Ben has been a part of Dave’s life for over a decade. The two met in SF through mutual friends and quickly realized they shared a passion for unusual adventures, awkward situations, and Four Tet. Ben and Dave learned to sail together on an old 1976 Catalina 30 and spent countless evenings discussing the meaning of life while watching the sunset on the San Francisco Bay. Ben has been such an instrumental contributor to Dave’s sense of humor, passion for friends, and outlet for when life gets too serious.

To discuss Blair and her impact on Theo’s life, you first need to pay homage to the memories of Stewart and Gunner - 2 of the greatest dogs to wear the collar. Theo and Blair will swear that Stewart and Gunner purposefully brought them together time after time at the emergency vet - 3 encounters to be precise. And in their passing, the boys left behind a lifelong friendship. Blair brings so much life, passion and creativity into Dave and Theo’s life. In a short period of time, she quickly became a staple in Dave and Theo’s San Francisco home and brought with her an incredible energy that can’t be matched.

Brian and Dave met in 2004 when they both started a job at a small San Francisco-based startup on the same day. For nearly 20 years, Brian and Dave have shared almost every life-changing event together: The first experience of home-ownership was a joint venture in SF, Dave was the best man at Brian’s wedding, Brian and Lindsey’s first daughter, Amalie was raised downstairs in their 2-unit home that Brian, Lindsey and Theo all shared for nearly a decade. Nothing important in Dave’s life happens without Brian around.

Like many of Theo’s friends, Kate entered into the picture originally as a dog training client. Throughout the pandemic, Kate and her partner, Jamie, entered into the quarantine bubble with Theo and Dave, spending weekends in the small San Francisco backyard discussing life, culture and far away places. Their dogs became close friends as well - Omen and Pocho still kindred spirits to this day. Kate was a school teacher, and has since transitioned to working with Theo and Refined K9 as a blossoming dog trainer. Kate’s friendship is a clear source of inspiration, confidence, support and creativity for Theo as the two train their sport dogs and nerd out about dog behavior and the best pocket-sized health foods.

Kass is that friend that blurs the lines between friend and family. Dave and Kass met at the same SF-based startup with Brian in the early 2000s. While it took a few years for their relationship to grow, Dave quickly found Kass to be the person that he was missing in his life: Passionate, humble, genuine, empathetic and unapologetically loving. Kass and his wife Melissa became the couple that Dave and Theo respected, loved and admired - the couple they looked to for inspiration in their own relationship - the couple the loved to travel the world with. Kass’s friendship has been a source of strength and understanding for Dave over the last decade. A friend that is family.

Theo met Ulrika the same year she met Dave, 2010. Ulrika was originally a client of Theo’s along with her German Shepherd Oliver. After the tragic loss of Oliver at an early age, the two remained close friends valuing a friendship so strong they would pick up where they left off months between visits. Ulrika has always been a source of professional inspiration to Theo throughout her journey of business ownership. After traveling the world, and spending a few years in the UK, Ulrika now lives in the next town over from Dave and Theo in the north bay where many great hiking trails are waiting for them.

Pat is the younger brother that all older siblings wished they had. He’s such a consistent force within the Latham family, the glue that helps tie the family together. In their adult lives, Patrick has served as a younger role-model for Dave; a genuine friend, a dedicated husband, a brother in every sense of the word. While always living a state apart for the last 20 years, Pat has remained a consistent voice on the other end of the phone and someone Dave always looks forward to welcoming home with a big hug.

It’s hard to talk about Jourdan without recalling the first time Dave and Theo met her: Bursting through the door of a Tahoe ski cabin and immediately wrapping her arms around the neck of Omen - a big, scary German Shepherd. But that’s how Jourdan lives life - she knocks down the door and tackles fear head on. From that very first encounter, Theo and Dave both knew they had found someone special. Someone who would remain a reliable, constant source of love in their lives. Since then, Jourdan and Theo have shared so many memorable moments together, including her marriage to Alex in 2022. She and Alex are now expecting twins so she has been relieved of her formal wedding party duties but she’s still a part of this party in spirit.

One windy day on the San Francisco Bay in 2015, Dave and Theo were invited for a day sail on the bay. The boat was full of locals all taking sailing courses. But there was one guy who clearly knew how to sail and Dave and Theo were smitten. Obviously that guy was Joe and since then he has become such a critical figure in their lives. A ski partner, a housemate, a confidant, a pandemic-era member of the bubble, a genuine friend. Joe is one of those people that everyone loves but few are lucky enough to have touch their lives as much as he has Dave and Theo’s. Thank you Joe. We love you.