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Location: UK
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 709
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Originally Posted by
waggytail
I'm sorry if I have not been clear in my posts, As a previous poster has already mentioned it is sometimes difficult to express in the right words as so many terms and phrases are now very emotive. This has certainly made me think about some of the words I use and have used for many years as I see how easily I can be judged and misunderstood
Forgive me if I am preaching here to the converted.
What you will come to realise about forums and in my experience - this forum in particular - is that there is usually an established "mindset" in place.
Within this mindset there are certain beliefs and approaches which are deemed "acceptable" and some which are not.
The general mindset of this forum appears to be APDT stuff good, anythign/anyone which deviates slightly or significantly from that, bad. Or badish. Dependign on teh extent of the deviation.
If for instance you raise the dreaded word "E-collar" you are likely to be PERSONALLY attacked, even if you rasied it in a "what do you think about it?" way - With no intention to use one, touch one, but because you have a genuine curiosity about how it may or may not work! I know because its happened to me on a different forum years ago
. Sometimes people see the "outlawed" word or approach and then attach to it a pre ordained response along the lines of "you are evil" - without ever reading the original intention.
In my view, forums are brilliant as long as you remain open minded and don't get dragged into agreeing with people or adopting their belief systems as FACT even though you have no personal experience, or your personal experience is contrary to what is being said, but because you bow down to "pack mentality" or desire to be "liked". Just because someone can write charismatically, is well supported in their thinking on the forum, or because they have made lots of "friends" doesn't actually make their experience or beliefs correct. No matter how well supported.
There are a number of very wise people on this forum, there are also some with really valuable personal experiences of huge numbers of dogs and some jolly nice folk too. There are also, as with any group of people some "followers" of approaches, who have little or no personal experience but strong and verment unshakable views. In my view both sets of people are valuable to a forum or discussion in their own way....On their own merit. Because they represent what we are all actually interested in, dogs and dog owners and their diverse views and standpoints.
What is sad I think is when people are driven away, by the "mob" when actually they may have contributed greatly to the usefullness or entertainment of a forum.
All of the best dog trainers in the world that I have personally encountered have one thing in common, that for the most productive years of their "dog" life, they have to some degree or other [I]
flexibility in their views[/I. The very fact that are world or activity
leaders in their sphere, indicates that they are known for "new" thinking or approaches more than they are known to "follow" the concensus of opinion.
It is when views become fixed, that they sometimes become obstructive to new learning, better thinking and a better outcome for dogs in general. Thats my view and it may be Bollo***.
And it seems you have the right attitude for forums To learn and grow.
I think that your thread has been a good one and your mindset is sufficiently open for this to be a place of great learning. Thank you for starting the thread. Denise Mcleod