I decided we’d take part in the Pet Blogger Challenge today because it just seems fun and I want to let everyone get to know us a little more. So here we go!
1. When did you begin your blog?
My first blog post was on Sunday, January 24th, 2010. I’m almost at my 1 year blogiversary!
2. What was your original purpose for starting a blog?
I first started this blog after I found out about Riley’s hip dysplasia diagnosis. I originally thought she was going to have to have a Triple Pelvic Osteotomy (TPO) surgery when we found out about the diagnosis and I wanted to chronicle what having the surgery was like so other dog owners that went through a TPO would know what to expect. Riley didn’t end up having to have the surgery but I just kept going with this blog anyway.
3. Is your current purpose the same? If not, what’s different?
As I mentioned above, Riley didn’t end up needing to have the surgery done, so the purpose of this blog changed. Now I focus more on our day-to-day life and our adventures in being a therapy dog team. Riley will most likely have to have a Total Hip Replacement down the line sometime and I want to chronicle that so other people whose dogs have to have the surgery will know what it is like.
4. Do you blog on a schedule or as the spirit moves you? If the latter, do you worry about… well, whatever you might worry about (e.g. losing traffic, losing momentum)?
I don’t blog on a set schedule. I try to get about 4 to 5 posts up a week but I don’t always meet my goal. I don’t really worry too much about losing traffic or momentum. I know the people that like to keep up with us will keep up with us no matter how often we post. I don’t have any goals as to how many visitors or comments I want to get each week. I’m just happy that people are reading and following along!
5. Are you generating income from your blog? If not currently, do you hope to in the future–and how?
I’m not currently generating any income from this blog. I probably won’t want to in the future either. I mean, money’s nice and all, but it’s not the purpose for this blog.
6. What do you like most about blogging in general and your blog in particular (bragging is good!)?
There are a few things I really like about blogging. Number one is that I can keep up with what has happened in Riley’s life (I wish I would’ve started my blog when I first got Riley when she was 7 weeks old!) and I can quickly look back on my blog and see when we went to the vet last, when she had her nails trimmed last, and when she had a bath or therapy visit last without having to look through my paper records here at home. I also LOVE the funny comments we get from all the other pet bloggers! My whole family likes to read the comments because there are usually some pretty funny comments on each post.
7. What do you like least?
There really isn’t anything I don’t like about blogging. I don’t feel pressure to post every single day and I haven’t had any bad experiences with any of the other bloggers.
8. How do you see your blog changing/growing in 2011?
I’d like to get permission from people on our therapy visits and include pictures of therapy visits for everyone to see. I don’t currently post pictures of therapy visits due to privacy, but if I had written permission, I could. I also don’t post pictures of therapy visits because I’m the only one that goes with Riley on the visits and I don’t really have enough hands/attention to handle her and a camera and interact with the people we’re interacting with on visits. I’d also like to gain more followers in 2011!!
Adventures of a Cattle Dog 
I enjoyed reading more about your blog. I agree, I SO wish we would've started our blog when Gus was a puppy!
I have a feeling you will get lots of new followers!Hugs,
One of my few dog-related regrets is that I have no photos from my dear departed Heidi's brief career in animal-assisted therapy, due to the same reasons you speak of. I hope you do go through with getting the permissions and someone to help with photos, how wonderful that would be to have pictures along with the stories. AAT is such a rewarding thing to participate in.
Thanks for sharing more about you blog..We love reading about Riley. We'll keep reading!!
Enjoyed reading your answers – no surprise there, because I always enjoy your posts! 🙂
Happy almost anniversary! We just celebrated ours! It looks like 2010 was the year of the pet blogger. 🙂 http://www.mytailhurtsfromwaggingsomuch.com
Great Q and A!We really enjoy your blog and would love to see more therapy visits and pics!
That was enjoyable. Thanks for posting your challengeBenny & Lily
It would be great to see pics of your therapy sessions! Perhaps I could show them to Buster and convince him to stop acting like such a goofball so that we could do something like that! Thanks so much for participating in the challenge – it was great to learn a bit more about you!
We love your posts! And photos of the therapy visits would be really cool, we vote yes!
Glad we found your blog though the challenge. Liked when you mentioned the comments. That is for me also one of the highlights of blogging!
Well Holy beers I didn't realize you had been blogging fur almost a year! Then how comes it took us so long to find eachothers blog?Likes your answer bouts da money. Moi, I just heres to haves fun…guess you knew dat though!Puddles
We are sure glad that you started to blog no matter what the original plan. We love seeing Riley since of course she is a heeler. hehe Maybe we are a bit prejudice?Big Sloppy KissesGus, Louie and Callie
Hello there Riley. You are the first therapy dog I've met. Does that mean you have a real job and can make money to buy your own bones and liver treats? You sound VERY SPECIAL :)Have a great day!
Thanks for sharing your challenge answers with us. It's nice to learn more about you.
I am so glad you participated. Your blog is one of the ones I love checking because it always makes me smile. Riley, despite any health issues, always looks up for a new challenge. She is one interesting little dog!You've mentioned her hip displaysia before and I hope you have found a lot of support in the community from others who have gone through the same things. Sharing your experiences is always a huge help to others. Thank you for starting this blog in order to do so. May you have many cheerful adventures ahead of you!
That was great! I love to learn more about my friends!
Riley is a gorgeous dog! Thanks for visiting my blog about Buzz and letting me know about YOUR blog. 🙂 Looking forward to reading more! 🙂
Thanks for joining us! I'm belatedly getting around to reading all the posts and especially want to welcome bloggers that I haven't met before. I agree that Riley is awesome.
Thanks for sharing your experiences in the blog hop! I would *love* to see therapy dog pictures if you can get them 🙂
We have gone through two hip replacements and it was the best thing we ever did for our dogs. When the time does come (and we're expecting it with our Newf next), I hope it eases your mind a bit to know somebody who can vouch for the procedure.Jack, our dysplastic lab, did wonderfully with his, no longer whining in his sleep fromm lack of commfort. And then there was Bill, a 130 pound Pitty/Border Collie rescue who was likely tied to a stake and free fed in somebody's yard at best guess. He had obviously never been in a house and was so fat that he certainly wasn't a stray. We got him down to 100 pounds with a lot of exercise and relieved the joint pressure a bit, but the damage was already done. These hip replacements took away so much pain, allowing each dog to play happily for another 5-6 years before passing away. It was more than giving these dogs a second chance. They each got a second life.
We have lots in common! One of my dogs is a cattle dog x, she's a certified therapy dog & she has hip dysplasia! Crazy! Happy almost 1 year blog anniversary 🙂
I love cattle dogs. They are one of the breeds I think of when I get on one of my "Doodlebug needs a buddy" phases. Looking forward to reading more of your posts in the future 🙂
Glad I found you through the challenge. Thought on therapy visit pictures–have you talked to the marketing/publicity/fund raising person for the agencies you visit? Maybe they'd be interested in taking pictures to promote themselves and allow you to use them in your blog.Good luck in the New Year.