Zero's Journey to The #PerfectWeight Mid Challenge Check In & Sweepstakes #ad

This post is sponsored by Hill’s. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill’s® Science Diet® Perfect Weight 10 Week Turnaround, but Kathy's Calm To Chaos Life only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

Here we are the middle of April and already we have reached the mid check-in for the 10 Week Turnaround Challenge with Hill's Pet. The weather has finally started to break and warm up, but my backyard is still a little too damp to put out the agility equipment. Nice weather arrived and everyone in the house became sick with the stomach flu, so that alone was a roadblock getting Zero on her daily work out walks. So mid-challenge we've had a little set back, but it's nothing we can't handle. There is still half a challenge left to go and Zero is surely on the right path.  She has way more energy and just wants to play and play some more. She is back to her happy singing bring you a baby when you walk in the door. Granted she is not where I pictured her size to be by mid-check in, but at least progress is being made.

Zero's mentality and attitude are 100% better than they were five weeks ago. She has lost enough weight that she can now leap into the bathtub in one shot. The bathtub is one of her favorite spots. She likes to blow air up the faucet when it's off. You have to turn the faucet on slightly because she likes to play in the water steam. In the summer you can catch her taking a nap in the bathtub. I never thought hearing the clink of her claws in the tub would make me smile, but it does because I know she was able to hop over the tub side again. All good and positive things are starting to show, even if the vet did call her a Chubby White Boxer. 

Zero - lunch time

Meal times are like clock work around here and Zero will not hesitate to give you a reminder bark or yelp that it is time to eat. She gets 1 cup of Hill's® Science Diet® Perfect Weight Adult Dry Dog Food 3 times a day - 7AM, 12-1PM, and 5PM is dinner time. She assumes her spot in the kitchen on the one dog rug and patiently waits for you to get her food ready. She doesn't even hesitate at eating it. Zero truly does love the Hill's® Science Diet® Perfect Weight Adult Dry Dog Food. and I am happy that she is happy. This dog is beyond the pickiest of picky eaters. I no longer have to put the "magic" water on her food to get her to eat, she just .... well... just eats! Finally! 

Getting her on the right exercise path wasn't the only hurdle on the plan. I also had to evaluate the treat consumption. I used a treat translator tool to assist me with this task. Was she getting too many treats? Too many calories in the treats she was getting? See, Zero was treat trained and will do virtually anything you ask of her if you have a reward for her.   Dogs can go crazy for treats, but at the same time these awesome little tidbits for our furry babies can contribute to them being over weight. Pet Weight Loss is as much in the spotlight as human weight loss is. I cut down on snacking, so Zero had to as well. We did it together! You can also view the treat translator here.

Zero - just wandering around the yard. 

Zero's coat is soft and shiny, her eyes are bright, she is more alert and attentive, and she is a cuddle bug now. All things I can thank for putting her on this journey. For once, I haven't doubted I've done the right thing when it comes to the health and wellness of my Zero. I also noticed that her stride while outside was longer. She is stretching her legs out more to move around the yard. Previously it had seemed like she was just waddling her way around. 

Zero - trotting back to the door

Zero loves to be out in the yard when I'm gardening, doing the flower beds, putting out the patio furniture, or just cleaning up the yard so this year I invested in a doggie back pack that I can load up with my tools, other items, and a water bottle. She will surely be my assist gardener this year! Giving her this "job" is just another way to help her get fit and keep her fit. The first day it arrived I put it on it to check the fit and she walked around the house like she was the proudest dog around. She got upset when I took it off! 

You can read more regarding if your big dog is getting enough exercise here.

Thanks to Hill's Pet I have been able to provide my readers with the tools and information to get their pets to their perfect weight, but I'm not done yet! Hill's Pet is also hosting a sweepstakes where you can enter to win 10 Weeks of Perfect Weight Dry Pet food to get your pet through their own 10  Week Weight Loss Challenge.

You can read more about the 10 Week Challenge and Enter the Sweepstakes here

Sweepstakes begins 12:01 a.m. Central Time (“CT”) on 04/09/15 and ends at 11:59 p.m. CT on 07/05/15 (“Sweepstakes Period”). There are six (6) separate bi-weekly drawing periods (“Drawing Periods”) within the Sweepstakes Period, as defined below: 

We will hold bi-weekly drawings from the go-live date through the contest end date. Two winners will be chosen every other week (1 cat winner, 1 dog winner).Entry periods 5 and 6 will have 2 cat winners and 2 dog winners.

Entry Periods Entry Start Time/Date Entry End Time/Date

1. 12:01 a.m. CT on 4/09/15 11:59 p.m. CT on 4/2615

2. 12:01 a.m. CT on 4/27/15 11:59 p.m. CT on 5/10/15

3. 12:01 a.m. CT on 5/11/15 11:59 p.m. CT on 5/24/15

4 12:01 a.m. CT on 5/25/15 11:59 p.m. CT on 6/7/15

5. 12:01 a.m. CT on 6/8/15 11:59 p.m. CT on 6/21/15

6. 12:01 a.m. CT on 6/22/15 11:59 p.m. CT on 7/5/15

Follow Zero's progress right here on my blog, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, and Instagram

The best thing you can do for your pet’s health is feed proper nutrition every day. The Hill’s Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight Formulas are available at your vet or favorite pet specialty store. Products, including Perfect Weight Dry Cat Foot and Perfect Weight Small & Toy Breed Formula are also available from Pet360, with an additional discount for Autoship.