I am a ghost here. Is it something I said??

[GsdLoverr729]

Originally Posted by selzer

Oh my, are we all winners now?

In my previous job, the one I was at for 12 years, they were big into a variety of motivational things and personality stuff. I mean we all took personality tests before we were hired, and then had to take them every couple of months to see how we were coping and such.

And they had this thing about us being winners. They had printed "You are looking at a Winner" and put it on the mirror in the bathroom so that you could not even wash your hands without being lambasted with the winning philosophy.

I was told that some of the guys and printed it out and changed it slightly and pasted it above the urinals.

I think I would die of laughter there, on good days. On bad days... That might put me in a bad mood.

[Cassidy's Mom]

Originally Posted by Heidi's Mom

I'd much rather post my situation and get responses than to always be searching for info. Searching out a topic can be frustrating, because (sometimes) you have to piece together bits and pieces of information from a few different threads. Also, if you post a new question or request for clarification on an old thread, you may not get any responses, since the thread could be months (years?) old.

For more specific situations it would be different, I was referring to the sort of basic questions that most people who get a dog or a puppy encounter at some point, such as the examples I mentioned. And I know that doing a search can be frustrating, but you really don't even have to use the "search" function, if people go to the forum that best fits their question all they'd need to do is scroll through a page or two of the most recent topics posted in that forum and see if any of the thread titles match their question. Really, that should only take a few seconds. I do it all the time, looking for previous threads to link to, so I know it's not a big deal! If the question is housebreaking, or spay/neuter, or food-type/amount, or pulling on leash, or puppy biting, or whatever, those words are going to be in the thread title, and easily spotted.

And any time someone posts on a thread, it gets bumped up, so it will show up in Active Topics, or be moved to the top of the forum it's in - the board sorts by the last post, not when the thread was originally started, so even for really old threads they're going to show as current when someone posts on them. Sticky threads, for the REALLY common questions, are always at the top of each forum, not matter how old.

[Heidi's Mom]

Originally Posted by Cassidy's Mom

For more specific situations it would be different, I was referring to the sort of basic questions that most people who get a dog or a puppy encounter at some point, such as the examples I mentioned..........

You're right, of course! I'm just lazy sometimes and prefer to take the easy way out!

[selzer]

Originally Posted by Cassidy's Mom

For more specific situations it would be different, I was referring to the sort of basic questions that most people who get a dog or a puppy encounter at some point, such as the examples I mentioned. And I know that doing a search can be frustrating, but you really don't even have to use the "search" function, if people go to the forum that best fits their question all they'd need to do is scroll through a page or two of the most recent topics posted in that forum and see if any of the thread titles match their question. Really, that should only take a few seconds. I do it all the time, looking for previous threads to link to, so I know it's not a big deal! If the question is housebreaking, or spay/neuter, or food-type/amount, or pulling on leash, or puppy biting, or whatever, those words are going to be in the thread title, and easily spotted.

And any time someone posts on a thread, it gets bumped up, so it will show up in Active Topics, or be moved to the top of the forum it's in - the board sorts by the last post, not when the thread was originally started, so even for really old threads they're going to show as current when someone posts on them. Sticky threads, for the REALLY common questions, are always at the top of each forum, not matter how old.

The thing is, the newbies to the site and the breed haven't seen those questions 400 times already, and they think their question is unique and immediate.

As for the search function, instead of posting here about Cujo, the first thing I did was run a search, something like: weakness back legs, not eating and out of the threads I immediately found a thread whose symptoms mirrored Cujo's. I read the thread to the end, through the different diagnosis and then how they found the dog had cancer as well. Hoping that was not the case for him, I was able to give some of the info to my parents and was not surprised when the vet came back with the same types of issues.

In all, I think that was far more helpful than starting a new thread, hoping it would be seen by the right people who have had experience with the symptoms. Though I did get support from people when I did post about what was happening with Cujo, and that was helpful, what I needed was information fast, and by using the search function, that is what I got. The beauty of having a site dedicated to this breed and with so many members whether they are current members or not, I suppose you have to go some to have a truly unique issue.

[lorihd@comcast.net]

"WOW", 124 hits in a day, congratulations

[GSDGunner]

Originally Posted by Zisso

It was also explained to me that while folks might view a post, often times they don't reply because they may not have any valuable info to contribute. Since then I have looked at plenty of posts and rarely reply either, cause I have nothing to say or if I do, I just don't want to.

It's a little disheartening to see your photo thread get hundreds of views and only 4 replies. Or another with over 400 views and 8 people reply.

I've come to expect it at this point. I figure they either didn't like my photos or my dog. It happens. But it's still takes the wind out of your sails.

[katdog5911]

What is a bump? Or what do you do to bump your thread? And no, I didn't research this.....

[GatorBytes]

Originally Posted by katdog5911

What is a bump? Or what do you do to bump your thread? And no, I didn't research this.....

A bump is when you go into your own thread that may not be in the "new posts" anymore and quote "bump"...can use the bump emoticon too...that way your thread (or anybody else's you may find needs some recognition) comes to the forefront.

on another note: I think sometimes threads don't get recognition b/c the new posts get purged...I will cruise through over my a.m. coffee, to see whats new overnight that I may want to comment on and will make a mental note to view again when back from dogs walk...I log on and the 40+ new posts are now 15 and I cannot remember what forum the post was in.

[Lilie]

Originally Posted by GSDGunner

It's a little disheartening to see your photo thread get hundreds of views and only 4 replies. Or another with over 400 views and 8 people reply.

I've come to expect it at this point. I figure they either didn't like my photos or my dog. It happens. But it's still takes the wind out of your sails.

When I'm at work, I normally reply to picture threads or even introduction threads. Mostly, because I'm at a desk and it's easy to do so.

When I'm at home...I rarely do. Normally I'm sitting in a computer chair with a dog in my lap, a dog at my side and a dog in a kennel. If I were to post something, I'd have to dump lap dog off my lap, who would in turn attempt to snuggle with side dog and then side dog would take it as an invite to play, lap dog would get snippy causing side dog to ramp up the play, then kennel dog would see all the action and start jumping around in the kennel......and my perfect world is shattered.

I suppose I'm just lazy that way. But I DO LOVE your dog! He looks exactly like Hondo with a hair cut!!!!

[Whiteshepherds]

Originally Posted by GSDGunner

I've come to expect it at this point. I figure they either didn't like my photos or my dog. It happens. But it's still takes the wind out of your sails.

I get lazy about replying to threads, I guess it's easy to forget that there's a real person behind the post. If they talked to us in person we wouldn't walk away without saying anything.

And if I haven't said it before ( I think I have) Gunner in the hat is one of my favorite pictures. Classic.