Experts?

Cinnamontoast

Cinnamontoast

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Do you consider yourself an expert on dogs? I got to thinking about this the other day. Some people give advice and are very helpful and clearly know what they're talking about but some people seem to think they and only they know anything and can be quite rude re how they respond to honest questions-their way or the high way, type of thing. I've been quite peed off recently with either direct responses or indirect little digs, including someone claiming to know what I was thinking and making out I don't know how to care for or care about my dogs.

So, how much do you take forum advice to heart and if someone upsets you, do you care? (Have to say it's not on here that I get annoyed, mostly!)
 
An expert = a little spurt?? :D

Mmm....well, I'm well into my fifth decade and been around dogs of various types most of my life and each of them have taught me something. I have a couple of low level qualifications for what they're worth, but if I can share experiences with others then great!

If I have a problem then I tend to use a forum such as this for brain-storming....to get all sorts of ideas which I may then pursue or discard. As far as I'm aware I don't know anyone personally on here, so opinions are taken at face value and also discarded as such. :D

I don't always have the time for 'nice and fluffy' so tend to post direct, pertinent info....no offence intended or taken. :)
 
LOL I know that I am not an expert - I do consider myself to be a good 'stock person' with a lot of experience and common sense however? So I am always willing to give an opinion :rolleyes:

And if I dont know, I phone my mum who has an extra 30 years experience to add to my 40 years :D

Or I ask Cayla if I am really desperate :p
 
Expert, an ex is a has been and a spurt is a drip under pressure!

Each of my 5 dogs has taught me something! I've owned dogs for 15 years, done obedience, HTM, flyball, agilty (competing at Crufts in 2 weeks), bred a litter of puppies last year, taken obedience classes at my friends obedience classes when he can't get there, I co-own an agility club and take classes there, I've been working at a vets for just over a year and started a vet nursing course in January, so if I can help with anything I will.
 
No I don't, but I'd like to think I know enough to realise that there is no such thing as 'this is the way it must be done. It's the only way, for all dogs and all owners'. I find people with the whole 'my way or the highway, I refuse to be wrong' attitude highly annoying in all walks of life, not just dog-related issues :p And you can be sure, if they're like that with the dogs, they're probably like that in other areas too :rolleyes:

I grew up with dogs, and around others' dogs. But I'm only 25 so in terms of experience I'm a wee nipper :D If I'm honest, I have a far more natural feel for working with horses. But I can't afford the upkeep for one at the moment, c'est la vie :p However in terms of canine problems I will offer an opinion if I've dealt with a similar problem or have heard several accounts of similar problems (and assuming there was a solution I thought might work). Hopefully it's not in a 'you should do this, now!' way. And if it was I doubt anyone would take it seriously coming from me anyway. :p:D
 
I don't consider myself an expert on anything. There is always something new to learn.

I am probably considered to be some form of expert at work, along with those I work with. But I really don't believe anyone can be an expert in what we do (Horses!), there are so many different schools of thought and methods, it would take a lifetime to truely gain experience in all of them!
 
Nope, I would not say I'm an expert in anything. I have a great deal of experience with dogs because I have such contact with them on many a different level. I also have qualifications and for what it is worth and Only for insurance purpose, it was interesting but those (certificates) without the experience would never have helped me deal with the behavioural issues I have with dogs in the capacity I do. some of the reading was interesting and it did give insight into things I found interesting and had maybe never though of indepthly beofe, but never changed the way I deal with dogs or methods of training I used.
I will share my experiences and hope it helps others and the beauty of the forum is their are alot of experienced people on here so we can take the advice we need/want/deem will work best for out dog. I have taken away some fab advice in areas I previously had little interest or knowledge (food sources) for instance:) I' m now always banging on about diet via work, rehoming, behavioral dealings, boarding dogs:D
I have not taken offence as I have never felt the need too, I do feel few do have little digs where they can but it actually makes me laugh:D if I am to be honest as it has been pretty blatant in a few instances and looked a little desperate (never mind that) :p
As suggested we don't know each other personally nor have proof of "expertism" :D (is that even a word)?:p
I think we can definately see experience from what people post and Im glad we all share it.
OP Have you had a word to said person or is it a few people? or is it me:eek:?
 
Ps, I know bot all about horses, I kept one to the grand age of 30 odd and owner him since I was 11 (Im not that old) I never had him since a foal:rolleyes::p
I would say my riding was pretty good (maybe not looking back at all the broken bones):D
If I where to get another horse I would def go to the experienced hossy folk for help.
 
Dormouse said:
LOL I know that I am not an expert - I do consider myself to be a good 'stock person' with a lot of experience and common sense however? So I am always willing to give an opinion :rolleyes:

And if I dont know, I phone my mum who has an extra 30 years experience to add to my 40 years :D

Or I ask Cayla if I am really desperate :p
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Desperate for what?
Doggy advice? Relationship advice? Desperate for someone to rant and moan at?:rolleyes:
 
CAYLA said:
"expertism" :D (is that even a word)?:p
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No. You mean 'expertise'. Which is not an uncommon word.

CURSE YOU WOMAN, THIS IS WHY YOU CANNOT BE TRUSTED WITH THE WEBSITE!



Meh! I am happy to admit the occasional dig..... At Cayla's talent for reinventing the English language!

One day, she will take some sort of course. And then I will stop twitching if she offers to take over website updates whenever I'm busy....


:p:p:p:D
 
Pix said:
No. You mean 'expertise'. Which is not an uncommon word.

CURSE YOU WOMAN, THIS IS WHY YOU CANNOT BE TRUSTED WITH THE WEBSITE!



Meh! I am happy to admit the occasional dig..... At Cayla's talent for reinventing the English language!

One day, she will take some sort of course. And then I will stop twitching if she offers to take over website updates whenever I'm busy....


:p:p:p:D
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Yeah you ae my biggest bully:rolleyes:
I was messing though, I knew it was not a work, u spiv, was trying to lighten up me post.

*coughs* don't know how many times I have been laughed at this week for saying " chip loves to play "andy" which is maybe meant to mean "and he" :rolleyes::D

IT'S OK, I TOOK THE BLAME FOR YOU, I WILL EVENT TAKE A GRENADE FOR YA...... SO THE SONG GOES:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
 
CAYLA said:
Yeah you ae my biggest bully:rolleyes:
I was messing though, I knew it was not a work, u spiv, was trying to lighten up me post.

*coughs* don't know how many times I have been laughed at this week for saying " chip loves to play "andy" which is maybe meant to mean "and he" :rolleyes::D

IT'S OK, I TOOK THE BLAME FOR YOU, I WILL EVENT TAKE A GRENADE FOR YA...... SO THE SONG GOES:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
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PMSL! You mean Chips doesn't have a playmate called Andy? You've tricked me into publishing lies?! :eek::eek::D

Vizzy may touch the website, since she undoubtedly knows the difference between word/work and even/event. Though the grenade offer is really sweet! I can almost picture it, I'm welling up :D
 
Stop picking at tiny bloody typos, you have to much time on ya hands:p

Me RRRRRRRR button does not work unless I slam it in. I'm suprised you have not been on me case about that:rolleyes:

You have officially hijacked CT post:eek:
 
I'm not an expert. I try to be professional though. Many of my clients look to me as an expert in all things doggy, but I in no way try to come across that I am one. If it's something veterinary related, I certainly point them to their vet for advice. If it's something behavioural, I send them to training classes or a behaviourist that I know. If it's grooming related, I advise them from my own knowledge base. But even then I must refer to someone else on many things that are beyond my ken.

However, despite my assurances to those around me that I'm not an expert, I still get folk who insist asking me for training and or veterinary advice. I will sometimes open my big gob and tell folk that there might be a better way to do do something or perhaps they NEED expert advice. But it's been part of my job for 8 years now, and part of my life for at least 20 years. ;)
 
I think Cayla made a valid point, it is not about being an expert its experience. I would certainly not claim to be an expert in GSDs but I have had 50 odd years experience of the breed, so have encountered most situations. I would never say my way is right, and in a lot of things what was considered right years ago has now totally changed, it is a fool who doesn't learn every day of their life and isn't prepared to encompass new ideas. I will always listen to other peoples point of view, though do get a bit peed off when people try and state stuff as facts when I know that it is nothing of the sort.
 
I think I have a little bit of knowledge about a particular training approach useful for some of the more common, easy problems, so happy to share that if it helps anyone. I leave difficult stuff well alone, i.e. mainly aggression issues, and with veterinary questions I will only share my experience of conditions my dogs have rather than attempt to diagnose anyone else's dog.

I don't really know how I come across to other people!!! I am often surprised by how other people perceive me so I do try to write my posts carefully, but I think it's much easier to be misunderstood in writing than when talking to someone face to face.
 
I have experience but I'm not an expert. I believe, as with horses, it's a constant learning curve and you should never be afraid to ask advise. If I think I can help I will.

Agree with BooBoos, it's very easy to be misunderstood or to misunderstand - I've done it and caused minor grief!!
 
I think there's no substitute for experience. It pees me off when people claim to know the definitive answer or can say what I was thinking when I wrote something! I got annoyed about another forum where the poster was making out I didn't care about the state the original puppies were in and that I thought it was not a problem. So that's why I spent thousands on them when some people said pts! Silly me!
 
Im confused by this thread, it seems to have made me work!? :confused: What were you thinking CT? Starting a bloomin thread that ended up with me being volunteered for something! :mad: :p :D Hahaha
Nope I dont think I'm an expert on anything and probably never will be, I just dont have the mental capacity to become an expert, it sounds tiring :D
 
I am not an expert.
In my experience experts mean a closed mind and as others have said its my way or the high way.
As with horses pretty much all I know is what Ive learned from them and would only give my opinion on something Ive had first hand experience with and what has worked.

I would be mortified if I had inadvertantly upset anyone on this forum or anywhere else.

I am probably the oldest person on this forum but would not be arrogant to believe I knew more than anyone else.

Its all about opinions and if you give advice its up to others to either take it or ignore it.
 
I'm certainly no expert, all i can offer is my experience which is that of an average dog owner. I think forums are a good way of getting other people's opinons and ideas which you can try out. There are some people on the forum who obviously have loads of experience esp with breeding, behavioural probs etc whose advice i would value.
 
cinammontoast said:
Some people give advice and are very helpful and clearly know what they're talking about but some people seem to think they and only they know anything and can be quite rude re how they respond to honest questions-their way or the high way, type of thing.
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reddie said:
I'm certainly no expert, all i can offer is my experience which is that of an average dog owner.
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^^ these. I do not respond to a lot of threads because I am not an expert - I just happen to own dogs and have done for a while. If I have direct experience I might offer what I did that worked - or didn't! - because both could help. I feel for the dogs who are kept by those who are the "my way or the highway" people though because they will never look for help when they need it and no one dog is ever the same and if forced into a cookie cutter way of doing things they might not thrive as much as they would have. I also think it discourages people from asking questions which is a shame because the real experts on here who can and do help are goldmines of information and I have learned a lot from them. :)
 
QR, no, not in the least, I am still learning, the day I stop learning I might as well pack up and leave dogs for good.

I used to think in a very black and white fashion and probably used to post that way too, but this dog that I have now, made me take every idea I ever had and throw it out the window.

Every single dog is different, there is no definitive answer to every problem, I've worked with every sort of trainer, from 'string the bugger up and helicopter him' to 'waft essential oil under his nose and play whale songs' and I have taken something from each and every one of them.
 
No I am not an expert, I learn something new everyday. For example, today I learned that teaching puppies needs eyes in the back of your head:D

If I think I can help I will offer my ideas, but that is what they are.

Of course the joy of dogs is that there are not many definitive answers:D
 
Vizslak said:
Im confused by this thread, it seems to have made me work!? :confused: What were you thinking CT? Starting a bloomin thread that ended up with me being volunteered for something! :mad: :p :D Hahaha
Nope I dont think I'm an expert on anything and probably never will be, I just dont have the mental capacity to become an expert, it sounds tiring :D
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Oops, sorry! Please note it wasn't me that volunteered you!
 
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