Feigning Ferocious

The Smackdown

  The Snarly Standoff

Ginger Snaps

Ginger Derps

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Boca's Gotcha Day Giveaway

In celebration of her first Gotcha Day - the day she arrived as a "foster" dog in Colorado after traveling all the way from the island of Grand Bahama - Boca would like to share some of her favorite things! Okay...that's not entirely true. Boca doesn't actually want to share her personal stash, but instead keep it all in the dragon's lair she's made out of her Molly Mutt bed. Fortunately, our awesome sponsors have generously provided the following prize package for one lucky reader to win:

• A dog duvet and matching stuff sack of your choice from Molly Mutt. I got tired of replacing polyfill beds when Ruby decided they were giant chew toys, and decided to try these dog duvets instead. They are available in a variety of sizes and indoor or outdoor fabrics in an array of stylish and adorable patterns. They can be filled with old towels, clothing, or even other dog beds. We are always getting compliments when I post pictures of the Ginger Sisters and their beds on Instagram.


• A $20 gift certificate from One Dog Organic Bakery, a sweet little dog treat company that we're very fond of. Not only do these treats contain healthy, all-natural ingredients, but every bag purchased is matched with a bag donated to the featured rescue organization of the month. In March, 60 bags of treats were donated to Boca's shelter! The Ginger Sisters' favorite are the ginger snaps (of course), and they have grown accustomed to a bedtime cookie each evening.


• Two Benebone Wishbone chews. These synthetic chew bones are made in the USA and come in Bacon and Peanut Butter flavors. They are a long-lasting and unique shape that dogs can really get a grip on. We always have two or three around the house and Boca likes to hoard them all for herself. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. One winner will be randomly selected and notified by email on or around May 5th and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. The prizes were provided by the brands listed above and I received no other compensation for this giveaway. 

One Year of Potcake Love

Boca has never once doubted that she was home.

One year ago today, I was anxiously checking my email for updates on Boca's flight from The Bahamas, made up of several legs with a layover in Florida. Her name was then Lydia, she had lived at The Humane Society of Grand Bahamas for about a year after being rescued from the streets, and she was supposed to be a foster dog. I didn't know what to expect...Ruby had made a few dog friends but was highly reactive to dogs in general and I was nervous about the initial meeting. I didn't know what Lydia would be unsure or afraid of, how she would do with my ancient little cat or what she would think of my hyperactive terrier.

I needn't have worried. The hardest thing about fostering Lydia was accepting my "failure" as a foster home - and that wasn't even hard. Pamela at Something Wagging This Way Comes reminds me that the goal of fostering is to find the dog its forever home, and in that case we succeeded wildly. Even though I didn't officially adopt her until May 18th, as far as Boca was concerned she went home from the airport on that evening at the end of last April. One year later and I can't imagine life without my goofy, gentle potcake. One day before her first Gotcha Day I wanted to reflect on some of my favorite things about Boca Face:

 

I love her snuggliness. She is the absolute best at squeezing herself in to the smallest space to be close to me, whether that's behind my knees or curled up next to my head on the pillow. She isn't pushy or wiggly, she just settles in with an uncannily soothing presence - my aunt says she is like a cup of chamomile tea. I decided to adopt her at a difficult time in my life, and I will never forget what a comfort Boca was, her affection and assurance a touchstone during uncertain days and nights.

 

I love her patience with Ruby. My nutty Border Jack can be relentlessly energetic, and Boca allows Ruby to tease her, jump on her, lounge on her and chew on her with limited scolding. They play so nicely together, which was one of my biggest concerns with having two again since my previous two always had a tense relationship. I adore watching the two of them interact and finding them in the cutest napping arrangements together, sharing the dog bed in the sun. Their perfectly coordinating colors and markings are just a small part of what makes them The Ginger Sisters.

Most of all, I love her Bocaness. Her ability to sleep in the weirdest positions, her funny underbite, her frog-legged sprawl, her sweet Eskimo kisses, they way she bumps the back of my legs when she wants to go for walk, how cooperative she has been with me and various vets through ear problems and eye problems, her lovely unhurried strolling pace on walks and how she wags her tail constantly outside, our shared belief that weekends are for sleeping in, putting up with wearing bubble wrap and other silly blogger stunts, what she has taught me about potcakes and other street dogs, her crazy "hubba hubba" growl-bark she makes to get Ruby to play, they way she opens her kennel door on her own, her folded in-between ears that are so expressive, how she gets so excited at meal time, the way she inspires people to smile everywhere she goes, and the ease and determination with which she made herself undeniably at home with us from the start.