Reflections on the results of the survey.

I have approached this by looking at the responses to each question, and the message that it offers, and then speaking of my overall conclusions.

But once again, let me offer my warmest thanks for your feedback. What a great family of readers you are!

Total number of votes

You good people contributed a total of 245 votes. Fully 42% (102) of those votes were responses to Questions Eight and Nine, the survey questions that sought to understand what your reading preferences were.

Question One

For how long have you been reading Learning from Dogs?

83% of you have been readers of this blog for fewer than three years.

I don’t find that surprising because one can only actively engage in a blog for so long before it becomes fairly predictable. I, too, have blog posts that come into my ‘in-box’ that frequently are not read. Yet for some reason I do not want to cancel that subscription.

Question Two:
For how many years have you had a pet animal/s in your life?

86% of you have had pets in your life for more than ten years. That is fabulous.

Question Three:
Do you presently have one or more pet dogs in your life?

73% of you have a dog in your life! Again, that is fabulous.

Question Four:
Please indicate to what extent having a dog improves your life? (Please answer even if you currently do not have a dog in your life but, nonetheless, have a view.)

81% of you declared that having a dog offered a huge improvement to your life.

(Let me jump straight to the results of Question Seven for it connects with Q.4.)

Question Seven:
Please read the following statement and then record your reaction to it: “Having one or more dogs in my life allows me a much better connection with and awareness of my inner self.”

89% of you agreed (56% strongly agreeing) that having a dog in your life offered that better connection.

Question Five:
On the ‘About’ page of the blog, it is stated that: The underlying theme of Learning from Dogs is about truth, integrity, honesty and trust in every way. We use the life of dogs as a metaphor.

85% were comfortable with the blog conforming to that theme. That is very good news for the founder of Learning from Dogs! 😉

Question Six:
Not infrequently blog posts are published that do not refer to dogs. Please indicate your views on these other ‘non-dog’ posts?

80% found this mix acceptable.

Question Eight:
Please indicate, by ticking the relevant boxes, which dog and animal topics you would like to read more of on Learning from Dogs.

The top four categories that you readers desire are:

Animal rescue, 22.72%
Dog training, 20.34%
Humorous animal stories. 20.34%
Specific dog breeds, 15.25%

Question Nine:
Please indicate, by ticking the relevant boxes, which non-animal topics you would like to read more of on Learning from Dogs.

The top four categories that you readers desire are:

Environmental issues, 20.93%
Philosophy, 18.6%
Regional articles from around the world, 16.28%
Technology. 13.95%

Question Ten:
Do you believe the blog could be improved for you?

No 42.86%
I don’t have a view. 35.71%
Yes 21.43%

Now while 43% said the blog could not be improved that left 57% with differing views or no view.

But there were in the end two comments as to a possible improvement.

I enjoy getting LFD very much. However, I also get many other emails and subscribe to various news, politics and lifestyle blogs. (Yes the Internet takes up far too much of my life and my iPad is practically like a conjoined twin! ). I would prefer that LFD came only twice a week.

and

Very interesting feedback, including the comment. Because I have almost 400 blogs I haven’t had time to read and have kept mine to once every week or two, the comment resonates for me as well. I struggle to read anyway but those that post daily won’t always get my time. I have to do two things at once as it is. I do love coming here and “learning from dogs”.

My overall conclusions

1. Maintain the mix between dog and non-dog posts more or less as it is.
2. But focus on increasing the number of dog story topics that are about animal rescues and dog training.
3. Then when it comes to non-dog posts be more selective and choose stories that feature Environmental issues, Philosophy, and Regional articles from around the world.
4. Last, but by no means least, explore reducing the number of posts published each week.

This last finding is extremely useful. None of you would be surprised to hear that writing or coordinating a daily post is hard work. Extremely rewarding but nevertheless hard work.

Then this coming October I have to keep my head down for a couple of months because I want to finish the draft of my second book by the end of November. Thus, reducing the number of posts published would be a great help in the book-writing department!

However, and this is key, this blog only functions because you, dear reader, read the flippin’ thing!

So let me reflect on a few ways that I might reduce that number of posts and offer those options to you perhaps in a further survey.

Thank you all so very much!