My Corgi Licked My Brain

Previously published, but still true...

OK, maybe Jon Farleigh only managed to get the back of my eyeball (when I accidentally sucked his tongue up my nose, as he and Dewi tried to lick my face off!). Nevertheless, that's what I get for lying flat on my back to get these pictures of me for the "Meet the Bloggers" hop sweeping through pet blog-land this week (2013). 

OK, if I was truly, fully participating in the blog hop, I'd answer a handful of set questions about myself--like what's my favorite book, movie, food, actor, extracurricular activities, and whether or not I'm happy with the way I turned out in life (or something like that). But, I'm only half-participating, so I'm just gonna answer these three questions that I made up by myself:

1. If you had to transform into a fruit or vegetable, what would you choose to be?

A strawberry, because they wear their seeds on the outside. 

2. If you could choose one other breed of animal to have as a pet (hypothetically, of course), what would it be?

A cow, and I would call her Sugar Plum, milk her and churn my own butter.

3. What is the most embarrassing thing you've ever done?

In July of the summer between 4th and 5th grade, I laughed so hard I peed my pants sitting in a restaurant booth with my three younger* siblings. Specifically, on a family vacation in rural Pennsylvania, having lunch in a Friendly's restaurant full of older couples eating in complete, dreadful silence. Yeah, silence, until someone (not to be named) farted like a trumpet off a vinyl booth seat and I laughed so hard I slid under the table, cried in silent, side-splitting agony, and undammed a warm, yellow river all over myself. But the worst** was having to do the shimmy of shame (my brother playing wingman behind me with a strategically placed tray) to get out the front door. Damn vinyl seats. 

Anything else you all want to know? 

* I was 10 and was the oldest (and presumably, most mature) one at the table. Let that sink in a minute. (The 70's were the BEST, if you were a kid, y'all!)

** Actually, the worst might have been having to change into an outfit that was not a handmade, matching set to my two younger sisters'. (Think The Sound of Music, VonTrapp family matching outfits, except not made from expensive drapes, but inexpensive, terry cloth beach towels.)

Watch My #TrickorTreatDogs Smooch Me on Command and You Could Win Up to $1000 in Prizes!

Y'all! Jon Farleigh has a trick for you! And you know what else? We're giving away some dog crack (aka Jones Natural Chews Lamb Lung Puffs, provided by the company), because DOGS LOVE CRACK! Oh, and THIS!

Because of our friends at Kol's Notes and Beagles & Bargains - hosting this first-ever Trick or Treat Giveaway Hop-of-its-kind - we get to not only direct you to nine other awesome blogs and trick-performing dogs, but nine other treat giveaways AND, each time you enter one of THOSE, you'll be entered into the drawing for one of three magnificent GRAND prizes! All total, worth over $1000! (Details to follow.) But first...

Who wants to see how I taught Jon Farleigh to "give a kiss" on command?!

Everyone?! OK, yay!

Note: Incorrect form. Tip: DO NOT do as I did to get this photo op.
Smearing peanut butter on one's nose is NOT a part of training this trick. 

How to Teach a Dog to "Give a Kiss" in 6 Steps
(as opposed to just randomly shoving his tongue into your face at all times)

Before you start:
If you want to try this at home, you'll need a dog who likes to lick you on the face, specifically the mouth (as opposed to your eyelids or nostrils, for example, because redirecting the tongue is beyond the scope of this lesson). If you don't like being licked on the face by a dog, then, well, please read the directions anyway; there's a quiz. ;)

Step 1. Wait to catch one's dog in a happy, but calm (tired), mood.

Note: Yes, Jon Farleigh is quoting Rhett Butler from Gone With the Wind. And, yes, he's wearing mistletoe on his head. It's for effect, OK?

Step 2. Get within tongue-shot of his face in a non-threatening way (i.e., NO STARING into his eyes or anything; that's threatening).

Step 3. Pucker up and tell him (nicely) to "give a kiss."

Step 4. Keep puckering and wait for him to take the hint.
Note: If he doesn't, maybe lick your lips or gently blow a puff of air on his nose (trust me, it works).

Step 5. Immediately after one's dog gives the kiss (but only if he waited for your command), say "thank you." DO NOT skip this step!

Step 6. Reward him using the PRAISE suggestions* below.
Note: I have never used a treat to reward Jon Farleigh for a kiss. Wouldn't want him to confuse my lips for a spot of beef liver (or lamb lung) or anything. (But a little lamb lung later on that evening, when you're not in the mood for kisses, will be JUST FINE!) 

* Suggested praise for "giving a kiss": 

1) Squeal like a piglet with joy.

2) Use your baby voice and say, "Oh, who's the best doggy in the whole wide world?! for example.
3) Lavish large amounts of rubbing and scritching upon his furry self.

Caution: Squealing like a piglet might actually entice one's dog to lick even more, making it difficult to breathe without sucking his tongue into one's airway.

Result (after several repetitions of entire procedure over several days): One's dog can "give a kiss" when told to do so.

Important (personal) aside: Jon Farleigh will also give liberal kisses when not asked to, especially when I lie on the floor on my back, or put my face next to his on the couch/bed. My husband, incidentally, does not care for facial dog smooches, but that does not stop Jon Farleigh from surprising him (husband) with a frog-like lash to the cheek.

I think Jon Farleigh might be due for some continuing education. *sigh*

So, do you want to see Jon Farleigh in action? Check him out! (Totally unrehearsed, by the way.)

Just call him "Hot Lips" Cardigan (M.A.S.H. pun intended). ☺

To whom it may concern: Dewi is not a kisser (except for a few "fairy" kisses to the eyelids first thing in the a.m.). He is, however, an expert spooner.

Let's Talk About Doggy Crack and Giveaways for a Bit

We weren't compensated with free crack (puffs) or otherwise to say this stuff, y'all; my pets (and that goes for the dogs and half the cats) GO WILD for Jones Natural Chews Lamb Lung Puffs! And yes, it IS just about one of the grossest things imaginable to think about eating. That's OK, though. It's PURE, made in the USA (organ) meat. It looks like dehydrated, grilled portobello mushrooms (or a steak that's been run over by a truck), but it's light and easily broken into small pieces (really small pieces for cats) and they LOVE it. (Read my full review here.)

Yum! (Oh wait, ew!)

I don't give it as a daily treat, because it's THAT good. Save that high-value crack for when you want your dog to do something GREAT! Like come when called, or walk on a loose lead, or not run out the front door when you open it. OR gift it to your dog (and/or cat) for the holidays! (Ahem.)

And right on time, I'm giving away a whole 8oz. bag (provided and shipped by Jones Natural Chews)! Residents of the U.S. and Canada are eligible!
(Tip: Like Jones Natural Chews on Facebook and Twitter to be among the first to know about the latest deals!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Did you enter? Yay! I hope you win, but that's not all! Each entry into my treat giveaway earns the entrant one chance in the GRAND PRIZE drawing (one of three grand prizes, actually, including a Peanuts Halloween Train from Lionel Trains). And because this is a blog HOP giveaway, you can enter to win a different treat prize each day during the contest period - at each participating blog. ALL of those entries count toward the grand prizes too!

Check out all the prizes and participants! For blog hop/giveaway details, be sure to visit the event page at Kol's Notes! 

Bonus Trick!

I call it the Dewi or "Crack" Dance. Dewi taught himself how to do it. ☺

A lung for me? Yes, please!

Parts of the "Give a Kiss" procedure were previously published. 

My #RecipeForMoments (Awesome Moments) in the Snow With One's Dog (Hint: No Pajamas!)

It seems to hardly ever snow here in Central Virginia anymore. But this time it was coming--the weatherman said it was coming! A 100% chance, and based on his sage computer model predictions, all the local school systems had announced a snow day, even before the first flake had drifted from the sky.

But, while 80%* of my household's humans were ecstatic, 100% of the furry residents were oblivious, including Jon Farleigh and Dewi. (It hardly seems fair, does it? Being deprived of the anticipation leading up to the season's first major snow event?)

At first it (the dogs not knowing) made me sad, but then--as the green blot of frozen precipitation on the radar inched closer to my side of town--I'd decided that I could handle being excited enough for all three of us. And, so it was. Like on Christmas Eve with my kids--except in January, and with fur-children who'd never even heard of Santa Claus--I went to work, planning the best backyard snow adventure my dogs had ever seen.

Some of you might remember that last year--when I decided to photograph a big snow adventure with the dogs--it had been so impulsive, that I hadn't even thought to change out of my pajamas. And that despite having remembered to grab a coat and my camera, the lengths to which I went to get shots from the dogs' point of view (read: squatting so low that my flannel-covered backside hovered mere inches from a blanket of packed ice) left me hurried to get back inside, lest the numbness in my bottom half topple me over into a scantily clad heap in the snow. It wasn't pretty, nor was I proud for having squelched the dogs' unbridled wintry bliss.

Thank goodness for hindsight, though, because this time? I WAS READY! Not only would I dress in appropriate clothing for a romp in the snow at corgi level, but I would wear a waterproof barrier over my bum, so I could plant it directly in the white stuff: a GIANT TRASH BAG with arm and neck holes!

My #RecipeForMoments = snow, 1 Jon Farleigh, 1 Dewi, 1 appropriately dressed, doting human, 1 good camera, 1 giant trash bag, altered with arm and neck holes

And, friends, that is how I got all these beautiful shots of my furry babies--running around (almost) like they'd expired and gone to heaven (for it to have been fully heavenly, I'd have needed to make it rain bacon).

To whoever is viewing Dewi's gorgeous face on Wednesday, February 12 (publishing day):
IT'S HIS 4TH BIRTHDAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEET DEWI! ☺

Oh, what fun, indeed! (Jingle bells, optional.)

That'll do, mom. That'll do.
(25 points for wintertime human x animal bonding!)

*My poor husband doesn't get snow days from work, and was, therefore, not so ecstatic as the rest of the humans. 

Do you have a #RecipeForMoments with your dog(s)?

(♥)

Our story is part of the #RecipeForMoments blog hop hosted by BlogPaws. Link up below to share your story of the bond you and your pet share. What do you think your pet feels in your special moments? Five random U.S. winners who link up their blog post will win a Nature's Recipe® lightweight collar camera to capture special moments from their pet's point of view. See BlogPaws for official rules and details.

This post is sponsored by Nature's Recipe® on behalf of the BlogPaws Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Nature's Recipe For Moments on behalf of Nature's Recipe, but The Chronicles of Cardigan only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Nature's Recipe is not responsible for the content of this article.

On 2013, Blogging and Polyester-Headed Sourpatch Monsters (Illustrated with Funny Dog Photos)

Because there's no blogger support group that meets on the third Wednesday evening of every month (for example), and I keep most of these "business" things to myself 364 days of the year, I'm grateful for today's opportunity to participate in the (my third) Pet Blogger's Challenge. (Note: I think I just said I have 364 days worth of business to unload. Maybe you should run. Unless, that is, you want to see the PICTURES! Also, hint: I really don't talk all that much. ☺)

Thank you to (role-model) bloggers, Amy Burkert of Take Paws (Go Pet Friendly.com blog), and Edie Jarolim of Will My Dog Hate Me?, for once again hosting this beloved event.

When I first arrived here, three years ago -- on this exact Blogger blog, only with the "blogspot" still hogging up my URL, and a blog design with distinctly less TV in it -- I couldn't fathom any direction for The Chronicles of Cardigan, beyond showing off photos of my dogs to a group of fellow dog lovers who'd appreciate them. It was just plain old fun.

[pretend Jon Farleigh is me.]
I love my blog! Yay, blog!

Before long, though, I realized there was just as much (maybe more) fun in putting words together on the page than just putting up the photos, so I wrote every day, wringing my brain free of more droplets of creativity than it had given up in decades. And, I got burnt out.

[pretend stuffed corgi is this blog.]
JF: You've changed, blog, and I don't think I like you anymore.

Blog, you are a polyester-headed sourpatch monster! Go sit in time-out!

And, burn out led to ambivalence, which led to struggles with whether or not to monetize, which led to resentment over being "obligated" to do something with this space that could, eventually, take all the fun out of it. So (after some serious soul-searching), I stepped way back. Decided to lose the guilt for not posting, and gave my poor, overwhelmed brain a rest...

My brain is eating cookies in bed, and not taking a nap. 

Last year's Blogger Challenge (for context)...
  On 2012, Blogging and Elephants in the Room

This year's questions and answers...

1. How long have you been blogging? Please tell us why you started blogging, and, for anyone stopping by for the first time, give us a quick description of what your blog is about.

Three years. The reason I started the blog is up there, in the 3rd paragraph from the top. Here's the blog description from my About page: This blog is a disheveled stack of nonsense humorous and (sometimes) unconventional chronicle of my life with Jon Farleigh and Dewi (my two lively Cardigan Welsh Corgis), three (okay, SIX!) rescue cats, a husband and some kids. But really, it's mostly about the dogs. (In fewer words, THERE'S A PARTY GOIN' ON IN HERE, ALL THE TIME!) :)

2. Name one thing about your blog, or one blogging goal that you accomplished during 2013, that made you most proud.

I had LOTS of fun! (That was my only goal for 2013.)

3. When you look at the post you wrote for last year’s Pet Blogger Challenge, or just think back over the past year, what about blogging has changed the most for you?

I've managed to banish the guilt...for not posting enough, for not participating in enough blogger stuff, for not sounding like someone I'm not. I've also reestablished a posting rhythm, and have gone from publishing only once, to three times a week. And finally, after three years, I got paid* to write!

4. What have you found to be the best ways to bring more traffic to your blog, other than by writing great content?

 Twitter (which encompasses Triberr.com shares) and Facebook, in that order.

Oh, yeah, there you go. Stupid brain cookies tasted terrible anyway.

5. How much time to do you spend publicizing your blog, and do you think you should spend more or less in the coming year?

I only share post links (on Facebook, G+, Twitter and sometimes, Pinterest) when I've recently published one. However, I'm active daily on several social media platforms, where my blog URL is visible. I spend at least one hour a day just showing up in different places. This year, I intend to increase my presence substantially on Twitter and (hopefully) G+ (specifically hangouts).

6. How do you gauge whether or not what you’re writing is appealing to your audience? How do you know when it’s time to let go of a feature or theme that you’ve been writing about for a while?

They leave a comment? They share it? They don't call me bad names? :) As for the second question, I leave it when I'm no longer inspired to keep writing about it. (Boring does not equal fun.)  

7. When you’re visiting other blogs, what inspires you to comment on a post rather than just reading and moving on?

It's usually because I feel compelled to, which -- as with anything I say out loud (being more of a listener) -- happens when I'm passionate about the subject, and think I have something of value to add. Please note that feeling "passionately" about something, sometimes, equals having a burning desire to be a smart@ss. But I try to limit those comments to bloggers who already know what a harmless buffoon I am. :)

Pardon me, cat, would you get me some Grey Poupon and a can of sardines?

8. Do you do product reviews and/or giveaways? If so, what do you find works best, and what doesn’t work at all?

Yes, I will do reviews, when I've found something that's really awesome, and feel like sharing it with my readers. That being said, most of my reviews are unsolicited (meaning no one asked me to review it; I just did it). I will also do paid reviews (for brands who ask me to), but considering what I just said, I wouldn't even do a paid review unless I was certain I could give a sparking one. As for giveaways, they're fun, especially when I can afford to give away a gift card, or something whimsical that I'd buy for myself. I will consider sponsored giveaways only if I truly love the product, wouldn't think twice about buying it myself, and (hugely important) it fits in with my blog theme and writing style. 

9. When writer’s block strikes and you’re feeling dog-tired, how do you recharge?

For something less chronic than full-on burnout (which I've had, and I talked about last year), I just take a deep breath and post a classic (ahem re-run). (Yay, re-runs!) If I get so tired that I can't even post a re-run, I'm not sure a "recharge" will be what the doctor orders. At least not in the context of this question. 

OK, I'm feelin' groovy again. But, if blog wants to play with me,
some big changes are gonna have to happen. 

10. Have you ever taken a break from your blog? How did that go? Have you ever thought about quitting your blog altogether? What makes you stay?

Not an extended break, but I cut back to posting once a week for the first two-thirds of 2013, and...it was glorious! And refreshing! :) And, yes, I've thought about quitting (don't we all?), but I can't. I don't want to quit it. It's just plain old fun. 

11. What goals do you have for your blog in 2014?

Well? I think I'd like to branch out into doing recipes and cooking demos...NOT! (Reminder: I'm a harmless buffoon.) Gosh, I don't like this question! OK, other than continue to have fun, I'm gonna make more money with it (doing exactly the same stuff I've been doing already, just less sporadically). And, I promise you, it'll still be the same happy place it always has been! So, see you next week, OK?! :))

[pretend Lulabelle is me.]
Hey, blog. Long time no talk. Guess what? I always knew you were a cat person, so I made a few changes. I think this is gonna work out just fine, don't you?

 Thanks for reading!
☺☺☺

* My first paid writing job was through the BlogPaws Pet Blogger Network. 

Have you seen all these other awesome posts?

On 2012, Blogging and Elephants in the Room

(Cryptic) Note: For those who've seen the teaser I added to the Linky List, thanks for coming back; I hope it's worth the click. ;-)

A year ago January 10, I published Wherein I Reveal My Blogging Secrets, my first attempt at the Pet Blogger Challenge, a blog hop collaboration between Amy Burkert, owner/author of Go Pet Friendly (dot) com and its blog, Take Paws, and Edie Jarolim, author of the book Am I Boring My Dog: And 99 Things Every Dog Wishes You Knew and its (now retired) blog Will My Dog Hate Me?. Today (5 days late, but with several excellent excuses), I make my second attempt (thanks, Amy).

I'll be sticking to the Q&A format, since the thought of writing a narrative makes me want to self-medicate with bloody Mary(s) Irish coffee peanut butter and chocolate.

*****

1. How long have you been blogging?

Slightly over two years, but it feels more like 12. (Not that that's bad!)

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

I only had one (sort of) and that was to market some Jon Farleigh and Dewi t-shirts. I did that (by setting up a Cafe Press blog store). Wisely, I did not include t-shirt sales as a goal. ;-) (The stuff's just way too expensive. And also, I'm no t-shirt designer.)

3. Have your goals changed over the past year?

Yes. 

4. How often do you post?

(Hold on, I should probably first [formally] introduce you to my "elephant," Shirley. As in, Shirley you've noticed a change in my posting frequency!)

About once a week (down from every weekday in 2011)...and I have worked hard to get to this point!

The truth is, I've spent much of this last year trying to recover from a gruesome case of blog burnout (the pinnacle of which occurred when I wrote this post, which I should aptly re-title "A Newbie Blogger's Cautionary Tale"). Or maybe it was blog addiction. At any rate, I came inches away from walking away from this (virtual) space, but after some drastic changes in blogging habits (including posting less - for now), I have grown more attached to the blog, as a creative outlet, than ever before. 

5.  If you post "as the spirit moves you" (vs. on a schedule), why? How do you think this affects your audience? How do you know when something is "post-worthy"?

A. Because on a schedule, the "spirit" was moving me to beat my blog with a rubber hose.

B. I expect most of my audience isn't affected at all (some might even welcome fewer posts to read). One or two, though, might miss the daily posting. ;-( 

C. When I can't get it out of my head.  

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

(Wait! Do you see the other..."ELEPHANT"? Yeah, that's Ima. As in, Ima SELFISH [recovering blog addict] TART for not commenting on your blogs [or replying to most of my own blog comments]. Please refer to #4 and accept my lowly apology.)

A. 2-5 hours (double if I'm forced to write it using my stupid mini notebook, like now)

B. 2-5 hours of lurking (I use a blog reader - Feedly - in Google Chrome.)

C. That's funny!

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

A published post is a "successful" post. :-) As for the blog, "success" is such a subjective term. I'd be lying if I said I'd keep writing even if no one bothered to read. I need an audience (for accountability and feedback). This blog has done huge things for my self-confidence (as a creative writer) and my writing/social media skills. It's the reason why I've gotten involved with fostering and volunteering at a local animal shelter. And then, there are all of you (reading this when you could be pinning or shopping on Etsy, for example). I suppose if that's not success, I'm exceptionally blessed as a blogging failure.

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

I'd ask for patience, but not with the blog, with me. 

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

To have fun! To tell inappropriate and embarrassing tales! To upload way too many photos of my pets! But mostly, to simply keep posting (until the ideas run out...or a Cardigan Welsh Corgi jumps a wakeboard over a shark, whichever comes first)!

Thanks for reading and for being awesome!

*****

Have you seen all these other insightful "Challenge" posts?

All That and a 17-lb Bag of Dog Food

Note: There is a bonus link (to some hilarious pet photobombs) at the bottom of this post. So even if you don't have a blog and can't participate in this blogger pet food drive, please have a few smiles on me. Consider it a gift for your time and trouble (scrolling down the page). ;)

ALL THAT because in publishing this blog post and linking up to the blog hop (below), the charity arm of Pedigree is donating a 17-lb bag of food to an animal shelter. (And being that it's 104 F outside my door right now, I'm awfully glad I didn't have to lug that bag out of the grocery store myself.) :)

So according to Laurie over at The Daily Corgi (who was the first other blogger to clue me in to this worthy cause),

"For every blog post about the campaign between now and June 30th, Pedigree will donate a 17 pound bag of food to a shelter."

So what does this mean to you?

Well, it means that if you're reading this, like to help shelter pets and have a blog, you have ONE DAY to get your blog post up and linked to the blog hop!

You can even copy and paste this "official" image (and that handsome one above) into your post, if you want:

And that's it!

Except for this bonus, Friday-guaranteed-smile link: 45 Amazing Animal Photobombs (courtesy Huffington Post) 

This is just one of the 45 photos. :)

I think my favorite, though, is slide #45. :)

Thanks, everyone!

Have a great weekend!

This many bags of food have been donated so far...

How Can I Help You Get More Eyes on Your Blog? Let Me Count the Ways

Don't worry, I haven't written a sonnet for you today.

I am, however, going to use my blog experience to try and help you get some more eyes on your blog - if you have one. If not, well, maybe one day when you start one? 

But first, here's a token picture of Dewi that I took earlier today:

He was in this position for exactly 14.2 seconds. :)

And now: the part where I spill my guts

For the last month or so, beginning with the impending one-year anniversary of this blog coupled with the start of a new calendar year and culminating, last week, with the Pet Blogger Challenge, I've been more introspective than usual, prompting a whole slew of personal questions about the future of the blog: Can I (and why should I) keep up the grueling five-day-a-week pace (of posting and keeping up with way too many other blogs)? If it's too much, how do I cut back? How do I keep it fun without becoming redundant? Who the heck really cares - other than me - anyway? 

Can you say "too much introspection can make 'Jane' a very anxious girl"? 

Wanna know what I say?

FOR THE LOVE OF PETE, IF YOU'RE PRONE TO BOUTS OF OVER-THINKING, DON'T START YOUR BLOG RIGHT BEFORE THE NEW YEAR!

Okay, joking aside, I've been struggling with "my purpose" so much lately that I'm having trouble mustering the will to write anything, and that's bad. So I'm resorting to the one tried and true way I know to divert my eyes off of myself, and that's to help someone else. In this case, "someone else" would be all the new or inexperienced (relative to me) bloggers who are reading this post. 

Some Statistics

(because although I'm far from an industry "expert," I do have a little street cred) 

• I have 163 Google feed (RSS) subscribers* (to my blog posts).
• 16 people subscribe to posts by e-mail.
• I've had over 52,000 page views as of this writing.
• My daily page view count doubled from September to October, about the same time I started using Twitter.
• My Google Page Rank is 3.
• Alexa says this (as of today - updated daily) about The Chronicles of Cardigan:
  "Chroniclesofcardigan.blogspot.com is ranked #535,721 in the world according to the three-month Alexa traffic rankings. Its visitors view 2.7 unique pages each day on average, and almost all visitors to this site come from the US, where it has attained a traffic rank of 76,023. The time spent in a typical visit to Chroniclesofcardigan.blogspot.com is about sixteen minutes, with two minutes spent on each pageview. It is relatively popular among users in the cities of Richmond-Petersburg (where it is ranked #543) and Seattle-Tacoma (#12,504)."
• My #1 referring site and URL is Google.com.
• My #2 referring site is Facebook.com.
• My #2 referring URL is a virtual tie between thedailycorgi.blogspot.com and elyancardigans.blogspot.com.
• I have 2,699 published comments.

*RSS subscribers include, but are not limited to, Google Friend Connect "followers." I obtained my subscriber information from Google Reader and Google Webmaster.

Okay, now that you know where the blog stands statistically, I'd like to share the ways in which I intentionally tried to increase traffic (I hate that word, by the way, it's so impersonal) to this blog, starting with the very first day. (I'm going to write in the present tense, though, since I'm writing this for you, not me.)

• Make sure your blog feed is public (not private), which means search engines can crawl it.
• Post something.
• Add "searchable" labels to all your posts. This will not only help people search your archives, but can help search engines find your content, too. 
• Send someone you know your blog address and beg ask them to read it.
• Find, read and comment on other similar blogs (in my case, it was other Cardigan Corgi blogs, namely one, Life with The Horde, in which case, upon the author stumbling upon this site, I had the supreme fortune of having my blog name and address broadcast to her entire readership and added to her blogroll).
• Post quality content often (in my case, back then, it was every day).
• Encourage commenting on your posts. By encourage I mean: ask open-ended questions, write about something thought-provoking, incredibly shocking ridiculous (okay maybe not that) and reply to commenters when possible.
• Leave thoughtful comments on other blogs and add these blogs to your blogroll.
• Make blog friends. (If you're leaving thoughtful comments on blogs you enjoy reading, this should be easy. Note, however, that some of your comments on other blogs might not be reciprocated, and when this happens, it does not mean that you are a blogging loser. You have no idea what's going on with that other blogger. Just suck it up and move on.)
• Join a blog hop(s). I linked up to the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop for the first time in mid-February. I met LOTS of new people on my first few "hops." This is also when my readership grew from a mainly Cardigan Corgi niche to a more encompassing dog blog niche.
• In spite of how much you might hate it, create a Facebook fan page and install a widget on your blog. Mine was born on March 3. I wanted to make it easy for people - who might prefer Facebook to blog comments - to interact with me. I have been rewarded with 146 "people" and 20 "page" fans. I love my Facebook friends.
• Post quality content often. (In late March, after several Saturday blog hops, I decided to quit posting on weekends because my family time was suffering. I still post every weekday, unless I announce a break in advance.)
• If someone asks you to, write a guest post for her (or his) blog. I've done it four times, on three blogs.
• Share the link love and link up to some of your favorite blogs from within your blog posts, particularly if you've been inspired by another's work.
• The summer is a natural time to hit a posting rut. Push though it anyway.
• Leave thoughtful comments on other blogs and add blogs to your blogroll.
• Go to the pet blogging conference, BlogPaws, if you can. There is nothing more rewarding than to meet your blog friends (and make new blog friends) in person. 
• In spite of how much you hate the thought of it (even more than Facebook), get a Twitter handle (related to your blog), install a widget on your blog and start tweeting - even if it's only to tweet your blog posts. And if you've been posting quality content all along, you might even get invited to join Triberr, where your tribemates will even tweet your blog posts, and before you know it, you've doubled your blog's monthly page views. (I have 157 Twitter followers, belong to two Triberr tribes and since October, when I started tweeting, have seen my monthly blog page views double.)
• Post quality content often.
• Leave thoughtful comments on other blogs and add blogs to your blogroll.

Which brings me to the current state of affairs. ;)

So this - at a high level - is how I've helped people find this blog. However, aside from posting quality content often (which is far and away the most important thing of all), making people want to read more than half a post, subscribe and/or keep coming back for more is another story altogether. And lucky for us, one that I'm saving for another day.

Hope this helped...someone...even just a little bit.

I know I feel better. :)

P.S. I will gladly answer any questions!

P.P.S. I've got more parts to show you!

Wherein I Reveal My Blogging Secrets

Today, I am participating in the second annual Pet Blogger Challenge, an exercise (in answering a list of questions) designed to build camaraderie within the pet blogging community, as well as - as I see it - to provide honest (and if necessary, blunt) insight to others, who might just be starting out or for whom sharing similar success and/or frustration with maintaining a pet-related blog would be therapeutic beneficial. (In lay terms: You might feel better about yourself after reading this.) Thank you to Edie at Will My Dog Hate Me and Amy at GoPetFriendly.com for arranging this special event.

The Chronicles of Cardigan was only two weeks old during the 2011 challenge, so this is my first time participating.

Here goes.

When did you begin your blog?

December 29, 2010

What was your original purpose for starting a blog?

To share my pets - especially the dogs, Jon Farleigh and Dewi - with the world. I'd also hoped to slide in a few humorous no-pet-content (kids, life, etc.) posts as well. That is why I didn't name the blog something blatantly pet-related, and why my tag line includes the words "a smattering of everything."

Is your current purpose the same?

I haven't written a post without pet content since last Mother's Day and can count on one hand the number of cat-only posts since then. Other than that, yes.

The reason why I don't write about life and cats more often? Hardly anyone reads those posts, and I feel like I'm talking to myself. Well, that and the dogs' lives are more interesting to write about.

One of my early captions:
[In the vet's parking lot.]
Dewi to Jon: "Hey, dude, how's my drivin?"
Jon to Dewi: "I think we're parked, man."

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

On a schedule.

If the former, how often — and what techniques do you use to stick to it?

Unless otherwise announced in advance, I post every weekday. I posted seven-days-a-week until last March.

I gave up weekends because my family time was suffering. I continue to post each weekday for a few reasons:

• I can. I'm a stay-at-home parent of school-aged kids.
• It's fun (unless I've suddenly got a busy day, like today, in which case, I might stress out and want to drop kick the blog out the window, because I can't bring myself to miss a day unannounced). For the record, however, I have NO problem scheduling time off, when needed.
• No one has complained.
• I get consistent blog traffic each day. Read: Somebody must think it's worth a click and glance.
• I have a few dear, dear readers who've shared that they visit every day (and miss me when I'm on a break). 
• It has done wonders for my confidence and writing skills, in that order.

Other than the tinge of guilt I might feel for missing a day or two, I think treating the blog as less of a personal memoir, and more like an entertainment venue (or vocation - I'm totally serious), helps me to stick to a schedule.

Are you generating income from your blog?

Yes, I'm a member of the BlogHer|BlogPaws Publishing Network. (I've written about this before, here.) I earn a small (emphasis on small) commission for each page load (when there is a paid ad available). When there is no paid ad available, a pet-related public service ad appears in its place. 

And here's the part where I'm going to be brutally honest: I don't earn nearly enough. The fact is, when/if I need to re-enter the workforce, I will have to cut (way) back the blogging, and that makes me sad.

We would like a new, LARGER chair included in our 2012 contract.

What do you like most about blogging in general and your blog in particular (bragging is good!)?

Yes, it's cliche, but it's the instant connection with other, like-minded people. I don't know too many other pet-crazed, poop joke-loving people in real life. [big smile] Well, that and I like to create things with words. And I'm a wise-cracking ham. Who's quiet as a church mouse in person. 

Why do I like my blog? Because I can be a pet-crazed, poop joke-telling, wise-cracking ham, while hiding behind my computer screen. Have I mentioned how much I love my blog friends/readers?

What do you like least?

The fact that I gained 10 pounds from sitting too much, followed closely by feeling chained to the computer at times - especially during summer. 

How do you see your blog changing/growing in 2012?

I blog by the seat of my pants some days, so I'm having a hard time with this question. Although, I have been toying around with making some Jon Farleigh and Dewi t-shirts - for the die hard fans (all five of us). 

THANKS FOR READING, Y'ALL! 

Happiness is...loud clothing and WINNING GIVEAWAYS!

This sweet, happy doggie might need a quieter outfit. :)

Click here if you can't see the embedded video.
(15-sec ad warning)
pawnation.com

(Minus the tranquil pasture background, don't you want to see your treasured pet(s)' photo featured on the blog next week? Did I mention I'm giving away gifts? And a shelter donation?) :)

There's still time to send me your pet's photo and caption!

All submissions received before midnight (Eastern US) tomorrow (9/15) will be accepted.

I will announce the (random) giveaway winner on Monday.
(and then the voting begins...)

Good luck and happy weekend!