Arden and Bree Brooks were only on their second date when they were already making their plans to bring home their first dog.
They’d met at a bar in Pittsburgh, introduced by Bree’s best friend, but Bree’s interest in getting a dog like Oxford stretched back to her college days.
Bree attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, which influenced her decision, along with her research. “I loved what I had learned about the breed being apartment friendly, really loyal, handsome and tuxedo-ish,” Bree said. “My college was all red brick and ivy, so it was distinguished looking. It felt like it fit.”
The couple moved to Philadelphia five years ago this month, and soon after moving, it was time to find their dog. When friends from Ohio and New Jersey recommended a breeder in the Ohio area, Bree reached out. There was a new litter of puppies, born just the weekend before. “All the stars had aligned for us to get him from there,” Bree shared.
Bree and Arden found Philly Unleashed while visiting Companion Pet Hospital for Oxford’s first vet appointment. “I’d mentioned that we were interested in training, they pointed us to Puppy Club, and then Dana was our Puppy Club instructor,” said Bree. “She introduced us to the rest of the world of Philly Unleashed.”
At that time, Farmcamp was brand new, and Oxford was destined to be one of the first to experience the adventure. “We had a vacation planned,” Bree explained. “I was having trouble finding a place that would take him.”
She asked Dana for some recommendations. Oxford was going to be over six months old, but the vet wouldn’t neuter him due to how little he was. That left limited options for boarding. “To me, the vet knows best, and I’m not going to have the vet fix him early if he’s not ready,” Bree said.
When Farmcamp was officially announced, Bree knew it was a good fit. “I really like that we had already worked with Dana and there were going to be a limited amount of dogs and they would have more than two hours of play a day,” Bree said. “We had a need, and Farmcamp serviced all of that and more so it worked out pretty well.”
The personal relationship they’d developed with Dana helped. “I was so nervous about leaving my dog with somebody, but we got to know Dana through Puppy Club and felt like we couldn’t go wrong,” Arden said.
Oxford has also completed Level 1 and worked his way through all of the agility courses, landing in the advanced class. “I know it’s so reliable and I know what we get,” said Bree about Farmcamp. “We’ve been taking Advanced Agility with Cassi, so the fact that he can do agility while he’s there–he’s obsessed with it. That’s an added bonus on top of us knowing he’s taking care of.”
Oxford has proven to be a smart pup. “Even in agility, he’s so far ahead of me,” Bree said. “I’ll be trying to think about how to handle this–what hands do I need to use, and he’s like three steps ahead of me at all times.”
And training has shown Bree and Arden how much Oxford loves learning. “Now that he’s a little bit older, I can see how much he wants to work,” Bree said. “That’s really hard to do when my husband and I both work a lot of hours. At 8 pm on a Wednesday, we just want to snuggle, and he’s more than willing to do that, but I see how much he enjoys going to agility and working his brain. Then the next hour he’s fine going back to snuggling. It’s a really good balance for him.”
And he’s got the best personality. “He just wants to be with you,” Bree said. “I think he’s so well-rounded in his nature, it’s made it so easy for us. And he’s really lovable in all aspects, even when he’s trying to play and be crazy and it’s not what we want to be doing.”
But Oxford isn’t perfect. “He’s very stubborn, but I am too, so I get it,” Bree said.
It’s been a learning curve for everyone, and Bree encourages other pet owners to consider their own dog’s needs. “It’s important to have a combination having a lot of patience and also recognizing that this dog picks up things, and the next day, they’ve always known it, but other dogs need more time to learn,” Bree shared. “In class, we’re always taught about a five-second leave it and then a ten-second leave it. That happens for a reason. Remember that, and then don’t get frustrated, because if you get frustrated, they will get frustrated, too. Make it fun for your dog, because it’s fun, they’re that much more motivated.”
The benefits of training have been noticed as well. “He has the best recall,” Arden said. “Any time we think there’s something in the back yard, he comes running back on command. It keeps him safe.”
And with Arden working from home, Oxford always gets to be employee of the month. Arden shared, “I always say that Oxford is my co-worker and best friend.”
