# If you're going to dispense advice, please do us all a favor and --



## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

read the whole thread first!

It seems to happen a lot and isn't exclusive to this forum, of course. You hear people repeating what someone else has already said all the time. You hear people giving advice that almost doesn't apply anymore, due to the OP updating or providing more info. 

Obviously not all threads require an entire read-thru. "What do you feed your dog" stuff doesn't need an entire read-thru. Yet, when giving advice, won't you give the *best* advice if you have *all* the information?


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I didn't read all of what you wrote, but sometimes people need to hear similar things from more than one source, and sometimes, a post that negates the need for what you posted, was posted while you were typing.


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## Ponypip123 (Apr 2, 2010)

selzer said:


> I didn't read all of what you wrote, .


:wild:


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

LOL, yeah, I did that on purpose. Glad someone noticed, he he he. 

Sorry Chelle.


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

Ponypip123 said:


> :wild:


Lol


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Heh! Heh!


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

Sometimes hearing things from lots of different people adds validation to what is being said. Everyone is just trying to help because we love GSDs.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Ok heh heh   , glad that was amusing.

I was not referring to posts that are made close in time together.

I was not referring to those who back up other information in agreement.

I was not referring to those with a genuine desire to help others.

I was, however, referring to those too lazy to actually read the thread, but still feel a need to pipe up with their ultra sonic, ultra knowledgable piece of super duper advice that is no longer hardly relevant because additional details were given that they couldn't be bothered to read. Even better, some will do us a favor to preface it with... "Well, I didn't actually read the thread..." 

There was a recent thread that provoked me to post this. The OP was treated quite poorly IMHO. His words were taken out of context and he was also attributed to things he never said. Had people actually read his posts, all that miscommunication wouldn't have occured. Naturally, he hasn't been back. 

Laugh all you want, heh heh all you want, but is that truly the community you wish to have?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

There are also the instances where threads are years old and a newb will bump it up, then everyone starts giving advice. I get amused by that, and usually will recognize the title. But then so many questions are repeated over and over, so an old thread could be a new one easily.


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

I hope he comes back and sees how his thread's turned out. Joining a forum to look for advice (like what I'm doing) is asking for others' opinions. You're putting yourself at the mercy of strangers, _hoping_ they don't take your words out of context. No guarantees to this, though.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Sometimes I'm at the bottom of page 1, and I think that is the last post of the thread, and post according to the info I have read. Then it turns out that there is a page 2, or 3, with more up-to-date info, so that my post back at page one is now irrelevant - oops! 

Hope the OP and other members of the board who read the thread are mature enough to not let it bother them, and have a generously forgiving spirit that allows normal people to make normal mistakes and not get all upset about it.


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

I haven't read the thread in question.

I don't know, threads often take on a life of their own, go far off topic of the original comment, however, I personally don't get hearburn if someone replies to the initial question or an earlier comment even when it's no longer relevant to the current discussion. To me seeing different opinions regardless of where they fall in the discussion is what makes message boards more interesting.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

arycrest said:


> I haven't read the thread in question.
> 
> I don't know, threads often take on a life of their own, go far off topic of the original comment, however, *I personally don't get hearburn if someone replies to* the initial question or an earlier comment even when it's no longer relevant to the current discussion. To me seeing different opinions regardless of where they fall in the discussion is what makes message boards more interesting.


I don't either. Thankfully I'm blessed with a pretty solid digestive function. 

When new users get chased off the board for these sort of things -- words taken out of context -- outright attack -- I do feel a small amount of digestive juices rolling around. 

I'm going to drop the issue, as it isn't worth pursuing. I am apparently just wrong and that's fine. I don't think my true point is being acknowledged and that's fine as well. For anyone who has been on the receiving end, you understand and that's enough.


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

Maybe some readers are just memory disabled and don't remember every detail in every post. If some advice does not apply it is easy to ignore it. It is just the internet and nobody has a legal obligation to implement every suggestion.


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

Not every new user is an innocent angel that has to be tiptoed around. Some are plenty rude to board members and others. If an old member would call another members sick and use vomit smileys, the old member would get a warning from the moderators.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

RebelGSD said:


> Not every new user is an innocent angel that has to be tiptoed around. Some are plenty rude to board members and others. If an old member would call another members sick and use vomit smileys, the old member would get a warning from the moderators.


But if someone says something they don't want to hear... true or not... that might force them to storm off and never come back. 

This was always one of my favorite threads: http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/general-information/168990-why-ask-if-you-dont-want-hear.html


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

RebelGSD said:


> Not every new user is an innocent angel that has to be tiptoed around. Some are plenty rude to board members and others. If an old member would call another members sick and use vomit smileys, the old member would get a warning from the moderators.


Agreed. I've not been good at tiptoeing and had my share of warnings. Maybe we can agree to disagree. I understood where the poster was coming from. He'd been told stuff about his dog lunging, growling.. when he'd never said any of that. Struck me as very wrong to put words in his mouth like that. He was told it was *his* issue and it was all about *his* (lack of) training. In how I read it, the whole scenario got turned around on him and he was blamed for everything wrong by the majority of posters. He lashed out. Who wouldn't?

I'm kickin a dead horse here. Apparently I am the only one who feels this way, so I'll concede I must be wrong and have no point whatsoever.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Lucy Dog said:


> But if someone says something they don't want to hear... true or not... that might force them to storm off and never come back.
> 
> This was always one of my favorite threads: http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/general-information/168990-why-ask-if-you-dont-want-hear.html


Lucy Dog, you're one of my favorites here, but at the same time, you are the one who made the accusations about lunging, growling and such.... honestly, you made a leap that wasn't there.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

chelle said:


> Lucy Dog, you're one of my favorites here, but at the same time, you are the one who made the accusations about lunging, growling and such.... honestly, you made a leap that wasn't there.


Ok... I admit it... I may have wrongly assumed the dog was lunging when maybe he wasn't. I wasn't there, so obviously I really don't know for sure what happened. That's just how I interpreted it when I read the OP's description of what was happening. If I was wrong, I do apologize. 

It's just for some reason, I can't picture anyone (like the old lady in this scenario) getting so upset or crazy over a dog who's so calm, gentle, and pleasant as the OP's describing and that's only slightly pulling on a leash. It just doesn't make sense. Like I mentioned before, we're only getting one side of the story. I'm trying to look at it from a common sense standpoint without taking sides. 

And thanks for the compliment... i didn't even think anyone noticed me around here. :blush:


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

Many would not lash out, they would take the advice they can apply and leave the rest. If this is how he lashes out at the "old hag with the mutt" when he hears something he does not like, no wonder he will end up in a conflict.
While he may not be able to control the actions of the "old hag", he can control his own and the actions of his dog to imporove the situation.


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

Different people can read and interpret the same situation differently. It does not make it an accusation or an attack. The difference between pulling and lunging can be huge or small.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Lucy Dog said:


> Ok... I admit it... I may have wrongly assumed the dog was lunging when maybe he wasn't. I wasn't there, so obviously I really don't know for sure what happened. That's just how I interpreted it when I read the OP's description of what was happening. If I was wrong, I do apologize.
> 
> It's just for some reason, I can't picture anyone (like the old lady in this scenario) getting so upset or crazy over a dog who's so calm, gentle, and pleasant as the OP's describing and that's only slightly pulling on a leash. It just doesn't make sense. Like I mentioned before, we're only getting one side of the story. I'm trying to look at it from a common sense standpoint without taking sides.
> 
> And thanks for the compliment... i didn't even think anyone noticed me around here. :blush:


I do see your point, as it does seem quite odd at best. 

I probably also interjected my own dealings with mental illness in the mix. As he described the scenario -- this woman holding up her dog to the window? -- screamed mental problems to me. The altercation in the street screamed the same. Unfortunately, as I said before, someone near and dear to me is mentally ill and has behaved in ways unfanthonable to a sane person. Behavior you just can't believe until you see/experience it. 

Oh and Lucy Dog, you must be kidding.  I certainly look to see your opinions and posts and I am surely not alone there. 



RebelGSD said:


> Many would not lash out, they would take the advice they can apply and leave the rest. If this is how he lashes out at the "old hag with the mutt" when he hears something he does not like, no wonder he will end up in a conflict.
> While he may not be able to control the actions of the "old hag", he can control his own and the actions of his dog to imporove the situation.


True enough but we aren't there to see the true behaviors of the woman. Humor me for a moment -- if you had an unstable type person coming up to your picture window and holding her dog up to peer in your home... as the OP says has occurred! -- what would your reaction be? I might be a bad person, but I'd call her something worse than a "hag."

Again, just me taking it all at face value. I could be terribly wrong. I'm sure not going to make this the mountain I die on. Actually it is bed time and I think I am quite done with all of this. Unless someone responds in the next five minutes.


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## von Bolen (Mar 30, 2012)

My problem with long threads is the way the forum is set up. I find it quite annoying to have to scroll all the way down on each page to start reading. It should go top-to-bottom. Plus, Page 1 should be the beginning, not the latest posts. All of this has me not wanting to read everything said before sometimes.


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## jakes mom (Feb 29, 2012)

von Bolen said:


> My problem with long threads is the way the forum is set up. I find it quite annoying to have to scroll all the way down on each page to start reading. It should go top-to-bottom. Plus, Page 1 should be the beginning, not the latest posts. All of this has me not wanting to read everything said before sometimes.


That used to annoy me as well. You can change it, to the way it ought to be by : 

click USER CP - near top of screen.
Page down to Edit Options- on left of screen
Thread Display options
Thread display mode
choose - Linear - Oldest first. 

Think that's right.
__________
Sue


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

chelle said:


> Agreed. I've not been good at tiptoeing and had my share of warnings. Maybe we can agree to disagree. I understood where the poster was coming from. He'd been told stuff about his dog lunging, growling.. when he'd never said any of that. Struck me as very wrong to put words in his mouth like that. He was told it was *his* issue and it was all about *his* (lack of) training. In how I read it, the whole scenario got turned around on him and he was blamed for everything wrong by the majority of posters. He lashed out. Who wouldn't?


I think part of it comes from having a long history of dealing with OWNERS. When you have a history of dealing with the public, then you know to quantify what they are saying. Doctors do it with their patients, vets do it with owners, trainers do it with their clients, etc etc

Guy comes into the trainers office for a consult and says that his dog has a small problem with other dogs. He growls a little, maybe walks toward them, what have you. Trainer KNOWS that John Q. Public knows nothing about dog behavior, so he is going to quantify that with how HE knows dogs react in this situation. He expects to see a dog stalking, hackles up, aggressive behavior. 

Guy walks into the vet clinic and says "Fluffy is a sweet puppy but the big bad vet makes him nervous. You don't have to worry, he wouldn't hurt a fly." The vet quantifies this with her previous experience of how dogs act when afraid of the vet. She acts accordingly because she knows that owners (and parents!!) always downplay their baby's bad behavior.

If you go into the doctor's office and answer his "do you drink?" question with "1 or 2 on occasion" He will assume you are lying. They have even done studies on it - Patients lie to doctors ? and suffer for it - Health - Health care - msnbc.com
“Doctors have a rule of thumb. Whatever the patient says they’re drinking, multiply it by three,” said Dr. Bruce Rowe, a family doctor in suburban Milwaukee. “If they say two drinks a day, assume they have six.”
Hippocrates, the father of medicine, is said to have warned his students in about 400 B.C. that patients often dissemble when they say they’ve taken their medicine. TV’s fictional Dr. Gregory House repeats the same message to his crack team: “Everybody lies.”
--------------------


My point is, people on the forum tend to do the same. You aren't there to see what happens and you know that an owner's story is tinged by their love for their dog and their (very human!) desire to make themselves sound better. No one is going to publicly say "I let my growling dog lunge and scare little old ladies who were innocently walking down the street minding their own business." So, being an outside observer, you make judgements that the truth is somewhere between the 2 extremes.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

hmmmm....maybe we need a whole "when and how it's appropriate to post" stickey so we all do it appropriately. 

Personally, I don't have time to read thru pages and pages of posts so I skim over and may give the same advice as others, may be replying to a post from another person replying, or maybe to replying directly to the original post.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Dainerra said:


> My point is, people on the forum tend to do the same. You aren't there to see what happens and you know that an owner's story is tinged by their love for their dog and their (very human!) desire to make themselves sound better. No one is going to publicly say "I let my growling dog lunge and scare little old ladies who were innocently walking down the street minding their own business." So, being an outside observer, you make judgements that the truth is somewhere between the 2 extremes.


I didn't see the thread in question, but yeah, I have to agree with the above statements. When things don't seem to make sense, the mind sort of has to fill in the blanks... and things can be assumed that aren't necessarily true, but the best we can do over the internet is guesswork.

I have to do a lot of quantifying in my job. After 20+ years of dealing with clients and their animals, here is how I tend to translate:

"My dog is really really sweet" = my dog is spoiled and has never been made to do anything she doesn't want to.

"He's not a biter" = he doesn't bite unless you do something he doesn't like.

"My dog weighs about 85 pounds" = If a man makes the statement, subtract 15 pounds. If a woman makes the statement, add 15.

"I don't think he has any mats" = the dog is matted down to the skin.

"My Chow is a nice Chow" = My Chow is like every other Chow.

"I'm not picky" = No one else ever does anything right.

"Can you leave the hair about *that* long?" = I want the hair longer than it is now.

Anyway, the point is, you have to learn to read between the lines, because while assumptions can get you into trouble, taking someone literally can get you into MORE trouble.


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## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

There are occasions where I see this and I agree. Especially when they are rude attacks that are not warranted. However, I will admit... like most... I have a life, I work, I have my dogs to care for, I have my house, my relationship, my family... etc. I do not have time to scroll past 15 pages of a thread. I do, though, like to help when I have any information that could offer that... that's why we are on here, right? To gain information and to help others. So, I do occasionally post some advice quickly after reading a page or two. Sometimes it's already been said, sometimes not. Sometimes that's still the point of the thread, sometimes not. It's an internet forum and there's no law on doing that. If it's helpful, take my information given... if not, then go on to the next post. I really could care less where that info/advice goes. When I post it, I hope it helps... which is why it's typed out to begin with. However, if it's not... it wont ruin my day.

So at the end of the leash on this one, we just need to realize, this is not any of our jobs.... this is a voluntary, when-we-have-extra time, internet forum. And I would hope everyone here has the capacity to take what's going to help them and use it... and what doesn't.... leave there and focus on what does. Personally, I have never been too annoyed by someone posting something that has already been said, or I've already explained many posts back. I just assume they posted quickly, thank them for the advice and move on. On bad days, it may anger me for a few seconds, especially if it's rude. But, it really doesn't do anything to my life or my day... so it doesn't matter and I let it go. Most of the time, it's just someone honestly trying to help. Can't get mad at that.

I don't know the post you are referring too... but, I guess what it comes down to is that this is an internet forum... I wouldn't let anything get my heart rate up here if I can help it. Not worth it. When you have a large group of strangers in one place with a ton of different knowledge and backgrounds.... you are going to see issues, have something annoying happen, or have someone say something ridiculous. It happens.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

von Bolen said:


> My problem with long threads is the way the forum is set up. I find it quite annoying to have to scroll all the way down on each page to start reading. It should go top-to-bottom. Plus, Page 1 should be the beginning, not the latest posts. All of this has me not wanting to read everything said before sometimes.





jakes mom said:


> That used to annoy me as well. You can change it, to the way it ought to be by :
> 
> click USER CP - near top of screen.
> Page down to Edit Options- on left of screen
> ...


Yep, it's just a simple setting change that anyone can do. Also - if you're coming back to a thread you've read previously you can skip right to the first unread post rather than starting at the top and scrolling down or starting at the bottom and scrolling up. Next to the thread title there are three dots in a V shape. If you hover over the dots it will say "go to the first new post". It's a nice little shortcut, especially on the longer threads. 

There are other settings that you can change too, everyone should look in their User CP if they haven't already done so, and familiarize themselves with the various options. I like to view as many posts on the same page as possible rather than having to keep clicking and clicking and clicking to the next page. There is a setting where you can view up to 300 posts on one page. Since most threads don't go that long, I've set mine to show 100 posts.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Ok, really now, I did not read everything on here and only looked at the thread in question. 

Sometimes, I find lately that I open a thread realize quickly -- yucky neighbor deal, other people will answer this, and leave. I noticed the other night Chelle, that you were patiently responding to some newbie questions that I figured I really had nothing to contribute to, whether because I was being lazy, or just because I have heard it before so many times, and I would probably not provide the most helpful advice in my current mood. 

But sometimes, I revisit such a posting after it has half a hundred responses, figuring I must be missing something good, and I admit, I will read the first few posts and the last few to see what the buzz is and do not necessarily read and memorize 14 pages of responses. My bad.

If the post is written with no breaks and looks like it is a dozen or more lines. I won't read it. My bad again, but I have a bit of a problem with dyslexia and well, that kind of posting makes me nauseous. 

Generally, if I am going to respond I will wade through the OP. Generally. And usually I will read right on through, even 14 pages, so long as there are no long run-on posts in there -- I might skip those. But there are occasions when someone says something that rankles or is down right dangerous, and I will reply instantly with a quote on that, without going on. 

I figure I have ticked off just about everyone by now so people ought to be used to me. And other than Andy, I do not pick on any particular person specifically, lol.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

There should be a reasonability factor before people go stomping off.
Oftentimes the OP post is very long and laborious and that is followed by many looooooooong responses. Not only that if the thread was started at a time when not a lot of people are on then come on later it can take A WHILE to read through all the posts to make sure one does not repeat or miss an OP self-correction.
Be reasonable. We don't all have the time and/or energy to be completely assiduous on every thread.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

When we were children, if someone were to tell us that they would leave if we did not do it their way, we would say, "see ya!" And then we would talk about them as "taking their ball and going home." We were always taught that kids who did that were spoiled, and let them go because they are no fun anyway.

But here on the forums we seem to have an epidemic at times of people who threaten to leave, or leave a scathing post and stomp off. And then people come on and lament them. And everything within me is saying, "see ya!" 

But we do care about the dogs. And sometimes the initial hazing gets pretty rough, especially if the dude has a six or eight month old puppy, with behavior issues, and is over sized or doesn't have papers and they want to breed it. And while I generally still feel like saying "see ya!" there is always the possibility that if someone were to approach the person in just the right way, that person just might decide that breeding his too large, unregistered, behaviorally challenged puppy is just not a good idea.

Sometimes that is people saying, the dog might die.
Sometimes that is people saying, have you considered finding the right homes, all the mess, all the time -- and so many other things.
Sometimes that is people being sickly sweet, but showing them some of the hurdles.
Sometimes that is people being abrupt and telling about the dogs facing euthanasia in pounds.

I guess the thing is to get the right response for the poster before the poster stomps off in fury.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Sounds as though I must be some kind of exception, but I do try very hard to read thru an entire thread before posting.

Like Selzer said, I don't like huge run-on sentences and paragraphs and tend to speed-read thru those, especially if it is a response and not from the OP. That is likely a result of my suspected ADD. 

Dainerra, I understand what you're saying and sounds like pretty normal human nature. There are certain "catch words" and "phrases" in my job that when heard, I do come to a different conclusion just based on what it usually actually turns out to be. I try not to do that here, but I'm sure I have. That we all have.

````````````

I'm clearly in the minority here and that is certainly fine -- it's your Internet, use it how you want! I'll just sit here and snidely chuckle when I read the post you just made that makes it very clear you didn't read anything prior. :wild::laugh::rofl:


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## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

Well for what it's worth I agree with you Chelle. 

I jumped on a post once without reading the whole thread and passed on bogus info. that sent the thread in a whole new direction. I learned my lesson. I may not read every word of long threads but I try to read enough to really understand what is going on. 

Threads that veer off topic aren't necessarily bad as long as their is some continuity. 

Just stay away from selzer, she can be downright mean to some people.

Paul, I enjoy your posts even when we disagree. Which can be often.

I don't much care for all the chat type threads and there seems to be an overabundance of those lately. I've been here just about a year and can't believe how many people are not on anymore.

P.S. Selzer: You should stay away from spay/neuter threads and anything to do with Cesar Milan. A whole different side of you comes out.:laugh:


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## Mac's Mom (Jun 7, 2010)

gsdraven said:


> Sometimes hearing things from lots of different people adds validation to what is being said. Everyone is just trying to help because we love GSDs.


I totally agree, Jamie. 

And when I provide feed back I'm not trying to find something unique to say, I simply give my honest opinion


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Jack's Dad said:


> Well for what it's worth I agree with you Chelle.
> 
> I jumped on a post once without reading the whole thread and passed on bogus info. that sent the thread in a whole new direction. I learned my lesson. I may not read every word of long threads but I try to read enough to really understand what is going on.
> 
> ...


It's a rough job, Andy, but someone has to do it.


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## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

selzer said:


> It's a rough job, Andy, but someone has to do it.


Well you do a mighty fine job selzer. 

The thread Paul referenced (that is post # 16,selzer) was a very entertainig and valuable thread on much the same topic.

That was the "good old days for me."


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I just went back and read through that Andy. It had me laughing out loud, again. 

Someone brought up one of the posts about a year ago, about their huge dog they were going to breed, 140# dog, and I made a smiley post that I was quite proud of. 

But I read these old posts and think, wow, I wrote that? 

I should ask for advice on how to be nice.
Of course, I have no intention of taking it.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Well, people... let me just say - you miss a lot of good drama that goes on in the reading you skip!

People say they don't like drama, but most secretly do.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

I don't like drama.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

PaddyD said:


> I don't like drama.


I DO actually believe this.  I'm betting you don't watch reality TV, either.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

chelle said:


> I DO actually believe this.  I'm betting you don't watch reality TV, either.


Manoman, you've GOT my number.


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## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

If the thread is really long, like 10 pages or over, at the minimum I read all the OP's posts in the thread in case there's updates. Then I skim all posts, but fully read the most aesthetically pleasing posts(not chat speak like "u r 2 kewl", not a wall of text, not a wall of one line sentences broken up, etc) and I read the posts that have been quoted.

Unless it's like some sort of poll that is like "What do you feed?" or something. Then I just respond.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

PaddyD said:


> I don't like drama.


I don't either, especially when members create other accounts & post threads they know will start a fight. I am pretty observant (sometimes to a fault) and can pick up on peoples typing styles and am convinced a few current members on this board have started some doozies & sat back and enjoyed watching the thread burn


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## jakes mom (Feb 29, 2012)

Courtney said:


> I don't either, especially when members create other accounts & post threads they know will start a fight. I am pretty observant (sometimes to a fault) and can pick up on peoples typing styles and am convinced a few current members on this board have started some doozies & sat back and enjoyed watching the thread burn


Really:shocked: - do you think so? Possible I suppose - sad though, if they've got nothing better to do 
___________
Sue


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Courtney said:


> I don't either, especially when members create other accounts & post threads they know will start a fight. I am pretty observant (sometimes to a fault) and can pick up on peoples typing styles and am convinced a few current members on this board have started some doozies & sat back and enjoyed watching the thread burn


Wondered about that, too, but I'm sure this board has everyone's IP addy, so it would surely be a very easy thing for them to check. I guess they'd have to be suspicious enough to check it in the first place.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

re: the above two posts...honestly sometimes we can pick up on a poster making a double account, by style, but unless a member points it out to us, we don't check ISP's all day

So, with that, if anyone ever thinks someone is posting under different user names, hit the notify button on the post, and a mod will check it out. It's against board rules to have more than one account..thanks and chelle good topic


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## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

chelle said:


> Wondered about that, too, but I'm sure this board has everyone's IP addy, so it would surely be a very easy thing for them to check. I guess they'd have to be suspicious enough to check it in the first place.


But would it not be easily possible to have two accounts with two different IP addys such as one at home and one at work?

I too have questioned writing styles in here myself.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

chelle said:


> Wondered about that, too, but I'm sure this board has everyone's IP addy, so it would surely be a very easy thing for them to check. I guess they'd have to be suspicious enough to check it in the first place.


Believe me, it happens. I used to moderate a forum similar to this one, and some people had upwards of four or five alts (alternate identities) just to screw with people. Some of them were joke accounts and were only used for comedic effect, which was fine, but some of them were used to harass. If we were suspicious, we'd try to follow an IP trail, but the more savvy users knew how to get around it.

And yes, sometimes people have nothing better to do.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Falkosmom said:


> But would it not be easily possible to have two accounts with two different IP addys such as one at home and one at work?
> 
> I too have questioned writing styles in here myself.


Oh sure, they could. They could be traced to the same city, even though they'd be different numbers. Heck you could just restart your computer and have a different IP, even though location and provider would be the same. (unless you're on dedicated) Or people could use an IP masking site.

Freestep, I know you're right. 

And NO, I do NOT have multiple identities here!!! Swear! You can tell my writing style anywhere. Multiple use of punctuation marks.  !!! ???? ...


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I have considered that, having another personality just in case personality one gets banned, but because I cannot remember from day to day what I have said, I would probably start talking about Joy or Babs or Jenna or Bear-cub on my alter-ego account and get ousted right away. I think that is a hanging offense around here, but I am not sure. 

I cannot even keep track of who's who when they use their right user names, no way could I keep track of multiple personalities of the same user.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

When I owned an Italian Greyhound forum a few years back, we let members have a separate account for their dog. I know, I know, it's the weirdest thing ever, but they had a subforum where the dogs "talked" to each other in this crazy dog baby talk. You don't even want to know... 

There were a few instances of someone getting put on permanent moderation (not banned, but all posts had to be approved - talk about a pain). We let them use their "dog account" to post but kept a _close_ eye on it. One slip up, and that one got permanently modded too. Bannings were very rare.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I sometimes intentionally address questions that have already been "answered". Why? The forum is not just about those posting in the thread but there are probably more lurkers/readers than there are participants. I've found posts that apply to me and my dogs in threads that I didn't start. Some things do bear saying or repeating whether the OP wants to hear it or not.

(and I posted that after only reading the first page) :lurking:


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## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

I try to read through all the posts in a particular thread, and most generally do. That being said, I'm a full time student, I have family, friends, my girl, etc. that require attention and it doesn't always happen. 

I do, however, always try to treat people with dignity and respect regardless of their behavior toward me. This is how I operate in real life, so it's how I operate online. I figure, at the end of the day, I don't have to live with how someone else treated me; I have to live with, and be able to reconcile within myself, how I treated someone else. I do believe people are a bit hyper-sensitive these days, but at the same time there's no reason to be purposefully confrontational in a place that's pretty much for the advancement of information. 

Then again, I'm young and probably a bit naive.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

If a topic has 10-20 pages within three hours, I sure as heck won't read all that.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Mrs.K said:


> If a topic has 10-20 pages within three hours, I sure as heck won't read all that.



No, no, no... If the post has 10-20 pages within three hours it has to be good .


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## ladyfreckles (Nov 10, 2011)

Liesje said:


> I sometimes intentionally address questions that have already been "answered". Why? The forum is not just about those posting in the thread but there are probably more lurkers/readers than there are participants. I've found posts that apply to me and my dogs in threads that I didn't start. Some things do bear saying or repeating whether the OP wants to hear it or not.
> 
> (and I posted that after only reading the first page) :lurking:


This. There have been times when I've done searches for problems I've had and while there are a million threads on the general subject matter, none of them actually answer the question I had. It's best to always provide as much advice as possible. I also view it as confirmation if more than one person is giving the same advice (versus a ton of people just throwing different suggestions at the wall with no overarching theme).


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Mrs.K said:


> If a topic has 10-20 pages within three hours, I sure as heck won't read all that.


I agree. Then it's all the more fun jumping in based on the last 5 posts ... then running for cover.


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## ladyfreckles (Nov 10, 2011)

It's unfortunate when the 10-20 page thing happens because even if you come in later on, read all of it, and offer a calm and rational opinion everyone else is already so heated that they might not want to listen to you anyway.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

ladyfreckles said:


> It's unfortunate when the 10-20 page thing happens because even if you come in later on, read all of it, and offer a calm and rational opinion everyone else is already so heated that they might not want to listen to you anyway.


"... calm and rational opinion..."
Who in heck wants to listen to THAT?!


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

ladyfreckles said:


> It's unfortunate when the 10-20 page thing happens because even if you come in later on, read all of it, and offer a calm and rational opinion everyone else is already so heated that they might not want to listen to you anyway.


What really stinks like dog poo is when you read through all 20 pages, offer a calm and rational lengthy opinion, or something light hearted and witty, and you submit, and Kaboom, you no longer have access, because the thread has been sent to thread-pergatory.


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## jakes mom (Feb 29, 2012)

PaddyD said:


> "... calm and rational opinion..."
> Who in heck wants to listen to THAT?!





selzer said:


> What really stinks like dog poo is when you read through all 20 pages, offer a calm and rational lengthy opinion, or something light hearted and witty, and you submit, and Kaboom, you no longer have access, because the thread has been sent to thread-pergatory.


Just so true :laugh::laugh:
__________
Sue


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

jakes mom said:


> Just so true :laugh::laugh:
> __________
> Sue


Thread Purgatory. 
Didn't know they ever went away, learn sumthin new every day.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I'm going to live dangerously! I'm responding and not even reading any further than the very first post!!!! I'm a Rogue! I'm a ****'s Angel! I'm putting my fist up against the 'man'! 

Whew...now I'm tired. Time for a nap.


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

selzer said:


> Kaboom, you no longer have access, because the thread has been sent to thread-pergatory.


LOL! Sorry, but that's funny  Good one


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