Reflection and Outlook

It's hard to believe another year is drawing to a close. I have been chronicling here at Rubicon Days for just over two years and I'm so grateful for all the friends, knowledge and opportunities it has sparked. It warms my heart to know that Ruby and Boca are making people smile and laugh all over the world, and that I can share what they teach me on my journey to crazier dog lady.

Looking Back:

2015 was a pretty good year, all told. I learned more about my dogs and feel my relationship with them strengthening every day.  I learned about my own limitations and that The Ginger Sisters are absolutely my top priority. I found inspiration in a new avenue of advocacy, something that we are seeing incredible results from moving into 2016.

Boca made me proud in so many ways, from starring in puzzle toy videos to charming her fans at several events and meetups throughout the summer. The Ginger Sisters brought me so much daily joy, whether watching them lounge in the sun or play on the bed and all the little things in between.

Both dogs had some struggles with fear this year, and we did our best to overcome them with positive training methods and management techniques. Boca was petrified by the fireworks that seemed like they would never end, and Ruby developed sudden misgivings about the stairs.

Our biggest challenge this year was poor Boca's Ocular Ordeal - a non-healing corneal ulcer culminating in a serious eye surgery and a total of ten weeks in the Cone of Woe. I am eternally grateful for Boca's sweet nature which made twice-daily eye drops and weekly exams a breeze, my wonderful canine opthalmologist, and pet insurance.

We made the most of a beautiful summer, spending lots of time outside on the patio and getting up to the mountains for some soul-renewing hikes.

I feel lucky to have partnered with some fantastic brands, from getting over my fear of raw and adding frozen prepared raw to our rotation to discovering a certified humane kibble and a small family-run pet food company.

What's Ahead:

I am hoping to attend BlogPaws in Phoenix in June with Boca - this would be a chance to road-trip with the Perfect Potcake, hang out in person some of the wonderful people I've met in the pet blogging community, and of course learn more about growing and improving my blog. I need to get Boca out and about more before then if I do intend to take her with me and practice road trip skills.

I've been talking about getting Ruby's trick dog certification for way too long, and I'm kick-starting our goal for 2016 by joining this free online trick training class hosted by Sarah Carson (of Super Collie fame). Ruby is working on some awesome new tricks and this will be just the inspiration we need to practice consistently.

Although I considered looking for a new home with a yard, that is on the back burner for the time being. The market in Denver is just too stressful and my little town home really is perfect for us with that one exception. It's still in the longer-term forecast, but for now Ruby will be limited to 50 feet of freedom on her new long-line, a Christmas gift from my dad. My aunt did take the real estate leap and will have a huge fenced yard we can visit in the new year.

Thanks so much for joining us here in this gingery space, and I can't wait to see what 2016 has in store!