I agree ;o)

ETA: however it is my fault for not processing advice properly and in a desperate bid to get it right, going along with anything anyone told me. So it's down to the individual as well.

Dogsey is brilliant though, although I will stick to the fun stuff and light discussions from now on ;o)

This is the only dog forum I am on, I think you have to use some common sense and work out what advice to take.
I have had some brilliant advice in here but for anything important I would go to a vet anyway.

However I do think Dogsey is very dangerous because I spend sooooo much time here when I should be doing something else

''Are forums a dangerous thing''
You may as well say is talking to people about any subject a dangerous thing which is what in essence you are doing on a forum

If a person joins any 'club' in may be mother and toddler/a puppy socialising club/the WI and asks questions about a problem they will get a whole variety of answers and it is up to them to evaluate the answers and act accordingly.

..in this instance 'the poor unsuspecting person' should have done their homework before getting a dog and if they have done this properly they will have the breeder, rescue centre or vet to turn to for advice and the forums to share their experience.

You can ''research'' until you're blue in the face but you'll still feel a sense of security in asking questions on a forum. The danger is when it becomes so secure you're asking everyone, everything and then turning in circles.

I don't think they are dangerous as such.
I suppose to a first time dog owner who asks for advice they might be a touch overwhelming if you get 101 opinions on how to teach "sit" (for example)

But then, I think like Claire, medical stuff should be asked of a vet, behavioural stuff of a behaviourist - more so if you've never owned a dog before.

Once you have had dogs for a while, I think most of us know what we would and wouldn't do with a dog, and which advice sits comfortably with us.

Exactly ! Its what we all do I would think, and not all the advice given is good far from it, but amongst all the crap you can find some pearls, and you have to sort it out for yourself.

To quote Dr Ian Dunbar " if you want vetrinary advice , ask a vet . If you want equipment advice ask in a petshop and if you want behaviour advice ask a behaviourist " This is what I would do but some of the people asking questions on a forum don't know that this is what they should do .
And yes they should have done their homework first but many have not .

Most people in a club of which you describe do not have access to so many opinions many of which are very misguided at best and downright dangerous at worst .

Before I got my first dog(even if it was 51 years ago this July) I got to know the breed at a breed club & handled trained dogs of the breed for two years before I bought my first one. I went to dog shows with my parents & I decided what kennels my bitch would come from. My age at the time was er 8 !

I have done the same since then & TBH never had a dog from a puppy that ever had problems I couldn't resolve with help from more experienced people. The only dogs that I have had real problems with have been the ones I rescued over the years & this has taught me(& continues to teach me)very much about dogs. I have been helping other people with their dogs since 1964(-mainly for free)I would never offer"net"based help professionally & without seeing the dog(s). However it is possible to offer guidance if a problem arises & help is requested.

I have little regard for"behaviourists"as anyone can set themselves as one. Qualifications can even be obtained without any experience of dogs on distance learning courses.

I'm lucky to have known an awful lot of brilliant dog trainers & dog people & what I have learnt from them is priceless & not available on courses or books. Hands on experience is far better than theoretical learning

I think that anyone who just asks a question on a forum and then "takes it as read" is either a fool or lazy! There's no harm in asking advice but it's what you then do with that advice that counts. Anyone sensible would then research the advice given. Any dog advice, as such, I gain from my Mentor who has 30 years experience with breeding dogs. I then go check out her advice and ask my other breeder friends before I take that advice "as read!"

Any advice I have seen given with regard dog breeding on Dogsey has been much the same as I have read up and been advised by my experienced breeder friends. So on the breeding front, Dogsey has been good for novice breeders (imo)

I guess much depends on what you want from a forum,

I tend to come here to chat to like minded people, have the odd debate about all things doggy,

so Its more of a social thing for me,