2017 State of the Dutch Shepherd Forum Address

[centrop67]

I encourage any and all comments, likes, dislikes, ideas, and concerns posted here.

I've run this site now for just over a year. There's been ups, downs, embarrassing moments, and a little fun thrown in.

Let's talk about Facebook first. Our Facebook page was one of the "new" things I started shortly after taking over. I have maintained it as a front-door-only to this website for two reasons. First, I didn't want to moderate two places, especially one like Facebook that can get out of hand quickly (not that it can't happen here). Second, funneling everyone into my own space gives me a bigger sense of control.

On the Facebook page, I have close to 500 page likes from over 40 different countries. Total post likes is pretty steady, with posts regarding the photo contest trending very popular. These aren't world-beater statistics, but certainly better than I expected for my first go-around in this arena.

I have not to this point monetized this site or its content. However, I will never say never on this subject. I just completed a B.A.S. in Business Management, and when I weigh the opportunity against the costs that I use to keep the site up, I sometimes think I am being a fool.

I recently joined the Dutch Shepherd Owners group on Facebook to see what's up with the rest of the world. I mainly see a bigger community behaving, posting, and running much like this site. I don't know how they evaluate adding members, but it seems almost as indiscriminate as this site.

There was a little rant on that group that hit me as a little funny/sad/discouraging:

Or, we could use this group as the Admin wants it to be... a sharing of information between like minded OWNERS of dogs whom the ADMIN ONLY decides is in the group!

The "like minded" part sort of rubs me the wrong way. I think the common ground is the Dutch Shepherd breed, but beyond that there's got to be some differing opinions and wisdom, right?

Like minded sharing goes something like this:

Member One: Dutch Shepherds are amazing!
Member Two: Yes, they're awesome!
Member Three: Yep.
...
Member 500: You betcha!

Kind of sounds like a participation trophies for everyone!

Enough about Facebook.

For this site, we've added lots of members over the past year. We've lost a few, but to me the activity appears to be trending down. This is saddening. I can only blame myself, but if you care, you can help me out.

My first order of business for 2017 will be to bring the style of this website up to date. I know I have said that from the beginning, but between work and school there just simply hasn't been enough time. I don't plan on going after my MBA until the Fall, so I need to start now.

If you think I should just move over to Facebook let me know. It would be cheaper for me, but I think having our own space where we're not subject to Facebook rules is important. I also think we can do and arrange the site in a way that allows more ways to find and disseminate information.

The Photo contest is both popular and frustrating. Entry participation and views are through the roof. Getting you guys to vote, however, is disturbing. I've tried to make voting as easy as possible. I've posted rants about the voting, and I am dumbfounded about the lack of voting.

The Smarty Pants contest wasn't much of a success, and I may not open it up for this year. I haven't fully committed one way or another yet.

The previous owner expanded the categories a couple of years ago, and I think that had the opposite of his intended effect. Some of the design features of the new website will consolidate the categories. I will be sharing these ideas over the next couple of weeks.

One idea I am knocking around is a sub-profile for your dogs.

The "Is My Canine a Dutch Shepherd" thread will probably take on a new and improved look and feel. It is also a popular spot on this site. Unfortunately, there's been a decline in the activity of giving opinions.

I know all of this sounds a little discouraging. I wouldn't blame anyone for jumping ship.

So, as I stated at the top, I really do encourage you to tell me what you think whether you're one of the original members or you joined yesterday. Oh, and vote for what you think I should do.

[centrop67]

I realized after all this time, I posted this in a section that regular members cannot respond (or vote) in.

Sorry.

Please leave your comments here.

[TimL_168]

Honestly, I thought it was a subtle (quasi) pass at the lack of voting!
We're headed out for a hike right now. I'll get back on here later this eve.

[k9lexi]

Hi Michael. I remember the post about like minded owners. I'm in that group and in the non working Dutch Shepherd group. A few comments were made to dig at one group v the other and they are not primarily like minded when you compare the two groups. Hence the creation of the non working group. So maybe that is why that comment came up. I can't remember the details. Big enjoy dropping in on both groups but if I had to choose one group I'd go with the one that primarily share my beliefs. Anyway I just joined Facebook last year to sell a horse trailer. Mission accomplished but now I'm hoped. I'll vote above but just wanted to comment about the like minded.

[k9lexi]

Oops regarding the vote... With two diverse groups already on fb is say keep this one going. It sure helped me before getting on fb. And there are others not on fb that might need this group

[centrop67]

Bump.

[TimL_168]

Oops regarding the vote... With two diverse groups already on fb is say keep this one going. It sure helped me before getting on fb. And there are others not on fb that might need this group

I second this.

[Mark77]

Nothing wrong with the forum. There is simply not that many Dutch Shepherds out there from what I can tell. I rarely see any.

[Patrick]

A lot of very active working dog forums have become virtual ghost towns. Leerburg, workingdogforum, protectiondogforum, etc. Frankly, I suspect a lot of trolling and argumentative people ruined them all. That's why it's imperative that management encourage and engender QUALITY discussion and, simultaneously, politely correcting people that come in and talk trash, insult, etc. It's ok to disagree, but one doesn't have to have a disagreeable or hostile attitude. It also helps if management is NOT a cliquish group of all-knowing folks that berate their members, etc., which I believe led to the demise of a once very popular forum and I'll leave it at that. Locking threads should be something that is done very rarely.

[centrop67]

Ideas coming...

[TimL_168]

Ideas coming...

Was that a prompt, or a heads up?

[TimL_168]

I'd like to say again how valuable this format is. Our ability to easily research past threads is awesome. Furthermore, it keeps us free to comfortably discuss things that are forbidden on Facebook.

[centrop67]

Your timing is impeccable Tim.

I've been slammed at work the past couple of weeks trying to put together a prototype for a system with millions of rows of data and a very complex (and downright confusing) relationship among the parts. Of course, they shortened the deadline just one week before we needed to be finished.

When I get wrapped up in a project like that, I seem to generate lots of good ideas in the very brief breaks I take.

So, just in the past couple of days, I had a thought:

What if uploading pictures was as easy as Facebook, or Twitter, or Instagram?

What if members instantly saw all the latest forum activity upon arrival?

What if I could do that without changing the forum platform at all?

I think the answer is the DSF mobile app. A layer on top of the existing forum.

Snap a picture on your phone, click the share button, and just like the aforementioned social sites, you select the DSF, and boom you've shared to OUR community. No resizing, no worries, and no hassles.

Open the app on your device (or browser), and see the latest activity and a quick-post box to share your latest DS adventure or ask a question.

The underlying forum remains just as it is for all your other activity.

I am actually quite excited about this, and I hope to hear from everyone - yea, nay, or I'd like it to do this.

Go:

[Steve Gossmeyer]

I like having this forum as I am not on fb or social media!!! I think being able to upload photos like fb would be awesome!

[TimL_168]

Giggiddy.
I second the ease of photo upload capability. I mean, it's not such a huge inconvenience as is, but the extra steps lead me to postpone an awful lot.
You should include a DSF LIVE feature, that way i can leave my phone pointed at my couch all day so we can all see which dog has been soaking my sofa with slobber.

[TimL_168]

I also dig seeing all the latest business immediately. It's quick. I honestly think I'm spending too much time on my phone in the mornings when I should be taking advantage off the time. Plus, for some reason, this website frequently takes FOREVER to load.

[Dutchringgirl]

Hi !! I am on the fence. This site is not as hopping as it once once when I first got here. I really thing the " is my dog a DS " ruined it. So many good people left because of that. It attracted everyone with a brindle dog and they stayed. I dont care if you have a mix, or they are just brindle and you want to be here, thats fine, but the threads just went on and many people caused fights, not the regulars but the people asking.

Once that group left, this went down hill. I am not saying that it cant come back, but they are on face book and have their own pages and we are all friends so can stay in touch that way.

I am not to fond of the FB DS pages either because there are waaaaaaaaaaaaay too many people on it and it is easier for people to just be mean and ignorant.

I have always liked a forum setup over the FB setup for anything one is into for the thread structure, its easier to find information and talk to people.

Its easy here to have threads for working dogs and non working dogs and its fun to be around both sets of people. There is too much bashing from one group to another on FB
jmho

[Steve Gossmeyer]

I agree I hate fb! Let's make this forum get some activity again! I try and post often

[TimL_168]

what Lisa said...
I don't dislike other breeds. But I'm on here because I'm interested in learning more and sharing my experiences with a real working breed that (typically) has some unique qualities. I hate having to scroll and scroll through lame selfies and countless pics of supine couch potato canids just hoping to find something interesting.

[montecarlogirl87]

I realize I'm not that active here, so perhaps my response will not be important, but I'll offer it in case...

A lot of very active working dog forums have become virtual ghost towns.

It's not just the working dog field. It's the forum platform in general. Which is not to say it's obsolete. But Facebook and Tumblr and the like became the new kids in town. I used to run a fandom forum, and that, and many others I was a member of have fallen away. This (and one other) are really the only forums I still check in on daily. Forums are superior in the way you can have topic threads, which makes it MUCH easier to find things vs platforms like FB.

I suspect a lot of trolling and argumentative people ruined them all. That's why it's imperative that management encourage and engender QUALITY discussion and, simultaneously, politely correcting people that come in and talk trash, insult, etc. It's ok to disagree, but one doesn't have to have a disagreeable or hostile attitude. It also helps if management is NOT a cliquish group of all-knowing folks that berate their members, etc.

Not that it relates to this group. (I personally have seen no hostility), but to be frank, this is what prompted the Non-Working Group on FB to spin off of the Owners Group. Not even that the dogs are NOT working or not active (many are), but because a chunk of the Owners group bashed and belittled people over things THEY didn't agree with, it got out of control. You can offer opinions and have discussions without being hostile and immature about it. I am no longer a member of that group, I hope the admin(s) have rectified it.

I really thing the " is my dog a DS " ruined it. So many good people left because of that. It attracted everyone with a brindle dog and they stayed.

I wasn't here before, so I can't speak to that. But I think it's still an important part of the board. There are not many good informative sites out there for dutches, at least in my opinion. I remember grasping at straws when I first adopted Shylah. I think I emailed one of the associations with pictures just looking for information and asking their opinion. I've noticed on FB many new owners come in excited thinking they *might* have figured out what their dog is (or mixed with), and to just shut them down often causes them to be hostile. I'll out myself, I'm the Admin at the Non-Working group. And one of the (many) reasons I started it was because someone would post in the other group, and sometimes they were clearly mixed or even non dutch, but the comments and responses would be downright rude. There's no need for that. I run NWDS on respect, you break that rule, you're out, I don't care what kind of dog you have.

I hate having to scroll and scroll through lame selfies and countless pics of supine couch potato canids just hoping to find something interesting.

Those discussions do happen, they're just much harder to find due to FB's social media feed format. That is definitely where forum's are far superior. You can have specific topic threads you can go to and keep it on point. Things don't get continually buried deeper and deeper under new posts Although, personally, I don't think it's a bad thing that there are many photos being shared, but I certainly think of that as more of a FB/Instagram characteristic, more than that of a forum.