This article is a part of our Pride of Omlet series, a collection of amazing stories which shine the spotlight on extraordinary pets and share their selflessness, bravery, talent and compassion with the world.
-Written by Anneliese Paul
Mipit is a Mental Health Assistance Dog for his human, Henley. Mipit keeps Henly alive and independent. Who wouldn’t love a dog that can put out your recycling, answer your phone, and be your best friend, come rain or shine?
Six years ago, homeless and experiencing mental health crisis, Henley was given a glimmer of hope when she was offered a flat. She reconnected with her mum and dad, and slowly, life started to improve with their help. But something was missing. Henley needed a companion.
Henley’s autistic and always wanted an autism assistance dog, but by now, Henley was too old to apply. One day, Henley and her mum went to get their hair cut. The hairdresser suggested they go to the nearby pet shop to ask if they knew of any puppies; the pet shop gave her two phone numbers. As Henley was leaving the shop, she spotted a leaflet on the window about Mental Health Assistance Dog training.
Henley called the breeder’s numbers and soon after brought home her first puppy. A jug (Jack Russel cross Pug) she named Lottie. First, she began training with the Kennel Club good citizen dog scheme and then assistance dog training with Darwin Dogs. But at six months old, Lottie was attacked by a pack of six dogs, and Henley decided to stop her training to give her time to recover. With Lottie better, Henley felt it would be good for her to have a friend. So she called Lottie’s breeder to see if any more pups were on the way. Luckily Lottie’s grandmother was pregnant, and when the puppies were born, Henley went to visit and brought home Mipit.
Mipit’s a Jug like Lottie, who Henley chose for his rebellious nature, but despite wayward first appearances, he’s proven to be intelligent, loving and loyal. Within a few weeks, Mipit was doing things that Lottie had taken months to learn, and Henley decided to focus her assistance dog training with Mipit.
He flew through both bronze and silver Kennel Club assessments by the age of one. He was too young to start gold, so Henley started assistance dog training. In under two years, he’d completed all three levels. Lottie had taken the same time to complete only one. Mipit’s instinctive with training. “He can see into the future,” says Henley. “It’s like he already knows before you’ve trained him.”
Henley uses a wheelchair and Mipit is always beside her, ready to help. He opens doors, picks up the phone and takes out the recycling. He does things to make Henley laugh, like playing hide and seek under the duvet. He never turns off. Mipit’s training with Darwin Dogs is unlike any other assistance dog training. Henley has developed a partnership with him to train him in three special skills that are unique to her needs.
Mipits first special skill is to lay flat on Henley’s knee, giving deep pressure therapy to help with the pain she has in her legs. Secondly, he’ll fetch and retrieve anything up to his own body weight. His third skill is a showstopper. If Henley’s been upset anywhere, Mippit will sing to her to help her recover. He often sings Henley out of Sainsbury’s to get her ready for the journey home, and Mipit has become known for his singing in their home town. Sometimes Henley is stopped by people asking, “Are you the one with the singing dog”, and Mipit will gladly give a little performance.
Last year Henley lost her mum. This was devastating for Henley’s mental health. Both Henley and her Dad, Chris, credit Mipit with keeping them a team, working through difficult times and keeping their bond strong. “He forces us to be together in a lovely way. He’ll cuddle Dad and bring him to me. He dives up and gives me kisses when he knows I’m poorly.”
Mipits unconditional and constant devotion to putting a smile on Henley’s face gets her ready for the day, every day. With the help of Mipit and Lottie, Henley hasn’t self-harmed in six years and now lives in a bungalow with a garden with six chickens for company. Soon two rabbits will be joining their extra special support bubble.
Henley’s dad Chris says, “I watch Mipit because he picks up on Henley’s mood. When she’s not feeling good, he moves closer. It gives me comfort to know Mipit is looking after her. He’s a cracking little chap.”
This entry was posted in Dogs on April 27th, 2021 by alisa.deluca
Guinea pigs are highly social animals that thrive on companionship and stimulation. And since a happy guinea pig is a healthy guinea pig, they need plenty of mental and physical enrichment. Toys, treats, and a playmate are just some of the key elements to enriching piggy-play.
Playtime is best spent with pals! If possible, consider adopting guinea pigs in same-sex pairs or trios. Guinea pigs thrive on social interaction, and do best when they have friends that speak their own language! If more than one guinea pig is not an option for you, be sure to engage yourself in piggy-playtime every day. Take note of what your guinea pig likes to do – are they curious and outgoing, or laid-back and shy? Do rolling balls catch their attention? Or do they prefer to chew rather than chase their toys? Knowing each guinea pig’s personality will help create the most enriching environment possible.
Serve food interestingly
Were you ever told not to play with your food? Well, the same rule does not apply to cavies! Mealtimes are a great opportunity to sneak in play and bonding time. Our Caddi Treat Holder is a fun and unique way of serving up your guinea pig’s meals and treats. Making food challenging to reach means more mental and physical reps before reward, and has the added bonus of keeping treats up off the floor. You can also hide food to encourage natural scavenging behaviors in your guinea pig. Place treats in paper tubes, or a hay rack for rummaging fun! Be sure to surround treats with nutritious hay to ensure meals are eaten before dessert!
Guinea pigs can also be fed by hand, but be sure to only offer treats long enough to keep your fingers out of accidental-biting range! Hold treats loosely between your fingertips and release as soon as your piggy has a hold of it.
Another interesting and engaging way to serve food to your cavies is by threading fruits, veggies, or herbs on a rope or skewer stick fastened with knots or clothespins. Be sure that the twine or rope is thick enough to avoid getting knotted around your piggy, and not so long that they can get themselves entangled. A blunt, metal grilling skewer secured to the side of your guinea pig’s enclosure is both chew and tangle-proof.
Guinea pigs are very food motivated, which makes exercising much easier! To give your piggy some extra steps for the day, tie some of their favorite food or toys to the end of a string and drag it along the floor for them to chase! Keep it just out of reach to encourage them to keep after it. Just be sure to let them catch their prize within a reasonable timeframe!
Changing up the menu from time to time helps alleviate boredom while enhancing your guinea pig’s health. Choose seasonal, piggy-friendly fruits and veggies such as melons, apples (without seeds!), or summer squash to add variety to their diets. Guinea pigs are also excellent lawnmowers, and would love time outside to help with the grass! Place them in a secure guinea pig run to move around each day and you’ll be amazed at how much less you’ll need to mow!
Obstacles, tunnels and tubes
Did you know that wild guinea pigs utilize the burrows and tunnels of other animals? They aren’t known for digging themselves, but they love to spend time in the safety of pre-dug tunnels! As prey animals, they have excellent eyesight – especially toward the sky, scanning for owls and hawks. Guinea pigs thrive in areas with lots of cover supplied by tubes and hideouts. Our Zippi Guinea Pig Tunnel System and Zippi Guinea Pig Play Tunnels allow for hours of play for your piggy and viewing enjoyment for you! Watch your piggy zoom through tunnels (or maybe even take a nap!) and weave their way through a course of your own design. Change the configuration routinely to further challenge your guinea pig. Bonus tip: hide some treats along the way, and you’ll have one happy cavy!
Make use of those shipping boxes! Guinea pigs love a good challenge, so create an obstacle course using a combination of tunnels, tubes, and cardboard boxes. Just be sure to discourage the nibbling of the cardboard obstacles!
Vantage points
While they feel most comfortable in the safety of tubes and tunnels, guinea pigs enjoy a good climb! They’ll routinely scout their surroundings looking for dangers, so giving them an elevated space will help them feel more comfortable. This is another place to get creative! Build platforms from cardboard tubes, boxes, or add our Zippi Guinea Pig Run Platforms to your piggy’s space to add levels of fun.
Toys
Some guinea pigs enjoy carrying or pushing small toys around. Guinea pig toy ideas include: small plastic balls, untreated willow or dried grass weaved-orbs, and small stuffed toys. Specially made guinea pig toys can be found at most pet stores, or choose small balls and stuffed toys from a selection of cat toys. Ensure that any small, glued-on accents are removed to prevent your guinea pig from ingesting something they’re not supposed to! And make sure each piggy has their own toy- they may be sociable, but not every piggy wants to share their favorite toy!
You can also leave toys in their cage for them to entertain themselves while you’re away. Bird toys, or toys made for rabbits and guinea pigs can be hung from the top or sides of your piggy’s cage to provide hours of fun! Be sure to remove any bells from bird toys that are small enough to swallow. Chewing sticks made from applewood are another must-have for cage enrichment. Guinea pigs have teeth that continuously grow, and need to gnaw on wood to keep them trimmed to an appropriate length. Applewood sticks come in a variety of shapes and sizes, most of which are perfect for your cavy to carry around and gnaw on at their leisure!
Shapeable log bridges are another great cage improvement for your guinea pigs. They can be formed into hides to run under, walkways to run across, ramps, dividers…your imagination is the limit! Untreated garden edging works too – just be sure to purchase a material that won’t harm your piggy should they taste it.
Toilet paper or paper towel rolls are great for creating treat-stuffing toys, or cut them down to create pillars for homemade platforms. Wrapping paper tubes are extra-sturdy for cavy construction projects! If your guinea pig is young or on the small side, be sure they can’t get their heads stuck inside any tubes they have access to.
Moving furniture
Guinea pigs need to be kept on their toes for optimal health. Another simple way to create a new and exciting environment for them is to rearrange their furnishings every time you clean their cage or enclosure. Move around their guinea pig shelters, playgrounds and guinea pig viewing platforms, and they’ll set off re-exploring their territory with gusto!
After all of this exhausting play, your guinea pig will probably want to take a well-earned nap. Popular snooze-space options among guinea pigs are fleece hammocks or blankets. These cozy bed options will be a fast favorite with your cavy! Make sure to wash your piggy’s bed of choice in the washing machine or by hand to keep it fresh!
Accessories to avoid
Toys: Watch out for toys with sharp edges, small attached accessories that could pose a choking hazard, or harmful materials such as treated wood. Also be wary of materials such as soft rubber or plastic that pieces can be bitten off of and swallowed.
Exercise balls and wheels: While guinea pigs may look like large hamsters, their anatomy is quite different. Guinea pigs are not comfortable in an exercise ball or wheel, and can seriously injure their backs or feet if placed in one. Ventilation is also important for guinea pigs, and exercise balls in particular do not allow for enough airflow to keep your piggy cool.
Bridges: Guinea pigs are adorable, but not graceful! Make sure all provided bridges either have rails to prevent accidental falls, or are low enough to the ground or level below them to provide a safe place to land.
Leash/harness: A walk may sound nice, but even the most friendly and trusting guinea pigs can panic on the end of a leash. Cavies are “flight” animals by nature, and will harm themselves struggling against a harness or leash if pulled on. A better option would be playing the string-drag game mentioned earlier, or a snuggle session on the couch with their favorite human-friend!
Creating fun games and environments for your guinea pig is rewarding for both of you! Playing with your piggy builds trust, and there’s no faster way to their hearts than through food! By treating them often, playing even more often, and giving them ways to entertain themselves while alone, you’ll ensure they’re living their best life!
This entry was posted in Guinea Pigs on April 27th, 2021 by alisa.deluca
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