Victoria here - I need your help!

Periodic announcements regarding Victoria, her schedule, and general information.

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Victoria
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Victoria here - I need your help!

Post by Victoria »

Hey everyone. I'm sorry I haven't been that active here over the past couple of months. A lot of really exciting things have been going on lately, and I hope to bring them here as soon as possible. Plus I've been filming another season of It's Me or the Dog which is due to premiere in early 2010. More on that later.

One of the main things I've been working on is a major re-launch of this website in order to better provide information about positive reinforcement training methods and the movement towards reward-based training around the world. I also plan to create a regular section of this forum dedicated to timely discussions of new episodes and a Q&A section. We're still in the planning stages of the redesign, and I would love to get your feedback! What do you like about this board? What do you dislike? What do you think needs more attention? Are there any new subject headings you'd like to see here? Can you think of new ways to get more dynamic members here?

Please post your feedback in this thread and we'll see what we can do to make sure your suggestions are implemented into the new site. By the way, none of your login or account information will change - you won't need to do anything during the changeover, but the forums will be down for approx a day sometime in the next few weeks. We'll give you plenty of warning.

I continue to be so appreciative of all of you who have helped make this such a fantastic community and resource for those looking for more info about how to train positively. Thank you to each and every one of you who have helped so many newcomers and old-timers alike. Couldn't do it without you, and now we want to try and make it even better!

Thanks, guys!
Victoria
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Nettle
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Post by Nettle »

I would appreciate an Edit facility on all threads as I sometimes hit the wrong keys! It could be timed eg for half an hour after the post has been made, so that it isn't abused.
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emmabeth
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Post by emmabeth »

That would be handy!

I would like (off the top of my head)... the ability to merge threads as well as split them, so when someone starts a topic and then starts another thread elsewhere on the same topic and useful responses are posted on both, I can stick the two together.

Still thinking though..... :D
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DogzRule1996
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Post by DogzRule1996 »

Although this may take a while longer, I thought that maybe a chat would be nice for the people who are on so you can get your answers quicker if the people you want are on at the same time instead of posting and having to check back later on in the day to get their replies.
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emmabeth
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Post by emmabeth »

A live chat facility might be nice... the downside of it is there would be nothing for you to refer back to though, unlike a forum post.

And it would probably require more moderation (though theres software I think that will automatically kick and possibly kick/ban (for a short period) anyone abusing the facility)..

I would quite like to archive the most commonly asked question/really useful threads by topic so they are easier to find and refer people to..

Rename the 'Methods' section to something like 'Training/Behaviour Advice'.

Would also like a 'Success Stories/Hall of Fame' sort of area, to post 'progress' updates from users, especially those who were having a really hard time at the beginning or who had been given duff advice in the past, or just plain thought they would never train their dog. Asides from being nice for that person, it would be brilliant to refer people to these stories and would also show the level of work people need put in, and the time frames that are realistic for solving some things.

Anyone like that idea?
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Noobs
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Post by Noobs »

I love that idea, Emmabeth! If newbies can refer to the "Hall of Fame" and see similarities in their situations and then maybe have a good foundation to start a training program, it would be really useful. Not to mention if the posts are done by each dog, then you can track each dog's success story! Imagine, say, Horus's journey from day one. Or Bruiser's. That would be fun and encouraging.
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Nettle
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Post by Nettle »

Oh yes! I love that idea too :D
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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BoardHost
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Post by BoardHost »

Great stuff! Thanks for the input and keep it coming!
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Post by maximoo »

How about categories like Potty Training, Obedience commands/Behavior Prevention, Crate training, Separation Anxiety, First aide, Tricks....?

Anybody else with ideas for other categories?
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Noobs
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Post by Noobs »

Well I think all of those fall under the "Training/Behavior Advice". Have that as a category, and have stickies for the most common questions, including what you've just listed, plus "Loose Leash Walking", "Training Recall Positively", etc.
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Post by emmabeth »

The archived threads idea would be a sticky post..... with links to threads listed by topic..

That way we avoid having loooooooooads of stickies at the top of the forum.
wvvdiup1
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Post by wvvdiup1 »

Are you all thinking of some kind of active database that one can enter a topic in some sort of box and get some sort of reference? That would be easier than going through "thousands of pages of topics!"

Ah, and another idea pops into mind: How about a "Wall" that we can put pictures of our pets on? These are just a couple of things I have in mind!

By the way, First Aid should be a seperate forum. Don't want to have to look up something by searching through a bunch of topics!
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Post by emmabeth »

You can already search for things using keywords... and that searchs alll the threads ever posted...

But it isnt foolproof and it will bring up a lot of not very helpful results, even if you do know how to use the advanced functions of a search facility like that - most people dont really know how to get the best out of it.

My archive idea would be at the top of the Methods forum, to have a 'thread archive post', this one post could then contain a list of links to toilet training, play biting, jumping up, walking nicely on the lead etc etc threads, which I would (and boardhost and victoria obviously) pick out from the thousands of threads we have in the database already. I would probably lock these threads to ensure no one posts in 'dead' threads, but they serve as an excellent reference.

Im not sure that this particular message board software allows for a users gallery/wall type area, I know others do but that would involve a change in software and then having every member re-register which would be a BIG job indeed! It may do though, I havent looked (as I don't do any of the 'admin' stuff here, JUST moderator things) at what phpBB does in its latest update though.

What might be nice would be to allow users to upload their own avatar (little picture that goes under your name).

Still pondering more ideas... keep them coming everyone!
zekesmom
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Post by zekesmom »

I'd like an improved search tool. I know there's one there, but I have found on a couple of topics that I get 100's of results that don't necessarily apply even when I use the "AND" or "OR" functions.

I also agree with the others about having some sort of section about the most common problems. I've only been on here for maybe 2 months and I've already seen that the long time members have to repeat themselves a good bit. (and thanks to you guys for being so patient about it!)
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Post by Noobs »

I think avatars are a great idea - that there can be standard avatars but also user-uploaded ones if you want to use a picture of your dog!

If there can't be a wall/gallery, then a whole section just for photos - a good place to do intros as well as special photos like dogpark photos, competition photos (ckranz's wonderful ones), etc.
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