Today I am participating in the Third Annual Pet Blogger Challenge sponsored by Go Pet Friendly!

This is an event for pet bloggers to share information and tips by answering a series of questions.

Since this is my first time participating, I am answering the set of questions assigned to first timers.

Here goes…

1. When did you begin your blog?

February 2009

2. What was your original purpose for starting a blog?

I started the blog as a hobby and to update family and friends about things we were doing with our dogs and their extended dog family.  I posted maybe twice a month and some months I did not post at all.  I limited myself to “newsworthy” items.

3. Is your current purpose the same?

Yes and no.

If not, what’s different?

I found that my readers are very receptive to learning about the field training we are doing with our dogs.  Many of my readers had never heard of this type of training.  I try to inform and educate, (in a fun way), about the value of training a dog for the purpose for which it has been bred.  I include the ups and the downs of our training/testing.  This type of training is a learning process for us and I try to share it all with my readers.

More broadly, I try to encourage people to do find something they enjoy doing with their dogs and get out and do that activity.  I have found that a lot of people have something in mind that they would like to do with their dogs, but are intimidated and don’t know how to get started.  I hope that by following our journey, they will feel like they can find that agility class, or an obedience class, or a dock diving venue and have fun with their dogs.

If so, how do you feel you’ve met your goals?

My blog is still my hobby.

4. How often do you post?

I try to post Monday through Friday.

5. Do you blog on a schedule or as the spirit moves you?

On schedule.

If you publish on a schedule, why? How strict are you about your publishing deadlines? What do you do for inspiration when it feels like you’ve covered every topic?

I try to post each morning because the timing works for me.  I participate in a few blog hops which help to inspire me and keep me on schedule.  I have many ideas for blog topics, but often run out of time to write them.

If you don’t publish on a schedule, why? How do you think your decision affects your audience? How do you know when a topic is “post-worthy?”

As far as a post being “post-worthy”, I tried that the first year or so of this blog and found that I got too bogged down in deciding what was “post-worthy” to actually post.  I gave that idea up because it did not work for me.

6. How much time do you spend writing your blog per week? How much time visiting other blogs? Share your tips for staying on top of it all.

I average about an hour per post or 5 hours per week.  Some posts take longer to write and proof than others but an hour a post is average.  I usually spend about 2 hours per day reading (Monday through Friday), so maybe 10 hours per week.  I have no tips to stay on top of it because I am always behind in my reading.  I have limited time and I try to get around to read and comment as time allows.

7. How do you measure the success of a post and of your blog in general (comments, shares, traffic)?

If someone learns something new or sees something in a different light, then I consider the post a success.

Do you look strictly at the numbers, or do you have a way of assessing the quality of those interactions?

See above.

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

How do you make your blog’s Facebook page and twitter feed work together with your blog rather than just repeating blog posts?

9. What goals do you have for your blog in 2013?

Along with my regular posts, I would like to add some posts more specific to owning a purebred dog, (since that is what we have).  For example, posts related to health and health screening, or posts about what we looked for when deciding to get our dogs, or co-owning a dog and what that entails, or what information you can find on the pedigree.  These would be once a month or so.  I have a lot of ideas for posts floating around in my head, and a goal is to actually write some of them this year.

I also got a new camera recently.  I hope to learn how to use it and improve the quality of the pictures I share on this blog.

Thanks to Amy from Go Pet Friendly for sponsoring the Third Annual Pet Blogger Challenge.  To see the other blogs participating or to enter your blog, go here.

And just because I feel like I should include a picture…

Thunder Is Wondering Why Storm Feels The Need To Eat Ice Off Of The Railing