Thomas and I were sitting at a coffee + ice-cream shop in Ashland, Oregon during our summer out west when the conversation started: “let’s get a dog!” 

We saw something beautiful in starting a family (piece by piece) and in sharing responsibility bigger than ourselves. The search started right then and there, looking at breeds, sizes, locations, everything.

I wanted a dog that I could cuddle and play with, not too big but big enough to feel like I had a buddy, not a cat. Thomas wanted a hunting dog, a main dude he could take out in the field or in a boat to hunt ducks, pheasants and those sort of things. It was important to both of us that the dog was energetic, had a funny personality and would eventually be great with children. 

The breed was decided: Brittany Spaniel and now the hunt for the addition to the family was on. 

Eventually, back in September we found a breeder that was much less expensive than the rest and this caught our eye. We chatted with the breeder on the phone to see why there was such a large difference in the price between them and the other breeders. Their answer was perfect: “we want these dogs to be priced fair, to find a home quickly and to be socialized and in the house as soon as they can. Expensive dogs don’t get out of the kennel very quickly.” 

She’s a lovely lady, Mrs. Rosemary, from Tennessee (a fair six hour drive from our home). We took a Monday and drove up to see the kennel and look at all of our options. She mentioned her partner that also bred Brittanys, only an hour drive away. We hopped in the car with her, grabbed a pizza on the way and pulled up to a rustic tractor farm. A man, Dave, accompanied us and welcomed us to his kennel. Thomas got caught up with Dave talking about the tractors he was restoring and the chickens in his backyard. Mrs. Rosemary and I rocked in rocking chairs on the porch drinking a glass bottled coke waiting for the men. Eventually, Thomas and Dave returned. They handed us over 3 laundry baskets of puppies. 

After much deliberation, Thomas and I picked a boy with white and orange coloring. He hadn’t opened his eyes yet at only 2 weeks.  

Patiently, we waited until we were able to take him home. We named him Remington, Remi for short. 

We could not be more thankful for our little love bug; yet, a menace indeed. He’s the sweetest dreamer, never goes a sleep without running and slightly barking. He has the softest coat and the teeniest breaths, the sharpest teeth and the most dreamy eyes. 

We are so grateful for this tiny addition to our family. Here’s to puppy parenthood!

Needless to say, our nights are long + his teeth are sharp + he has some big pipes and whines all night. So, puppy advice is welcomed below in the comments. Thanks, friends!