As a new member I am shocked........

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I have only been a member of this site for one week and I am horrified at the thought of entering into a discussion!

I joined because I have always liked Gundogs, especially Setters of all varieties and have been thinking of owning one or maybe even two.

My friend who is a member said to me a few months ago "Bel, I have found a lovely site for Setter enthusiasts and the people on there are so nice and friendly".

I am sorry to say, after reading through some of the latest discussions, I don't share her opinion at all!

All I have read are aggressive, verbal attacks on members who do not share the opinions of a few regular contributors who gang up on anyone who dares to disagree with their point of view.

I don't know how many members there are on here, but it seems the whole site is run by a few 'know alls' who delight in making other members valuable contributions to discussions a very unpleasant experience for them.

Some on here will probably say I should hold no opinions at all because I am a 'newbie' to this site.

Well sorry, I loath bullying in any shape or form and that's what I see happening on here!

Maybe I will test the water on a site for a different gundog breed because from what I have read so far on here, setter breeders are not people I would like to have any more contact with.

[eva ciechonska]

Annabel.  Please do not be put off.  There is a difference between robust debating and personal attacks.   Enjoy the former, ignore the latter.  Welcome to the site and thank you for your kind comment on the head study of my Concept.

[Teresa]

Annabel, first of all, welcome to the site.

 

True, the latest discussions have been well... lets just say "intense"!

But please do not judge the site, or everyone here by what you have read in the recent topics. Things have been tense when it comes to these sensitive issues, people are under a lot of pressure testing their dogs, and tend to react a bit harsher. And true, I have also read some responses that are no more than personal attacks, and that, to my view ais inescusable!

But I have been a member for two years now, and have came across with trully wonderful people, that have a lot of experience and are always glad to help anyone who has doubts! We have also had some sad topics about sick dogs and their owners crying out for help and advice, and you should see how supportive and helpful the responses are!

Most of these people are wise enough to stay out of the "hot" topics, so I'd like to ask you to look for some of the older topics, like on training, feeding or trimming! I bet you'll like some of the members in that topics!

Like Eva wisely said, ignore the personal attacks, and give a chance to everything else! I'm sure ES will find a place in your heart! I know I have learnt a lot here, and am now able to deal with my dogs in a better way, and we are a happier family for that!

 

Best wishes,

 

Teresa, Pitanga and Romã

[sue morgan]

Annabel, there is lots of information  and help available on this site,  I must admit  it has been a bit tense of late, a lot of us who have not  had  the results we would have liked  , have also had a lot of support  in our *down* moments, 

So please, dont be  put off, just ignore things if  it gets a bit heated, as indeed others have adviced,  

Irish Setter owners are funny,wonderful and loving.....just like the red ones  we all love and live with....so stay on board, enjoy and welcome to the site.

[Ziggy Percival]

Hi Annabel, I joined the site quite a while ago, and while I look in from time to time, I have not been a regular on here, and have not entered many discussions, because like you I have felt there are some 'super powers' here who seem to know everything and look down and talk harshly to anyone who doesn't seem to be the perfect owner of the perfect dog. I'm not refering about recent topics, I felt this months ago when I joined too.

My view is, not everyone can have a lot of experience, and everyone who hasn't been lucky enough to have dogs as a child has to get their own first dog some day, and everyone is entitled to their views and their own personal level of experience. If everyone who is not the perfect owner who can devote every breath to his/her dogs is considered unworthy by some, well let them think so and wallow in their own self-superiority. I have 4 children, a dog and many, many other pets, and no I'm not a perfect mother or owner, but I do my best, and that's good enough for me, and my kids and pets all seem rather chilled and happy.

So don't worry about the attitude of a few, even if their attitude is 'louder' or more noticeable than others. There are nice, friendly people on here too, and if everyone who is nice decides to go or be quiet because of the less pleasant members, there will be nobody nice left at all...

 

[Deb Bouttell]

The heated debates are few and far between and recently people have been venting frustration more than normal because we are all so devastated about  PRA rcd4.

I do agree that some have been aggressive in words and tone.

Bear with us , mostly it's a friendly and informative site and can offer lots of support- in good times as well as bad! 

[Sherry Miller]

Anabel ,

  Welcome to ES but please don't disappear before you give the rest of us a chance?  I have been a member for a wee bit under a year but have been owned by Irish Setters since 1973....I am strictly a pet owner and not a breeder and have never shown any of my Irish.  There is so much to learn on here and some wonderful people who have the experience to help when you come to an issue you are not sure what is best for your beloved Irish.  The Breeders have been hit really hard this past month or so with a new test that is challenging how they carry on with the Irish Setter line they love and all on edge as they rethink how they do what they have been doing for years .  I too, have stepped back a time or two in response to something I have read on here but I also try to give others benefit of the doubt as to the reason they may be responding the way they are.  For so many of our breeders this has been a month of surprises....shocks even as they now are struggling to keep our Irish breed healthy and diverse enough to have a gene pool that does not cause more problems in the future.  That is my take on some of the discussions you may have ventured into. Perhaps right now try to avoid those conversations and look at some of the other information and the lovely blogs on ES  ( try Still a Slave under blogs as little Mac has captured my heart and I am an ocean away from him). I find too much information on this site and so many wonderful Irish Setter ( and English and Gordon's ) people  to just give up when I run into what seems to be a major disagreement on here...and I do post but also tend to type it and walk away for a few minutes before posting it to be sure I am not causing hurt to another as I try to live by the old saying from Bambi...."If you can't say something nice don't say nothing at all"  I hope you will give the site another try and find what I have found as far as some wonderful friends and advice when I asked for it.

Sherry and Miss Molly the Irish Setter

[Eunice Marott]

Could not agree more with u sherry 

[Nardi Rowe]

I agree with you Mel that it was strange that Anabel would come and say the things she did and not check in to see the response her remarks evoked.  If she was genuine about loving Irish Setters, then she would have taken aboard the comments (as there have been many welcoming and kind comments)  that have been made and still been a member of this site.

[Eunice Marott]

i was killing time this morning and looking through the site. Our breed is special and we love them..... Sherry is a great friend

[Lois McCullough]

Welcome Annabel I am sorry your first impression is not of an interesting,informative and quite often very humorous site. As merely a custodian to my favourite guys and loving the breed I neither breed or show, having said that a number of members do and contribute a wealth of knowledge and invaluable experience.Showing and breeding is competitive and as such each is entitled to express their opinion, life is competitive.i hope you do particpate in some of the blogs and forums and from it gain a lot of insight into the breed and some of the fun that comes with it

[Susan Stone]

Hi Annabel,

I'm sorry you have caught us in one of our 'lesser moments'...

Maybe we could agree that any reader of ES discussions has the right to write 'Please Stop' when we feel a discussion is getting out of hand and participants are resorting to personal attacks?

The 'Please Stop' input would have to come from someone not involved in the discussion and must be respected immediately by all parties. After a 24 hours break the discussion could then be resumed when emotions had calmed down.

 

 

[Margaret Sierakowski]

Completely agree. And if a topic is getting out of hand, the person who started it only has to click to end the whole discussion too.