Sunday, January 11, 2015

Fashionably Late - The Pet Blogger Challenge



I know most folks have already posted to the Go Pet Friendly Pet Blogger's Challenge. I'm not usually late to anything but time has been at a premium lately and Sunday night is when I have found some spare time. I'll jump right in.....

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.

My blog is and always has been a place where I record the life and times of my two Cardigan Welsh Corgis, Wilson and Jimmy. I enjoy photography and the blog gives me a spot to showcase what I see and how I see it. I've been keeping this going for about 5 and a half years, and that still surprises me, as does the fact that people keep coming back to see what I post!




2. Tell us one thing that you accomplished on your blog during 2014 that made you proud.

I join the weekly BlogPaws blog hop called Wordless Wednesdays. I've had a theme going where I try to title my post with primarily words starting with the letter "W" and feature a photograph of Wilson that goes along with the title. It's not always easy to follow that format, but except for maybe one or two Wednesdays, I've kept it going all year. It's still going in 2015.




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?

Blogging is very much a two way street. If you enjoy the comments your readers leave (and who doesn't?! It's a big part of the reward in blogging.), you have to be sure to get around and visit your fellow bloggers and leave comments for them to enjoy.

4. What have you found to be the most successful way to bring traffic to your blog, other than by writing great content?

The two things that have worked the best for me is joining blog hops and linking to my blog from my FaceBook page. I haven't gone the route of Twitter yet but I know that one is important as well.

5. What was your most popular blog post this year? Did it surprise you that it was your most popular?

My most popular post of all time is Wilson Wasn't Wasteful on Wordless Wednesday . It's been hit 25859 times since it was posted in April of 2014, yet has only 21 comments. Darn those spammers! They still hit it every single day and it messes with my stats! I'd say any of my Wordless Wednesdays are always the crowd favorite.




6. What was your favorite blog post to write this year?

I think my favorite was the post where I reported that Jimmy and I had finally earned our MACH agility title. That accomplishment had been years in the making and I was so proud of both of us!




7. Has your policy on product reviews and/or giveaways changed this year?

I don't really have a policy. I would be happy to review products I believe in but I've only been asked to do it one time. I had a blast coming up with a fun post. I tend to be more of a photography based blog so I guess it doesn't look like a likely place for doing reviews.

8. What’s your best piece of advice for other bloggers?

Blog for yourself. Write and photograph in a manner that pleases you. You eventually find that you are sinking many hours into this "hobby", so you might as well be happy with the results. I know I will be very glad to have this blog to look back on years from now (assuming Blogger doesn't fade away into the next big thing....heaven forbid!)

9. What goals do you have for your blog in 2015?

Keep it going! It can be very easy to lose your mojo when things outside of blogging get busy and call you away. I truly want this story to continue.

10. If you could ask the pet blogging community for help with one challenge you’re having with your blog, what would it be?

I guess my biggest challenge is what I said in #9, keeping this going, keeping it fresh. Where does everyone get their inspiration? How do you keep from repeating yourself?

So there you have it. I cranked those answers out in one sitting, just letting my thoughts flow from the mood I am in right now. Let me say thank you to Go Pet Friendly for hosting this interesting blog hop. I hope I can make some new blogging friends as I make the rounds.

PS Thanks to Pamela at Something wagging This Way Comes for suggesting I join the hop. I needed the push to try something new.




18 comments:

  1. So glad you did it. That means you've already answered your last question. :)

    I'm a rotten photographer so I'd never do it. But I have been seeing lots of photo challenges lately--post on a theme every week, look for something beautiful, improve your photography by trying to take pics better than your 10 best of the past year.

    Perhaps one of the photography challenges would inspire you on the blog.

    And sorry about the spammers. It sounds like google isn't doing a very good job of protecting you from them. They should know better.

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  2. I've loved your Wordless Wednesday posts. They make me smile weekly! And, I also loved your MACH post with Jimmy, because I knew how hard you'd worked for it.

    As for #10, I'm afraid I can't help. I do find that the posts that I write super-spontaneously (and very fast) sometimes end up being my favorites. So, I try not to plan too much :)

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  3. We love your Wednesday alliteration. Keep them coming.....no pressure or anything..BOL!

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  4. Well, I just loves you guys, cause you are always having fun off leash! Ma says I have terrible recall, so I am always on leash in public..pfffft!
    So I live vicariously through you guys!
    Hey, catch me a rat next time, okay? ☺
    Kisses,
    Ruby ♥

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  5. Great post!! I love your blog!! Your boys are just too cute! I love your Wilson Wordless Wednesday posts!! :D

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  6. Crikey this challenge thing sure is teachin' me something. I thought EVERYONE just did this for fun like Mum and me. You find it hard to think stuff up and keep it fresh? Well knock me down with a feather. Who knew?? I think you think stuff up real good. It ALWAYS seems fresh to me. I love the W's thing and your pictures are FANTASTIC. Crikey ...... I just enjoy it the way it is .....

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  7. great answers your photography is a major inspiration I need to get a decent camera

    retro rover

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  8. Love your answers! I'm sorry about the spammers - we started getting hit about the time Sam passed away. I had to change the options for comments which made me sort of sad - I lost some really great "anonymous" folks - I knew them, they just didn't have Google accounts. I think I'm finally getting them blocked. It's been about a month since a new one cropped up. Keeping fingers crossed!

    Monty and Harlow

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  9. I love your photos and stories of Wilson and Jimmy. Wordless Wednesdays are particularly wonderful; Wilson is such a trooper. Kraken agility is right up there, too, in my book!

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  10. Good job guys. We enjoyed reading your opinions and answers
    Lily & Edward

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  11. I'm so glad you joined the hop! Wow 5 years, way to go. Just keep doing what your doing, it's working good.

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  12. Bravo I loved your answers. Congrats on coming up with W words for a year and pictures to match that is hugh and congrats on Jimmy's MACH title that is grand!

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  13. Wow - 5 years! That's great. And you know I love your W Wordless Wed posts! I worry about finding inspiration too - I never have to many ideas ahead of time. I almost always just come up with the idea for a post a day or so ahead. Something almost always comes up though! (And I agree with Pamela - maybe you should try one of the photography challenges, like the one on The Lazy Pitbull.)

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  14. I love your advice! That is what I recently realized and I think blogging will be a lot easier for me now :)

    My inspiration comes from the voices inside my head. Sometimes they are on a roll and sometimes they go completely silent. I'm sure that doesn't help you very much ;)

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  15. We had a Cardi puppy join our neighborhood going by the name of BigFoot :)

    I think on more than one occasion I've written the same post. I think for me if it becomes important again and I'm passionate about it I like to put pen to paper. A good example for me is I know I've written several post about bringing home a puppy, but each time I have a little bit different perspective and I also feel like I'm always learning something new.

    As a puppy raiser I have a new puppy every 18 months. Every 18 months I have a new inspiration. Also, when things are getting dull I will enroll my dogs in new activities like K9 Nosework, Agility, Obedience, etc. These activities always inspire me to write on new subjects.

    Good luck in 2015!

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  16. I love your pictures! They're beautifully done and always make me smile.

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  17. Thanks so much for joining the Challenge this year, Taryn! I'm really glad Pamela suggested it, and delighted you played along. Also, congratulations on getting your r MACH agility title - what an accomplishment! The training, time, and dedication that are required to make that happen leave me in awe.

    Hmmm ... inspiration is a tricky thing. My topics come more easily because we're traveling and writing about the places we visit and our experiences along the way. However, when we are stationary, I find a lot of inspiration in reading other blogs. I love taking a topic, thanking the author for getting my wheels turing, and then presenting my own take. I'm pretty opinionated, so it's not too hard for me to find something that gets me stirred up.

    I really enjoyed your post and I hope you have a fantastic 2015!

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  18. impressive work, some of nice ideas you have shared so far Lost and found

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