Whats happened to this forum?

[Judy]

That's a relief!

[ips]

Well, since I have still been posting I must be one of the half dozen providing boring content.

Perhaps it is a generational thing. I have said before I think of the few forums I participate in a lot like a friendly local pub. You can come and go whenever you please, there are usually familiar faces there you can chat with about subjects of mutual interest in a very relaxed way. I am on FB but I find it more like a shopping mall with all the bright colours and flashing lights and way too many people coming and going, most of them strangers.

I first came upon this forum looking for advice on my new British bred Cocker, as there are very few resources devoted to them here. I found friendly and helpful people who I enjoyed chatting with so I have stayed on long after the original purpose was served. I enjoy the somewhat different approach to dog training and shooting than I get from the many NA forums and FB groups devoted to the same subject. However, I hope by interjecting a NA point of view people don't feel I am detracting from the fundamental British nature and character of the forum. That is certainly not been my intention when in fact it is it's British flavour which attracts me.

Absolutely not, CC, your posts are interesting, don't be put off!
The whole point of a forum over Facebook is the continuity and the records of people's past posts which can be enlightening! Farcebook is here today gone tomorrow, you ask a question and get a stream of conflicting answers which vanish down the page faster than a rabbit down a hole, mostly just as well.

Absolutely agree, forum is better for reference

[SHorsnall]

As a newcomer to gundogs, I am trying not to ask the same questions as have been asked by novices many times before. I equally don't feel qualified to contribute to many of the discussions that do go on. I very much enjoy hearing of people's exploits, love the videos of CambusVale's dogs working cover and great to hear of CC's experiences across the pond.

I don't like FB for such things, despite probably being the sort of person it was aimed at (it was released here during my last year at university). There is no search facility and questions seem to be the sort that leave forum members saying "Search the forum for ..." Instant gratification, minimal effort in my book.

I also think (and then I'm going to stop rambling), that, without intonation and facial expressions, it is very easy to upset people on a forum unintentionally. What is said as a joke is taken personally and that can put people off, particularly new posters who see a bad reaction.

Simon

[trekmoor]

I know wots wrong ! I'm not yakking enough ! I just took a look and I will need to post in 10 - 11 times more in order to have made only 16000 posts .

If you want a forum by this time next year then get off your fat, lazy arses and DO something ...and then post in about any aspect of it. For year after year I took my dogs out, trained them or worked them and then posted in about what had gone right, what had gone wrong and included all disasters and some of the laughs I got along the way.

It filled hundreds or thousands of pages and I made it clear that anyone could join in with comments or questions. Many people did.

If you want this forum to continue then YOU post in . Do not wait for someone else to do it.

Wullie

[Judy]

Absolutely true Wullie, you've kept us entertained over the years and most of us originals only post, 90% of the time, to wind you up , ergo, its all your fault as usual.

[Sgurr]

Yes a lot of the buzz a number of years ago was down to me saying ESS dogs should be health tested before breeding. Loads of folks took shots at me and I survived. Now it is almost commonplace to health test, if you care for the breed. So yes, quieter now. Sgurr is a fully working kennel (with Donald Graham in Lochgilphead and Field Trial Winners in Europe) so I don't post much except when I feel I might be able to help. Yes, keyboard warriors all over the place, all over the years, everywhere.

[JCL]

Hi. As a total novice to ownership and training and the whole shooting/trialling scene I have enjoyed perusing this forum every few weeks for a couple of years but this would be my first post... simply because I have nothing worthwhile to contribute!! I am more of a taker than a giver in this context, taking what advice and info I can to aid my niave and clumsy efforts in basic training my two Springers Jess and Charlie. Charlie just turned three years and his wee Sister Jess is fifteen months. In my humble opinion they are simply the most adorable, loyal, eager to learn, trainable dogs and I really am guilty of letting them down thus far - I am now keen to kick myself up the ass and continue where I left off 6 months ago and try and take them up a notch in taining, upto stage 2 so to speak from stage 1 where I have them now.

As well as gleaning info and contentment from this forum I confess that I have also spent time watching Chris Upton's videos and have found them and him very helpful so far (contraversial!).

Charlie and Jess are my first dogs, I am 47yr old father of two young boys who I also want to get more involved in this hobby of training and perhaps beating in the future.

Thanks to you all for providing me with this medium to study and enjoy and maybe when I have more worthy material to write and submit I shall do

[newf]

Chris Upton is a good gundog trainer. His training principles are based on keen observation of dogs and their actual behavior and not slanted rhetoric. However, with that being said, I'm not a fan of his temperament, personality or politics; but that has nothing to do with his dog skills.

[Judy]

He is way too harsh for modern dogs, swinging dogs round by the ears for moving on a 'stay'? Look at the dogs' body language before extolling his virtues, they don't look too happy to me. Mind you neither did that female Dove when the male started posturing on next-doors roof - its all about reading the behaviour doncha know?

[crackerd]

Can't we all just get along here...with a visit to The Gundog Guru?!?! A little arf-arf razzmatazz would be good for the collective soul right about now

MG