STrib: Sheltered coaches, athletes add pets to provide joy through pandemic (Fleck's get Bella the Maltipoo)

[BleedGopher]

per Megan:


Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck and his wife, Heather, already had planned on getting a puppy before the pandemic hit. And she might not know it, but Bella the Maltipoo is enjoying some rare quality time with her busy parents.

“It’s been awesome, especially for P.J.,” Heather Fleck said. “… If she does get up early in the morning, he lets her out. He feeds her, and he takes her on his little Starbucks or Caribou runs. She likes to go bye-bye in the car with Dad. And it’s been nice.

“… Now, all these dogs across America right now are going to have serious separation anxiety once everybody goes back to work. But it’s been fun.”


Bella has popped in on media video conferences and FaceTimes with recruits. And she has a basket full of Gophers gear — raincoats, bandannas, collars — at the ready for the next game day.

These pets are lucky to have found loving homes, but their humans are benefiting even more. From Pika chasing a ball down the stairs again and again, to Rocco slipping while running on the hardwood floors and jumping into his toy basket for a soft landing, to Blitz chasing two toddlers around the kitchen island, to Bella making off with a paper bag bigger than she was while her parents put away groceries.

Sheltered coaches, athletes add pets to provide joy through pandemic

Idled athletes and coaches see opportunity to take on four-legged household additions.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[hungan1]

per Megan:


Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck and his wife, Heather, already had planned on getting a puppy before the pandemic hit. And she might not know it, but Bella the Maltipoo is enjoying some rare quality time with her busy parents.

“It’s been awesome, especially for P.J.,” Heather Fleck said. “… If she does get up early in the morning, he lets her out. He feeds her, and he takes her on his little Starbucks or Caribou runs. She likes to go bye-bye in the car with Dad. And it’s been nice.

“… Now, all these dogs across America right now are going to have serious separation anxiety once everybody goes back to work. But it’s been fun.”


Bella has popped in on media video conferences and FaceTimes with recruits. And she has a basket full of Gophers gear — raincoats, bandannas, collars — at the ready for the next game day.

These pets are lucky to have found loving homes, but their humans are benefiting even more. From Pika chasing a ball down the stairs again and again, to Rocco slipping while running on the hardwood floors and jumping into his toy basket for a soft landing, to Blitz chasing two toddlers around the kitchen island, to Bella making off with a paper bag bigger than she was while her parents put away groceries.

Sheltered coaches, athletes add pets to provide joy through pandemic

Idled athletes and coaches see opportunity to take on four-legged household additions.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

He's a keeper.

 

[Taji34]

I have had my dog for a year now, and I definitely think it has helped my mood during the pandemic greatly. While we have still been taking her to dog daycare so that she doesn't develop separation anxiety (and so that it's not a jarring change when my girlfriend and I go back to work eventually), the mornings and evenings of even just chilling with my dog do me wonders.

I wonder if PJs dog will come to work with him ever. Though, I don't know that he would really have the ability to take her with him everywhere (especially not onto the turf practice field). I'm sure the team would love it. There is a reason why the PAWS program exists at the U for students to relieve stress.