On a bright Monday morning, the UP Men’s Football Team (UPMFT) gathered in the dugout to have breakfast and catch up with their teammates while preparing for a fun day ahead. Instead of their usual drills, they’re putting on their uniforms to play with dogs on the football field.

It’s a change of pace for a team that trains almost daily while also juggling their studies. It’s expected of the former UAAP football champions. But this time, they’re bonding over their shared love of dogs, taking turns in helping their teammates to watch over them.

UPMFT’s furparents know what it’s like to come home to a happy dog after a long day of training and school. Their teammates also get to experience this positivity as well when they meet the dogs. Plus, with the team’s partnership with pet care brand TopBreed, the student-athletes are also able to give their furbabies quality food.

Finding comfort in dogs

Just like any sport, playing football can be tough and tiring. The pressure to represent one’s university can also add to the challenge. So, it’s really important for UPMFT’s student athletes to find their zen, and one of them is through spending time with their dogs.

Defender Jared Florendo has six dogs, all of whom are “malambing.” His Golden Beagle mix, Butterball, always hangs out with him, even if they’re not doing anything. “All of our dogs are always happy when we come home. I hug all of them.”

Dogs can also help people get out of the house more, especially if they need to unwind from assignments and training. This is what winger and defender Ken Saludez does with his three dogs, Coco the Shih Tzu, Churro the Mini Poodle, and Cola the Labrador. He shares that walking and bathing dogs are family activities for them, emphasizing that this is their bonding time on the weekends. “They’re just always there when you need them,” Ken says.

More importantly, dogs can provide comfort to their owners, giving a calm presence when things become too overwhelming. For forward FlorenzTacardon and his brothers, their Beagle named Bigol’s “kulit” personality always perks them up when they’re tired. “My brothers and I are all athletes, so we love playing with Bigol whenever we’re home,” he says. He also shares how Bigol became a source of comfort when a close teammate passed away two years ago. “I remember that I cried while studying and Bigol comforted me. I just hugged him until I was able to fall asleep.”

Forward Josh Garces, who’s originally from Cebu, says he misses being able to talk to his dogs, Twix the Shih Tzu and Tisoy the Pug, when he needs someone to vent to “even though they don’t answer.”

High-quality products for the best dogs

The unconditional love of dogs is unmatched. Although furbabies are often content with being rewarded with pets and playtime, it’s even better to give them high-quality dog food that provides overall nutrition, like TopBreed Dog Food for Adult and Puppy.

All the UPMFT players say that their once-picky dogs instantly loved TopBreed. They definitely saw that their dogs looked healthier and were more active. “TopBreed is a reliable and trustworthy brand. Our dogs gained weight when we started feeding them TopBreed. We also saw that they’re happier and have more energy to play,” Ken says.

“I sent over bags of TopBreed back home in Cebu. Whenever my parents send me photos of our dogs, I can see that they look healthy,” Josh adds.

Behind every great student-athlete are supportive loved ones and affectionate dogs that won’t leave their side no matter what. As the players of UPMFT would find out, sometimes all they need to get by during their free time is the playfulness of dogs – and TopBreed helps make sure the furbabies are in the best shape.