Cayla Paumen remembers coming to Bethel University as a freshman and leaving her dog, Gunner, behind. In the wake of her new life without Gunner’s presence, Paumen got involved with her campus’s mental support system, “Be Well.” She helped organize an event that brought the joy of dogs to campus: Puppies and Puppy Chow.
Amid homecoming week at Bethel University, students can get caught up in the spirit of dodgeball, cheer and men’s dance, alongside their coursework.
“We were thinking, since it’s homecoming, there’s a lot going on,” Paumen said. “It can be very stressful; we wanted to give the students time to relax and interact with some puppies. Because who doesn’t love puppies?”
The Puppies and Puppy Chow event has been a staple at Bethel over the years, partnering with The Israelson Schnauzers to bring their miniature schnauzer puppies to campus for a day. Students can hang out, pet the puppies and take a break from everyday life. Not to mention they can enjoy some puppy chow as a treat.
“I think it just calms down a lot of my anxiety,” seminary student Katelyn Scherping said while gently bouncing a puppy in her arms. “One thing about anxiety is that your brain is just so disconnected from the present. It’s always in the future, always in the past. So anything that focuses on your five senses is really grounding, like the repetitive motion of petting an animal.”
Eleanor Schuebel, a senior at Bethel, shared a similar sentiment to Scherping. Between three papers, job hunting and wrapping up a big project, she was looking for a break.
“I really needed this. Dogs are an efficient form of therapy. I feel so de-stressed and happier with them,” Schuebel said, holding a sleeping puppy in her arms that she was considering adopting.
Students lined up outside the Underground half an hour before the event was scheduled to begin, hoping to see the puppies early. Throughout the event, students passed puppies to one another, took photos and fell in love with their new furry friends.
“I love seeing the students’ faces light up and the feedback after the events that we receive. That’s the part that makes it all better,” Paumen said. “I know in past years a lot of students have asked to have this event more often. So I think it’s really impactful to show how much work and time goes into events like this and how much people enjoy it.”
Paumen’s drive to share the joy of dogs with students at Bethel has laid the foundation for Puppies and Puppy Chow to continue for years, fostering new friendships and even adoptions.
“It was super hard to leave my dog,” Paumen said. “And so to have that aspect, having dogs on campus, even the puppies, I feel like it just brightens your day and makes it feel more homey at college.”
Due to popular demand, Paumen is hoping to host another Puppies and Puppy Chow event later in the semester, offering students yet another chance to relax during finals.
