# to the lurkers



## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

i'm curious again 
we get threads here that get THOUSANDS of views ....

we get lots of new members who say they joined to lurk and learn.
we get lots of posts full of advice.
- the advice comes from the usual few who post frequently, from those who don't agree, or want further clarification, or want to debate the issue, etc etc

but we rarely get follow up posts from anyone who learned something new that worked for them.

so i'd like to hear from a lurker who hasn't posted but learned something that helped actually helped them in the real world.
1. what were the specifics of the problem ?
2. how did the advice help you ?
4. if you posted a follow up, feel free to re-post 
5. if you tried something that failed miserably and made the problem worse, by all means, post that too 
TIA

if this forum is effective and more than just a "dog chat" forum, i would expect to read a bunch of replies


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## Kristin Muntz (Jul 3, 2012)

rick smith said:


> i'm curious again
> 1. what were the specifics of the problem ?
> 2. how did the advice help you ?
> 4. if you posted a follow up, feel free to re-post
> ...


1.We adopted a Mal-GSD puppy. So there's the problem  He turned 2 on Wednesday.
2.Advice helps in an ongoing manner with plans on things I can do to work with my dogs in the future (there's a rescue Malinois in the house now too). Also Julie's thread on 'interesting search' should be read by anyone anywhere who thinks they want to do volunteer SAR :-o
4. + 5. are both ongoing - a couple of high drive pups in the house with 2 kids and 2 IT professionals, we're making it work. 

BTW I'm going to be trying the 'shoulder lift' for trust with this rescue in the future, once we're at the point he's not submissively peeing on me. Because that would suck. 

I post more on a training forum that is not specific to working dogs, as my dogs currently do no actual work. Personal interests include bitework sports, tracking, agility and OB but actual achievements so far are pretty modest


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## Catherine Gervin (Mar 12, 2012)

soooo i know i post a lot of random replies but, as far as results coming from proffered advice, my experience is that it is an ongoing thing. i have met with NO success as far as having volunteer neighbors agree to walk up and down our street or around the block and then onto our street and extending the distance from which my dog reacts to them. we have expanded to include new terrain for the same exercise because my dog figured out that those boys from next door were the figures a block and a half away and she STILL didn't like them any more than she usually did. the muzzle i wish to purchase is going to be ordered this weekend because we got our tax returns and my husband has agreed that it will allow us to spend some extra money on the pup so i can finally begin introducing the muzzle but that is not reportable progress either. the only thing i've managed to improve has been the discovery of two buddy dogs for my GSD to play with. they are both failures from the Pilot Dog program--one is afraid of traffic, the other barks too often at extraneous noises--and are super eager, friendly, submissive female Labradors who live half a mile away and have a very kindly owner and a massive fenced in yard. i have permission to bring both my girls--dog and small child--over whenever i wish and the dogs all play together perfectly. this small victory has changed her behavior towards other dogs only in as much as she checks them out from afar without vocalization, kindof considering how she feels about them instead of instantly getting loud and hackling up. eventually she gets closer and goes on with business as usual--hauling to get over to them, hackles on the shoulders and neck fully up, making rude, loud, statement/accusation sounding barks and then growling and lunging if they respond with anything other than totally ignoring her. if they flee or panic on their end of the leash she moves to pursue; if they get aggressive or defensive she moves to confront. nothing has changed in the outcome, only a preliminary reaction has been added. at least she has two doggie friends with whom to run around and play and they flaunt toys and team up to bark in her face and everyone stays nice.
now, this is almost insignificant as far as posting "i tried this and have accomplished this" probably, so i hadn't made a post about what i'd been doing after receiving lots of encouraging help on this forum.
maybe there are lots of other people dealing with the same thing? that is, maybe lots of the silent parties are still working on their projects and don't have any results worth broadcasting yet?


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## Walker Woods (Jun 12, 2013)

I joined the WDF about a year ago. Around that time I started apprenticing with a SAR trainer and a GSD breeder in my area. I also around that time joined my local ipo club and I am learning to be a helper. I have learned a ton from both of my apprenticeships but sometimes receive conflicting advice. I like to check facts or opinions and get different points of view on here.

Specifically the number one thing I have taken and continue to take away from the WDF is that there is as many different ways to train as there is different types of dogs and trainers for that matter. 

Everyone has a way of doing something that works best for them at that particular moment with that particular dog.


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## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

I'm not a lurker, per say, but tried a new way to imprint and start the foundation training for HR using Mike Suttle's PVC pipes. Built me a set and discovered a few pitfalls and had to learn a few new tricks - or shake the dust off some old ones - but tried it on my new pup. I would not have even considered this method except for seeing it on the WDF.


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## Lisa Radcliffe (Jun 9, 2011)

I always pick up something from the posts by Gregory Doud he comes across as a very astute trainer with a clear way to explain his training methods. It's great to be reminded of bite work training that gets forgot along the way and start using it again as well as new ideas too-


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

I've been here for awhile and I still learn new training methods. This board and the knowledgable members have helped me immensely. Although my training style stays pretty constant, there are nagging little problems that come up now and then and I need help or fresh eyes on the problem. My last issue was with my PSD not going deep in buildings when no human odor was present. I got great advice and put my own little spin on it as well. Problem solved. I believe I kept everyone in the loop so maybe I'm not in the lurker category.


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## Hunter Allred (Jan 28, 2010)

I lurked for a few years before I started posting. This forum has a reputation of being, lets say, less tolerate of newer, more naive folks than other.

I've drawn a good bit from the forum over the years... both in directly requested advise to videos I've posted, as well as observing someone else's "issue" and how to resolve it.


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## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

Here's the other thing.....  I just checked the stats for this moment in time. 11 members on-line but there were 131 guests! All those guests add up.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

As long as I've been involved in dogs sports of all sorts I can always pick up something new here. It's not always the better trainers either. Everyone is worth listening to good or bad. 
There are also a number of people here that I greatly respect. I may not always agree but it's those folks that keep me thinking about what can and can't be done.


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## kristin tresidder (Oct 23, 2008)

i was introduced to circle tracks here on the WDF. they didn't "solve" my particular issue, but i can definitely see ways to apply them in the future with young dogs that i think will be beneficial. 

another thing that any "lurker" could benefit from as well as i did are the potential relationships - some of the people i've met here have had definite influences in my 'dog life' offline.


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## Tony Hahn (May 28, 2011)

There are only a limited number of dogs and a limited number of different breeds that folks like me will ever work within a lifetime. Forums like this that are not breed specific are a decent source of information for a variety of different dogs/breeds. 

As an example I was curious about Dutch Shepherds. Posts on this site provided quite a bit of info.

I don't post much on any forums anywhere. In real life I tend to be a bit intolerant of rude behavior; I'm not interested in putting up with it online. That's not to imply that this forum is full of rudeness. Sometimes it only takes one though......

If I'm feeling extra social or there is something in particular I can contribute to or help educate about I'll post. Otherwise I tend to just lurk.


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## Tonya Beam (Jun 18, 2013)

I joined about 8 months ago, I have seen several videos that have helped me. I have read advice that has helped as well. I have not posted any questions at this time. I think the forum is a bit intimidating at this point. Probably when I am further along in the process with my puppy I will post questions.


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## Billie Fletcher (May 13, 2013)

I guess I'm a bit of a lurker! I don't have a "proper" working dog, and don't do bite sport so feel a little out of place, but I like to read and learn a lot and there are some great threads on tracking and obedience here.

*1. what were the specifics of the problem ?*
I don't have a specific issue, but I think I initially joined because I was in the process of training WT sendaways and know that some of the other working sports have impressively long sendaways to no marker so wanted to read a few more techniques

*2. how did the advice help you ?*
Some of the advice that I read was repeated information that I had heard from people I've asked around here, but I always think if I've heard the information from 3 or 4 different sources and it seems to have worked for them, well hopefully there might be something to it!

Oh and someone told me I was bad for practicing downs with every sendaway I did. They were right. 

*4. if you posted a follow up, feel free to re-post *
I didn't post a video or anything, but at our first trial we qualified and had a beautiful, straight, fast send out to no marker... Just stunning! Dog then took 3 down commands, oh well. 

*5. if you tried something that failed miserably and made the problem worse, by all means, post that too *
Have not managed to make anything worse yet, and have since fixed the down issue - so yay!


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## Logan Payton (Jan 29, 2014)

OK - so I've been here a couple months, posted 1 question and I got excellent and very insightful replies. But the posting:reading ratio is pretty offset by how much reading of old posts i've done which is FAR more than posts i've made. 

*1. what were the specifics of the problem ?*
I am adding a Mal puppy this year, and I've been reading A TON about raising a working puppy.

*2. how did the advice help you ?*
I've read over and over "let them be a puppy", and "don't rush". This will be a helpful reminder later and it is good to be reminded. 

Also - there is a member here in particular who posts and asks the dumbest questions ever. I chuckle every time. HOWEVER...he has received some of the most informative responses that have really helped me prepare for bringing my puppy home. So - the initial posts = dumb. Resulting information coming out of said posts = brilliant.


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## jim stevens (Jan 30, 2012)

As a 'newby' I've picked up several things that have helped, some were even from you!


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Billie,
concerning #4

Do random downs everywhere, anywhere and under all sorts of conditions. Don't put anything else with the down just as you learned not to put the down with every send out.
BOTH behaviors need to be individually rock solid before they are put together. A failure in any combined behaviors can be confusing to the dog as to what it's being rewarded/corrected for.


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## Kristi Molina (Oct 1, 2012)

I rarely ever post here but I taught my dog to find cell phones (for fun) from posts here. I built boxes and followed steps as best I could from what I saw posted . And it worked amazingly well. Doesn't hurt she has a fantastic nose and caught on quick. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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