Purina® Pro Plan®’s MapMyFitness Challenge and Jake’s Story

This post will be a little different than my others because it’s going to discuss a great way that you can get more active (running or walking) with your dogs.

I’ve been given the opportunity to share with you about the Purina® Pro Plan®’s MapMyFitness Challenge and introduce you to our dog Jake.

Purina® ProPlan® has teamed up with MapMyFitness for their Leash On Challenge. The challenge started September 30th and runs through November 13th. Log a walk or run together with your dog each day for 30 consecutive days for the chance to win a year’s supply of Purina® Pro Plan® Dog Food! Also, each time you log a run or walk with your dog, you can also win the daily prize: one of two Purina® Pro Plan® branded Camelbak® water bottles. For more information head to the Purina® Pro Plan® Fitness Group Page and take the 30 Day Leash On Challenge!

Now, I’d like to introduce you to our Great Dog Jake:

On June 19th, 2009, a new member of our family was unexpectedly added. My husband had been doing home health on Monday (the 15th) and noticed a little puppy on the side of a country road. He didn’t stop because the puppy ran and hid when he passed by and he thought that he was probably running back to his mother. On Friday when he drove by, the puppy was in the same spot but this time didn’t run away. He was too weak to move. Jason pulled over to check on him. He was sick and starving. Jason gave him his 2 cereal bars that he had with him and some of his bottled water. He then called me and told me what he had found and I let him know that I’d meet him nearby and get the puppy from him. He told me that he was in bad shape but I wasn’t expecting him to be as bad off as he was. He didn’t have a lot of hair, half of his tail was missing and the rest of it looked partially broken. He had sores on him and was literally skin and bones. I called our vet’s office and let them know I was on my way with him. He only weighed 7lbs and our vet estimated that he was about 8 weeks old. We picked him up the next day and he seemed to already be feeling better even though he still had a long recovery ahead of him. We took him every week for several weeks for shots to help him with the secondary infection from the horrible mange and for dips. At his 4th visit on Thursday, July 9th, he already weighed 15lbs! After several more treatments, he’s completely healthy and as happy as he can possibly be. Jake has come so very far since that day that my husband found him nearly dead by the road. It’s now been over four years and he’s one of the best dogs we’ve ever had. He loves running and staying active with our kids and other dogs.

I’m including some pictures of Jake as he progressed from a sickly puppy to a healthy, happy dog.

This is the day that he came home after his stay at the vet’s office. (My apologies about the condition of our porch floor! We were getting ready to have it repainted at the time.)

June 21, 2009 – Enjoying his new bed and toys.

July 11, 2009 – Finally starting to look like a healthy puppy!

July 11, 2009

September 15, 2010

Winter 2010 – Enjoying a rare snowy day in South Mississippi.

May 28, 2013 – Waiting patiently on his turn to be petted.

We can’t imagine not having Jake as a part of our family.

Happy Running!

Purina® ProPlan® has partnered with MapMyFitness and created the Purina® ProPlan® Fitness Group Page to get pet owner’s more active with their dogs. Check out the Fitness Group page here and start getting active with your dog today!