Cooper, our Border Collie, is the perfect fit for our family. He is energetic enough for my oldest son, gentle enough for the baby to pull on his ears and coat, and just loves his life here on the farm. In exchange for all the doggie kisses and deep loyalty he shows up, I want to take the best care possible of his health.
You might remember that I have shared his adoption story here on the blog. We met him in our local shelter and he was such a sweet and gentle guy that there was another Mom behind us hoping that we wouldn't adopt him. Luckily I saw him first. I walked him on the lead and let him interact with the kids and I wouldn't let him go till we had started the paperwork to adopt him. He wasn't meant to be in the shelter for long. After deciding we were ready for the committement of a dog, he was exactly what I had been hoping for.
Cooper never tires of playing with the kids. He is the happiest with our Chuck It and a big open alfalfa field. I have never seen a dog so eager to play. Fast as lightening he will jump, twist and perform acrobatic feats to get his ball. And everyday he asks to go back out. I have watched my kids learn to throw and learn to interact with their four-legged family member. It is a beautiful relationship to watch grow.
I want to ensure that he can keep up with my kids for years to come.
So the Purina One 28 Day Challenge appealed to me. I love the idea of seeing noticeable differences in Cooper's health. More energy? Well, not sure what we would do with more energy, but it would come in handy for playing fetch in the fields. Healthy coat, shiny eyes? I think there is always room for improvement there. Our dog lives and sleeps outdoors so his coat isn't always at its best.
How many times have you tried a new product and then never watched to see if it really worked? When it comes to pet food I don't think I have ever taken the time at regular intervals to check to see if there were any improvements in my pet's health. This challenge is a fun way to keep track of how Cooper is doing and see if Purina One is right for my dog.
I found info in my local Walmart in the dog food aisle. You can grab one of the handy cards with all the details, or just hop on over to Purina's site for ONEDifference.
When I opened the bag, Cooper was eager to take a taste. I always hesitate to try new foods with him because he is a picky eater. He is also a shy eater, usually waiting for us to leave or not be watching when he eats, so I was shocked to see him start eating his breakfast immediately.
Yes, he is so picky, we have only found a few treats, or dog biscuits that he will eat, let alone dog food brands. Don't worry, Cooper is amazingly polite, even if it isn't his thing. He will take the bone from me with his tail 'a wagging, but then abandons it out in the yard. *sigh*
Because we have been feeding him a different dog food, I started out mixing the old food with the Purina One Lamb & Rice Formula, increasing the Purina One over time. You can ask your vet to find out their suggested recommendations for introducing new foods. The Purina site suggest transitioning over 7-10 days.
This Purina One Smartblend Lamb and Rice blend dry dog food has varied texture, and a flavor that Cooper likes. So even after only being a week into our challenge, we have already hit the first observation along our journey, taste.
I would say that Cooper is already a pretty healthy boy. He is at a healthy weight for his breed and is very active. We have chickens he keeps in line, not to mention my 3 kids! You can see my progress and other story photos on Instagram by following the #ONEDifference hashtag. I will be posting update photos when I hit the midway mark, as well as complete the 28 days. Come follow me on Instagram, andrealkruse, or purinaonedog to keep up with the fun.
If you want to take the Purina One 28 Day Challenge with your family dog, grab a $3 off coupon towards a Purina One bag of dog food. See, doesn't that sound good already? I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences on how your own challenge goes.
What improvements would you like to see in your four-legged best friend?
No comments:
Post a Comment
I always love reading your comments and questions. Let me know what you thought about my recipe or post. Comments are currently being moderated due to spam-tastic recent postings. I'll have your comment up shortly. Thanks!