We may not speak their language, but we love learning about the dogs that call Red Ledges home. In this issue of The Ledger, the Red Ledges team shares this article in loving memory of Saida. Unfortunately, Saida’s health deteriorated before this article was published.
Hi, my name is Rudy. I am a two-year-old field retriever, and my dog parents are Tina and Jay Rubins. When it came time to pick my name, my parents drew inspiration from local artist Corrine Humphry.
Humphry is a writer and illustrator who designs greeting cards, books, and journals that her dogs inspire. At an art fair in Park City, Tina and Jay purchased Wake Up to Love! Lessons on Friendship from a Dog Named Rudy—then named me after the dog in the book.
Twelve years ago, Tina and Jay brought Saida, my sister, home after returning from a trip to South Africa. Their trip inspired her name; in Swahili, Saida means happiness—which suited her because of the way Saida smiled at everyone until the day she died.
But what has made our dog life so special is the time we spent together as a family. Tina and Jay let Saida and me spend a lot of time playing on the tenth hole of the Red Ledges’ 12-hole Golf Park. Our humans also arranged for us to go on hikes with our dog friends Milo, Paula, and Kenai.
Although there are a lot of hikes in and immediately around Red Ledges, Saida and I loved it when Tina and Jay took us to hike Crystal Lake Loop in the Uinta Mountains. Why? Because the Uinta Mountains have an elevation of 13,528 feet and range from northeastern Utah to southern Wyoming.
Part of the Uintas is in the National Forest. In some of these areas, dogs like Saida and I are welcome and can even be off-leash. But the added advantage to going to Crystal Lake Loop is that dogs have many opportunities to swim and play in the water. Additionally, from Red Ledges, we got an hour car ride to the trailhead!
Tina and Jay have always taken outstanding care of Saida and me—no matter what we were doing. While hiking, our humans ensured no one drank the trail-side water, which could potentially make us sick, and brought enough water for everyone.
While on the trails, Tina and Jay always carry a whistle to call us back if we get too far away. Although Saida and I always liked to explore—we wanted to wait for our dog parents to catch up so we could spend more time together on these special outings.
Tina and Jay knew that if humans like to snack on granola bars while hiking, Saida and I would also like a treat. Tina and Jay AWAYS brought our favorite dog treats, which enhanced the memories we made together.
As Saida got older, I remember she still loved hiking but wasn’t up to going too far. When planning a hike for the family, Tina and Jay always chose more accessible hikes, making sure the distance was five miles or less. This ensured that everyone, including Saida, could go and still have a great time!
With Utah’s changing seasons, some families spend less time being active with their fur babies. But not our humans! Instead of sitting around, our dog parents would strap snowshoes to their feet, and just like in the summer—we hit the trails. If we liked swimming in the summer—you know we liked playing in the snow!
Saida was an incredible and loyal dog pal to our friends and to me. In the time I knew her, I learned a lot from Saida. I know that, along with Tina and Jay, we will all miss her.