February marked one year since we welcomed Rhett to our family. I should have known sending Scott to meet a puppy only has one result. Cost, readiness, and fit aside, he was headed home with the 7-month-old pup.
Rhett was anxious and afraid of everything. He paced around the house and wouldn’t come near me and I instantly worried whether this was the right call. A few days later, Fischer started to get sick with an incredibly stuffed up nose and I panicked, knowing that Rhett didn’t make it at his last home because a family member was allergic to him. But it turned out Fischer “just” had RSV. And Rhett stayed.
It felt like I looked for a reason for this not to work. Double the food, poop, vet bills, and bump-ins in my already tiny living room.
But we adjusted.
We added walks back into our routine (which was warranted anyway), added a kennel to the pickup bed (slowly showing our upland affinity more and more), and got very used to saying “Rhett, it’s fineeee.”
In many ways, not much has changed. He’s still afraid of everything, including balloons we bought for Fischer’s birthday in late January. Sometimes I just have to laugh at the contrast between Finley’s incredibly apathetic demeanor and Rhett’s constant concern about everything.
Sure, things can be wild at times. He barks at anyone who comes over, and sometimes even at us if we get a new shirt or walk in carrying an unfamiliar object. Any non-outdoor-related travel is a little trickier with the addition of Rhett, but every time I get annoyed at him, I try to picture him on the prairie.
He has the most stunning gait when he reaches full speed. On a walk last week, I just stopped to watch him and thought that this is how I hope to always remember him. My beloved Fins will always hold an untouchable place in my heart, but his gait has been wonky from day one. His long legs seemingly hindering his speed and grace.
Rhett is at ease in the uplands. I can see it in his eyes. Out there, he’s not afraid of anything and he does his job with confidence. It’s honestly kind of a beautiful contradiction to witness and I’m so thankful he ended up in a home that offers him that.
We weren’t really sure what to expect of him this fall. Our goal was for him to gain trust in us, and get comfortable with noisy shotguns and experiences new to him.
It’s safe to say he exceeded expectations.
Any hesitation from the gun faded by the end of our three-day weekend to Montana in September. He quickly caught on to his role and had no patience for being left behind at the truck.
By the end of the season, when Finley grew tired, he simply adopted a leisurely walk and listened for Rhett’s collar to beep so he could go get a whiff and honor point. That’s a habit we’ll need to break with some more independent hunts next season, but one I found slightly humorous at the time from the OG.
Rhett ended the season having hunted sharptails and sage grouse in Montana, the upland trio here at home and ruffed grouse and woodcock in Minnesota, ending with a total of 39 birds to his name. As always, he deserved more, but according to my records it took us and Fins three seasons to reach that number.
Rhett is my first lesson in how each dog in my life will be unique. Finley will be known for his goofiness, old soul, love of furniture and versatility. But I think pure upland drive will be Rhett’s cornerstone, which you likely wouldn’t guess if you ever come over and witness him cowering from a balloon.
