The Liebster Award

Hey everybody! Lauren over at ZoePhee nominated me for a Liebster award. How cool is that? I follow ZoePhee regularly, and am honored that she thinks as highly of me as I do of her. If you haven't checked out ZoePhee, you really should.

This award involves answering 11 questions given by the nominator, telling 11 random facts about myself, nominating up to 11 other blogs and posing 11 questions to them. My first thought: What's up with all these 11s?! Such an odd number. (Odd. Punny, hunh?) Next thought: How am I going to choose 11 blogs? I've decided to play along, though I'm changing the rules a bit -- I'll explain that later. Anyway, here goes:


11 Questions for Me:

Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging in 2012 after the death of Logan, my heart dog. I had a difficult time dealing with his death and writing about it was therapeutic. Fortunately, the blog quickly morphed into something more fun and less morose.

If you could vacation anywhere in the world where would you go?

I've wanted to go to Australia ever since Paul Hogan offered to "slip another shrimp on the barbie" for me. Do you even know who Paul Hogan is? Am I dating myself again?

Just so you know what I'm talking about

What is your favorite breed of dog and why do you like that breed?

I love German shepherds. Surprise! They're very smart, loyal, and extremely versatile. There's a saying that goes "German shepherds are number one and nothing but number two and everything."

Who is your favorite dog trainer(s)? 

Wow, this is a tough one. I've been reading dog training theories since I got my first copy of No Bad Dogs by Barbara Woodhouse in the 80s. I think they all have some merit to them -- even Cesar Milan who promotes exercise, routine and boundaries. I know a lot of whacked out dogs that could use some help there! However, I'd have to say that my favorite dog trainers are the dedicated men and women of K-9 Obedience Club here in Jacksonville. The knowledge, support and camaraderie I've received from my fellow club members is incredible.

What is your favorite dog product?

I love my grooming table and forced air dryer. I can have my double coated German shepherd washed and blown dry in less than an hour. And my back doesn't hurt afterwards. They were worth the money!

Do you have any hobbies?

You mean in addition to blogging and working with my dogs? I enjoy reading, movies, music, grown-up game night with friends and solving logic puzzles. I also enjoy photography -- I'm not good at it, but I enjoy it nonetheless.

What is your favorite exotic animal?

It's a toss up between tigers and elephants. Fortunately we have them both at the Jacksonville Zoo!

How do you come up with ideas for your blog?

There's no rhyme or reason to my blog. I do stuff, I write it down. Sometimes I'll try to follow the theme of a blog hop. Other times my posts are just responses to something that pissed me off earlier. It's a bit unsettling that my rants seem to be my most popular posts. hmm. I would like to be better organized, so I signed up for the Blogger A to Z Challenge in April. That'll be 26 posts on a single topic (I'm doing dog shows). It'll either be an awesome exercise in focus or a big hot mess. I guess we'll see which come May 1st!

LOVE this thing!

Do your dogs have any favorite foods or toys?

Roxy will do anything for the laser pointer. Jedi likes Red Barn bones and the Kong Wobbler. But to be honest, I'm his favorite play toy.

What is your most favorite activity to do with your dog?

I really enjoy hiking the Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens. And we're having a blast with our Monday night nose work classes. But an afternoon nap or a game of fetch is just as nice.

If you could go anywhere (including time travel) and do anything where would you go and what would you do?

I'd like to go back and talk to my 20 year old self. I'd tell her to relax and enjoy life, she's not fat, she IS good enough and she needs to stop waiting for the "right time" to do something. Truth is, there is never a right time, so go ahead and do whatever it is it now. I'd also tell her to take better care of her teeth and wear sunscreen.

11 Random Facts About Me:
 

• I'm left handed.
• I love a good pun (and several bad ones).
• I've probably seen Star Wars 100 times.
• My not-so-secret celebrity crush is Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
• I can drive a stick shift.
• I love one hit wonders from the 80s.
• I hate Lynyrd Skynyrd, despite the fact that I'm living in their hometown.
• My husband has voluntarily put up with my crap for over 26 years.
• One summer my kids and I watched every James Bond movie from Dr. No to Die Another Day -- with commentaries. And then we wrote a paper on it. Yes, I'm THAT mom.
• I lived in Japan for 3 years.
• I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up.

My 11 Questions to the Nominees:

• Why did you start blogging?
• Where do you get your ideas?
• What blog-related goals would you like to accomplish in 2015?
• Besides blogging, what other hobbies do you have?
• Who was your first dog?
• What is you favorite dog breed and why?
• What is your favorite dog product?
• Does your dog have a favorite toy or treat?
• What is your favorite thing to do with your dog?
• What is your favorite dog themed book or movie?
• What is the best training tip you ever got?

My Nominations:

The rules specify that I must nominate blogs that have less than 3000 subscribers. I find that problematic; there are so many different blog formats that I can't figure out how many subscribers someone has. Does that mean Google+ subscribers? Email subscribers? Blogger subscribers? Who knows. So, I'm changing the rules a little *gasp* by choosing blogs that are less than a year old. I think we need to support the newbies. I've seen so many wonderful, young blogs disappear and I don't know why. My nominees are:

Chasing Dog Tales -- This is a new blog that I discovered recently. I got lost in it, clicking around for an hour or so. (Jedi says it was longer than that, but he can't tell time.) The information is great, the pictures are beautiful and I look forward to what Elaine has to say next.

Let's Go Dog -- I was paired up with this blog for the Pet Blogger's Gift Exchange. Boy did I luck out. This is a beautifully done blog, very informative and lots of fun. And you can't miss the gorgeous pictures of the Pacific Northwest.

Tails From the Road -- For years I've told everybody that I want to buy a camper and travel the country with my dogs. Well, I'm not (yet) but Juliet is! So until I win the lottery, I'm going to live vicariously through her blog.

Should you accept this award, you’ll need to know the rules, which are:

1. Acknowledge and accept the Liebster Award by leaving a comment on the blog where you were nominated.
2. Copy and paste the Liebster logo onto your own blog.
3. Link back to the blogger who awarded you.
4. Answer the 11 questions put to you by the person who nominated you.
5. List 11 random facts about yourself.
6. Nominate and link to 3 to 11 other blogs you enjoy that have less than 3000 followers.
7. List 11 questions for your Liebster Award nominees on your blog.
8. Inform your nominees by leaving a comment on their blog.

I hope you take the time to visit the blogs I've linked to. They really are some of my favorites. They just might become your favorites too. And while you're there leave a comment. It'll make their day

I had also planned on nominating DZ Dogs, but apparently Allison was tagged by Walks with Rama (another of my favorites, and the same blog that nominated ZoePhee) and DZ Dogs nominated us first. That being said, Dante and Ziva are wonderful pit bull ambassadors. I love following their adventures and looking at the beautiful pictures. You really should check them out.

And if thought things couldn't get better, it's Thoughtless Thursday! Thank you Ruckus the Eskie, Love is Being Owned by a Husky and M. K. Clinton for hosting. I love this hop. It's so random and quirky -- kind of like me! So after you've visited my faves -- ZoePhee, Chasing Dog Tales, Let's Go Dog, Tails From the Road, DZ Dogs and Walks With Rama -- click around below and see what fun stuff others have to share today. BTW, chances are you'll see several of my faves here. Sometimes they're random and quirky too. Go figure. -- K

 

Winner Wednesday! (Not Very Wordless)

A few months back I had to give up my position as editor of my dog club's newsletter. I really didn't want to, but my job and health problems took up so much time that I couldn't give the newsletter the attention it deserved. (Each issue took 20 to 30 hours from start to finish.) It was bittersweet when I received this in the mail yesterday:

Jedi models the ribbon. Obviously he's not as excited as I am.

 

Our newsletter won first place in the German Shepherd Dog Club of America's newsletter competition -- for the second year in a row!

Category: monthly; Division: 26-60 members

It's Wordless Wednesday (not that you could tell by my post). Hop around and see what others are sharing today. -- K

And The Winner Is . . .

WOW! Kelley's Dog Blog (US!) is the latest recipient of the Sunshine Award. This is an award given by bloggers to other bloggers that they admire. I'm honored that Britt over at Mit Hundeliv felt us worthy, especially since I enjoy her blog so much. I get a kick out of reading the adventures of Laika, a beautiful GSD in Denmark. It's fun to compare the lives of Laika and Jedi. Surprisingly, there are more similarities than differences. (P.S. Hit the translate button to read the blog in English, though the pictures do such a great job telling the story that translation is often unnecessary.)

  The recipients of this award are expected to do three things:

1. Publicly thank the nominator
2. Share ten things about themselves, and
3. Nominate ten other blogs

So . . .

Task Number 1

Thanks again Britt for thinking so highly of us!

Task Number 2

1. I'm left-handed.
2. My first dog, Eli, was named after a Three Dog Night song.
3. I fell in love with German shepherds watching Run, Joe, Run at the age of 6. (Go ahead, do the math.) 
4. Hubby and I have been married 25 years. I can't believe that man has put up with me for a quarter century!
5. I lived in Japan for three years.
6. I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up.
7. I've wanted to show dogs since I was 9(ish) but didn't get my first AKC papered dog until 35 years later. I got in the ring for the first time last September. It's harder than it looks.
8. I love dark chocolate. 
9. I'm a huge Star Wars fan. (Being that I named my dog Jedi Mind Trick, you probably figured that one out on your own.)
10. I love a good pun (and several bad ones). 

Task Number 3

Dog Mammas: Biddy and Tristan are not your stereotypical show dogs. They run, play, hunt, train and amuse. It's always fun to see what's coming up next! This blog gives me hope. I've just entered the world of dog showing. I'm clumsy and clueless, old and out of shape -- yet I keep moving forward, sharing my mistakes along the way. Kathryn is also an owner/handler, and further along on a similar journey. She has shared countless tips and encouraging words with me over the past 6 months.

Doggerel: The first time I visited this blog was because of a beautiful Wordless Wednesday picture of a German shepherd -- I'm not going to lie! But I continue to visit the blog because of the content -- it's fresh, honest and well written. Want to feel inadequate? Check out the reading list.

The Five Dog Blog: Living Life Simply Messy: First of all, how can you NOT like the title? Erin is a dog trainer with a full house. She shares tips on everything from training for the CGC (Canine Good Citizen) to cleaning leather collars. And she doesn't stress over dirty laundry and dust bunnies.

Go Pet Friendly: I was reading this blog before I even thought about blogs (or blogging). This blog follows a couple and their dogs as they travel North America in a Winnebago. They visit pet friendly places and share their experiences. Forget #6 above -- this is what I want to do when I grow up! OH! I forgot to mention the best part of the site: you can search pet-friendly hotels, campgrounds, restaurants, parks and more by city or category.

Hiking with Fido: This blog makes me a little homesick. It follows the adventures of Jake the Pit Bull as he hikes Southern California (and beyond). The author posts beautiful pictures as well as tips on everything from hiking safety to everyday training.

Keep the Tail Wagging: This is probably the biggest, most active blog I follow. I don't read every post (stupid life cuts into my blog time, dammit) but I pick up something every time I do. Kimberly and I don't agree on every issue, but she's always open to hearing a different point of view while articulating her position.

Kol's Notes: This blog is my guilty pleasure. It's a fun, full of recipes, DIY projects, product reviews and giveaways. It's well written with great pictures and snarky Canadian humor. Unfortunately, Jodi tends to inspire delusions of grandeur, as in "Hey, maybe I can be crafty after all!" The answer is no, but it's fun to pretend.

Oz the Terrier: Here is another fun-loving, Florida pup. Oz's adventures make me want to do more with my dogs. Seriously, we've got the tent and all the accessories, why don't we camp anymore?

Rhymes with Safari: This is another GSD blog that is more than just pretty pictures. (But don't poo poo pretty pictures!) The author, Kari, discusses dog training and behavior. Make sure to check out her book Bark and Lunge, "a truthful, sometimes painful, always hopeful account of life with a dog who has anxiety and reactivity issues."

Something Wagging This Way Comes: I subscribe to this blog and look forward to seeing it in my inbox every morning. It's a fun, eclectic, often tongue-in-cheek collection of dog-related thoughts and tips.


Well, that's ten. I'm sure as soon that as I hit "publish" I'm going to think of ten more! I hope you take the time to visit the blogs above to see why I love them so much. If I've missed your favorite, please share! -- K