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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! * insert all the leaf emojis and PSLs! *

The air feels crisp. Everything smells like apple and pumpkin and bonfire. School busses putter down the street picking up kiddos with fresh haircuts and still-clean shoes.

Cooper loves his long walks in the crunchy leaves, and it is one of my greatest joys in this life to take him on a slow stroll through the woods as the sun rises above the colorful treetops.

Fall is truly magical.

It’s also busy. Really busy.

This post was sponsored by NOW FRESH but all opinions are my own.

HERE’S THE THING ABOUT FALL: EVERYTHING CHANGES.

The slow pace and long days of summer are far behind us.

New school and activity schedules kick in. We all spend more time inside. The days get shorter. Each day feels like a rush between drop offs and pick ups and paperwork and homework and vet visits and–of course–finding ways to squeeze in fun.

In our house, this is extra true with all the girls’ appointments and therapies, and all the animals’ annual exams always fall in October. We’re trying to balance those obligations against family time, chores, and meal prep.

At least I can take Coop off the list for that last one because NOW FRESH Kibble has simplified that piece.

Every Sunday, I sit down with our family calendar and map out everyone’s schedules, and then I overlay a meal plan on top of that. Then, I place our grocery order. For Coop, the perfectly-balanced NOW FRESH meal eliminated any extra steps–no need to add any other ingredients if we don’t want to. It’s also a huge time saver during the week to be able to scoop him a cup of a recipe we know keeps him happy and healthy when there are a million other things going on.

And, let’s be totally honest here, this means he often eats a healthier dinner than we do because we can’t always hit on a perfectly-balanced meal for ourselves when we’re driving from school to OT to karate to sign language.

HERE’S THE OTHER THING ABOUT FALL: IT’S A DIFFICULT SEASON ON COOPER’S AGING BODY.

His environmental allergies flare. His joints stiffen as the temps drop. He can’t see well in the dark, so early morning and evening potty breaks become more difficult since it’s getting dark earlier and staying dark later.

So, I wanted to rotate in for Coop a kibble that wouldn’t cause his food sensitivites to flare up and contained superfood ingredients to help him during this difficult environmental allergy season. (Does anyone else have a pup as sensitive as Cooper is?!?! Life is tough on this poor boy’s system!)

The NOW FRESH adult fish recipe fit the bill. If you love an aging bubba, too, there are some key things to think about with this food, and these swayed us to add it into his rotation. BTW, of course not all dogs age the same. Yours might struggle with mobility more than Coop does, and his allergies might make his skin and coat tougher to manage than your dog’s. Your dog might benefit from a senior formula, especially if you’re watching your pup’s weight.

We want to provide the best golden years to our dogs as possible, and we’re all in this together, so some of the info I’m sharing below may be more (or less) relevant to you. I just wanted to give a full picture of why the adult NOW FRESH Kibble works for 12-year-old Cooper, knowing that a senior formula might be a better fit for your elder family member.

Here’s why:

• Expert pet nutritionists crafted the recipes with protein from fresh meat, whole eggs, and sustainably-produced plant ingredients.
• It includes 20 nutrient-rich superfoods like blueberries and pomegranate to support healthy immune function, and fiber-rich pumpkin to support good digestion. This is SO important for senior pups who struggle with tummy trouble.
• Made with ingredients tailored to life stage and breed size. For instance, the senior and large breed recipes include New Zealand green-lipped mussels for chondroitin to support healthy hips and joints.

So, if your dog is younger or smaller than Coop, you might want to check out one of the other formulas, which you can find on Amazon.

I do plan on trying additional offerings from the brand. Next up on my list: I want to try out the NOW FRESH grain-free shredded lamb with bone broth as a pill-masking attempt for all of Cooper’s medications.

ONE LAST THING ABOUT FALL: WINTER IS ON ITS WAY.

I hate to be the bearer of this news, but it’s true. At least here in Indiana, the absolute joy that is fall is also short-lived.

The temps fall faster. The days get even shorter. And this year, The Farmer’s Almanac predicted a colder, more severe winter for much of the US.

Brrr.

A big reason I love to stock up on healthy kibble: I want to minimize errands during frigid, icy, or snowy weather–which makes up much of November through March here in the Midwest. I hate driving in the snow and ice, so I’m grateful for all the Amazon drivers who bring Coop his kibble. (Hmm… Can you tip your delivery driver for risking life and limb to deliver NOW FRESH kibble? Must look into this.)

Cooper hates winter, too, which makes me dread the season. The cold settles into his bones, and he slips and falls more often. We walk less, so there’s always the risk of him gaining too much weight. My plan to soldier through remains the same: healthy food, indoor games, and lots and lots and lots of cuddling.

FALL IS MAGICAL

It’s the season of my heart.

Changing leaves, spiced chai, crackling fires, fresh school supplies… I love all of it.

Now, we’ve fallen in love with a new food for Cooper, too.

Are you a fall lover like me? Which season holds your heart? If you’re looking for a new dog food, what are your criteria? Any questions or details I can share with you about our NOW FRESH experience? Leave ’em in the comments! I’d love to connect–even if your favorite season is winter! (:

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