The Third Annual Pet Blogger Challenge: January 10 2013

 Thanks to Something Wagging, and Tales and Tails, I remembered the Pet Blogger Challenge way in advance this time!

1. How long have you been blogging and provide a link to your post from last year’s Pet Blogger Challenge so we can refresh our memories.

I've been Blogging since April 7 of 2011. Last year I almost forgot!

2. What do you consider the most important goals you set out in last year’s post?

The educational ones. While not every post I have is informational, I do try to maintain a consistent level of points on what I feel is responsible dog ownership, good training, and good feeding. This year, especially in November and December, I tried to call more attention to Doberman rescue, and activities and fundraisers involving those. 

3. Have you made progress toward those goals, or have your goals changed over the past year?

I think I've actually read fewer dog training books over the last year, so I need to adjust that certainly. I do think I've maintained a goo dlevel of responsibility without creeping into self-righteousness too often (yeah, I know I do it. Don't worry.)

4. How often do you post?

Typically Monday through Friday, sometimes with extras. 

5. Has your opinion of blogging on a schedule or as the spirit moves you changed?

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?

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?”

I started posting on a schedule mostly because I didn't want to have to scramble for material. If I know I'm doing M-F, other days optional, then I can actually compose posts ahead of time, take pictures with an eye toward entries, and lay out what exactly I'm doing, with or without blog hops. 

 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.

Oh goodness, I'm pretty sure I don't actually stay on top of it all! I do daily try to go through my list of people I follow, and comment on the entries that have inspired a thought, or that I feel I can contribute to the discussion on. I'm not really sure how much time daily I spend on the actual writing and commenting, in addition to (rather sporadically, as of late) answering the comments on my own blog. At least an hour, certainly.

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

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

I look at the numbers of pageviews, but also how many people commented, whether it drew in a new (non spam) commenter, that sort of thing. Sometimes I like a post, anyway, even if nobody else seems to have!

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

I'm not sure I can say right out that I'm having any issues. I feel as though my traffic is decent, I dearly love my readers and commenters, and really just take things as they come.

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

I'd like to continue to have videos on the Youtube. I intend to crack the books some more, both to do reviews of them and to learn/discuss more training techniques. I want to do more Command Clinic posts, as I've been more sporadic with them than I originally intended, and Elka certainly has a number of cues I can expound upon. I intend to continue posting about Doberman rescues, their fundraisers, and about dogs in need.