We’re An Award-Winning Blog: Best Dog Blog Design and Best Dog Blog
It’s been award-winning year for us (if you count by calendar year anyway).
In September of 2014, this blog was nominated for Best Active Living Blog in the Petties.
It’s a voter-based award and you all blew me away by voting me to the top even though I never really asked (that meant SO much by the way!).
Last month I found out that I was chosen from 1,000 nominations to be the finalist in two categories for the BlogPaws Nose-to-Nose Blogging and Social Media Awards (thanks again to you mystery people who nominated me) – Best Pet Blog Design and Best Dog Blog.
The Nose-to-Nose Award winners are selected by a jury of peers and are the biggest honor given to the top blogs and microblogs in the pet industry.
I spent this past weekend in Nashville and the annual BlogPaws conference – the hottest social media conference in the pet industry and the place to be if you blog about pets.
It’s a full weekend of networking, learning, and meeting your online blogger friends face-to-face.
It’s also when the winners of the Nose-to-Nose awards are announced.
Well Saturday night left me on cloud 9 because I won and walked onto the state to accept TWO awards for both Best Pet Blog Design and Best Dog Blog!
Even though I don’t look like it in this picture, I had no idea what I was doing and was very nervous.
I look like a professional award accepter though, no? Ha, ha.
I have been blogging for 4 1/2 years, and sometimes putting in almost 30 hours a week in addition to a real job, and this was the first time that my blog has ever made it to the finals.
It’s such a privilege to be recognized for my hard work by my peers.
Hard work alone is not what has made this blog a success though. Without some “special sauce” this blog would be just average. I would like to thank…..
- The rescue that brought Gretel into my life and changed my course forever – Motley Zoo Animal Rescue.
Gretel has completely changed who I am as a person, who I am as a dog owner, and was the inspiration for this blog which led me to discover my true passion in life (seriously, I am tearing up here).
Without Motley Zoo and their decision to break their own rules so that Gretel would end up with me, this award wouldn’t have even been possible.
Each award came with a $500 donation to the animal-related charity of my choice and my entire $1,000 is going to Motley Zoo.
I could never truly repay them for making me a better person and allowing me to find my true purpose but this is a start. - Chester and Gretel for putting up with me making them sit for cumulative hours for photos, and adapting to whatever situation I put them in, all while looking cute.
They have put up with countless hours of listening to me say “Sit here. You hoo, look over here. No…sit…wait. Lookit Mommy. Squee, suuee. You hoo. No….sit”. Ha, ha. - My hubby for not once complaining about all of the times my intense focus prevented me from fully listening to him, for up and quitting my cushy government job to follow my passion, for putting up with stressed-out and grumpy me through grad school, and following me on all of our crazy adventures.
- My fellow bloggers and peers who have given me advice and support, cheered me on, been an inspiration, and encouraged me through the rough times when I thought about throwing in the towel (some of those great bloggers also made it to the finals. You can check them out here).
- The technical folks that have helped me with my website code, design, graphics, newsletter, etc.
But you know who deserves the most thanks? YOU!
Like a tree in the woods, I believe that if a blog post is published and no one sees it, it doesn’t make a difference.
Absolutely none of this would be possible if it weren’t for you, our loyal readers, fans, and supporters. You have inspired me to keep writing, sharing what I have learned over the years about being a pet parent, and adventuring to lead by example.
I am grateful for you letting me into your life over the years and feel like some familiar faces have even become friends.
I love you man. *sniff*
So these awards are for you too…
About the Author
Hi, I’m Jessica. I’m a Dachshund sitter, President of the largest social Dachshund club in Washington State, a dog trainer in training, and I’ve been a Dachshund owner for 20 years. I have over 150,000 hours of experience with the breed. When I’m not working, you can find me hiking, camping, and traveling with my adventurous wiener dogs.
Congratulations Jessica! What a wonderful year you’ve had!! 🙂
Ok, I’ve been thinking about it, and the next time you win an award, after you thank everyone, do a running stage dive and crowd surf with your awards!
We’ll work on the rest of it for next year 🙂
(PS: Congrats!)
Ha, ha. Thanks for the tip 🙂
Congratulations, Jessica. Both awards are so well deserved, and yours is one of the blogs I look up to a great deal Love those leopard shoes, too!
Thanks Lara. As for the shoes, I have owned them for at least two years but this was the first time I was brave enough to wear them out….and I totally didn’t even fall down (I am not a heels girl). Ha, ha.
Congrats! You deserve it!! 🙂
Congratulations Jessica! You have worked so hard and done such a wonderful job. You’re a true inspiration! I’m glad we had a chance to talk a bit but next time we definitely have to sit down and make it more than 10 minutes! Oh…..and you did awesome on stage and in your interview!
Thanks Jen. Yes, we never have enough time to talk at BlogPaws. Sometime it would be nice to sit down and have a long causal conversation with you. You’re blog has been an inspiration to me too and your award is well deserved because you DO make me laugh.
You looked great up there! So awesome that you got to win two… I watched it live and it was so exciting. Congratulations to you – very well deserved.
Thanks Ann. When I see the photo of me up there I don’t actually think I look like a total fool (as I usually do). That’s a win, right? Ha, ha.
So proud of you Jess! Us fellow bloggers know the hard work that goes into these things and your awards are complete deserved. Your blog is awesome and you inspire so many more people than you know. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Heather! I my hope is that I inspire at least one person. I know that I do on occasion because they write me. However, I figure I am pretty average to everyone else. It’s nice that winning an award makes some people speak up and say that I make a difference. It makes all of that effort feel like it’s worth it 🙂
Sugar and I watched the Nose to Nose live via BP youtube. A big Golden Congrats!!! I’m surprised that Gina forgot to take a photo of you and flat Sugar 🙂 Golden Woofs
You could have fooled us up there – you looked like a total award-winning pro! Congrats again, and Ammo and I can’t wait to see what’s next for you and Chester & Gretel!
Thanks. I love that we both blog about Doxies that are adventurous. Go little long dogs. Ha, ha.
Congrats – it’s very well deserved. I was so sad that I was unable to attend this year but I was watching the live stream and it was awesome.
Congratulations Jessica, it was well deserved. So happy I was there to see you recognized.
Way to go Jessica. You look so pulled together up there on the stage. I’m sure it’s a moment you won’t soon forget. If your anything like me though, you’d rather be outside rompin with the dogs. Hope your next year is just as rewarding. I know I’ll be looking forward to seeing what you and the weiners are up in the next year.
Thanks Anne.
Congrats on your two awards! That is so exciting!