Students de-stress at Hug-A-Pug event
Friendly furballs bring tail wags and lots of tricks to a crowd of stressed students.
By DAHLIA BECK
Editor’s Note: This article was updated Sept. 17 at 10:17 p.m. to include additional photography.
The University Religious Center hosted its latest installment of Hug-A-Pug on Thursday afternoon, drawing crowds seeking a break from busy schedules or just wanting a quick cuddle. Tito Mango, Ube, JB and Sweat Pea are young pugs that welcomed the love, treats and hugs of University members.
The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life has hosted Hug-A-Pug for the past year and a half. Vanessa Gomez Brake, the senior associate dean at ORSL, started the event with a colleague to bring people together at the Religious Center. They were inspired by past therapy dogs that were present on campus and decided to implement a similar activity at the URC to provide an accessible space for connection and playfulness.
Gomez Brake believes that Hug-A-Pug is an opportunity not only to create connections with the dogs but with other students.
Daily headlines, sent straight to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with the latest at and around USC.
“Dogs have a way of disarming you because sometimes it can be hard to make friends on a college campus, and yet, in the proximity of dogs, people are goofy,” Gomez Brake said. “They’re having a good time, and I think they’re a bit more prone to connecting with others who are similarly engaged with the dogs. A lot of time, people are bonding over the dogs, but then they gain a new friend by the time they leave.”
A study by Chatham University found that being around animals on a college campus can decrease homesickness for first-year undergraduate students who miss their pets. Additionally, the study mobilized individuals to interact with peers who felt the same way, helping them forge relationships with other students.
Hug-A-Pug drew a crowd of about 15 people Thursday. Attendees were able to hold the dogs, take pictures of them and bond over a shared amusement of their always-smiling faces. The pugs did not tire of the attention for the whole hour and a half, eagerly sniffing out new people who decided to join and paying periodic visits to everyone seated around them.
Participants enjoyed connecting with the pugs and taking a break from their busy schedules. (Teo Gonzales / Daily Trojan)
Tito Mango, Ube and Gizmo were more than happy to show off their tricks, which included handshakes, rolling over, dancing and more, trading their moves for a treat or two. Samantha Jimenez Garcia, a sophomore majoring in international relations, said that being with the dogs was comforting, as it helped with missing a pet at home.
“I’ve been feeling stressed out within just the second week, so I feel like I needed a breather,” said Jimenez Garcia. “I was missing my dogs at home, so I feel like this really did help me, just being able to pet a dog.”
Research shows that the presence of dogs plays a role in reducing anxiety, stress and depression, along with diminishing a sense of social isolation. Pugs can be known as velcro dogs, indicating their clingy nature and draw to human interaction. Their ability to provide companionship helped accomplish the goals of Hug-A-Pug, which is for students to find comfort and solace in the dogs.
“I love pugs, and I love dogs, and it was a free event, so I decided to come check it out,” said Valentina Hernandez, a freshman majoring in physics. “You can make friends. You create a connection with the dogs, and you learn new tricks. So I think there’s a lot to gain. Plus, it’s a stress reliever … especially because I have a test today.”
This semester, URC will host Hug-A-Pug on the first Thursday of every month. The next dates are Oct. 2 and Nov. 6 at the URC courtyard from noon to 1:30 p.m.
