If you don't have something constructive to say don't say it:)

[JakodaCD OA]

There has been ALOT of posts lately, new people joining looking for information etc, that I have been seeing going down the 'tubes' because of 'snarkiness', downright rude comments, holier than thou attitudes and "i am right in all that I say".

Some of those new posters just disappear into thin air because of it. I can't say I blame them.

We all have our opinions but there is a way to state them without going off on a tangent of it's "my way or your an idiot".

There is so much GOOD information on this board that gets lost in the sauce with the sniping back and forth.

No one has perfect dogs. Everyone has a preference which doesn't need to be shoved down some person's throat because "you" (general you) think it's not right. Some need to learn to respectively disagree with something and/or learn to shut up and walk away.

With that, be respectful of people's feelings, and if you don't have something constructive or educational to say, don't say it.

Try to educate vs instigate. Just sayin.

[Stevenzachsmom]

You are absolutely right. One thing that particularly riles me is the person who calls another poster rude. That person comes off more rude and judgmental than the person who first posted. LOL! I'm not new and have a thick skin. I can definitely see where new people are put off. We can all try to do better. When we are feeling snarky, we should log off and take a nap.

[Frankly I'm Frank]

Originally Posted by Stevenzachsmom

You are absolutely right. One thing that particularly riles me is the person who calls another poster rude. That person comes off more rude and judgmental than the person who first posted. LOL! I'm not new and have a thick skin. I can definitely see where new people are put off. We can all try to do better. When we are feeling snarky, we should log off and take a nap.

So true
Time for my nap.

[Wild Wolf]

You're absolutely right... we need to remain a united community. The only problem is that this community is so large, and there are so many different people with conflicting beliefs and interests. People here are going to argue, and try to defend their beliefs.

This happened to me, and I had to leave the thread because it would go no where. My beliefs conflicted with someone elses and I got very upset. Just the reality of it all.

[Cheerful1]

You're right. I signed up because we are first-time GSD owners (first time dog owners for that matter), and for the most part appreciate what we've learned from such knowledgable people.

There was one thread where I asked a question that was slightly off topic, and I was accused of hijacking the thread. That left a bad taste in my mouth. Not enough to stop searching this forum for valuable information, though.

[Kittilicious]

I almost left when I first joined. For the first few days I was made to feel like I was a complete idiot who shouldn't even own a dog. I just stopped posting for awhile and just kept reading... then I just came to the conclusion that I have raised many dogs, many well behaved dogs, and if I could do that then I didn't totally suck as an owner. I had to realize that I was on a board with many people who don't just have GSD's as pets. I picked & chose what advice to take and what advice just to say to myself "that doesn't work for me" and continue on.
But I do agree... there is a lot of hostility to new members, even if it's not done on purpose.

[Josie/Zeus]

Thank you Diane for this post. It needed to be said.

We are all adults here, yet some acts like little teenagers with the bickering back and forth.

[Cheerful1]

Diane:

Your quote, "Try to educate vs instigate. Just sayin" sounds like my husband's mantra "learn, not judge".

I'm in total agreement with both.

[wildo]

Interesting to see a mod post on this subject. We all know this subject has been hit so many other times. Interestingly, when non-moderators post such statements, the threads seem to become some humor-fest calling out how the OP doesn't know what they are talking about, or they are just plain wrong. Case & point:
For the sake of the GSD's- BE NICER!!!!

I totally agree with you (though I haven't noticed it lately). People here are staunchly opinionated. More so than any other forum I've frequented. It is a big turn off at times.

[Emoore]

You know, threads like this always bring to mind the guy who wanted to buy male and female littermates to breed because he thought it would be cheaper and easier than having to find two different litters.

Or the young lady who was in college full time, working, caring for family's kids and then got a puppy against all advice, started having behavioral issues and wanted to breed her to "settle her down" and "make her better with kids" and then eventually ended up re-homing the dog because she was moving and didn't have time for her.

Or the guy who wanted to know how he could train his 10-week old GSD puppy to be protective because his brother kept breaking into his room and kicking the puppy.


Sometimes there are things that need to be said that aren't all sunshine and rainbows. I, for one, will continue to "not-encourage"-- maybe even discourage-- people like the above.


What happens in these threads is that every individual who posts feels passionately about the stupid decision that is being made and so tries to post in a firm-yet-tactful way to discourage it. The problem with that is that when forty people are being firm-yet-tactful with you, it starts to feel a whole lot like you're being attacked. Then the fights start. And because every individual member of this board has the right to say what they want, and most of them make good points individually I really don't know how to stop the "mob attack" phenomenon that happens when 200 people feel strongly about the same thing. Even when we're trying to be polite (I have noticed a trend towards posts themselves being more polite), 200 people being firm with you starts to feel a lot like a lynchmob.