The Joy of Being Recognized for Your Work - Pixel is Chosen as a BlogPaws 2016 "Nose to Nose Award" Finalist!

Have you heard the news?? I am incredibly excited to officially announce here today that one of my most important and compelling blog posts has been chosen as a finalist in the 2016 BlogPaws Nose to Nose Awards! My article "Pet Medications and Xylitol: What You Don't Know Could Kill Your Petnow Could Kill Your Pet" has been chosen as one of four finalists for "Best Written Pet Blog Post". I am so honored, humbled, thrilled, excited, and just amazed that I was chosen among hundreds of incredible pet bloggers that were nominated. This blog post is a very special one I wrote last year on the dangers of Xylitol poisoning for your pet. You'll find out in the blog post exactly how close this hits to home and why it is so important that every single pet parent know about the dangers.

I've worked hard with Mommy from the moment I told her I wanted to start a blog, loving every minute of our time working on it. Except for those late nights when I work alone, Mommy and I do every part of the blog together, creating story ideas, taking photos, documenting my silly and fun adventures, doing research to bring important information to my dear friends, and planning out and writing our more serious informational blog posts...it's always Mommy and me doing our best to present an entertaining and informative blog. 

Three years ago Mommy and I went to our first and only BlogPaws Conference and it changed our lives for the better. We made so many wonderful pet blogger friends (friends like Deb Barnes of Zee & Zoey), learned so much and met a number of brands that we ended up working with.
I remember sitting in the audience during the awards show, seeing all the talented bloggers up there, thinking, "Wow, wouldn't it be amazing to even be considered a finalist? I wonder if Even with all we've done over the years, I never thought I'd be chosen as a BlogPaws Nose to Nose finalist. What a blessing and an honor to now be among those being considered for an award!! Maybe all those late nights pawing at the keyboard, trying not to wake Mommy, are finally paying off. 

There is a total of 12 Categories in the Nose to Nose Awards, including my category of "Best Written Pet Blog Post", and I'm so excited for each of the finalists in all the categories. Mommy and I have known several of them for years and we greatly admire their work. Other nominees are new to us, and we have become instant fans! Please take a few minutes to read the official 2016 BlogPaws Nose to Nose Announcements article. Take a little time to get to visit their blogs. You will love their humor, their pathos, their brilliant photos and their charm.  And don't forget to leave a comment or two to give some celebratory praise and paw clapping to these talented writers. They are ALL winners in my Pixel Blue "Eyes".
I hope you share in my joy and excitement friends over being a BlogPaws 2016 Nose to Nose Award Finalist. Mommy and me have full hearts and are still beaming! And for the sake of your pets, please be sure to read my blog post about Xylitol poisoning dangers. It just might save your pet's life. 

See you in Phoenix...

The Joy of a Good Quote - Pixel Shares Her Favorite Pixelisms

A good quote can make you smile, make you think, or get you motivated. I love positive quotes, which often encourage you, warm your heart or remind you about what is important in life. When my good friend Spencer the Goldendoodle invited me to take part in the Quote Hop, I was very excited and couldn't wait to dig up some good ones. I am only allowed to share 3 quotes, which is devilishly difficult to do, but I promised Spencer I'd follow the rules to the letter.
There are many famous quotes that I love, but as I searched to find just the right ones, I realized something. I often make up Pixel quotes, or 'Pixelisms' as Mommy calls them, on my own, and have shared them with Mommy and all my friends over the years. So, instead of sharing famous quotes for this 'Quote Hop', I thought I'd share some favorite 'Pixelisms'. Feel free to 'quote' me anytime, and share the posters. Who knows, one day maybe they will be famous and shared by others too!

"Smiles are like Spring Flowers. Each one is Unique, Fresh and Beautiful!"
I originally 'quoted' this back in March 2015 on my Facebook page to bring a few smiles out of my friends. I think every smile is beautiful. You can never have too many smiles in your life or in the world. Big or small, I love them all!

"Find a Reason to Smile Each Day. It Matters Because YOU Matter."
I quoted this one on March 2014 on Facebook as well. I believe it's important for everyone to seek reasons to smile in their day, no matter what might be going on around them. Even if you are having "the worst day ever", you can still find some reason to smile. It can be over the tiniest thing, but it matters if you can find those little things to make you smile. It's especially good if you can make someone else smile too...who knows how much your little act of kindness can change a person's world around!

"Don't let a 'Bad Hair Day' get you down. Just smile....like you meant to style it that way!"
Finally, a silly one that I first posted in January 2014. I was having one heck of a bad hair day when Mommy took several photos of me. I didn't even know until I saw the images later, so I thought, hey, wouldn't it be easier if we all just smile through our "bad hair days" and pretend like it was intentional. It might make everyone else think it's a new style. Isn't that how new trends get started? Confidence is catching.
Thank you Spencer for inviting me to do the Quote Hop. It was fun finding the right "Pixelisms" to share! I now challenge three of my fellow pet blogging friends to the Quote Hop. I challenge The Cat on my Head, The Chesnut Mutts, and Pawsitively Pets.
The rules of the Quote Hop are as follows:
Thank the blogger who nominated you.
Post three of your favorite quotes (this can be done all in one post or on three consecutive days).
Nominate 3 bloggers and challenge them.
I hope everyone got a little smile and enjoyment from each Pixelism. Which one did you like best? 
Do you have a favorite quote? I'd love to have you share it in a comment below!

The Joy of Hard Work - Happy "Working Like a Dog" Day

Today is National "Work Like a Dog" Day in the U.S. Some dogs, like me, are indeed very hard working. I love my many jobs, such as nursing, inventing, blogging, writing poetry, doing my animal advocacy work, and of course, being a trick dog. I can get downright dog tired with all of that. They say the "work like a dog" term originates from all those working dogs who really 'hoof it' to sniff down leads in police work, who save lives, who work in the fields herding sheep all day and who do all those other hard tasks with honor and faithfulness.
Today, in honor of "Work Like a Dog" Day, I thought I'd share some fun photos of me working at some of the jobs I love. I hope you enjoy them!

Nursing

Checking the pulse and vitals while visiting one of my human patients. 

A day in the ER with Nurse Pixel: Getting a call, rushing to Teddy Bear Surgery, happy as another patient is saved.

Nurse Pixel preparing to do surgery on Pinky Tuskadero Duckie, who got hurt during hours of "excessive play".

Blogging

I started blogging before I was even a year old.

Searching for the right word to rhyme with "Pixel".

Trick Dog

Practicing one of my first and earliest tricks, "Smack", which eventually became multiple other tricks.

Another Pixel trick favorite: "Sneer", which is my signature smile!

Years of hard work pays off as I win 1st prize
in a dog trick contest, May 2014! 

So, how do you "work like a dog"friends? Leave me a comment and tell me all about it!

The Joy of Awards - Nominate Pixel for a BlogPaws 2014 Nose to Nose Award

I am a little dog with BIG DREAMS. Right now, a big dream of mine is actually possible, but I need the help of all my friends...so gather 'round, and let me tell you about it.
By now everyone should know how much I love BlogPaws. They are the premiere pet blogging and social media company that brings pet bloggers, pet parents and pet companies together to do wonderful things all in the name of us pets. Well, "Awards Season" is upon us and the BlogPaws team is currently taking nominations for the 3rd Annual Nose to Nose Awards. I am both a pet blogger and what they call a "micro blogger" (someone who uses social media such as Facebook and Twitter as part of their online presence), so there are several awards that I am eligible for. They have a total of 12 Nose to Nose Awards!!

I went to my very first BlogPaws conference last year, in May 2013. I remember sitting in the audience during the 2nd Annual BlogPaws Nose to Nose Award show thinking, "I wonder if I, Pixel Blue Eyes, will ever get a chance to be one of those winners..." Well, now is my chance!
The knowledge and friendships I've gained from being a part of the BlogPaws community, my experiences at the conference, and the opportunities I've gained from all of this has been extraordinary. I have grown so much as a blogger and can't wait to do even more!

Writing this blog for you has brought me such joy and I hope that I've brought some joy and laughter into your life as well. I'd be honored if you would consider nominating me for one (or several) of the awards. It's really easy to do, and I will give you all the information you need below.

AWARD CATEGORIES (that link to the quick and easy nomination forms):

• Best Cause Blog
• Best Dog Blog
• Best Cat Blog
• Best Other Pet Blog
• Best New Pet Blog
• Best Humor Blog

• Best Blog Post
• Best Design
• Best Pet Blog Photo
• Best Pet Blog Video
• Best Pet MicroBlogger
• Best Use of Social Media by a 501(c)3

IMPORTANT INFO YOU NEED TO NOMINATE PIXEL BLUE EYES:

Blog Writer's Homepage:  www.pixelblueeyes.com
(For No Tail Left Behind, it's www.NoTailLeftBehind.com)
Contact Name for Blog Writer:  Jenny Lewis
Contact Email:  pixelblueeyes.blog@gmail.com
Facebook page:  #/pixelblueeyes
(For No Tail Left Behind, it's #/NoTailLeftBehind)
Twitter page:  www.twitter.com/pixelblueeyes
(For No Tail Left Behind, it's www.twitter.com/NoTailLeftBhind)
HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS OF CATEGORIES I AM ELIGIBLE FOR:
Best Humor Blog
How often do I make you LOL, BOL, or even MOL (meow out loud)?
Best Blog Post
Here's some of my personal favorites that were a huge hit, along with the direct link to each post!
In Search of Long Lost Kibble - A Pixel Adventure
https://www.pixelblueeyes.com/2013/05/in-search-of-long-lost-kibble-pixel.html
The Joy of Adventure - Pixel Tries Her Paw at Being a Survivalist
https://www.pixelblueeyes.com/2013/04/the-joy-of-adventure-pixel-tries-her.html
A Twist of Fate on Pixel's Wordless Wednesday
https://www.pixelblueeyes.com/2014/01/TwistFatePixelWordlessWednesday.html
The Joy of America's Independence - Pixel and her Sisters Get Into Character
https://www.pixelblueeyes.com/2013/07/the-joy-of-americas-independence-pixel.html
The Joy of the U.S. Constitution - Happy Constitution Day!
https://www.pixelblueeyes.com/2013/09/the-joy-of-us-constitution-happy.html
Pixel the Prison Pup Tells Her Tail
https://www.pixelblueeyes.com/2013/11/happy-halloween-pixel-prison-pup-tells.html
The Joy of a Pretty Day - Pixel Dances in the Sunshine
https://www.pixelblueeyes.com/2013/07/the-joy-of-pretty-day-pixel-dances.html
Best Design
Whether for my Blog, Facebook page, or Twitter page...you know you like it.
Best Pet Blog Photo
(Look through my blog or Facebook page to choose your favorite)
See below for STEPS on how to get the photo link/URL for the ones you want to nominate

Best Pet Micro Blogger
(Do you enjoy my Pixel Blue Eyes Facebook and Twitter pages? How about my No Tail Left Behind Facebook campaign page? Well, they both count here, so why not nominate them both!
Best Cause Blog - www.notailleftbehind.com
(Through this educational campaign, I educate about the dangers of tail docking. I've helped hundreds of docked tail dogs and their families, shared lots of important information on how tail docking negatively affects dogs, and changed the hearts and minds of several breeders who no longer dock puppy tails thanks to learning from my Facebook and online campaign. I myself live with chronic nerve pain and permanent health issues due to my docked tail that was taken before I adopted Mommy.)
A panel of professionals will judge the candidates based on creativity, expertise, and performance. NOTE: During nomination, participants will NOT be required to garner votes or drive likes to their social media sites. Whew! Thank goodness for that!
QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE NOSE TO NOSE AWARDS:

1. Anyone can nominate a blog. That means YOU my friend.
2. There is no limit to the number of nominations you can make! As many blogs and as many nominations as you'd like.
3. Bloggers are judged on their expertise, creativity and performance in one or more of the 12 categories. 

3. A group of distinguished professionals in the industry will review and judge ALL the nominations and select the chosen final nominees for each category. There is no "daily voting" or anything like that. You just nominate the blog for as many award(s) as you wish in a short form available on the Nose to Nose nomination page. Each nomination must have it's own form filled out. (RULES)

3. Nominations WILL BE CLOSED by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, February 12, 2014.
So get those nominations in as soon as you can.

4. The winners will be announced at the 2014 BlogPaws Conference in Lake Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night, May 10, 2014 during a glamorous live broadcast award show and banquet.

STEPS ON HOW TO GET PHOTO LINK/URL TO NOMINATE A PHOTO:
1. Select (click on) a photo you like in my blog or Facebook page. It will open up sort of "above" the browser window.
2. Right click on the photo and select "copy image URL".
3. Double check that the link works by pasting it into a new window or tab to see if that exact photo shows in a new window.
4. After verifying you copied the URL correctly, paste it into the "Best Pet Blog Photo" nomination form.
Okay friends, I've given you all the information you need. Now, go and nominate Pixel Blue Eyes and ALL your favorite blogs and photos for the 2014 BlogPaws Nose to Nose Awards!!

A Twist of Fate on Pixel's "Wordless Wednesday"

Wordless Wednesday. It's supposed to be a happy pet blogging day where we take a break from the multitude of "words" that are our trade and post images of meaning, joy or substance. Yet today of all days, my words fail me. As I sit barren of words in front of this tormentor that is my laptop, I feel as though Wordless Wednesday is teasing me. Oh what I would give for a melodious set of words to come to me now.
What would Shakespeare have done if such a thing as "Wordless Wednesday" had occurred in his day? Would he, too, have been haunted by the mere mention as he sought to find the words to his next great masterpiece? Did he have times where it felt like the creativity of his mind was locked away, as if his quill was an old chicken wing with which he could not pick that lock?

Oh Wordless Wednesday, what hast thou done to me? Oh to find the words...to unlock the prison that is my mind and let the well of inspiration spring forth in a torrent of brilliant words. Let the waves of creativity crash down on "Wordless Wednesday" like it was high tide and a full moon.
Cruelty, thy name is Wordle...
What Mommy? It's past my lunch time and I just need to eat? Well why didn't you say so before?

Next time, remind me to bring a snack or something before I sit down to write, for goodness sake!
This is a blog hop sponsored by my good friends at BlogPaws. Let's go see what other creative Wordless Wednesday posts my friends have.

The Joy of Playtime with Friends on a Winter Afternoon - Pixel's Wordless Wednesday

It's very cold and snowy today, so I could not really go outside and play. But my little friend Blue Bunny decided she'd get me to play inside with her while the winter sun shone through the window of our room. We had a wonderful time together!
She had such a perfect way of getting me to play. Can you guess what she might have whispered to me to elicit such excitement in my face?

Pixel's Pet Blogger Challenge 2014 - My Plans to "Pixelize" the Pet Blogging World!

Pixel's Plans to Pixelize the Pet Blogging World in 2014!

For the first time in my pet blogging life, I am taking part in the Pet Blogger Challenge, which takes place every January 10th. It’s a time for pet bloggers to see how far we've come and make some plans for where we’re going (with our blogs) in the new year. I started my blog when I was but a little puppy, however I didn't really take it very seriously until about 2 years ago.

I've seen my blog grow a lot in the last couple of years, with a great deal of that growth attributed to the encouragement, support and friendship of fellow pet bloggers like me. Some have small blogs, others have huge websites that include blogs, but no matter who we are as pet bloggers, we all have a few things things in common...
we love animals, we love blogging, and we want to be the very best that we can be at our craft. I've been working very hard over the last few months especially, to bring my blog to a whole new level of fantastic, so I am very excited to join in this challenge. There's a series of questions I must answer to help share my ideas, goals and hopes for the future of my blog. Here goes friends!

The Joy of Dreaming BIG in 2014 - Happy New Year!

What an exciting week it has been! A brand new year has come to town, and I am welcoming it with open arms and paws. In fact, I dressed up in my best princess outfit to give it a proper welcome.
I see great things in store for 2014 for me, my blog and the Pixel Blue Eyes conglomeration. I bet you didn't realize I had a conglomeration, did you? Well neither did I until I looked it up, BOL! Seriously, I am so grateful for this new year that brings new opportunities to realize my dreams. It feels like a new chance to do great things, help more people, share more smiles, be even more thankful for all the good in my life, and of course love even more.

I told Mommy a couple of months ago that I wanted to redesign my blog to make it a bit more professional looking. I am, after all, a professional blogging doggie. So, she and I have been busy planning and designing, updating and changing things. I oversee it all, and I am very happy with the new look so far. We have the template complete, the new colors updated, the right side banner looking clean and sharp, and my first 'tabbed' section. I wanted all of this part done by the new year, and by golly, we reached that goal! I felt we should complete the "Meet Pixel Blue Eyes" portion of my newly revamped blog first. I wanted to share a little more about me that a lot of people might not know. I hope you like it. You'll have to read it and tell me what you think.

We also updated the banner to make it a bit more fun, like my business cards are. See? Eventually ALL things Pixel, including Facebook, Twitter, and my other social media accounts, will match so there will be instant recognition no matter where people go to find me. It's all part of my BIG DREAM to share my joy, fun and adventures with even more people. I also want to attend BlogPaws 2014, which brings me to my next dream: I want to get hired by more companies. You clearly can't go to Vegas without sponsors, and the funding needed. It's just a reality of business. You'd hire me, right? I could sell ice cubes to ice cube vendors if you wanted!

Another big dream of mine is to have my favorite toy companies hire me to be their official tester and/or shopper of all the toys they make...ones that are my size of course. I'd sub hire a couple of my big dog friends to test the larger toys. Then I could travel the world, sharing the wonderful joys of the toys as part of my job description!! This is the year of dreaming BIG for this little girl. And of course, I really want to work with the wonderful companies I've already worked with (you know who you are) a LOT more...hint hint. There's no limit to the possibilities.
So, what are your big dreams for 2014? Why not just let it out, you've got to tell someone...why not me? Leave me a comment on your big dream of 2014 if you dare. No dream is too big. Trust me on that one!