My dog Camden is a 6-year-old Schnauzer who is a fixture at Talk, Inc. She accompanies me to work and does an excellent job as office greeter, therapist and muse. Camden’s alter ego can be found @TalkBarketing on Twitter. Here, we’ve connected with animals and animal lovers from all over the world. Camden has taught me much about Twitter – life lessons that I’m working to apply to my own account @TalkDebbie.

Here are Camden’s Five Canine Commandments for how to behave on Twitter:

BE PLAYFUL
@TalkBarketing communicates in a playful way that makes it fun and easy to interact online. Depending on the topic, she can be playful, sarcastic, funny and challenging (in a non-threatening, doggy kind of way). The result is more followers and more interaction. By finding Camden’s voice, she has helped me find my own @TalkDebbie.

SHARE THE LOVE
Love and generosity abound in the animal world. The dogs and cats Camden follows don’t compete the way us humans often do. They support each other and are generous with their compliments and retweets. @TalkBarketing interacts in a personal, generous manner that I hope to replicate @TalkDebbie. When Camden tweets, there are lots of nosetaps and tailwags delivered to her “anipals.”

EMPATHIZE
When it comes to empathy, our four-legged friends have much to teach us. The concern for each other demonstrated among these animals is astounding. If someone doesn’t hear from one of their anipals for a while, tweets are sent our inquiring about their health, whereabouts, etc. Lots of support also goes out to cats and pups with aching tummies and dreaded vet visits.

PRACTICE DIVERSITY
@TalkBarketing is following dogs, cats, horses, pigs, birds, bunnies, hamsters and goats. And a moose in Alaska (big shout out for @AlaskaMoose). If you follow people (or animals) outside of your primary interest area, it will make your Twitter experience much richer and more interesting. By the way, the cats on Twitter are prolific! If you’re a dog – PLEASE get your barking butt on Twitter. We need you!

NO BITING ALLOWED
With all these “wild” animals on Twitter, you’d think the fur would be flying from time to time. But there’s nary a growl or hiss in site. Sure, there are plenty of smack downs between the dogs and cats, but it’s just in jest. I wish the humans on Twitter would take a lesson from the anipals and reduce the venom that pops up too often online. If you’re going to Twitter, practice some courtesy and respect. Or Camden might just sick her friends on you!

If you’re curious about a dog’s perspective of life in the Carolinas, follow me @TalkBarketing. *Tail wags* all around.