We Are a Proud Family of 6

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hills Pet Nutrition for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I know, there are 4 humans, but you wouldn't want to forget the furred family members, our cat Chloe and our dog Cooper who play big roles in our day to day life.

When we moved out of town it was important for me to find a dog. I wanted to find a walking partner as well as make me feel safer at home along with my kids. My children are young, so we didn't want just any dog. I wanted a dog well suited to live on a farm, loyal and good my children, and just a good fit for our outdoor and active lifestyle.

After putting in a call to everyone we knew, we found Cooper, our Border Collie Cross. 

Cooper was taking up temporary residence in our local animal shelter. He needed a home, we were looking for a dog so it seemed like a good fit. Now, I have to say Cooper has a ton of energy! He can run from one end of our fenced yard to the other in a flash. He has deemed himself quite the chicken chaser, but has made friends with our indoor/outdoor cat, Chloe.

We quickly found that Cooper, at 10 months old, still had a lot of "puppy" left to grow out of. He spent the better part of the first 3 months chewing on anything and everything he could get his teeth on. That led to a lot more organization of the backyard, and some frustration on my part. Bones and chew toys were not nearly as exciting as our possessions. The truth was, I wasn't about to give up. He chewed through garden hoses, my shoes, children's toys... but, I kept trying to anticipate and problem solve the destruction.

We did find Cooper had a love for playing catch. Investing in a Chuck It was the best thing we did for him. He has shown some promise with the Frisbee, but just throwing a ball  for him to catch makes his day. Yes, he is the dog who would play non-stop, for days!

Where we live there are fields to run, rivers to play in and pests to chase... it is a dog wonderland. 

 

We take Cooper across the street with us to pick strawberries in the Spring, or Cherries in the early Summer. He is right there when I go out to pick kale for dinner. It is nice to have him right along with us, and as he grows and matures we can take him more places. He still has some "doggie manners" to work on, but we are getting there.

 

The kids adore him! I strongly believe it is good for kids to grow up with a beloved family dog. Cooper has taught the kids to treat him kindly if they want to play. He is also a great companion for my son and a marathon game of chase.

 

With all the time and memories we have invested in our puppy, we want to make sure Cooper is here with us for a long time. I want him to enjoy running in the fields and following after my husband on the 4 wheeler. For this reason, I signed up to try the Hill's Healthy Mobility Challenge from Hill's Pet Nutrition

Hill's Pet Nutrition is offering $30 in coupon offers, an entry to be one of 30 to win FREE Pet Food for a year, track your dog's progress for 30 days and see how you can help your dog lead an active life. Sign up didn't take me long, and I am definitely interested in keeping Cooper running and jumping around the farm for years to come.  God sign up and snag your Hill's Healthy Mobility Coupon

You can also connect with Hill's Pet Nutrition on Facebook to stay connected with the brand, other pet owners and new offers and products.

Cooper is now a big part of lives and we really wouldn't want it any other way. Do you have a Canine member of the family? I would love to hear about it.