Venus Williams Is 'Passionate' About Her 16-Year-Old Pet's Happiness: 'My Dog Is My Life'

Purina Pro Plan

Venus Williams may be a professional tennis player with impressive accolades, but her dog is her pride and joy.

The seven-time Grand Slam-winning athlete recently partnered with Purina Pro Plan for the two-month challenge to inspire pet parents to provide their dogs with nutritious foods and plenty of active quality time.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Williams, 42, shares what her furry companion, Harry, means to her and why partnering with Pro Plan was an ideal fit for the pair.

"I'm a passionate pet owner, and my dog is my life," Williams tells PEOPLE. "He is the focus of my life. I love the little guy."

She adds, "We've been together 16 years, and he's doing quite great. And one of the reasons why I credit him doing so well is because of his food and what I feed him."

Purina Pro Plan

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The partnership, which kicks off March 13, will include weekly challenges inviting owners to log active minutes with their dogs. For every one million collective minutes logged weekly, Pro Plan will donate $15,000 to Athletes for Animals, a non-profit organization attending to the welfare of homeless pets.

The cause is personal to Williams, as her bond with Harry, a Havanese, has been a pillar in her life for 16 years. The two do everything together, including going to the gym and working at the office.

"I had not planned on getting a dog," Williams says. "And I just saw this dog one day, and I called my sister and said, 'What should I do? I like this dog.' And she said, 'Get him. I love him already.' And so it was the best decision and best advice I ever got."

Purina Pro Plan

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Harry not only accompanies Williams on her day-to-day tasks, but he also travels the world with her.

Most notably, the pair's favorite place to explore is Paris — and Harry gets a world-class view during the duo's strolls through the European city.

"He's on my back in the backpack," Williams admits.

She continues, "We've had a lot of special moments exploring Paris together. He didn't know he was seeing a lot of Paris, but he saw a lot of the very special history."

Purina Pro Plan

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Harry does not take after his mom's passion for tennis — his favorite toys are squeaky plushes, not balls — but he does like to stay active with Williams.

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Williams hopes that Purina Pro Plan's Monday Like A Pro Challenge inspires dog owners to increase the quality time they spend with their pets,

"I think that we're all very busy today, and it's challenging to find that time to make sure that our dogs are getting the proper exercise that they need," Williams says.

"But it is good for dogs to get their exercise too. And, of course, it strengthens your bond because you're spending time together, and there's nothing like that."