Do you actually listen to the advice in here?

I am wondering if anyone actually listens to the advice in here? There is so much great advice and then there is a whole lot of stupid, if not dangerous advice also, that I wonder if anyone actually listens to any of it.





If you do listen to the advice, do you take it at face value or do you further research the answers you were given? If you actually made up your mind before asking, do some of the answers make you reconsider your position?





I really am wondering if what we do and say in here actually helps anyone? We see so many of the same questions day in and day out that I almost think that we are fighting a loosing battle to educate people in the care of their dogs. What are your feelings on this?Do you actually listen to the advice in here?
Hi Kats,





I've asked a couple questions on another section of YA and got back several different types of answers. So what I did was to select what I thought were the most plausible answers; then reviewed the profile of those providing to see if they had any real qualification to back up their answer; then did some internet searching to try to dis-prove the more credible of those plausible answers. The answers which survived that 'cut' were those I chose to most consider.





Sometimes what is left are not the answers I am most comfortable with ... but if they came from a credible source and could not be dis-proved, I'd be foolish not to serously consider them.





From reading some of the 'best choice' picks by others (in a field I am expert in), I believe that many here choose the most satisfying answer based on what they can most comfortably relate to. That's what they call 'research.'





After you have explored this topic with your answerers, maybe you will then explore the quality of the 'questions' asked ... because they too can be a little strange.Do you actually listen to the advice in here?
Common sense and much research has helped me!
I want to believe that people do pay attention %26amp; heed some of the advise on here. There are some very knowledgable people answering questions.





I don't post questions unless it is something that might get people to thinking or questioning what I posted.





As a Professional I don't have questions to ask but I know Canines. I probably have forgotten more canine knowledge than most people will even know. But, I am more than willing to share what I know. I just worry that I didn't explain enough so that it is competely understood.





As everyone knows people are touchy about their dogs, just as they are about their children, so it leaves me worring cause I can't be there to instruct. So many times things are not understood %26amp; people assume you ment something you did not say.
I have listened to advice from questions I have asked on these forums with great success.





However there are new people coming to the forums that will ask the same questions over and over. Its not only on this board either. I have been to many forums where people ask the same questions.





That is just the nature of it for a popular board and many users.





Your topic post, well I have seen that posted granted not verbatim on different boards many many times.





Its the same thing just different person posting.
I have picked up a few things from those I have watched give accurate answers to other questions.





Very few I will add have the slightest idea about animals but the few that do I do trust. I do consider if I need advice on a situation I would ask them. I do believe there are a few breeders on here that I would trust. They are better than the hilljacks on here asking advice about ';birthin babies'; and the ignorant that give it. They are responsible enough not to give advice to the ignorant on here that wouldn't know what to do even with the knowledge.





Unfortunately the only issue Ive had no one knew about or heard. Was the puppy continuously growing teeth. The people that adopted her are willing to do everything to save her and there is still a chance it will stop so she doesn't have to have her jaw amputated.





The troublesome is the answers the askers choose. I really think that if the person is asking they don't know the answer and unless they go to the vet and get an answer then they should not deceive others that may be looking up a question.
You can only do so much. ';you can lead a horse to water........';.


I attempt to provide educated, practical advise to help people both enjoy their pets and have the animal lead the best life possible.


In my experience, if it is too much trouble or takes too much of their valuable time, the advise will not be followed. Even though it will cost more in the long run to not properly train and care for their animals.


The bottom line is the animal is the one to suffer needlessly.


We live in a short term, immediate gratification society. Everything has to be perfect and to expectations NOW.


It would seem prudent to listen to someone with 25 years experience in raising and training animals. I've received eMail replies that rip my advise as outdated and too time consuming.


You do what you can. Each small step is important in itself.


I preach training, sterilization and rescue as much as possible.


I guess experience is an essential factor in deciding how you want to care for your animals.


I've seen too much abuse and neglect to not try to help.


Look how children are raised now. If they don't behave as expected, and expectations are VERY low, medicate them in stead of actually addressing the behavior.





Keep on trying to help. Each person you reach, enriches their life and their pets life.


One step at a time. Good luck and don't give up.
I know for me I research everything. I get people's input from here and then take it and check and check it and check. Sometimes the information gives you a direction to go in. I listen to advice given by people who have actually had experience with the topic.


But I agree with you there are so many people asking the same questions over and over. There are also the peole who want validation for their opinions and do not care what others think. But truthfully there is so much that goes into having a dog and before anyone has one they should do research after research.
I've given lots of answers and asked a few questions. If you are a smart questioner, you will take the answers given and research a little further before acting or at least think the options through.





But I asked a question about a computer problem once and it led to several good ideas, two of which I implemented after further research. My problem was solved. Without Y Answers I wouldn't have come up with those ideas on my own.





So Y Answers is a good place to get ideas but it should probably never be the final word, especially on anything very serious.
Optimism keeps me hoping that they at least research the answers they get but reality makes me see that the majority of the people that ask questions are not looking for the truth only validation for their opinions.





Talking to people in person about dogs is the same battle. Just yesterday I had someone call me and tell me about the rescue they got and where was the dog? Alone with the kids upstairs. You know how many times I prepped them for this dog? I prepped them several times and one of the things I stressed the most was never leave the dog and kids alone, especially because this is a strange dog and the kids have not been around dogs very much.


Someone else who has one dog and does nothing with the dog told them my dog is fine with the kids. Who did they believe? The one that validated their opinion.
Some of it , yes- It has helped , yet sometimes it's awful the answers and some of the ?'s-I can't believe there are that many uneducated people about little things, like why does my bird bite me? or How do I name a doggie? Why do they ask ?'s that are like this? There are some very important ?'s people need answered-You shouldn't get a pet of any kind till you know more about it?There are so many breeds of dogs, cats , and even birds- Please , do some reshearch 1st., then buy later-They all need lot's of T.L.C.-
YES!!! I love the dog section. I have learned so much, especially what kind of dog food I should use. Also, you can pretty much tell when advice given is probably not the best.





Thanks to all the posters for making my Jack Russells healthier and happier!
I ALWAYS consider each rational answer, THEN I research it on my own, and make a good decision.





Keep doing what you are doing, it's important!
Actually I have learned a great deal from those who know what their talking about. I have learned about other breeds that I was not that familiar with.


Different kinds of training again from those who know what their talking about. I love hearing about different kinds things other knowledgeable people do and say here. Yes I do follow up on things. I read a great deal about some subjects that have been suggested to me. Like hearing different perspectives on subjects.


Never say never all ready know that if your open and willing to learn more on any subject either.


If we have even give some of the questioners a bit of information to make them think a bit than yes, I hope I've helped them along their decision making process.


I don't feel the need to just give up on anything. I'm a glass half full person not a half empty one.
I listen to certain people mostly- DP, Goldengal, Jennifer T, Dogjudge- are the first that come to mind.





People have told me to take my dog to the vet because he would die from 3 licks of coffee.





People have told me that I should take my dog back to the shelter ASAP because ';hounds aren't meant to be pets and make terrible pets';





When I really believe my dog needs medical care we go to the vet.





I haven't yet listened to the food advice- but I still have about 30lb of IAMS in the kitchen- when it's done I am going to put some serious consideration into a different food.





I have seen some really stupid advice and some really great advice. There are alot of people in here who have helped me alot. Even just listening to me last night when my dog was sick and I was worried. People told me he'd be okay.





My vet almost laughs at me- but it's a small town and their aren't alot of choices. This is my first dog as an adult, taking the full responsibility and I need all the help I can get.
Most people here love their pets and most all say if the dog is sick to take them to the vet. No, I don't listen to everything but I love to hear solutions to raising a pet. I've researched everything in dog books. And let my vet have the final say so.





I love the pet column because sometimes it brings things up that I never thought of. Then I can ask my vet doctor.
I don't believe any advice can be taken at face value. even people trained in specific fields have been wrong and when questions are asked here, many of the answers are generalisations. generic questions and answers. But, there is usually enough information from combining the answers to aide in further researching the subject.
YES- I do!! For generations before the Internet, people learned everything by communicating with each other and learning from other people's advice. I have found this board very helpful raising my puppies. It gives me reassurance that other people have the same problems I have.... and even better- some have solutions!! Some things in here are just ignorant (bite your dog back when he bites) and obviously I do not take that to heart. But some things have been a lifesaver (put an old tee shirt with your scent in the crate to keep the pup from crying at night)!! I wouldn't ask a question in here regarding medical help, I would take the dog to the vet. But this is an extremely helpful resource for training and behavior modification. THANK YOU!!
Other than ' Take your dog to the vet NOW ' I don't think people should take what they read here as the Gospel truth. It should spark your interest enough to do more research on the subject.. Maybe someone's answer will give you those keywords that you can use in Google to find out more about the problem.. I check and verify what the vet tells me, making sure that I am ok with the side effects of a certain drug before I would give it.. My dogs, my responsibility to make sure that I am doing the right thing by them.
I am beginning to think that the people on here who really have a serious problem don't want to hear the right answers-just the easy ones. I just answered a question about a dog who has bitten quite a few people. I told the person that they needed to get the dog trained asap before they got sued or the dog was taken away and they were fined, and I got yelled at for it. Of course the answer they picked will put more people at risk for biting. This person stated to me that he was a responsible dog owner.


I am going to keep trying, though. Maybe one time one of these people will really listen to say, a great breeder who tells them not to breed, or a person who has experience telling them not to get a certain breed for their 2 year old. Or one person takes someone's potty training advice to heart and doesn't dump their poor dog on a kill shelter instead.


To give up would mean absolute failure.


(I do find it hard to be nice sometimes, though.Especially with the dangerous ones.)
Thank you for having the same feeling as I do. I get so tired of answering the same questions sometimes. You are right, it is like we are not even doing anything at all. I get so tired of listening to answer that are just downing the person who asked the question. I also get tired of stupid question and have to bite my tongue to prevent hurting peoples feelings. I think that one of the main problems is that a lot of the people asking for advice get so mad when they hear something that they don't like.





My point in answering questions, though, is not to hopefully make them do what I advise them, but to hopefully give open their eyes to sak questions when they do take the animal to the vet.
I read questions and then I read the answers.





I learn something new every day. There are people here that I can tell do ';know'; what they are talking about. I consider myself a fairly knowledgeable dog person. I'm not an expert by any means but I think I understand my own personal dogs.





With that said, I can tell by the answers I read who knows their stuff. Those people teach me something or give me something to think about almost every day.





I may have to look up something or do some more research but yeah, I do listen.





I sometimes think it's only the real dog people that educate the other dog people though.... I don't know...





I really respect many of the people in here. There is a lot of knowledge and experience in this forum and I'm very greateful to have found it.





Besides - it's fun. (and a great way to slack at work.... %26lt;grin%26gt; )
Some I think really do listen. I received a beautiful e-mail from someone a few weeks ago who had asked for advice on breeding her dog. You know I was not going along with it as it was going to make ';designer'; puppies. She took what I said to heart and visited her local kill shelter and asked how many dogs each month were euthanized as I suggested. Rather than breeding her dog (which is now spayed) she appiled to adopt a dog while she was there. (she e-mailed me pictures of her picking up her new friend so I know that part was true) Now she has the 2 dogs she was wanting and saved a life too.





Most I think seem to just look for the answers they want to receive whether it's good advice or not.





I do hope there are more like that young lady who really do want to do the right thing. I'm sure there are. They just often seem so very few and far between. If we can reach even one every so often though then we just have to keep on trying.
I have to agree, there is a lot of good advice and a lot of crap in here. I would have to say that people should listen to the advice as far as a point to go from for research.





Even though the answer might seem great and the solution to all their problems, they should look at it and do a little bit of research from it.





For all those people that ask questions about sick dogs, even at midnight, they need to contact their vets and not this board. Veterinarians are on call 24 hours a day, that's why they have answering services, and also people need to locate where the nearest emergency vet is. Some of the questions people ask sound life threatening. Some questions, people give answers that could put the animal further in harms way.





I BEG PEOPLE TO NOT PUT ANY EMERGENCY OR SICK ANIMAL QUESTIONS ON THIS BOARD, BUT CALL THEIR VET!





THEY SHOULD HAVE ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS SET ASIDE FOR JUST THESE TYPE OF QUESTIONS.





They can also ask their vet during normal business hours what to do in case an emergency arises during non business hours. PEOPLE YOUR VET HAS THE ANSWERS, NOT YAHOO ANSWERS!





Great Question!
I actually don't answer medical questions as I am not a vet and If I were I can't see the dog anyway.


I usually answer dog training question or when people wnat to know the usual question ';what dog is best for me?'; etc etc etc...





and when I ask questions, I usually consider the answers if people put their sources, my questions are usually about dog breed, origins, training etc ... so nothing that would endanger my dogs or cats.





People who come here and ask questions about their pets' health are worried, maybe they need support, some might hesitate to go to the vet because of expenses: I am not here to judge, because as I work in the field, I can't judge people, because people have a hard time right now, and if everyone who cannot afford vet bills shoudl surrender their pets, I don't know what we would do at the shelter.





SO I don't appreciate judgemental answers. but I admit most questions here are stupid from people who don't do research, because internet makes it so easy now...





I answer some questions that I think might help that person make a better decision (adopt a pet) and otherwise I ignore the questions.





my feelings are that Yahoo ANswers is not that good overall. Google search is better.