BarkWorld Day 1

In case you haven't heard, mom abandoned me to go to BarkWorld this week. After my recent experience last month in a hotel, we all decided (me included) that I was happier at home. But I made her tell me all about it last night so I could share with my readers.

Not sure what mom thinks, but I believe the most exciting thing was all the cool stuff she got to take home for me! She got some Nylabone treats for me. You know how much of a chewer I am, so I am too aggressive for their regular bones but mom found out they have treats you can eat too and she has some for me! She got me a new tag with a QR code on it  from Pet QR Tag so if I ever get lost whoever finds me will be able to find out where I belong. There are other tags with web updates but there is no additional fee to keep the info updated on the web with their tag!

She also got me a new leash from Leash Locket that retracts into a gizmo (locket) that I carry on my collar. We are going to try that out and let you know how it works. She also got a coupon for a Perfect Sweep Turbo sweeper from Bissell  to clean up all that tracked cat litter (I never make a mess). I will be doing a blog on that too and will share a $5 off coupon code. By the way, mom tried it and that sweeper works great. Of course in our house, dad does the cleaning but we think even he can handle it.

The conference is at the Loews Atlanta and mom says the conference facilities are great. Here is a picture she took from the balcony yesterday.

She is meeting some really cool humans and dogs and some have some neat pet businesses and she is learning a lot about social media topics.

Mom did her presentation on Facebook advertising. You can see the slides from her presentation by clicking here.

She said her favorite thing from the first day was getting to hear Victoria Stilwell talk. Mom says she was great and all my pals should check out her website and social media sites. We love her show It's Me or the Dog and her positive training methods. (Sorry for the Blackberry picture, her good pictures are trapped in the camera until she gets home).

Mom will share some more stuff later so stay tuned.

Yappy Hour Is Friday!

Yappy Hour Pre #BarkWorld pawty, Friday, Sept. 16, 8-10 p.m. EDT

I'm sure all my pals know that mom is speaking at BarkWorld Expo which is coming soon - it kicks off September 29th! She will be telling folks all about advertising on Facebook. She has done lots of ads on Facebook for her job at Virginia State Parks. While I am disappointed I will not be going, I know that my last hotel/conference experience was just too much for me so I am okay with it until I get older and mom invests in some significant obedience training.

Since BarkWorld will be two weeks away on Friday, there is going to be a great Yappy Hour Twitter pawty!

It is going to be exciting with the Shibbering Cheetos (@ShibberingC) performing, prizes and lots of fun. Click here for more information.




And, if you have not signed up for BarkWorld Expo 2011 it is NOT TOO LATE. Victoria Stilwell will be a keynote speaker from the show "It's Me or the Dog." Hmmm maybe mom can pick up some tips. Just because it's called BARKworld, don't worry the sessions are good for all anipals (and even humans).

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR BARKWORLD EXPO 2011

P.S. Now that dad and I aren't going, mom would love a female roommate (dad insists on the female part) and she might just have a conference ticket available too. Email her at nancyDOTheltmanATdcr.virginia.gov.

I went to BlogPaws and spent the conference in my room

There is a first for everything and BlogPaws was a lot of firsts for me: my first hotel, my first elevator and my first experience with a lot of dogs and people I don't know. I was on sensory overload and I didn't do well.

 Sheraton Premiere at Tyson Corners -

my barking really echoed under this canopy

We tried the play room and sweet little me was over aggressive. I barked too much when I heard people in the hall.

 Here are some dogs enjoying the Play Room without me 

The first day mom stayed in the room with me because due to Hurricane Irene she had to do a lot of work telling people some of her Virginia State Parks are closed.

At least I can say the bed was real comfy

So I thought I was maybe calming down so mom had dad bring me down after the sessions to meet some of my pals' staff. I saw mom and kind of went nuts. I did get to meet some people like @tildatoo but it was back to the room pretty quick.

Maybe I need a doggie day care a few days a week.

 Dad visited the exhibit area 

 Dad met @CosmoHavanese 

Anyway mom had some good sessions about how to do better video, how to write a proposal and she learned a lot about legal stuff like copyrights, endorsements and contests.

Dad went swimming lots of times in the neat indoor pool and also took most of the pictures.

 

Hot tub 

 Pool 

Mom's favorite part was at lunch Saturday when her friend @BZTAT talked about Oakey's Promise her Canton Mural to bring awareness to the link between animal cruelty and child and domestic abuse. BZTAT talked about using Kickstarter for fund raising for the project. Mom got to stand up as one of the Promise Keepers who helped in a small way to make the project possible.

BZTAT talks about Oakey's Promise

A very talented young lady named Miah Thornton did a dance to describe the story of Oakey's rescue that led BZTAT to decide to start the project.

 Miah Thornton performs at BlogPaws

BZTAT has started a new project at Kickstarter for a traveling artwork on the same theme. We will be writing more about that soon.

We leave tomorrow as soon as we know the roads are okay after Hurricane Irene.

Mom I Wanna Go To Bark World Expo!

Well, maybe, maybe not .... Read this post!

Mom has been chattering away about BarkWorld Expo for amany months now. The event is August 20-22 in some place called Atlanta which mom says is a cool place. It is also far away from Furginia and she is going to drive. That means I could go with her because the hotel is pet friendly. But I think she wants to leave me at home with dad.

Her reasons are, in my opinion, weak. Okay, maybe the first one makes a little sense. I am not the best car rider in the world. It's 10 hours which is about 4 hours longer than my longest trip. Mom says she cannot take 8 hours of my high pitch whining.

Her other reason is that I have not been around a lot of people and dogs. But who wouldn't want to meet me? When I meet new people I greet them by putting my paws on their shoulder and giving them a big Yoda Smooch. Surely that would make everyone love me. Right?

Well, what do you, my pals think? Be honest with me - don't pull any punches.



Why is mom so excited? Well she has been on something called the Advisory Committee with the staff of some of my bestest pals on Twitter and Facebook: Frugal Dougal, Mattie Dog, Brutus the Dane, the Trailer Park Dogs, Hank the Doggy, Cosmo Havanese, and Da Shibbering Cheetos. The whole effort is being led by my pal Frankie Beans' (aka Frankie El Perro) mom Denise. This is a to die for event and mom wants to meet all these staff people. I know that most of my pals won't be going either, but still .....

The Expo is going to be all about social media and the wonderful on line animal community. There is something for people who have never thought about letting their pets tweet or have a blog or Facebook page, and something for those of us that have been at it for a while, and something for people who have businesses that sell stuff to our community. There is also going to be lots of non-profit people who want to learn how to do better raising money for their anipal causes. You have GOT to check out the main speakers (humans call them keynote speakers) and the schedule.

When you look at the names of the humans doing the sessions, you will see an awful lot of my pals staff. This is going to be THE EVENT of the anipal social season. So those of us left behind have to have our own pawty so our humans can go and have a great time in Atlanta!

See - I can be good in the car!