Every parent wants the best for their child and while our beloved Yellow Labrador isn’t a child, we still want the best for him too. We adopted Oliver from a local rescue group almost four years ago after an extensive hunt for a Lab that would be just right for our family. I remember first meeting Oliver in the parking lot of a pet store where his enthusiasm made us fall in love with his gorgeous, skinny, excited self immediately.
But this beautiful dog had issues. He was traumatized. Unwanted by his previous family, he ran away and happened to meet the rescue organization’s founder during his travels. After searching for his family and a bit of back and forth with them, they finally gave him up for good to the rescue group to help him find another forever home.
Oliver was a bit unsure when we brought him to our house. He was nervous. scared, and had eczema caused by stress from his previous situation. The first two days we had him, the entire family sat by his side on the floor so he would eat his special dog food made with avocados to treat his skin issues.
As someone who never grew up with dogs, I’ve learned a lot about being a dog owner in the past four years while Oliver has become accustomed to us. It’s a match made in heaven. Oliver is truly part of our family and it’s hard to imagine life without him.
Taking Care of Our Dog
Because we want Oliver to be with us for a long time, we take care to ensure that he’s healthy. I didn’t grow up with dogs but in the past four years, I’ve learned a lot about Oliver’s behavior, the kinds of activities he loves that help him stay healthy, and how to best meet his needs through nutrition.
Oliver’s eczema disappeared as he became more comfortable with us and we were able to wean him off the special avocado-based dog food but we’re still careful to provide him with just what he needs to thrive. This means careful research to provide him with the right kind of food. Oliver gets a special blend of Just Right by Purina, a new personalized dog food brand that provides Oliver with a flavorful, nutritious and high-quality meal designed specifically him. It combines Purina’s proven expertise with my first-hand knowledge our dog to ensure he’s getting what he needs to thrive.
While it may seem excessive to buy Oliver a customized blend of dog food, it’s no different from the food choices I make for the humans in my family. Just as we wouldn’t feed our kids whatever we grab from the grocery aisle, we don’t feed Oliver any old dog food. And we’re not alone. Of the 70 million pet owners in the United States Purina found that 70 percent of dog owners seek a food that is tailored to their dog’s unique needs and preferences.
While I know Oliver well enough to know that he would scarf down whatever might be put in front of him, I feel better knowing his special salmon blend is formulated just for him and his active lifestyle.
Creating a Custom Blend of Dog Food Thanks to Just Right By Purina
After answering a few easy questions through their website, it just took 3 steps for Purina created a Just Right blend for Oliver. Question include basic information such as name, gender, age, weight, and breed but also more specific questions such as how he eats his food (eager & instantly!), the speed at which he gets up, what his coat looks like, and the condition of his skin. Owners can select protein preference (salmon, lamb, or chicken) and there’s even a grain-free option.
After uploading a photo of our dog and naming his blend, Just Right by Purina uses all the information to create a blend for Oliver that’s sent directly to our door!
Each month I receive an automatic email reminder to re-order dog food and having a profile in the Just Right site, makes it easy to click to reorder. While I’ve ordered the same blend for the last couple months, I know I can always go into the site and change my responses to the questions if Oliver’s health changes and he needs something a bit different.
I also receive just the right number of emails from Just Right with tips on keeping Oliver healthy. I can always click through snippets featuring seasonal information like managing our dog’s weight during the winter months, overall health tips (How to Brush Your Dog’s Teeth), and ways you can learn more and get expert advice through upcoming Twitter chats on the Just Right blog.
For more information, visit Just Right by Purina, follow them on Twitter @JustRightPets, like JUST RIGHT by Purina on Facebook, or follow @JustRightPets on Instagram.
I am a Just Right by Purina blogger and receive custom blended dog food for Oliver for the duration of my participation in the program. No additional compensation was received for this post. All opinions are my own and those of our beloved Yellow Labrador.
