caeleb dressel and jane and rems

Nulo partner, Caeleb Dressel, is a nine-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming who specializes in freestyle, butterfly, and individual medley events. He’s competed in three Games – Rio, Tokyo, and Paris, and holds world records in the 100-meter butterfly (long course and short course), 50-meter freestyle (short course), and 100-meter individual medley (short course).

Caeleb and his wife, Meghan, are proud parents to August, as well as their dog, Jane and cat, Rems. Caeleb has really focused on his mental health as part of his journey to the top of the podium, and Jane and Rems are a special part of his support system. We sat down with Caeleb to discuss the incredible bond between pets and their pet parents.

Can you tell us about your personal journey as a swimmer?

I started swimming when I was 4 or 5 years old – it was really for water safety at first. My parents really wanted my siblings and I to learn how to swim properly, especially being in Florida as we were always going to the beach or out on the lakes or out on the boat.

So at a super young age, they put us in swimming lessons to have fun and burn off some energy, and then the main part was water safety. We just kind of stuck with it – there was a summer league team right by my dad’s veterinary clinic. During the summer, we would do swimming just for those 2 or 3 months and then do the little championship series at the end, and then I would go and play soccer and do other sports as well, like football and running track.

So, at first, swimming was just for water safety and it turned into doing year-round swimming with competition and my two sisters and I never looked back. My brother never really got into swimming but did other sports. My sisters and I swam through college. I think with all of us being out of the house and at the pool so much kept my mother sane, too!

Describe a day in your life with Jane & Rems. How do they support you during training sessions, competitions, or recovery periods?

Jane is on as much of a routine as I am. I am usually up at 5 am, and Jane gets up with me. The first thing I do is roll out of bed and give Jane a few kisses and then I’m out of the house in about 10 minutes on the way to the pool. As I’m leaving, Jane’s tail starts wagging and I tell her goodbye and my wife Meghan goodbye, and then Rems is the last one I get to kiss goodbye.

My favorite part with both of them is when I pull up after a practice – whether it’s a good practice, bad, or somewhere in between – Rems is usually the first one to greet me as he’s often outside waiting. When I pull up in my truck, Rems will come running, meowing. It’s cute.

And Jane is always super excited to see me when I come in through the mud room door. I always see these two first, even before I see Meghan. No matter how I might be feeling, I always feel good when I see Rems and Jane.

Have they ever amazed you with something ‘incredible’ they've done?

Well, Rems almost caught a squirrel once. He started as an apartment cat and then when we moved out to the house with all the land he began to go outside sometimes, and he started to thrive. He loves the outdoors. He’s come close to catching squirrels or birds – but he would have no idea what to do with them if he ever did! He plays with our cows too, which is fun - and incredible - to watch.

One of the most amazing things Jane does is if Meghan or I are sick, she will stay in bed with us the entire day. So if one of us has the flu or something, she will not leave our side. We call her “Nurse Girboinky”. The only time Jane gets out of bed is to eat or to go to the bathroom. Otherwise, she’s right there snuggled up. It’s like having your own nurse on duty. Incredible.

What are some activities you enjoy with Jane or Rems that help you maintain your fitness levels?

Jane’s main thing is that she loves baseball. I have a bat and a baseball with a million bite marks in it from Jane. I’ll hit the ball, and she loves chasing it. Keeps her fit. And she’s bird trained so she has many voice and hand signal commands that she responds to.

We’ll throw the dummy bird out now and then in the front pasture – that’s a special treat for her. It’s work for her technically, but it’s playtime for her. I take her out to the pool on Sundays too. She won’t stop swimming until it’s time to return to the truck. She loves the sport.

Rems is often outside, so his most exciting time of the day is playing outside and chasing things. He’s out there for hours running around every day entertaining himself. Sometimes the whole family goes out in the backyard and we all play together – me, Meghan, August in his little bouncer, and Jane. Rems thinks that’s fun.

How have your pet’s loyalty and companionship helped you persevere through the ups and downs of your athletic career?

I think it’s just the consistency – knowing that whatever meet I’m coming home from or however I did at a particular practice – that I always miss Jane, I always miss Rems and just having them greet me at the door is one of the simplest things that I try not to take for granted. They’re just always so happy to see me. It’s just the companionship and the friendship that mean so much.

It’s not like they have a reason to get so excited, I mean they may have just seen me 2 hours ago, but they’re just genuinely happy and that makes me happy. They do more for me than they know. It’s innate for them, it’s just their nature to be so excited when I return home.

They both love to sleep in the bed with me – Jane always has to be touching me – and I miss that when I’m traveling for swim meets. Yeah, they just love me, and that’s what I love about them.

Out of all the Nulo products available, which one does your pet seem to enjoy the most, and why?

Besides Nulo kibble, Rems loves the Nulo lickable puree pouches – I mean he just destroys those things. And Jane loves the Nulo jerky treats – especially the beef recipe with coconut!

Try Caeleb and Jane & Rems Picks

SEE MORE ABOUT CAELEB AND JANE ON INSTAGRAM @CAELEBDRESSEL

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