BlogPaws Pet Conference 2017: Fetching (Happy) Memories

Happy-Go-Doodle Chloe nudged my arm as I sat on the grass with a Sharpie pen in hand and a pile of new tennis balls next to me. I’d had a ball at my first BlogPaws pet conference. Now it was time to have a ball with my best furry friend!

Playing fetch had become our tradition for celebrating good news. These “yellow ball of happiness” games were a time to count our blessings, acknowledge special people who had made our first BlogPaws pet conference so memorable, and remember the personal stories that meant so much. 

OUR “YELLOW BALL OF HAPPINESS” BLOGPAWS CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

A “YELLOW BALL OF HAPPINESS HELLO” 

I picked up the tennis ball with “HELLO” printed on it and tossed it in the air for Chloe.  Our first “Yellow Ball of Happiness” highlight goes out to a kindhearted Uber driver and the caring team at The Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach, Inc.

THE BACK STORY

The BlogPaws pet conference adventure began after arriving at the Myrtle Beach airport where our Uber driver greeted my daughter, sister, and me with a friendly “hello.” As we loaded our luggage into the car, we noticed a bag of dog food in the back seat. BINGO! A dog lover! Without much prompting, a heartwarming story about his rescue pup, Marble (pronounced Mer-ble by his daughter), ensued. You could hear the love in his voice as he shared his story about adopting a rather zippy pup and how The Humane Society team had stuck by him through his new pup parent experiences.

But there’s a second chapter to this waggy TALE. A day later, while I was at the BlogPaws conference, I met two members of The Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach. They were the good people who had helped Merble and her pet parent! It was a joy to meet them.

Dogs bring people together.

A “YELLOW BALL OF HAPPINESS” FOR FRIENDSHIP 

I threw the tennis ball marked “FRIEND” into the air. As Chloe returned it to me, I recalled many new friendships made at the  pet conference. Our “yellow ball of happiness” highlight for friendship goes out to some welcoming cat bloggers who made this dog blogger feel like a true fur-end.

THE BACK STORY

The first morning of the conference, I was welcomed to breakfast by pet bloggers who shared a passion for pets–especially furry felines. Noir Kitty Mews, Chirpy Cats, Momma Cat and Her Bear Cat, and Bengal Cats took me “under their paws” and shared helpful conference tips with me. They extended a paw out as a “mew” friend.

Teamwork makes our blogging dreams work.

A “YELLOW BALL OF HAPPINESS” FOR KINDNESS

I tossed the ball labeled “KIND” into the air. It plunked into Chloe’s mouth. “Kindness” is the best thing to catch!

Our  “yellow ball of happiness” highlight for kindness goes out to the BlogPaws team, The Graffiti Dog, Traveling Dog Lady, Barking from the Bayou, and the BlogPaws ambassadors.

THE BACK STORY

While having lunch on the second day of the pet conference, I met a dog blogger who had launched her new blog days before the conference. After exchanging business cards, I made a mental note. How could I share with her the kindness that the BlogPaws community had extended to me when I was launching my blog six months ago? Here’s a try:

Tail wags, woofs, and woohoos to Mindy on

launching her new dog blog,

 sheltermutt.com

Congratulations!

Why so important? As a new social media influencer, I’d started out with one Twitter follower, my daughter. After finding BlogPaws through a Google search, I participated in my first BlogPaws Tuesday Twitter chat. Within minutes, Happy-Go-Doodle had new Twitter friends–The BlogPaws team, The Graffiti Dog, Traveling Dog Lady, Barking from the Bayou, and BlogPaws ambassadors were some of the first. Paying it forward by supporting another new blogger feels good.

Kindness is catching.

A “YELLOW BALL OF HAPPINESS” FOR BEING SO NICE

I picked up the ball with “NICE” printed on it and tossed it in the air for Chloe to catch.  Our “yellow ball of happiness” highlight for being so doggone nice goes out to Hollie at The Social Media Advisor.

THE BACK STORY

Living in the moment while capturing and sharing pet conference highlights on social media was an unexpected challenge for me. A day into it, I realized that multitasking meant missing out on the moment. During one of the events, Hollie introduced herself and took the time to share some insights and tips on which social media platforms she was using. Had she read my mind? It was such a helpful, nice, and unexpected gesture!

A “YELLOW BALL OF HAPPINESS” FOR SMILES

I tossed another ball into the air and watched the word “SMILES” blaze a trail through the blue sky until it dropped on the grass. Chloe scooped it up into her mouth. Our yellow ball of happiness highlight for sharing smiles and support goes out to my family.

THE BACK STORY

Prior to attending the BlogPaws conference, I’d been hesitant. Was it worth the investment? How could I measure my return? My husband, kids, parents, siblings, and Chloe all supported me. “We’re getting her to Myrtle Beach…she’s definitely going,” my husband had said to the Courier Tribune news reporter in an interview about Happy-Go-Doodle‘s selection as a BlogPaws Best New Pet Blog finalist. Because of my family’s support, I decided to attend the BlogPaws pet conference. It was one of the best business decisions I could have made. At the end of the three-day pet conference, I was returning home with…

• New relationships with over 30 pet brands who’d attend the conference as sponsors.
• New connections with at least 76 bloggers. (I didn’t keep a tally, but I did collect that many business cards!)
• Enough information, education, and ideas to feed my dog blog for the next year. (Not to mention enough snacks and swag from brand sponsors to surprise and delight Chloe!)

But the most personally priceless conference moment happened during the awards dinner. As I returned to my seat after sharing a teary-eyed, impromptu speech for the BlogPaws Best New Pet Blog award, I saw a huge smile on my daughter’s face. She was so happy for me. That was the biggest honor that I could have ever received.

Family smiles mean the most. 

A “YELLOW BALL OF HAPPINESS” FOR LOVE

I tossed the last tennis ball with “LOVE” to Chloe. She made a perfect catch. It was a joyful ending to our celebration. Happy, smiley, ball-loving, kiddoodle Chloe was my inspiration. She shares so much joy with me and everyone she meets. Through the adventures of one very loved and loving four-legged family member,  we hope to FETCH JOY™ with you. 

Do you have a “yellow ball of happiness” moment that you’d like to share? 

We’d love to hear. Please comment below. 

If this story brought a smile, a laugh, or a woof, you might enjoy…

OVERJOYED! Happy-Go-Doodle is a Best New Pet Blog Finalist

How Does a Ball Dog Celebrate Good News? 

Fun Birthday Quotes From a Very Happy Dog 

WHAAAT! Double the Happy-Go-Doodle Dog Fun

Doodle kisses and tail wags!