Dutch Shepherd Forum

At the close of 2022, I was reflecting seriously about this forum and what to do about the future. While the reach is high, engagement is extremely low. I kept rolling around in my head the idea to shut it down, or minimally, make it read-only and stop fussing with it.

I put some serious thought into what is wrong with this site.

This is what I came up with:

• I am not a working dog owner, and that rubs wrong against the mainstream Dutch Shepherd owner world. Rightfully, so in my opinion.
• I made severe moderation mistakes in the early days of ownership that sent some really great users packing up and leaving for other platforms.
• The platform itself is not as user-friendly as it needs to be.

Changes are coming. I am not ready to give up on it yet.

Please comment if you have a difference of opinion, additional critical remarks, or ideas to make it better.

I agree there is not much engagement here, I think many have moved to FB, TicToc etc for the immediate gratification?
I also want to add, careful what you wish for.... I remember the other mainstream Dutch Shepherd people and as I remember it, it was mainly egos try to prove they knew everything there is to know.. I am a working Dutch owner but as you know I train a bit differently than most. I've been shunned by people and training groups but I am happy and most importantly, so is ICE. There is more than one way to train and live with a Dutch.

So many other communities are on platforms I don't use (I deactivated my Facebook when their privacy invasions were too much for me). This forum has old posts available with answers to so many breed-specific questions, and the posts can be found through Google without needing to log in. I found it really helpful in my decision-making process and hope there's a way for it to stay alive, even if in archive form.

I know it's been a minute for me. I do so hate the politics of the other forums and found myself wishing it to be more like this (from FB to TikTok). I have no helpful information but rather I would hate to this this forum go the way of the dodo.

I wish for the forum to stay in some form or another. I haven't been very active here since Roo passed, but coming here is sort of like visiting with some old memories.
Sorry to hear about Radar and you about wrecked me (figuratively) with this quote,
"I broke my heart to save my soul".
This is still my goto for all info Dutch Shepherd. So, it might become pertinent in my life again. We will see.
Anyway it plays out, I thank you.

Hey guys. I know I've been inactive for quite some time.
Michael-if maintaining the site is affecting your quality of life, then I'm sure the majority of folks here understand. I still really like the forum and I I will try to stop in here a couple times a week in the future!

Still glad this is here.