Gold Medalist Jessica Long Prepares for Paralympics With the Help of Her Dog Goose
**Following the publication of this article, Long won two gold medals at the Paris Games bringing her total count to 31 medals, 18 of which are gold.
Paralympic swimmer Jessica Long was born with fibular hemimelia and at 18 months old, her legs were amputated below the knees. She learned to walk with prosthetics and became involved in many sports including gymnastics, swimming, basketball, cheerleading, ice skating, biking, running, and rock climbing. Her favorite was always swimming and at the age of 12, she competed in her first Paralympics at the 2004 Games in Athens, Greece.
Since then, Long has won an incredible 29 medals, 16 of which are gold, making her one of the most decorated Paralympians of all time.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet caught up with Long ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics to talk about the upcoming Paralympics and how her rescue dog, Goose, provides emotional support that helps her compete against some of the world’s best athletes.
Goose provides Long with support every day
Long has stated that having Goose has “changed her perspective on life.”
When it comes to how Goose provides support, Long says: “Goose is really special. I got him from my husband for our second wedding anniversary. I never owned a dog so I didn’t know this kind of love and support … I never even knew about this type of love from a dog. But it’s been super incredible for my mental health.”
When Long is away training, her husband sends her daily pictures of Goose from their home in Baltimore and she looks forward to seeing those pictures every day.
Long and Goose are part of Nulo’s ‘Fuel Incredible’ campaign
In 2024, Long and Goose teamed up with Nulo for the “Fuel Incredible” campaign, which is designed to highlight the profound connection between athletes and their pets, illustrating that success is not just measured in medals and titles, but in the shared journey of wellness and mutual support.
“This is such an exciting partnership because, obviously, it involves Goose and I’m so grateful to be part of Team Nulo, especially with Goose. It has made it so special,” Long said. “I love how Nulo prioritizes nutrition. The whole campaign is amazing. When we get Nulo in the mail, Goose can smell it outside the door and he gets so excited.
“I think for me as an athlete, there’s so many things that Nulo encompasses whether it’s the love and support for the team behind the team and all of our teammates, our animals who are supporting us. As an athlete, I want to fuel my body with the best food possible and that is exactly what Nulo does for Goose. I want him to be around for a really long time. So it was such an easy partnership to say yes to because I truly understand and believe in all that Nulo does.”
Long explained that she wants Goose to get the most nutritious meals because, as someone who’s been competing for 22 years and is headed to her 6th Paralympics, she knows the importance of what she puts into her body and how it makes her feel. Some of Goose’s favorite Nulo meals are the Gently Cooked Salmon and Quinoa as well as the Lamb kibble.
Goose loves the water just like Long
Long revealed that Goose loves water too.
“When we were filming, he accidentally fell in the pool at one point because I had treats and we were getting him to come up and kiss me,” Long recalled.
She added that Goose was fine though because he “loves the water. It surprises me all the time, but yes he definitely loves the water.”
Fans can follow Long on TikTok as well as on Instagram @jessicatatianalong and on X @JessicaLong. And to learn more about Nulo’s “Fuel Incredible” campaign visit nulo.com.
