Quote: David Winners

I have recently been questioned about my dog experience by someone on the board, and the tone of that message was to the affect that I am misrepresenting myself on the board while offering training advice.

Then that person was reading things in your posts that were never there. I don't know what would motivate someone to suggest that to you, other than misguided feelings of some kind. Misrepresenting yourself? Please.

You have a very unique skill set and experiences. Sharing those with us as well as your takes on canine behavior and training makes this community much richer for it.

I have read posts from (and met) a lot of people who consider themselves to be some kind of "higher tier" dog trainer than anyone else around them. In my experience, I have found the best trainers to be the ones that don't wear a sign saying so, or constantly try to "one-up" anyone else making a suggestion.

The worst thing that people like that do is make people uncomfortable with asking questions or continuing to post their thoughts and experiences. Don't let that happen.

I have thought that the advice you offer and the questions you ask to help others with their problems have been right on the money. You have been extremely helpful to many and the advice you offer has always been without fanfare. Excuse the pun, but you are not posting in a way to "pull rank" on any other members and have many times backed up or elaborated on something another has said.
Honestly, this is a forum with 18k users (that's more people than the town I live in!!!) Disagreements are inevitable and if there weren't any, I would be seriously wary that everyone here had been brainwashed.
This questioning of your experience sounds like misplaced bitterness to me. You have experience that is applicable to most of the problems here on this board. How many people can say they logged as many hours as you have with their dog in a year? And how many can say that there experience has been as essential as yours? Not me or most of the members here. Keep posting, keep helping and dismiss the fact that someone thought it necessary to try and knock you down.

Edited by Amy VandeWeerd (05/15/2012 10:17 AM)
Edit reason: can't spell :)

David there's one thing to remember as Denis pointed out I can't even spell solder, soldjer, soldier, lol

Whoever questioned you should also thank you for their freedom to access this forum and express their opinion. And that's just what it is, one individual's opinion.

We all come here with strengths and weaknesses, collectively those members of the board who offer their advice/opinion touch many of us in a most profound way. We are made better, more compassionate and more knowledgeable then we could have ever been on our own. For myself, my growth as a trainer and my understanding of my companion has allowed me to forge the most incredible relationship imaginable. You have been a part of that growth and I thank you!

I haven't had any doubts and I have certainly benefited from your support. I wouldn't worry about it. In the time I have been a member of this forum I have seen a number of firestorms swirl up around certain topics or, more commonly, OP attitudes toward their dog(s). One commonality I find on this site, is a passionate interest in all things DOG and a desire to keep learning and growing in our own development.

I have been told to pipe down at times, or at least to clearly state that I am a new handler with limited experience. I try to remember to state that when I am making comments, but I don't always add that caveat because I get caught up in articulating my own thoughts and simply forget to add it at the end.

Yucky - I hate fighting!

I don't see anywhere in your posts where you have 'misrepresented' yourself. And believe me I have a very discerning eye when it comes to people's writing and their overinflated opinion's of oneself. However, like the above OP said - your experience with the type of dog you had is unique in terms of handling, which could be misinterpreted as "knowing more than the average handler". I think having a dog as unique as Fama (and Enzo for that matter) does really change our perspective on training, sociability, and methodology. So like you said - your advice is what anyone pays for it. And if they can't wade through and take what works for them and leave the rest, than certainly they are just a little envious of your knowledge and feel the need to break you down and bust your spirit. Take their advice for what you paid for it - big 0!

I don't understand why you were questioned. That's crazy!!! David I think that you are honest & open about your experience & are ready & willing to help someone here whenever possible.

Isn't that why most of us are here? To be honest & open with our experiences & to hopefully help others by sharing the knowledge we have gained from that experience. It's about sharing & learning.

First, in all silliness: You probably just did it for the attention. You never know who people are on the Internet, I am really an old man and Logan a is doodle-bop

Secondly, in all seriousness: I never thought you were misrepresenting yourself at all. I can kind of tell by your posts there is this damned consistency. LOL

I am bad at explaining things sometimes, so people have questioned my representation of Logan on here. Sometimes I kind of got offended by that but I know more now it has to do with people like....oh the lady with Mondo "yes, but....my dog isn't reactive, its not fear, he's defending....etc." So naturally they questioned me a lot.

That probably has nothing to do with your situation...I say this is all the more reason to keep doing what you're doing. I guess the person could have been offended that you can pick up things that they didn't know about their dog....how dare you. There was one thing in particular you told me about Logan that was especially right-on and I still want to thank you for that. It was getting right by me.

Whatever the person said probably has nothing to do with you at all.

David,

I think the truth came out and Fama was determined to be a toy poodle, which you carry around on patrol in a man purse (MURSE) . In the future, please refrain from dressing your poodle in ACU t-shirts and stick to multi cams. as we know the NCOs are just looking for reasons to play toss the poodle......

On a second note, civilians sometimes cannot fathom what we do for a job, much less the streamline processes we take to get the job done. (Training or Missions) This is the number one complaint I here from my brothers who ETS. Don't let anyone get you down. most people think your just playing MW3 and have a fast internet connection.

by the way, your picture would look better if you threw the issues Doggles on.....

JAH

 Quote: John Hatfield

David,

I think the truth came out and Fama was determined to be a toy poodle, which you carry around on patrol in a man purse (MURSE) . In the future, please refrain from dressing your poodle in ACU t-shirts and stick to multi cams. as we know the NCOs are just looking for reasons to play toss the poodle......

On a second note, civilians sometimes cannot fathom what we do for a job, much less the streamline processes we take to get the job done. (Training or Missions) This is the number one complaint I here from my brothers who ETS. Don't let anyone get you down. most people think your just playing MW3 and have a fast internet connection.

by the way, your picture would look better if you threw the issues Doggles on.....

JAH

We?? How do we know you're the real McCoy?