I'll never forget the moment I realised my dog was in pain.

We were on holiday in Portugal when a friend of my girlfriend, who is a veterinarian, noticed something I had been blind to. My dog Macho was walking a bit stiff, had trouble standing up, and couldn't jump on the couch or go up the stairs. Macho is my first dog, so I didn't know this wasn't normal. She told me he was in pain, and I had no idea.

Macho was only 6 months old when he was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Six months. I remember thinking there had to be some mistake. How could a puppy, my puppy, already have hip problems?

I tried a lot of things in the months after. The vet gave me glucosamine chews, which he wouldn't eat. Even when I wrapped them in cheese, he found a way to spit the chew out. At some point I found a chew on Amazon he would eat, but nothing improved after using it for the recommended 3 months.

Nothing worked. Either he didn't eat it, or it made no difference. Macho still struggled to stand up. He still didn't jump on the couch. The limp didn't go away. Some days I could see he wasn't happy, and he got grumpy because he was in pain. Once you know what's going on, you suddenly see everything, and you feel helpless when it doesn't get better.

The search for a solution

I stayed in touch with the vet in Portugal, and she refused to give up. Together, we spent the next two and a half years developing our own formula. We studied the science, tested ingredients and consulted veterinary specialists. And we kept coming back to one ingredient: New Zealand green lipped mussel.

But here's what we discovered. Most products on the market use only tiny amounts of green lipped mussel, mixed with fillers, binders and preservatives, so the active ingredients get diluted. It didn't make sense to give that to Macho.

I kept researching and found a manufacturer in New Zealand. I managed to order a few tubs directly from them. They made an exception, because normally the minimum order was 100 tubs. Between you and me, if I had to order 100 tubs to get my dog better, I would have done it.

A few days after Macho started on the powder, he already seemed more comfortable. After a few weeks, his symptoms were gone, as if nothing had ever happened.

We spent so much time finding a product that is safe and actually works. If I had to do it again, I would do it a thousand times. I don't remember exactly how the conversation about sharing it with other people started, but it did. We never thought "let's start a business." We just knew more dogs deserved access to this.

So we did something different. We created a 100% pure green lipped mussel powder. No fillers, no binders, no preservatives. Just the concentrated, natural form of one of nature's best known joint support ingredients. And what better name for it than Macho's Secret Powder.

The formula started with our vet friend from Portugal. When we knew what we wanted, we worked with pet food nutritionists in New Zealand, right where the mussels come from, to get every detail right. Since then, more than 50 veterinarians have approved it and now recommend it to the dog owners they see every day. That still feels a bit unreal to me, knowing it all started with one puppy who couldn't climb the stairs.

When I started reading the labels of the chews I had tried, I honestly got a bit angry. The green lipped mussel was always near the bottom of the list, under starch, flavouring and preservatives. I was basically paying for a treat with a little joint support sprinkled in. So when we made our own, there was one rule: nothing goes in that Macho doesn't need. When you open the tub, pure green lipped mussel is all you get.

The more I learned about this mussel, the more I understood why our vet kept coming back to it. It's a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids, including a rare one called ETA. It also naturally contains glucosamine and chondroitin, the same ingredients in those chews Macho kept spitting out. The difference is that here they come in their natural form, together, the way nature made them.

And no more cheese tricks. I just sprinkle it over his food, whether it's dry, wet or raw. The first time, I stood there waiting for him to push the bowl away. He licked it clean. Now he sits in front of me when I open the tub. The dose is based on your dog's weight, so every dog gets exactly what they need.

Macho also has a sensitive stomach, and some of the chews we tried before upset it. Because our powder has no artificial additives, fillers or preservatives, there's simply less in it that can bother a sensitive stomach.

I know what it feels like to buy product after product and see nothing change. I don't want you to go through that. So try Macho's Secret Powder for 90 days. If you don't see a difference in your dog, we'll refund every penny.

Why I'm telling you this

Before Macho, I would have told you that a dog slowing down is just part of getting older. The hesitation before the stairs, staying on the floor instead of jumping on the couch, getting a bit grumpy. It took a vet on holiday to show me my dog was hurting.

Many dog owners never get that moment. They see their dog slow down and accept it. Joint problems don't have to take your dog's joy away. With the right support, many dogs can be themselves again: running to the door when you come home, playing with their favourite toy, and enjoying the years they have with you.

Every tub of Macho's Secret Powder is the same formula that gave Macho his life back. When I see him run on the beach now, I still think about that puppy who couldn't get up the stairs. I hope your dog gets that same moment.

Because your dog isn't just a pet. They're family. And family deserves to feel their best.

Wesley

Founder, The Paw Parent & Macho's Dad

Do you recognise yourself and your dog in this story?

Your dog doesn't have to keep suffering in silence. And you don't have to keep watching and wondering if there's something you can do. There is.

Take the first step today.