Saturday, January 10, 2015

5th Annual Pet Blog Challenge

First, we celebrate box day for Madi (http://downhomeinnc.blogspot.ca)



Now the pet blog challenge

1. How long have you been blogging? And, for anyone stopping by for the first time, please give us a quick description of what your blog is about.
I have been blogging for 4 year 4 months. I started this blog so the people who rescued my Hailey could see how she was doing and to cope with her challenges. It is now a place where I share my adventures with my pets. 
2. Tell us one thing that you accomplished on your blog during 2014 that made you proud.
Hmmmm, if I made people smile, then I am proud. 
3. What lessons have you learned this year – from other blogs, or through your own experience – that could help us all with our own blogs?
I have gotten a lot of ideas about training and sharing training tips from other blogs. I am always the most inspired when other people share true stories about the challenges they face with their fur kids. I think being honest about it is helpful.
4. What have you found to be the most successful way to bring traffic to your blog, other than by writing great content?
Regularly visiting other blogs and participating in blog events. 
5. What was your most popular blog post this year? Did it surprise you that it was your most popular?
According to the stats my Wordless Wednesday post called Guard Phod, which was a picture of Phod looking out the window, was the most popular. I am always amazed that anyone other than my mother visits the blog. 
6. What was your favorite blog post to write this year?
I never have a favourite post. My favourite ones are pictures I was trying to capture that turn out perfect or when they totally don't and are just so funny! 
7. Has your policy on product reviews and/or giveaways changed this year?
No. In general I just share information about products I have come across that I like. 
If you do reviews, what do you find works best, and what doesn’t work at all?
If you don’t do reviews, is this something you’d like to do more of? What hurdle is getting in your way?
I am just not organized enough when we try new things. 
8. What’s your best piece of advice for other bloggers?
Write what you know and love. Be honest. 
9. What goals do you have for your blog in 2015?
I don't have any at this time. 
10. If you could ask the pet blogging community for help with one challenge you’re having with your blog, what would it be?
The biggest challenge I have is keeping up with everyone else's blogs. I know the work that goes into them but it is impossible to visit everyone everyday, and I always feel a little bad about it. I would love to know how others do it!

20 comments:

  1. Hi hi hi! Ojo here! That is a very nice box.

    We visit your blog because you have pawesome photos, and also because Hailey and Zaphod are kind of like us, and Lee is clearly my cousin and perhaps Phod is a cousin of Cobi. And also we visit you because, like you said, our person feels better hearing other stories of doggy challenges.

    Our person works with Dogs in a professional capacity, and some of her clients found and follow her blog and so she needs to keep most of our mischief out of it just in case it would get misconstrued.

    This means we are somewhat edited (we have many mischiefs indeed!), and sadly I am not allowed to brag about how many bunnies I have caught on our public blog. However I CAN brag about it to Lee and Phod, and so you are our online friends.

    We too have a hard time keeping up with other bloggers, but your blog is one of the few that we always go back through to make sure we see any missed posts and pictures. So we really do enjoy your blog!

    Many licks and wags,
    Ojo (+ Cobi + person)

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  2. Yes, great job with the box! It's nice hearing your answers to the challenge!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  3. Your box is similar in size to the one we gave Madi. As for the answer to your last question...I have categorized blogs in my reader into two groups, ones I comment regularly on (of which yours is) and ones I rarely comment on. That way I can speed read through the non comment ones.

    The truth is that I still sometimes struggle to visit everyone's blog daily that I want to comment on. I've learned since I've had health problems and it has been difficult to sit at a computer sometimes to just let it go and comment when the spirit moves me.

    My general rule of thumb is that if someone comments on my blog then I will try harder to visit theirs and leave a comment. I feel that blogging should be a give and take. We can't give as much of our time to bloggers that just can't find the time to acknowledge (give to) us. My two categories have 80 (comment on blogs) and 140 (non comment) blogs in them. While I appreciate the effort to post every day by some bloggers it can be a lot to keep up with.

    Well that is my 2 cents on keeping up with everyone's blogs. I love visiting yours because your Hailey is so much like Millie and I have a special soft spot in my heart for German Shepherds (our first 3 dogs were GSD's).

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  4. I know what you mean. I set a goal to visit and comment on all blogs on the hop - I just refreshed my page one last time and saw you there - #60! If you do this every day that is really impressive.

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  5. Keeping up with others' blogs is difficult. We just enjoy hearing about other dogs (and pets) and the places they live and what they're getting up to.

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  6. Great post!! I love your blog!! :D I agree with you! It can be a full time job visiting everyone else's blogs! :D

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  7. Just love your answers! We agree that it is time consuming to visit other blogs, but you do the best you can :-).
    Smileys!
    Dory, Jakey, Arty & Bilbo

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  8. Great answers! I'll admit, I'm behind on reading blogs more than I'm caught up. I try to dedicate a little time each day (usually early morning - I am awake due to headaches). If I fall behind I try to read the posts and at least comment on the latest one. I think we all understand. For most of us, this is a labor of love.

    Monty and Harlow

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  9. it is hard sometimes to keep up with all the blogs - life has a habit of getting in the way of our good intentions

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  10. that's THE question, I would like to know how all other people can manage that :o) I sometimes feel so bad that I haven't the time every post deserved :o(
    Easy Rider

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  11. Great answers!!! Keeping up with all the blogs is what we are finding the hardest. We don't want to ignore anyone's blog because if you make the effort, we feel you should have someone respond!

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  12. Love your answers...frankly I don't have all the time in the world... i try to read as many blogs as possible, but don't necessarily leave comments all the time. :)

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  13. "I am always amazed that anyone other than my mother visits the blog." Bwa ha ha. My mother wouldn't visit my blog if I paid her. :)

    It's worse to stress about not visiting other blogs. You'll just make yourself crazy. I don't expect everyone I know and love to comment on every post. Every comment is a gift. So don't think commenting is a job. It's a fun gift.

    I do a couple of things to keep up.

    I use Feedly to stay organized and try to look at blogs and comment a couple of times a week. But I always visit the blogs of people who comment at my blog. It's part of being a good host. And then of course, I see other people I love commenting on blog so I just hop over there quickly.

    If I'm really busy, I try to focus on commenting on newer blogs. I figure they need the encouragement more. If someone is already getting 50 comments, they probably won't notice I'm missing.

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  14. I am with ya on the blog-visiting guilt. In the beginning I used to visit 30 blogs every day. I think I barely visited 30 last year! Life circumstances, and the effort I put into my blog, have changed and just doesn't allow for it anymore. I still feel bad on a regular basis though. I really like the pet blogger challenge and make an effort to visit every entry. It's my once a year chance to touch base with old friends, and meet new ones, all in one place.

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  15. Great answers to the challenge questions! It can be difficult keeping up with everyone, and I think that most bloggers know and understand that. Many of us have other responsibilities. Just do the best you can and enjoy your blog. And making people smile is a wonderful thing. If you've done that, then by all accounts you are successful. :-)

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  16. Oh, I so agree about feeling bad about not visiting other blogs. I try so hard but I just can't get to all that I want to. I just do the best I can, and I'm sure you do too!

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  17. Using an RSS reader like Feedly is the best I can do to try and keep up with other bloggers. While I don't get a chance to read everyone's posts or comment on every blog getting the chance to read titles and short descriptions of posts at least gives me an idea of what's going on with most blogs I follow. Of course the titles/descriptions that catch my eye are the posts I read and comment on.

    I'm hoping to participate in pet blogger events this year. Best of luck to you in 2015!

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  18. YES, keeping up with all the great blogs I've found can be daunting! Bloglovin helps. I've JUST discovered Pinterst too, so maybe pinning the really good ones for later will help too. But if you do find a solution (short of winning the lottery so i don't have to waste precious reading time on work and chores) PLEASE share. -- K

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  19. Thanks so much for taking part in the Challenge! I completely agree with you - keeping up with all the blogs I'd like to read is overwhelming. In fact, it's just not possible. Between writing our own blogs, promoting our posts on social media, spending time with our pets and families, working, and having a bit of a life ... well, there are only so many hours in the day! My hope is that when I do have time to stop by and leave a comment my friends realize that I'd like to be there more often and I'm doing the best I can. Really, that's all any of us can do, so don't be too hard on yourself and have a great 2015.

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