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!

Feline Friday - My Demon Cat

I was trying to get a nice picture of Nin sitting on my lap last night The light wasn't the best and I ended up with this:

The sweet old man looks like the spawn of the devil! LOL!

Christmas card update:

We got some more Christmas cards in the mail this week bringing our total to:

Pups: 54 (yes they got 3 more cards this week)

People: 23 (we got one more)

Congratulations to Murphy and Stanley (http://murphyandstanley.blogspot.ca) on their inauguration today. 

Training Thursday - Trick or Torture?

One of my personal goals this winter, when getting out to exercise becomes a challenge, is to work on teaching the pups new tricks.

I picked "back up" as the first new trick of the year.

Hailey picked this up quickly as you will see (she does it right when I give the right cue).

Zaphod on the other hand is terrified of this trick. I read online to teach it by getting your dog to sit and then giving the command. If the pup doesn't follow it to step toward them and they should move back, when they move back reinforce that. Well when you step toward Phod, he stands there. When you step right in front of him he becomes nervous and then turns around and goes and lays down. When I tried to push this a bit, he became confused and upset and actually gave me a short bark (which is so not Zaphod). My guess is that somehow this "towering over him" or stepping toward him causes anxiety likely related to the abuse he suffered prior to being rescued. While I am still putting in one or two "back ups" in his training blocks, I am not pushing it. I am trying to pair this command with good things and hope that we can help him overcome the fear associated with it.  Will let you know how it goes.

Wordless Wednesday - Curled Up

Cuddle Up Day

I saw over at Ranger's, on his wacky holiday list, today is cuddle up day. Given our temperatures have dropped to around -15 C to -20 C [5F to - 5F] (and that is during the day, without the wind - it is colder with the wind and over night) it is the perfect time to cuddle up.

Here are two besties sharing a spot by the fire.

Old Nin and Hailey

Mischief Monday - A Story About A Misbehaved Zaphod

Yes, you are reading that correctly, this is a story about Zaphod and mischief.

It happened last week after my parents had left. I took Hailey and Zaphod for our morning walk. As we were coming back, our neighbour came out of the bush on his ATV with his  off leash dog, a 10 year old weimaraner named Ghost.

The guilty party

This was very arousing for my two. I can't even remember the last time we saw another dog while we were walking. They both got out of control and I was doing my best to get them to sit and relax but ended up being dragged into a tree and totally tangled by Zaphod (it is a miracle I didn't fall). I made the wrong decision (I will take responsibility for this) to let go of Zaphod. I thought him being off leash and not wrapped around me may make him calmer. What happened is he took a flying leap, teeth bared on Ghost. I was able to grab him and put him in a submissive pose before anyone was hurt. Ghost looked confused and then to further torture my two walked very slowly down the road. (While his owner did try and call him away).

Why do I think this happened?
1) My dogs don't see enough other dogs on leash
2) They were both very aroused (the ATV probably didn't help)
3) Since we have lived here Ghost's owner fostered another weimaraner named Shadow. Shadow was aggressive with Zaphod several times (and actually bit the Man one time) and I think Zaphod has confused the two and was trying to protect us.

What I learned:
If I am going to let Zaphod off leash to greet Ghost (as he is the dog we are most likely to see and Ghost is never on leash), I need to do it before his arousal gets too high. I also need to find ways to have the two of them meet other dogs on leash. It is hard because our walks are usually very early before reasonable people walk their dogs and if I am alone, I can't control the two. Also, while there are a lot of dogs around in the country, I only see 2 other people out walking them at all (and one I know has unfriendly dogs). I guess when the weather gets better we are going to have to go to the city more to test his social skills.

That was Zaphod's mischief. I was left upset and shaking, but in the end no one was hurt, so I guess that is what matters.

Black and White Sunday - Snow

This picture was taken last year - I haven't been out with the camera today. The snow is back. We got at least 5 cm yesterday.

The weather in December was a bit weird. We got a little bit of snow and then it was unseasonably warm (Christmas day was 8 C/46 F with rain) so all the snow went away. Last week, the temperatures were more seasonable (around -10 C/14 F and -15 C/5 F). This coming week it is going to be more what we would expect for January (highs of -14 C / 7 F and lows of -25 C/ - 13 F).

I do dread the drop in temperature as it makes it more difficult to get good walks in with the pups. Hailey in particular is very sensitive to the cold and will outright refuse to walk if it is too cold. (We have tried boots etc but she won't keep them on).

Stay warm everyone!