brenna Nevels
- Pet’s age: 11 years
- Type of dog: Shiba chi (chihuahua shiba inu mix)
This one-eyed dog was rescued by Nevels last summer after his original owner died. Nevels said they were told he lost his eye in a fight with another dog, but they aren’t sure if that’s true.
What he lost in eyesight he makes up for with his very refined taste palate: he loves Pioneer Woman chicken treats and will often refuse any other treats!
“He has to wear diapers because he will spitefully pee in our kitchen if we don’t give him enough attention,” Nevels said.
Rudy isn’t a big fan of toys, and mostly just wants to nap and cuddle.
Make sure to keep an eye out for Rudy around campus!
Steve
- Owner’s name: Macy Cecil
- Pet’s age: 4 years
Steve’s favorite activities include sleeping and looking out the window so she can chirp at birds.
“Eating is her favorite thing in the world,” Cecil said.
She also loves catnip, since she has a bag that allows her to scratch and roll to release the tasty treat.
An especially fun fact about Steve is that, for her birthday, Cecil threw a Steve party. Guests came dressed as vario
us famous Steves, including Steve Harvey, Stevie Nicks and Steve from Blue’s Clues!
Steve is also unique in that she loves having her belly rubbed and follows her owner loyally everywhere she goes.
She’s “literally the sweetest cat in the world,” said Cecil. Because she acts more like a dog than a cat, she is “the best of both worlds,” Cecil said.
We couldn’t agree more!
Emma Lee
- Owner’s name: Em Bolton
- Pet’s age: 11 years
Emma Lee’s known hobbies include sleeping, chasing string and avidly fangirling over catnip. She’s also a terrific hunter; her prey has included a pigeon larger than herself when she was a kitten. She’s even caught hummingbirds, which Bolton said made her feel, “somewhat guilty, somewhat proud.”
She’s also earned a place in Bolton’s heart as being the first cat she ever owned, and for being incredibly loyal to Bolton and her mother.
“There’s no loyalty with dogs,” Bolton said.
Whenever a new person enters the room, a dog will befriend them instantly, but Emma Lee is a constant companion to her owner.
Besides being incredibly loyal, Emma Lee is also fiercely protective of Bolton, acting as a guard-cat by protecting her owner from an attack of excessive licking from Bolton’s dogs. Who could ask for a more devoted companion?
Carter Lynn
- Owner’s name: Maya Krump
- Pet’s age: 16 years
Carter Lynn is a connoisseur of all things cold. Some of his favorite objects to play with are ice cubes, and he has been known to enjoy eating sour cream, ice cream and cheese — but only if they are cold. He is also a fan of licking the condensation off of Krump’s iced coffee,
making drinking coffee a bonding experience between owner and cat.
Besides being a devoted cold cream fan, Carter Lynn loves chicken and refuses to eat much else, although he “occasionally eats one-fourth of a Goldfish cracker,” according to Krump.
Some of Carter Lynn’s other favorite activities include being spooned and sitting next to Krump while his owner does homework. In fact, he likes to act just like his owner and follows Krump around constantly, which makes him a great pet and companion.
One other reason why Carter Lynn makes an excellent best friend?
He’s “very large and nice to hold,” said Krump.
What other reason do any of us really need?
Wednesday Gerbera Addams
- Owner’s name: Madeline Lee
- Pet’s age: 1 year, 3.5 months
Wednesday was born May 3, and was originally named Gerbera, which remains her middle name as a tribute. She has many distinctive features, including being nearly polydactyl, with one partially formed toe on each of her front feet. She also looks like she has eyebrows and has three white patches, one on her belly and one on two of her armpits.
Wednesday has quite a few talents, including being able to tell when guests will arrive and chasing “fairies,” or shadows, in the room. She is also very good at receiving whipped cream.
She “demands a little drop on her finger and will lick it off,” said Lee.
One of Wednesday’s favorite activities is people-watching from the window, as well as playing with her blue mousey. She despises Lee’s yellow blanket, but that doesn’t stop her from cuddling with her owner, especially when Lee feels down.
She also “loves to play with trash, even though she has so many toys,” Lee said.
What makes Wednesday the best?
“Everything,” said Lee.
Wednesday serves as an emotional support animal, a friend, especially during online classes and an accountability partner by encouraging her owner out of bed to feed her in the morning by knocking down the objects on the dresser. Who could ask for more from a roommate and best friend?