Tag Archives: rescues

Adorable adoptables in northern Virginia: Boo and Bosco

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Every Sunday I’ll be featuring adoptable pets from local rescue groups.  In particular, I’ll be sharing adorable adoptables from the Humane Society of Fairfax County (HSFC) and A Forever Home Rescue Foundation (A Forever Home).

First up, meet Boo (aka Susie)!  This adorable lady is approximately eight years old and is an English Springer Spaniel / Black Labrador Retriever Mix.  Here’s her bio from A Forever Home:

“Boo and Buddy recently lost their home due to their family breaking up.
Susie is a playful girl and loves the water. She is a very confident
girl and would do best in a home with another dog that will let her be
the leader. Boo is playful and loves the water.”

If you have room for a playful gal like Boo, visit A Forever Home for more information or email Info@aforeverhome.org.  To view the other pets available for adoption (including her pal Buddy) at A Forever Home, click here.

A Forever Home also has a weekly adoption event at the PetCo in Chantilly.  For the address and to find out more info, click here. 
(If you have your eye on a specific pet, please email for information
first – not all pets will be at the weekly event.  However, there are a
lot of awesome pets in need of homes, so if you’re in the neighborhood,
stop by and meet some of them!)

Up next, meet Bosco!  This handsome guy weighs approximately 80 pounds and has a fantastic smile.  Here’s his bio from HSFC:

“Bosco is a big boy and a big lover. He’s great with
other dogs and a real sweetie. He’s 3 yrs. old, housebroken and loves
attention. He’s had some bad luck in his short time alive, but hopes
someone will want the love he has to give. He dreams of a forever home
and tries so hard to be your best friend. He’s a lab mix with another
larger breed added in for good measure. We think it may be Mastiff or
Newfoundland mix but whatever it is, it’s a breed of pure sweetness.
Please come and meet Bosco and make his dream of a home of his own a
reality.

Attributes: Big Lover Boy!”

 

If you’re interested in meeting Bosco and bringing this lover boy home, visit the HSFC website for more information.  To view the other pets available for adoption at HSFC, click here.
Do you have room in your home (and your heart) for one of these pups?  Then contact HSFC or A Forever Home.  If you know someone else who might be in the market for an awesome companion, please share this post.  Let’s find some homes for these great pups!


Bios and photos used with permission from HSFC and A Forever Home.
 

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Tell Petland USA to stop selling puppies!

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Blog the ChangeAt one point or another, we’ve probably all been drawn to that puppy in the window of a pet store, whether by his sheer cuteness or by that sad look in her eyes.  Maybe you’ve even taken one home.  I did.

However, now that I know more about the connection between pet stores and puppy mills, I will never do so again.  Read on to learn more about this connection and what you can do to help.  Join us in telling Petland USA to stop selling pets in its stores.


When I was ten years old, I wanted a dog of my own for Christmas.  (We had dogs – plenty of them – but this one was to be “mine.”  My parents had agreed, and I was in the process of finding the perfect companion.)  I had my heart set on a Scottish Terrier.  However, while at the mall one day, I saw a Toy Fox Terrier puppy in the window of the pet store and fell in love.  I convinced my mom to let me meet her.  After some calculated begging and whining, I then convinced her to get this puppy for me.  I named her Scotti.  She became my best friend.

While I wouldn’t trade my time with Scotti for anything, it saddens me to think that she was part of the pet store/puppy mill system.  Scotti was our only pet store dog.  Most of our other dogs were rescues,
if in the non-traditional sense of the word.  (My dad would bring a dog
home that someone in town no longer wanted, or we’d take the neighbors’
dog in when they moved.)

When I walk by a pet store now, I no longer view it through the eyes of a child.  Instead, I feel an overwhelming sadness for the animals inside.  That sadness is quickly followed by anger.

It’s that mixture of sadness and anger that fuels today’s post for Blog the Change for Animals.  Although there are many pet stores out there, the most well-known is probably Petland.  According to the Humane Society of the United States, Petland is the largest retail supporter of puppy mills in the U.S.  In 2009, HSUS released more information suggesting that 95 percent of Petland’s stores were buying from puppy mills, either directly or indirectly.

Puppy mills are not idyllic places full of puppies, nor some paradise like that Daisy Hill Puppy Farm in Snoopy’s past.  The conditions are truly horrifying.

Puppy mill dogs may suffer a host of health problems.  (Scotti did have some minor health issues – due to a leaky tear duct, she
wasn’t fit to be a show dog and had ended up in the pet store instead. 
Honestly, we were very lucky that her issues were minimal.)  In addition to the impact these terrible physical conditions can have on a dog’s health, a recent study also details the severe psychological harm that being in a puppy mill can inflict. 

Petland Canada saw the light and stopped selling pets.  (Update 10/16:  perhaps in theory, but not always in practice.)  When will Petland USA follow?  Perhaps we can help spur them to action…

Mary Haight from the Dancing Dog Blog created a petition on Change.org for just that purpose.  Today, as part of Blog the Change for Animals, several bloggers (including me) are standing with her and promoting this cause.

Want to know how you can help? Take two minutes to sign and share the petition.  Take a few more minutes to write a
short post on your blog or on Facebook.  Share this post and the link to the petition on Twitter.

I know it can be hard to resist those furry faces when you walk by a pet store – and, if my own experience is any guide, resisting a child who desperately wants that puppy in the window is no easy task.  You may think that by “rescuing” the dog in the pet store, you’re doing a good deed.  However, I recommend you check out this excellent piece at Dogster and think long and hard before you unintentionally perpetuate the puppy mill-pet store cycle.   

Be strong.  Look into rescue, and adopt a dog.  Don’t patronize stores that sell pets.  It’s not the only business model that works – both PetSmart and Petco encourage adoption.  I’d rather support a business like that, wouldn’t you?

Let’s raise awareness of this issue and take a stand against puppy mills!

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Adorable adoptables in northern Virginia: Coonhound edition

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As I mentioned last week, every Sunday I’ll be featuring adoptable pets from local rescue groups.  In particular, I’ll be sharing adorable adoptables from the Humane Society of Fairfax County (HSFC) and A Forever Home Rescue Foundation (A Forever Home).

This week, I’m featuring two Coonhound mixes.  Did you know that Coonhounds fall into that dreaded “less adoptable” category that makes it harder for them to find homes?  (As always, I’m convinced that “less adoptable” really means “awesome but people are too dumb to see it.”)  Check out this week’s post about Coonhound Companions over at Be the Change for Animals to learn more about this awesome breed.

Now, allow me to introduce you to some adorable Coonhounds who are looking for their forever homes…


First up, meet Scupper!  This guy is a Coonhound mix, and he’s approximately 3 years old.  Here’s his bio from A Forever Home:

“Scupper is a sweet boy with a great personality. He’s completely crate
and house trained. He loves to play tug-o-war with his foster brother
Bailey. Even though he’s skinny he’s a fairly tall dog, so he would do
best in a home with older children. Scupper would greatly appreciate a
new home with active people and a fenced back-yard for play time, and he
would make an ideal running partner. Scupper does have a little fear
of certain dogs and some men, however, I have not had any problem with
him when there’s been a proper introduction. Scupper takes a while to
bond with his caretakers, but once he does he’s forever yours, and has a
great memory for people. Please come visit him at the next adoption
event.”

If Scupper sounds like the running buddy for you, visit A Forever Home for more information or email Info@aforeverhome.org.  To view the other pets available for adoption at A Forever Home, click here.

A Forever Home also has a weekly adoption event at the PetCo in Chantilly.  For the address and to find out more info, click here. 
(If you have your eye on a specific pet, please email for information
first – not all pets will be at the weekly event.  However, there are a
lot of awesome pets in need of homes, so if you’re in the neighborhood,
stop by and meet some of them!)

Up next, meet Connie!  This lovely lady is also a Coonhound mix, and she weighs approximately 45 pounds.  Here’s her bio from HSFC:

“They don’t get any sweeter than Connie unless you dip
her in sugar. She’s a Black and Tan Coonhound and one look into her eyes
will have you hooked forever. She did not had a good life before coming
to us. She was emaciated when she came into our care and very
frightened. She has gained weight and learned to trust us completely.
Her personality shines through more and more each day. She’s great with
other dogs, is only a year old and tries her best to please you. Please
give this sweetheart a chance to show you how wonderful she is. Send in
your dog adoption application today and get ready to be loved
unconditionally.
Attributes: Super Sweet Missy!”

 

If you’re interested in meeting Connie, visit the HSFC website for more information on how to experience her sweetness in person.  To view the other pets available for adoption at HSFC, click here.
Do you have room in your home (and your heart) for one of these pups?  Then contact HSFC or A Forever Home.  If you know someone else who might be in the market for an awesome companion, please share this post.  Let’s find some homes for these great pups!


Bios and photos used with permission from HSFC and A Forever Home.

 

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Adorable adoptables in northern Virginia: meet Tabasco and Wallie

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I’ll be doing a new feature here on Sundays, featuring adoptable pets from local rescue groups.  In particular, I’ll be sharing adorable adoptables from the Humane Society of Fairfax County (HSFC) and A Forever Home Rescue Foundation (A Forever Home).

First up… meet Tabasco!  (Awesome name, right?)  This cutie is a neutered male.  He’s described as a terrier mix and weighs approximately 35 pounds.  Here’s his bio from HSFC’s website:

“Tabasco was abandoned and left to starve in a
vacant house. This did not change his sweet disposition, though it did
affect his weight considerably. After alot of TLC he looks great and is
more than ready to find a family who will love him forever.

He is a real
character and loves to show off his funny antics. He’s great with
people and other dogs, loves to go for walks and is a total lover boy.
He has the cutest puppy face even though he is about a year old and
weighs approx. 35 pounds. He may be an American Staffordshire mixed with
some other type of terrier because of his face and head shape, but
whatever he’s mixed with, he’s adorable. Make an appointment to meet
Tabasco and add some real spice to your life. 

Attributes: Super Sweet Little Buddy!” 
If you’re interested in meeting Tabasco, visit the HSFC website for more information on how to make his acquaintance.  To view the other pets available for adoption at HSFC, click here.

Next, I’d like to introduce you to an adorable guy named Wallie.  Check out that face – a person would be lucky to have that smile greeting them every morning.  Here’s his bio from A Forever Home:

“Okay, let’s get the vital stats out of the way and then I can tell you
all about my friend Wallie. Wallie is a male poodle mix (we think
Bichon) of approximately 7 years of age. He weighs 19 pounds (could stand to lose a few – sorry Wallie, but it’s true) and is neutered and
potty trained. How did Wallie end up with A Forever Home animal rescue?
Well, certainly through no fault of his own. He was badly neglected by
his previous owners and when they decided they didn’t want to care for
him any longer (not that they did much of that to begin with), they
threw Wallie out of their car window at an animal shelter. The shelter
contacted AFH to come and rescue Wallie and the rest, as they say, is
history.

Since then, Wallie has been lovingly cared for in a foster home
as he waits to find his new family. I had the pleasure of meeting
Wallie last week. Wallie is a very sweet fella. You should know that due
to Wallie’s lack of attention in his past, he has developed cataracts
and his vision has been affected. He’s like a furry little Mr. Magoo.
That does not stop him from enjoying life and it certainly does not keep
him from being a loving affectionate guy. Oh, and don’t pass Wallie by
because of his age. Some dogs at age 7 are seniors, but poodles like to
keep us company for a range of 15 to 18 years. Wallie deserves a great
home with people who will treat him like part of the family. I promise
you he will give as good as he gets. If you would like to set up a
meeting with Wallie, please have your people contact his people at A
Forever Home.”

If you’d like to have your people contact Wallie’s people, visit A Forever Home for more information or email Info@aforeverhome.org.  To view the other pets available for adoption at A Forever Home, click here.

A Forever Home also has a weekly adoption event at the PetCo in Chantilly.  For the address and to find out more info, click here.  (If you have your eye on a specific pet, please email for information first – not all pets will be at the weekly event.  However, there are a lot of awesome pets in need of homes, so if you’re in the neighborhood, stop by and meet some of them!)

Do you have room in your home (and your heart) for one of these pups?  Then contact HSFC or A Forever Home.  If you know someone else who might be in the market for an awesome companion, please share this post.  Let’s find some homes for these great pups!

Bios and photos used with permission from HSFC and A Forever Home.

 

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Senior dogs: Appreciate, don’t discriminate

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Today, I have a special treat for you – a guest post from one of my favorite bloggers!  Editor-at-Large for LIFE+DOG Magazine and Founder of Grouchy Puppy, Sharon Castellanos writes to educate and inspire people to focus on the beauty and joy of having a dog in their life.  She shares stories and interviews that strive to illustrate how we all have it in us to give fearlessly and influence positively.  I was lucky enough to finally meet her in person during BlogPaws in spite of that whole hurricane thing.

I think pets, like a fine wine, get better with age.  Below, Sharon discusses ageism and appreciating older dogs.  It’s the perfect post to share with you during Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week.

Do dogs face ageism like people? When I read how people will
drop off their dog to Animal Care and Control because the dog is old, it makes
me a little crazy.
Why is it so hard for some people to be empathetic? A dog
lives an entire life being your companion and buddy. Who else is that excited
to see you, every time you open the front door, whether you’ve been gone five
minutes or five hours.
As we age, no one likes to feel aches and pains that come
with the advancing years. We all have to change our diet and take things a
little slower. It is the same with a dog. Why would you expect them to be any
different?
Cleo isn’t a puppy and that is a good thing. We love that
she was already an adult when we adopted her. When I think back, it almost was
like cheating because she came with bonus extras. I almost felt as if we should
have paid more. An older dog more often loves to hang out with you, rather than
dashing off to sniff every new and amazing thing. This is certainly true for
Cleo.
Sure puppies are cute but so are old dogs. Who doesn’t love
a sweet face with a little grey around the muzzle? How adorable is it when you
see a small old dog wearing a sweater. They look almost professorial. All they
need is a little pipe and a newspaper.
I can only imagine the regret these people must feel after
they get home. Their dreams filled with the consequences of what they have
done. It has to be tough thinking that you couldn’t give the same level of
commitment to a relationship as a dog can.
The upside to many of these stories in San Francisco is that
we have wonderful groups who step in and scoop up that senior dog for a new
life with people who can commit. Have you heard of Muttville? Our city has lots
of families who adore the senator or professor look in a dog.
Let me say that Cleo may be old, and now we’re dealing with
age-related issues for her but I wouldn’t trade her or these experiences for
anything. Being with her now helps me reflect on my own mortality and how I
view and treat old people. We all age and I for one appreciate having a dog in
my life who is willing to go through it all with a big happy face.

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K9 Kamp Challenge #1: Make it work

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PhotobucketThis week’s challenge?  Walk it off.

The first K9 Kamp task was to walk for 60 minutes this week.  Given the fact that it feels like it’s been raining here for a month, I had a feeling that completing this challenge would be… well, a challenge.

We did manage to get in two good walks outside.  For the first walk, we had some company.  Bella had a play date with our friends’ new dog, Dozer.  (Photos below.)  It was the first time the two had met, so we decided to take a walk around the neighborhood together before letting them run around in the backyard.  (In addition to our walk, Bella got plenty of running and romping in that day as well.  She was one sleepy pup that evening!)

For our second walk, we managed to get out during one of the rare sunny spells.  However, to complete our final minutes for the week, I had to get creative.  Things here have felt sort of like a monsoon – going outside was not a great option, so I decided to improvise.  Bella and I did some laps around the house instead.  I’m sure anyone looking through my windows would think I’d finally gone insane.  In any event, I convinced Bella to follow me around the first floor by carrying her favorite rope bone.  It ultimately became a walk/tug hybrid, but I think we did the best we could given the circumstances.

Be sure to check in with Kol’s Notes and Peggy’s Pet Place today to read more recaps of the first challenge, and then check them out tomorrow for Challenge #2.  To tide you over until then, I leave you with a few photos from Bella’s play date…

I’m not sure what’s up with Bella’s face in that last photo… she
managed to get stuff stuck to her face during the course of the play
date.  I removed it, of course – but not without taking a quick photo
first!

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BlogPaws Episode 6: Community & camera capers

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My series of posts on BlogPaws has more episodes than some TV shows… apparently I had quite a bit to say!

Anyway, it’s time to recap Day 2.  I was running a tad behind, but I managed to grab some breakfast and slip in just as the keynote speaker was getting started.  The morning began with a talk by Heidi Ganahl, the Top Dog at Camp Bow-Wow, which sounds like a pretty fun place for a pup to spend a day or an evening.

Heidi is quite the impressive entrepreneur as well as a philanthropist.  Her speech was quite inspirational; she shared the experience of losing her husband at the age of 27 and the journey that eventually led to the creation of Camp Bow-Wow.

For more on Heidi, check out her website and then read this pre-BlogPaws interview that Grouchy Puppy did with Heidi.  If you’re interested in finding out if there’s a Camp Bow-Wow near you, check here.  You can also check out the Bow Wow Buddies Foundation, a nonprofit arm that is involved in some great causes.

After listening to Heidi, I should have gone to a breakout session. I planned to – and from what I heard, the offerings in the first time slot were great.  However, I ended up hanging out with Diane and Cosmo from To Dog With Love and a few other bloggers, including Tamar from I Have Cat and Donna (and her pup Yaxley) from Raising a Super Dog.

Cosmo
Yaxley

I got so distracted by talking (and by cute puppies and that adorable kitten Tamar is holding in the photo above) that I completely missed the first session.  The dangers of being chatty, I suppose.

I got back on track in time for the second session of the day.  There were a few I was interested in, but I’m very happy with the one I chose, entitled “No Blog is an Island: Tools to Build Traffic & Community.”  The session was presented by Felissa Elfenbein from Two Little Cavaliers and Neil Brogan from Life with Dogs.  Neil was unable to make it in person.  However, thanks to the wonders of technology, he joined us via phone. While waiting for the session to start, I talked it up with Lisa the Pet Book Lady.  So glad I got to meet her!

The session began with an absolutely awesome video.  Seriously.  Go watch it.  I’ll still be here when you’re done.

Now that you’re back, a few notes about the session itself.  We had a great discussion of the concept of community, which led to last week’s Pay it Forward Blog Hop.  (I still plan to find some great guests posts from you from the hop… my to do list is just taking longer than I thought!  However, one of the lessons I took from the session was that guest posting is a great way for us to build on each others’ ideas within the greater community.) 

A few other highlights:

  • If you have the choice, go for threaded rather than flat comments.  (If you’re like me, “threaded comments” was a new phrase. However, you know how on some blogs you can reply to specific comments rather than just replying at the end of the discussion?  Those are threaded comments – discussions rather than just a linear list.  Blogger doesn’t offer this option.)
  • Follow the Golden Rule – deal with troublemakers quickly.  Consider posting rules for behavior so that your readers know your comment policy.  Don’t spend time arguing with your community members.
  • Don’t be the loudest voice in the conversation.
  • If you would consider it SPAM, don’t do it to your followers.

After that interesting session (complete with Felissa’s retelling of the Stone Soup folk story – a timeless classic in my book), I headed to lunch.  While eating, we were treated to a special presentation from BZTAT (a.k.a. Vicky Boatright).  She teamed up with Miah from Start the Change for a very moving performance.  Go visit BZTAT’s website to learn more about Okey’s Promise. I also recommend this great post about Okey’s Promise over at Bocci’s Beefs.

Oh, and did I mention that Saturday morning was when my fun photo shoot with Pamela and Honey from Something Wagging this Way Comes took place?  It was a good time!

Up next… one last session, finally meeting up with the fabulous lady behind Grouchy Puppy, and some closing thoughts.  We’re in the home stretch!

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You give cats… a bad name

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Time for some Friday linkage!  Sadly, I cannot herald the beginning of another three-day weekend.  If only…

  1. We begin, as always, with punny pet names:  Bryan Waggams, Jon Bone Jovi, Richard Barx, and Madogga.
  2. On a related note, have you ever wondered what your favorite ’80s band says about you?  (I kind of hope that one of you is a huge fan of Richard Marx or The Smiths.  Mine wasn’t quite as funny – I’m a big REM fan.)
  3. Speaking of music, artist James Walker does some pretty cool stuff about subjects ranging from border collies to punk rock.
  4. Up next, a rockstar dog: Harbor the Coonhound was just awarded the Guiness World Record for having the longest ears.   
  5. Maybe having a cone of shame is cool now… at least that’s what I have to conclude Dexter thought when creating his own, MacGyver-style.
  6. Apparently Bella’s sock addiction is in no way unique. 
  7. Puppies in sweaters. I die.
  8. In slightly creepy/unconventional news… would your lap dog like a substitute lap when you’re not available?  
  9. I think a palette cleanser is needed after that last link… sometimes, you just have to share the pretty.

Finally, this week’s video.  If you went to middle school with this cat, he would totally take your lunch money.  And then stuff you in a locker.



(via Jezebel)

Looking for something to do this weekend?  If you’re in the DC metro area, consider checking out the Third Annual Doggie Day Swim tomorrow afternoon or swinging by a happy hour to support the Homeless Animals Rescue Team (HART) tomorrow night.

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BlogPaws Episode 4: I’m off to meet the widgets

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Now, where was I?  Oh, yes… cheesecake.  Good stuff, right?  Anyway, after thoroughly enjoying that cheesecake and chatting with a few others during the break, it was time for afternoon sessions.  During each time slot, there were four breakout sessions to choose from.  Sometimes, it was a tough choice.  At other times, I didn’t have to think twice.  You will probably not be surprised to learn that the title of this next session called to me like a siren to a sailor.

A punny title?  Pop culture references?  How could I say no?

This session was presented by Lauren Spencer from Fetching Communications.  We learned about various widgets (stand-alone applications that you can embed on your blog to create a more dynamic and interactive experience for your readers – check out Something Wagging This Way Comes for list of the links we got from Lauren that day).  It seems like there are widgets for everything – including Facebook (so readers can like your page… hint, hint), Twitter, and YouTube.  You can even create polls and surveys for your site.

Just make sure not to engage in widget overload – too many widgets and your page begins to look like Times Square.  Your reader won’t even know where to start.

Anyway, there was one widget in particular that piqued my interest: embedding a slideshow from Flickr.  Lauren showed us how to do this using Flickr’s own app, as well as third-party applications from Flickr’s App Garden.  I made the one below using pictobrowser:

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer


The Chronicles of Cardigan meets Something Wagging

Cool, right?  I have a feeling I’ll be using this tool a lot in the future – I was wondering how to create slideshows on the blog, but was a bit too lazy to figure it out myself.  So thank goodness for punny sessions. The session even came with an unexpected bonus: I finally got to meet Elizabeth, Jon Farleigh and Dewi from The Chronicles of Cardigan!

Now that my brain was playing songs from The Wizard of Oz on a permanent loop, it was time to head to yet another session – the last one of the day, in fact.  For this final session, I chose to attend “StumbleUpon: How to Create, Share and Discover Great Content.”  I’d heard about StumbleUpon but wasn’t really familiar with how it works.

Apparently part of the concept is based on “unexpected relevance,” which I thought was interesting.  According to our presenter (from StumbleUpon, of course), it’s the second biggest social media referrer online in North America.  So you know… kind of a big deal, I suppose.  This was yet another technical session – there are a variety of free tools and widgets (as well as paid ones) available.  If you’re interested, you can check them out here.  Any of you use it?  What do you think?

That closes the book on the sessions from Day 1.  However, the day wasn’t over yet… up next, I’ll tell you all about my evening.  It included popcorn, candy, a movie, puppies, and new friends.  After that, I’ll give you a recap of Day 2, and finally some closing thoughts.  The end is in sight!

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BlogPaws Episode 3: Dynasty, cheesecake & slap bracelets

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I’ve told you about my initial impressions of BlogPaws, and about some of the tough guys I encountered along the way.  I wasn’t quite sure what to tackle next.  When all else fails, I tend to default to chronological order.  So, for argument’s sake, let’s just say that all else failed…

After listening to the Rescue Ink guys, it was time to attend my first actual session.  You know, where I’d go to learn stuff.  I had a hard time deciding what to attend – I ended up choosing one called “Demystifying Search Engine Optimization.”  I didn’t have the foggiest idea what that was, so I figured I could use the demystification.

I’m not going to lie… at the time, I thought I had a basic grasp of SEO.  Looking back at my notes a week later, I’m not so sure.  I scribbled something about keywords, improving my search engine ranking  – and a bunch of technical things that I need to revisit in more detail.  I’m not really qualified to advise any of you on this one!  Luckily, the folks over at BlogPaws recently had a great post about SEO for paw bloggers, so I’ll let them do the heavy lifting.

Paris & John from DogTipper.com

During the break between sessions, I met a few more fun bloggers, including Carrie from All Things Dog Blog; Paris & John from DogTipper.com; and Missy from Dogs for the Paws.

Missy wins the prize for best business card – a slap bracelet!  That thing was awesome – I wore it for the rest of the day, and it’s currently still decorating my camera bag.

Up next, I headed to a session called “Reach. Relevance. Design. Presentation.”  I was excited to hear the presenter, Dino Dogan (the creator of Triberr).  This one was more up my alley (and it was also the session where Tango decided his nose was cold).  I really enjoyed this session.  Some of the choice quotes/concepts I jotted down:

  • On reach: “Attention is the commodity and we only have so much of it.”  Dino described reach as “fishing with dynamite.”
  • On relevance: “There’s no motion without emotion.”  Relevance is like shooting with a laser. Seventy-five percent of writing time should be spent on the headline. In general, short is better than long, and emotional is better than non-emotional.  Think about the person you’re trying to attract and their state of mind. One method is to create a customer avatar – an image of your ideal customer.
  • On design:  The consensus here seems to be that Blogger kind of sucks.  (If I took one lesson away from the weekend – this was it.  It came up in several sessions.)  Many seem to prefer having a self-hosted WordPress site.  Dino also talked about logo design and colors.  Have you ever noticed that many of the major sites – like Facebook and Twitter – use blue?  I’ve definitely been paying more attention to the colors used on various blogs since this session and thinking about what kind of mood they evoke.
  • On presentation: You should aim to become a content presenter instead of focusing on being a content creator.  (Cesar Milan is – unfortunately – a good example here.  I think his methods suck, but I can’t argue that he’s managed to draw people in with his presentation.)  Be a better writer than the next guy – make your reader feel that if he doesn’t click on your headline, he’s going to miss something.  My favorite quote:  to improve your writing, “read like a madman, write like a mental institution escapee.”  Think about visitors who will view your site on their smartphones – do you have mobile browsing enabled?
  • Finally, model yourself on Dynasty… create some cliffhangers!

I could write a lot more about this session – I think it was the kick I needed to start thinking about my own blog in a more analytical way.  I’ll be doing some self-evaluation in the coming months and you may see some changes as a result.  However, first I need to find the time for all of that virtual navel gazing…

Anyway, after that session, it was time for lunch.  I was in for a pleasant surprise – the speakers during lunch were from the rescue group where I adopted Bella!  The group is called Homeless Animals Rescue Team (aka HART), and they operate in the Northern Virginia area.

Also a pleasant surprise? Cheesecake. I love cheesecake.

Anyway, after I inhaled that cheesecake, it was time for my next session.  I chose it based on its delightfully punny name.  I’ll tell you all about it my next installment…

(I told you that recapping BlogPaws would take me a while.  I wasn’t kidding.  When you’re as wordy as I am, these things take time.  Hang in there.)

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