It has been written into law long ago that every farm must have a dog. When I think about the traditional farming landscapes, the vision always includes cows and a dirty, happy, four-legged friend running alongside.

So when my husband and I moved to a small, four-acre farmette last year, it only seemed right to add a dog to our list of pets. Our barnyard was quite small: two Brown Swiss heifers and one indoor cat. While I was on board to add a pup to the mix, my husband didn’t necessarily agree. A dog can be messy, high maintenance and require lots of time.

But last fall, we found our dog in a unique fashion—through a C|O email. An NWR (C|O speak: Not Work Related) email to the agency came across looking for a new home for Buddy the Farm Dog. A seven-year-old beagle mix, Buddy had spent his days on an Illinois grain farm and was looking for some new wide open spaces to call home.

Right away I was sold. I had met Buddy once the year before on his travels to Wisconsin and he was such a sweet dog. Plus, a dog that knew his way around a farm was just our kind of pet. It did take some work, but I finally got the nod of approval from my husband to add him to our menagerie.

On a warm November afternoon, Buddy arrived. He was happy to run in the big yard, touch noses with our heifers and check out his new surroundings.

Since November Buddy has become a big part of our family. My husband enjoys having Buddy around the house, and even has a spot for him in the home office (translation: he loves Buddy, too).

When Buddy’s not helping with the heifer chores, he enjoys hiking the trails of Wisconsin, snuggling and attempting to steal human food. We’re glad to have the farm dog back on the farm!

Charleston|Orwig will be extra pawsome next week. We’re celebrating National Pet Week by bringing our partners-in-crime to work for the entire week. Daily donations of $5 will go to puppy shelters in Wisconsin and Austin.