For many bulldog owners, keeping their dog comfortable and active can be a constant balancing act – particularly when excitement and warmer weather come into play.
For Mark Swain, from Newport in South Wales, that was certainly the case with his five-year-old English Bulldog, Bentley.
Bentley has always been full of personality and enthusiasm, but his excitement levels made ordinary walks difficult. He would become so worked up when meeting people that Mark had to carefully manage when and where he exercised him.
Today, Mark says things are very different – and he believes OxyPet has played an important part in that change.
One of OxyPet's earliest customers
Mark was one of the first 100 people in the country to try OxyPet after seeing the results of a six-month trial.
OxyPet is an oxygen-enriched superior hydration product made using Cornish spring water infused with patented nano-bubble oxygen technology.
After hearing about the trial, Mark decided to introduce OxyPet to his dogs and has continued using it ever since.
"No Bull Natural Health for Dogs did a six-month trial and they saw great improvements, so I was one of the first 100 customers," Mark said.
"I 100 per cent believe OxyPet makes a difference."
Bentley was unlike any bulldog Mark had owned before
Mark has owned five bulldogs over the years, but says Bentley's personality made him particularly challenging to exercise.
"Bentley is my fifth bulldog, but he's not like any I've owned. His excitement levels are another level," he said.
"We used to have to take Bentley on three short ten-minute walks somewhere quiet and avoid interaction with him because he'd work himself up meeting people on walks."
That meant longer trips and new places were difficult, despite Bentley being a healthy and energetic dog.
A noticeable change
Mark says the improvement became particularly apparent after Bentley had been drinking OxyPet for a number of months.
"After around 12 months on OxyPet there was a significant difference," he said.
"That autumn, for the first time in four years, I was able to put him in the car, take him to the pond and walk him there.
"I hadn't been able to do that until then.
"His walks have doubled now in time and length. There's a significant difference."
For Mark, being able to take Bentley somewhere new and enjoy a longer walk represented much more than simply adding a few extra minutes of exercise.
It meant being able to enjoy the sort of everyday adventures together that had previously been difficult because of Bentley's excitement.
Coping with warmer weather
Hot weather can also present challenges for bulldog owners, and Mark says summer has traditionally meant adapting Bentley's exercise even further.
But during a particularly prolonged period of warm weather, he says Bentley coped remarkably well.
"Summer is never easy with a bulldog," Mark said.
"We only usually have ten to 15 very hot days, but this year has been different. We've basically been stuck in a heatwave for the last 12 weeks and Bentley hasn't panted once.
"He's drinking plenty of OxyPet."
Still using OxyPet years later
For Karla Pearson, director of OxyPet, Mark's story is especially significant because he has been using the product since its earliest days.
"Mark has been with OxyPet almost from the very beginning, so it's wonderful to hear that he is still using it years later," she said.
"Bentley's story is particularly exciting because Mark has been able to see such a tangible difference in his everyday life – from three short walks to being able to take him out and enjoy much longer adventures together.
"OxyPet is about supporting hydration and wellbeing, and hearing stories like Bentley's from one of our very first customers means a huge amount to us."
For Mark, the biggest difference is simple: Bentley is still the same excitable bulldog he has always loved – but now they are able to enjoy much more of the world together.
