The 7th Annual Pet Blogger Challenge

It's that time of year again to participate in the Pet Blogger Challenge!  I'll admit, 2016 was not a stellar year for us - lots of changes and the loss of my Mom - I almost didn't want to join this year.  ...but, I'm hoping to find some good in 2016 and am definitely looking forward to 2017!

When did you start your blog and, for anyone who is just seeing it for first time, please provide a description of your site. Would you say your blog focuses more on sharing stories with your readers, or providing a resource for your audience?

We started How Sam Sees It in July of 2008.  It's hard to believe we are fast approaching our 9th Anniversary!  Our main goal was to entertain folks with silly photos and stories about our beloved pups, and I feel we have stayed true to that.  We've showcased a few products, but the main theme of our blog is the story. 

What was your proudest blogging moment of 2016?

I've always liked a good detective novel, and this years Furry Friday Mysteries was exciting for me!  It picked up a story line we started back when Sam was still with us, and tied it in to include both Harlow and Ramble.  We look forward to bringing it back in 2017!

Which of your blog posts was your favorite this year and why? (Please include a link.)

I'd have to say, by far, my favorite blog post this year (....and I don't have many to chose from!) was our introduction for Ramble.  Bringing the Nekkid Dog into the household presented challenges, and for the blog, introducing him and capturing the character of each pup was huge!   http://howsamseesit.blogspot.com/2016/06/have-you-met-new-guy.html


Year after year, one goal that we all seem to share is that we want to reach more people. What one tool did you use or action did you take this year that had the most impact on increasing traffic to your blog?

Unfortunately, 2016 wasn't our year to increase traffic to the blog, or keep up on any of the 2016 goals.  Forward to 2017!

Which of your blog posts got the most traffic this year? (Please include a link.) Have you noticed any themes across your most popular posts?

Sadly for us, the post with the most traffic was my tribute to my mother, who passed away after a lifetime of struggling with medical conditions.  If you wish to read it, here is the link:  http://howsamseesit.blogspot.com/2016_08_01_archive.html


What blog do you find most inspirational and how has it influenced your blog? (Please include a link.)

Haha - this has got to be the most difficult question of them all!!  I've had the honor of reading and being friends with some of the best bloggers out there - I think it would be impossible to list everyone who has had some influence on my blog.  ...but thank you all! 


What is one thing your readers don’t know about you or your pets that would surprise them?

Hmmmm....  I'm pretty open about the ups and downs of owning our silly pups.  I suppose it could be that Harlow can be shy around strange men, Ramble is still not perfect on potty training, and Monty has a huuuuuge fear of firecrackers.  Our pups aren't perfect, but we don't expect them to be - it wouldn't be any fun if they were!

What is something you’ve learned this year that could help other bloggers?

I've struggled with answering this one - can I have a pass?  In all honesty, the blog slipped down the list of importance this year.  We had a major life change, a major death...  Probably the only thing I've learned is that it is okay to take a break.  Life comes first.

What would you like to accomplish on your blog in 2017?

Definitely want to post more!  ...and post more stories!  I miss being able to be a little bit silly and creative at the same time!

Now it’s your turn! You have the attention of the pet blogging community – is there a question you’d like answered, or an aspect of your blog that you’d like input on?

What would folks like to see from our blog?  More reviews?  More stories?  More photos?  


Thank you all so much for reading and sticking with us over the years!  We love every comment we receive!