I had a post (or part of one) deleted in a thread about re-homing a dog. The OP posted about all they had done to make this work and the issues that they were experiencing and that the OP was considering re-homing the dog for the betterment of the dog and the family. The OP was not suggesting dumping the dog at the shelter and was heartbroken over the situation. Many people posted very snotty comments to the OP, some about how they had not tried hard enough. The comments were rude in my opinion and in the opinion of others. My comment that was deleted was regarding the fact that most of the negative posts to the OP were from the more Positive posters, the ones who advocate that positive training is the only method of value. I thought it interesting that so many who fight so hard for positive training with dogs can be so negative and cruel to humans. Another recent post involved an OP who was seeking help with a dog that was not obeying. The OP mentioned punishment in their post and stated that the dog was growling. It is clear that the dog was growling due to fear and lack of understanding of the punishment but the interesting part was how the OP was again attacked and degraded to the point where I doubt they will even return to read the more positive posts left. I also am upset by people's ignorance sometimes, but at the same time isn’t the point to try and instruct them in a manner whereby they just might listen, and by listening they just might change, and by changing they just might end up with a happy dog and a happy owner?
I for one am not impressed with the positive human interaction of some of our more positive people. I was upset when my post was deleted because I feel some of these people need to know and understand how incredibly rude their posts sometimes are.
Regardless of the training method you advocate and regardless of whether we all agree or disagree on things in my mind it is important that we all do a good job of trying to assist dog owners in need, and we should never judge one of our own so harshly when he or she is trying to do what is right for the dog.
I wonder if those who post such negative comments to others are in fact as perfect as their posts seem to imply. Have you never made a mistake with any of your dogs? Are you always so perfectly positive in all moments? Can you think of no situation whereby you just might have to consider re-homing a dog? If you have a new infant and your new dog hates infants and all that you do does not work and you still have the fear that if the circumstances are just right your dog will harm your infant, do you not consider re-homing? Perhaps you just dispose of the infant. If you have a dog that destroys your home each and every time you are away, if you crate him his nose and paws are bloody when you return and you are in despair of what to do next, and there is someone who is retired and home and wants the dog is it wrong to re-home the dog in this case? Should you instead quit your job so you can stay home with the dog?
If someone takes the time to come to a dog forum and post a legitimate question about what to do with their dog’s behavior, regardless of how ignorant the person may be is it not best to try and be polite and help them see that what they are doing is incorrect and give them some other method of correcting the behavior or do you just berate them for their stupidity, have them leave never to return and then wonder what became of the dog? Did they PTS, did they inflict more severe punishment in their frustration?
Anyway enough of the rant, it is now on record how I feel about these type responses. My comments are not directed at everyone, in fact the number of persons it is directed at is few thankfully, and I am sure they will know to whom it is directed.