This is Emmett:
Emmett is my heart.
He is my best friend, and I will do just about anything to make sure he’s living his best, happiest life.
At 13, I consider Emmett to be well… all things considered. At 13, Emmett has hypothyroidism. He has liver problems. He has arthritis and some neuro issues that affect his back legs. He’s mostly deaf, and I’m pretty sure his vision is fading a smidge. Oh, and he has terminal cancer.
And yet, I consider Emmett to be well. I truly do.
So, what does it mean to be well?
You guys already know we love Wellness®, and for the next three months, we’re going to be feeding Emmett our very favorite formula, the Wellness® Core® Grain-Free Ocean. Let’s see if John can find it on the shelf at PetSmart! (To give him credit, the selection IS huge in the Wellness aisle… and I usually do the shopping…)
This post is sponsored by Wellness and the BlogPaws™ Pet Influencer Network™. I am being compensated to help share the availability of Wellness Products at PetSmart, but we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. Neither Wellness nor PetSmart is responsible for the content of this article.
Why this food? And what does it have to do with Emmett’s wellness?
According to Wellness®, there are 5 signs of wellness:
- Skin + Coat
- Digestive Health
- Eyes, Teeth + Gums
- Energy
- Immunity
If you look at each of those five things through the lens of an aging dog, you know each of those five can become problematic in the Golden Years. We don’t want them to be, of course, and we’ll work really hard to combat any problems we can. Hence, this food!
In all seriousness, you guys, over the years of cancer (his, mine, his again), Cooper’s litany of health problems, and so on, it’s become apparent: Good, whole food is the most important thing we can do for our bodies.
For Em, and I think for most aging dogs, those five signs of wellness are particularly important to keep an eye on because they might signify other underlying issues. With Emmett, his skin tends to get dry, especially this time of year, so I love that this food has essential vitamins and minerals and Omegas-3 and 6.
We are sooo lucky (knocking on wood as I type this) that Emmett doesn’t have digestive health problems I think that’s a clear sign that this food is helping keep his digestion regulated because my sweet little angel eats anything. Anything. Last night, no joke, John held up the fortune from a fortune cookie to read it out loud, and Emmett ate it. He must’ve thought John was holding a treat? And when he realized it was paper, you would think he wouldn’t have finished eating it, but nope. Swallowed that fortune whole. So, yeah. Digestive health.
His teeth and gums are also something I’m keeping a close eye on because they’ve experienced a lot of wear-and-tear over the years. With the calcium and phosphorus in this food supporting his oral health, I’m less worried (though we still do brush his teeth… to his chagrin…). That said, his chompers are in great shape for his age!
With his energy, any support I can give him, I will. That’s why he’s been going to acupuncture, among other things. But with Wellness Core, he gets a balanced blend of high-quality proteins, grain-free carbohydrates, and select fats to help him thrive.
Finally, immunity. OK. This is one where we’re struggling a bit, so I’m thrilled to give him additional support with the antioxidant-rich fruits and veg in this food. Having been on chemo for over two years now, his immune system works overtime to keep up. He’s had a low-grade, chronic infection that hits his, um, boy part every couple of months. It is what it is, and we’re working with our vet on the best approach… but any additional support, like what this food provides, is tremendously valuable to us.
So, that’s the 5 signs of wellness through the lens of an aging pup!
I really do believe that Emmett is well because he’s happy. His eyes are clear. He has moments of dashing around the yard followed by naps, and he still pushes like crazy to be in the thick of things, to be cuddling on people, to be playing in the yard, to be walking around the neighborhood. He’s just so full of life! So full of wellness!
And we’ll keep on doing the very best we can for him!
A few resources for you: Visit PetSmart to check out the extensive Wellness lineup in order to pick the right food for your dog. And please say hi to our sponsor on social! You can find Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
A big, huge thank you to Wellness for allowing Emmett to experience the 5 signs of wellness with the Core line!
Finally, I’d love to know in the comments… which of the 5 signs of wellness are you focusing on for your pup? Is there one you struggle with? Or maybe one that your pup has in the bag (like a lustrous, shiny coat)?
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Wellness. The opinions and text are all mine.
It is extremely important to protect the health of your dog in every way possible! Dog owners not only have a duty of care towards their dogs, but they also love them and class them as part of the family, meaning that they look after them to their best ability.
I completely agree!
I wouldn’t say we focus on any one of the five more than another but strive to keep all aspects in balance. Though Ray is just about 5 we keep his activity level at or near a senior due to his legs. I know he is happy though because of the joy in his face and his demeanor. Likewise, Julius is so very “normal” and at nearly 4 years old is hopefully on trend to lead a long happy, healthy life.
I do like to vary their food on a frequent basis and currently Ray is on the Wellness weight management food and when I’m picking up food for foster puppies, Wellness is always my go-to brand.
Oooh, I love that you said balance!! That’s the goal, at least in my mind. I always think about Ray and his legs now that Emmett’s struggling with some mobility. You and he serve as an inspiration for us for a joyful experience, no matter what!! 🙂
Very nice blog. I really like reading all the important information you wrote. Every dog owner needs to put his dog health in his first priority. Thanks for sharing!!!
Thanks for the kind words, Rachel!
A wonderfully informative post! It’s always important for pet parents to monitor their pets’ wellness and those 5 markers are helpful…
I love that you used the word “markers.” I think you’re spot-on with that because sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture of overall health and wellness. Having measurable markers or metrics helps keep it all in perspective! Thank you for sharing that!
Emmett looks so good. If that Wellness food helps him to look closer to 8 than 13, I’m all for trying it.
His teeth look beautiful, and he always looks so happy in his photos. To me, he exhibits ALL the signs any pet parent could hope to find in their senior dog. If I didn’t know all the problems he’s had & has now, I’d take him for a much younger, well-fed, well-loved, middle aged boy. He’s got a guardian angel looking out for him, for sure.
Any day I see OMD in my inbox with Emmett’s photo, is a good day for me.
I LOVE Emmett and I love seeing him doing so well.
Glad that what you do for him is working..
Beat wishes for continuing good health for all of you.
Thank you so, so much, Leslie! He’s doing great, all things considered!! 😀 More to come from us, for sure. This has been a bit of an “off” year, but things are turning around. Thank you so, so much for the kind words of encouragement!
As with most responsible dog parents putting your dog babies’ health as top priority is something we can’t feel guilty about. The 5 signs of wellness pretty much sums up a happy dog with a most happy dog parent.
YES! I totally agree!! 🙂
I’m always happy to read that, in spite of his cancer, Emmett is doing so well! He certainly looks happy and healthy!! And at 13, I’m sure he is very wise as well! ?
That “?” was supposed to be a mile with hearts for eyes!