Don’t take this as a product endorsement, but we just thought it is a terrific ad. The Herd says they just noticed one error. Do you know what that is? Our answer tomorrow.

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Finally, the hu-dad assembled some of the photographs from this past weekend.  Hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed Winterfest 2012 – sponsored by Siberian Husky Assist.

We hope you all are preparing for a terrific New Year. Taking our cue from so many, we decided our last post of 2011 should be a Year in Review.  We decided to use Google Analytics and awstats (Advanced Web Statistics) to review our site for the past year.  So here goes with some random facts.

We posted 358 times this year meaning we are now at 1205 posts all time with this blog.  There was another blog before this one, but we only brought a handful of those posts over in our stories (some of those stories came from posts we had done in other places, too).

Kodiak

During the year, we suffered two great losses – Kodiak and the hu-dad’s dad.  The post on Kodiak generated the most comments (157), but the post on the hu-dad’s dad, entitled A Great Man, is the post we are most proud of this year.  The words in that post simply flowed.

The other most popular posts were celebrations – Introducing Frankie and our 1000th post celebration.  As you can imagine, the remaining most popular posts were about Rusty and his uniqueness – Rusty’s Souvenir and Serious – Or Not. That last post also contains one of our favorite Rusty pictures as he high-steps on a walk.

High stepping Rooster

Surprise – our most popular video of the year was also of Rusty playing his games. Amy, at Go Pet Friendly, confessed that she almost woke her husband up laughing so hard at the video.

By the way, our most popular video ever is also of Rusty, but this time with the humans playing his game right back at him.

Now for random weird stuff we discovered while analyzing the web activity for the year.

• While 94% of our readers view the blog in English, the most popular translated language is Russian followed by German, Spanish and French.
• People from 124 countries around the world visited the website during the course of the year.
• Internet Explorer (37% of readers) continues to lose ground against its competitors: Firefox at 31%; Safari at 14% and Chrome at 13%.
• Mobile devices really grew during the course of the year with the iPhone leading the way followed by the iPad and the Droid.  What was really interesting to me was that mobile devices made up 7.5% of the readership over the year, but 13.2% of the readership in the last 90 days.
• The number of people who have subscribed via email has grown dramatically.  You can have the blog emailed to you by filling in the “Subscribe by Email” feature on the top right of the blog page.
• Networked Blogs is closing in on Google Reader (I confess, I still use GR).  And Facebook is, hands down, the top social media feeding us readers.

And now for our favorite part.  We know our regular readers follow us mostly via Google Reader, Facebook, Networked Blogs, Twitter or just by bookmarking us, but what about new readers?  How do they find us.  The top searches always amuse us.  Yes, The Thundering Herd or some variation is the most common search.  Other top searches were “1000″, “squirrels”, “Joyce Kilmer Forest” and “Mr. Bill”.

Mr. Bill

Mr. Bill really cracks us up.  We did one post using that as a phrase and drew in new readers.

And, squirrels.  Ok, that is just wrong.  All dogs know that squirrels are just mortal enemies and must be chased at every moment.  Maybe they are infiltrating us right now via the web.  And some of the squirrel searches are very frightening:

• Squirrels for Peace (no way)
• Thanksgiving Squirrel (we think that is an excellent idea)
• Halloween Squirrel (very scary)
• Siberian Flying Squirrel (more like Siberian flying AT a squirrel)
• Squirrel Herd (we knew they were copying us)
• No Squirrels Sign (we need one of them)
• Scary Flying Squirrel (that is our kind of squirrel and it so mean when they glide over our heads)
• Save the Squirrels (we would add – for desert)
• Warrior Squirrel (shudder)
• Cool Squirrel (does not exist)
• Ugly Squirrel (Yes!)
• Baby Flying Squirrel (Ack, more are being born)
• Camping Squirrel (with little backpacks and tents we are guessing)
• Squirrel on a Leash (Roles reversed – we like the sound of that)
• Squirrels are Fluffy (No we are fluffy)

Other searches that amused us:

• Really big dogs
• Iditarod song (well, we did post it in 2010).
• Sweet pictures (ah, thank you)
• Picket line etiquette (of course, we are well behaved, but no we do not carry signs)
• Bear proof trash cans (We guess if they are Siberian Husky tested, . . .)
• Delicate feet (snicker)
• Maggie Valley (our home town)
• QNTE (Really – 14 people found us via that search)
• Jeep dog
• Drivers license check (we have no idea)
• Objects in mirror are closer than they appear (we are gaining on you)
• Dogs with horns (QNTE snickered at that one)
• Merry Fitness and a Happy New Rear (we have no idea why, but that one really cracked us up)

Ok, and finally, the most popular parts of the website not on the blog.  Drum roll please.

• Individual dog page most visited with over 3700 visits – Natasha (Queen Natasha the Evil says, “Was there ever any doubt?”)
• Most popular story with over 1500 visits – Frankencouch – A five year old story that continues to amuse.

Frankencouch - Sad, isn't it?

Thank you all for continuing to visit.  We are looking forward to a great 2012.

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A year end review AND a blog hop.  We hope you make a New Year’s Resolution to seek out some new blogs.  Here are some suggestions.

Today, we are doing something different.  We had a reader contact us for some advice and, with their permission, we are reposting most of their message (editing out the personally identifying information) and asking our readers to weigh in.  You see, we have learned so much from all of you through your comments and blog posts that we wanted to share your wisdom. So read the note that follows and then weight in with your comments.

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Greetings!  I am hoping you could give me some advice.

Recently we’ve been fostering a husky. My son’s roommate found him while hiking. He had no tags, no collar, so he brought him back home. They kept him in their apartment and loved, loved, loved him. They took him to the vet, got his shots and chipped. He is such a good dog despite the fact that he did act out a lot being cooped up in an apartment and the guys working fulltime. However, the apartment folks were not so accommodating or understanding about it and told him he had to go. They have a lease they have to fulfill, so we have now taken him in. Our dogs recently died (of old age) and having him around has been a wonderful blessing. It has also been a tremendous learning curve having a Siberian Husky. We have gotten our Husky 101 (and 2 and 3….) from many resources on the web. It has been so interesting. And we have to say, after having a total of three pound or mix dogs in our lives, we are in love with the breed.

While we (arrogantly/selfishly) think he’d be better off with us–and are completely smitten with him–truth is, they fully intend on trying to find a place when their lease is up so they can have him back. We are doing our best to keep our heads and hearts around this foster situation. But it has been so much fun to be around his temperament. He is wonderful. We are faithful in walking him twice a day, and we have a good-sized and secure (now!) yard.

But, we think he needs a buddy. Certainly we would get him one if the boys said we could have him permanently. But now, being so smitten with him as a dog and the breed in general, we are debating bringing another (rescue) husky in. However, we are wondering how it will be when they finally do take him back (their lease is up in August 2012. Yes, I know, a long time). I’ve read they don’t become particularly attached to one person. Would that be true for another dog as well? 

Yes we’ve played the scenario out…but we need some advice from someone who knows the breed better.

If you think it a viable option to get another husky, what do you suggest? male/female? young/adult?

Thank you so much for your time. We’d appreciate any advice or reference you can give.

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Ok, dear readers, how would you answer?