Wag Wednesday: Mariana Diez & Hoya

wag-wednesday

Since starting the blog, we’ve interviewed many members of the hospitality industry, and one constant among the interviewees has been a profound love for their pets. We thought it would be great to share this love with our readers.

That’s why we launched an ongoing feature called “Wag Wednesday” to showcase industry peeps and their pets. Know someone who wants to be featured? Email us at bark@miamifoodpug.com.

This week, we’re featuring Mariana Diez, Co-Founder of Juicense, and her Pomeranian, Hoya.

Mariana Diez and Hoya

Your Name: Mariana Diez

Your Pet’s Name: Hoya

Sex: Female

Age: 3

Breed: Pomeranian

How did you come to own your dog? What drew you to them?

Hoya was actually a gift from my grandfather. My husband knew I had always wanted a Pom, so he and my grandpa planned the whole thing out. She has been the greatest surprise I have ever gotten. Fun fact about Hoya: she is Mexican — just like me!

What’s the story behind your dog’s name?

Hoya was named after the Georgetown University Hoyas. My husband and I lived in DC for two years while he was getting his Master’s at Georgetown, and we got Hoya during his first semester. We knew we wanted her name to be something that reminded us of that time, so we went for it and we love it.

How would you describe your dog’s personality?

Smart, funny, cuddly and loyal. She truly knows how to be the best companion; she can sense when we are stressed or sad, and she immediately comes to our side and tries to snuggle. Also, we had to get a bigger bed when we moved to Miami because she likes to move around all night.

She is always looking for food. She loves going out to do what she needs to do, but we believe it is mainly because she gets a treat every time she does.

How has owning a pet made your life richer?

I have always had pets since I was little. I believe that having a furry companion makes you a better person. Why? In addition to the obvious –discipline, care, responsibility — I think having a pet really helps a person develop his or her affective capabilities.

Hoya provides me with emotional support and with company whenever I need it. She makes me laugh even in the toughest of times … she makes my life better every day and all day.

Mariana Diez and Hoya

It’s said that dogs reflect their owners and vice versa. How does this apply to you and yours?

I think Hoya has taken both my husband and my qualities. She likes to sleep and rest whenever she can and always tries to cheer me up (like my husband). Like me, she is very active and likes to eat a lot!

Tell us a funny story about you and your dog.

Hoya and I go out for a long walk every day. In the summer, it takes a lot out of us because of the heat, but it’s tradition and we both really enjoy it. Every day after we finished, I had a Popsicle to cool off. Hoya always stared at me as if saying, “Hey, where’s mine?!”

One day, as soon as I opened the Popsicle, she jumped and ate all of it (including the stick) with one bite! I could not stop laughing at what she did and how much she enjoyed it. And that was actually the moment where I decided to create a healthy Popsicle for dogs.

Now the “Puppy Pop” is her favorite treat. She enjoys it so much that I decided to add it to our menu, so dogs could enjoy a healthy treat at Juicense — just like their owners!

Are you involved in any pet organizations or philanthropies?

Not yet. Developing my business has taken up all my time, but I plan to get involved by joining an organization in Mexico that works to keep dogs off the streets. It’s not common here in the U.S., but in Mexico you see a lot of them.

We follow a lot of dog social media accounts like Doug the Pug, Rocco’s Contemporary Life, and Menswear Dog. Do you? Which are your favorites?

The Woof RepublicR_ose, Dog Town

See past editions of Wag Wednesdays here.