The 2012 Pet Blogger Challenge – my answers
The PBC...but on Jan. 11 for the chronically late.
For the second year in a row, the bloggers at Go Pet Friendly and Will My Dog Hate Me? organized a pet blogger challenge for Jan. 10. Of course I’m a day late posting my answers – and yeah, I know, timing in dog training is everything.
But honestly, it took me that look to figure out where I’m going here, and what I want to do. The questions helped me take a good hard look at Dog Trainer’s Log: where it’s been, where it’s going, and where I WANT it to go in 2012. Even more important, the challenge incorporates the most critical component. It asked me to figure out HOW I was going to get to where I want to go in 2012.
My answers are:
1. When did you begin your blog? I started Dog Trainer’s Log based in 2009, from posts excerpted from my cancer survivorship blog Life Out Loud (begun in 2005.)
2. What was your original purpose for starting a blog? I wanted to showcase my dog writing.
3. Is your current purpose the same? Yes, but…
If not, what’s different? My training adventures now exlore what it’s like to foster and train retired racing greyhounds, and teach high-prey dogs how to live with cats.
If so, how do you feel you’ve met your goals? Not completely, needs improvement!
4. Do you blog on a schedule or as the spirit moves you? As the spirit moves me (and my chemo side effects permit.)
If the latter, do you worry about… well, whatever you might worry about (e.g. losing traffic, losing momentum)? I worry about losing momentum and readers, but do try to keep the blog fresh by linking to my other blogs and to my Syracuse Dog Training Examiner column.
5. Are you generating income from your blog? Only a bit, indirectly.
If so, how (e.g. sponsor ads, affiliate relationships, spokesperson opportunities)? Mainly by generating interest in my writing which has led to reprints of blog posts and other writing assignments.
If not currently, do you hope to in the future — and how? Still thinking about that.
6. What do you like most about blogging in general and your blog in particular (bragging is good!)? Getting my thoughts out there, and touching base with other bloggers of similar (and dissimilar) mind.
7. What do you like least? Let’s be honest – sometimes writing is hard. 
8. How do you see your blog changing/growing in 2012? I’ll be expanding more on the inter-species (dog/cat) interactions and how to foster better behavior from both dogs and cats. And I’ll be trying to convey more about the human/animal bond when the human is sick and the animals provide solace.
There – now I’ve said it all out loud in pixels for everyone to read. Guess I’d better deliver!
See other bloggers taking the 2012 Pet Blogger Challenge here.
January 11th, 2012 at 9:02 pm
Just found your blog through the Challenge – I enjoyed reading your post. Sounds like you have quite a bit of blogging experience… I can’t wait to poke around your site and read more of your content.
January 12th, 2012 at 12:29 am
Thanks for the kind words, Pup Fan. I have been blogging for awhile…but sometimes the simple stuff (like including the challenge’s Linky List) still stymie me.
There’s always something new to learn.
January 15th, 2012 at 7:23 pm
I suspect your writing on the comfort animals can bring a person dealing with illness will get a lot of attention. I wish you lots of luck in sharing your thoughts in the coming year.
BTW, I live in Ithaca. You are the closest pet blogger I’ve found so far.
January 15th, 2012 at 8:18 pm
Hi, Pamela. Thanks for stopping by. There are actually a couple of other bloggers very close to us – Kate Eldredge, in Ithaca and Utica blogs at The Pawprint Chronicles and her mom Deb Eldredge, DVM, blogs occasionally at Petwriter, when she isn’t writing Utica Dogs, Utica Pet Health, and the Dog Products and Belgian Tervuren columns for Examiner.com. The issue, as always, is too few hours in the day. Come back any time, and hope to see you around a dog event sometime.
January 18th, 2012 at 7:03 pm
Better late than never! I’m glad you enjoyed the Challenge. Edie and I found it so useful last year to lay out our thoughts and plans for the year that we just knew we had to do it again. The truly revealing part is when you get to read the post you wrote the previous year and see what you’ve accomplished. I hope 2012 brings you good health, and many successful and happy foster placements.