Spotlight on Senior Dogs: Britney Imhof and Bilbo

Meet "The Incredible Dog Bilbo."

“I got Bilbo from a wonderful breeder in North Carolina, who bred for larger-sized Papillons. Both of his breeders have sadly passed and never got to see all he’d accomplished in his life. I knew I wanted to do agility with him, but I had no idea how far we’d go,” Britney Imhof, of Roanoke, Va., said, after he became an agility finalist in the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge (IDC). At 10, the mighty dog was actually the oldest agility dog to make the IDC finals!

Bilbo is named after the hobbit Bilbo Baggins from the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit books and movies. He seeks connection and runs with intense joy no matter the level of competition. Bilbo and Britney have had many top agility wins across all organizations. She is a dog trainer who used to work with marine mammals.

“My background is zookeeping and marine mammal training, from which I learned the incredible importance of diverse mental and physical exercise. I always kept Bilbo at an athletic weight to reduce long-term wear and tear on his body, especially as an agility dog. My dogs are on a rotating schedule for cardio and strength exercises and have days of rest to ‘just be a dog.’ I’m a believer in keeping their brains engaged and problem solving throughout their entire lives. I think health and longevity in dogs requires a holistic approach, and I feel incredibly blessed that I’ve had all this time and gone on so many adventures with my incredible Bilbo!”

When Bilbo was young, he had chronic hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, and almost died from it a few times. “After one of these episodes and no solid answers from our vet, I researched and overhauled his diet. Since then, his meals have consisted of Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Wet Dog Food, combined with some home cooking, and supplements for added health benefits,” she said.