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RTF-An observation & A Suggestion

43K views 253 replies 67 participants last post by  luvalab 
#1 ·
I took a job assignment requiring me to be in the N British Isles for a year. As a result I have been too busy for internet forums, and haven't visited RTF for months
I came back to the U.S. a few weeks ago due to the death of a close friends dear mother. I have spent a lot of time on the internet in this time; much of that time spent on RTF
I mostly participate as an observer on the main forum as I don't feel I have the training chops to be of much use. The majority of my posting is done on the sub forum, or septic tank, known as POTUS

My observation is that in the 6 months I've been away POTUS & RTF has lost its edge, and sadly and more importantly that the main forum has lost much of it's expertise.
Best I can figure the reason for many wise experienced posters leaving is due to banning of some and indifference of the others.
The indifference to me is understandable, as I already stated that I felt RTF has lost much of its edge and expertise.

A few years ago training questions were debated & answered by accomplished Amateurs such as Jim Pickering, Captain Jack and competition pros like Christie Wilder and Angie Becker. Health and breeding questions were answered by knowledgeable experienced experts such as Erinsedge or Melanie Foster
The banning is an unknown mystery for me in that I don't know the reasons for the banning Only those banned and the janitor {and possibly a man & woman from Wisconsin} would be privy to those facts.
I was somewhat surprised at the results of the recent Amnesty poll, where the majority voted "NO" on amnesty

My surprise stems from the fact that I don't understand the usefulness of censorship; which is in effect what the banning results in. It's the internet folks!! What is said on here really can't harm you Grow a thicker skin folks. To me it would be worth it to read 20 insulting or frivolous comments from any of the six ex posters listed above for the possibility of finding that helpful tip that could help me to solve a problem in my training or possibly enhance the health or well being of my pet.

Ask yourselves if you feel that RTF is a better or worse resource without the input of the 6 ex posters referred to; as well as the numerous others who have been banned or quit posting due to indifference. I would argue that the major asset of a resource like RTF is the collective wisdom of its participants; without that you have nothing. However Im aware it is the janitors asset to do with it as he pleases. If the banned don't like it they can either grovel for forgiveness or create a better mousetrap

In my time off I have randomly checked the credentials of posters on recent threads and compared them to posters on some older threads. The difference was substantial. Nature abhors a vacuum, so without the input of the old experts you have some wannabes with a SR Hunter or couple of Jr passes offering up their solutions. There have been recent threads about supposed solutions to problems at the line; simple research reveals that the poster is still not having success while muddling around in middle or lower level Hunt Tests This wouldn't have happened & would have been exposed on the old RTF
IMO the resource is markedly diminished due to the absence of these folks. Apparently the rationale for banning is to promote a more peanutty atmosphere. If you look at the recent abuse heaped on Jennifer Henion by some on a thread dealing with a humorous youtube video of a guy yelling at his out of control dog and TooTalls less than peanutty treatment in the LeanMac thread I would say it appears that the peanut rule can be randomly applied, depending on who is involved. I sort of saw the need for both of those posters to get slapped around a bit, and would definitely not advocate any sanctions.
Monday Ill be heading back across the big pond for a few months, hopefully upon my return RTF will have welcomed in some new and old wisdom.
 
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#195 ·
Didn't want to start a new thread, but really want to thank Sharon and Stan and whoever else came up with and shared the creeping solution. Had a banner training day today at lunch with my creeper. We have worked our way up to including the holding blind, having guns and duck calls going off while we're in the holding blind and judge talk (GUNS UP, DOG 6 to the LINE), with bird boy throwing birds at 45 yards, shooting the gun and blowing duck call (not in that order). We did 7 retrieves today with all the fixins and finally achieved NO MOVEMENT on the last 4 of the 7. Tomorrow we start on live birds.

It has been a very incremental process over the last 4 weeks, but worth every second! Thanks again guys and gals. Love the RTF!!!

Jen
 
#196 ·
I'm too busy trying to get pelts (so don't look me up on EE)
Too hot to train and I have a trial this weekend.
:)

Jeff
 
#202 ·
There is plenty of time for Stan's dog to get his JH. He's only 5 years old. However if be was my client I'd prob have a long talk with him double staking that dog in JH and sh in the same weekend. All the advice is mute if you don't train first and test later

/Paul
 
#204 · (Edited)
Paul, he has an HR in the HRC venue.
Last year he had knee surgery.
At the advice of his vet, we didn't run after the surgery.

I have never claimed to be something I am not.

Let me ask you this;

Has every dog you trained gone along perfectly?
Have you ever made a mistake in training you had to correct?
Has every dog you trained achieved Finished, MH or AFC in less than 4.5 years?
 
#205 ·
Hey tried to stand up for you. Fact is hrc is 50 50 dog handler work. AKC is 80 20. For pure dog work, I will look at AKC. If "your solutions" were working a dog that age should be in master tests, prob titled. Stay focused on training, quit running him until he can pass.

/Paul
 
#206 ·
What is the average age for a dog to title at MH?
Where did you derive your 50-50/80-20 numbers?
Is that on EE????

Are you suggesting HRC is less than AKC?
 
#213 ·
You can't replace good advice taken but, you can lose good advice ignored. I listen and catalog much more than I sometimes realize. Luckily, I continue to hope that I can absorb all the good stuff which has been graciously shared with me in my short span of retrieverdom. Luckily, I've got some great characters surrounding me right now and I can only dream of someday stepping into a similar sized Shoe.
 
#217 ·
The Illinois General Assembly voted to overrule Gov Quinn's veto of the Concealed Carry bill.
So, it seems that Quinn retaliated by suspending their pay due to a missed deadline for pension reform.

Gotta love it.
 
#219 ·
" Originally Posted by Rainmaker
Payback's a biotch, lovely 70 degrees up this way, trained 4 MH dogs, 2 triple setups, 3 crosswind blinds, diversion, poison bird, don't think any of us broke a sweat. RTF coffee break from the real world regards.

Oh, btw, having seen some of the Nat Am, would love to train with Ted anytime, vs a bunch of disgruntled Internet experts.
dont you mean train with his pro?

/Paul "

I have trained with Ted,
I have trained with his pro,
and I have trained with both.
all are excellent experiences. They don't always agree on 100% of everything. There is a wealth of knowledge and experience to be had from both of them.

I regret that you have not been able to be so enlightened.;-)
 
#232 ·
AKC Master is a lot harder than HRC Finished. And while there is more that a handler is allowed to do in HRC, I do not agree that AKC is somehow "more-dog-less-handler" than HRC.

Just because you can't do as much, doesn't mean that what you can do, doesn't make just as big (or bigger) of a difference.
 
#233 ·
I thought it was Wis cheese and Vermont cheese:confused:
 
#242 ·
<<<<<< HRCH Calusa's Tank O'Chocolate MH
 
#246 ·
Wait, what was the point again?
 
#250 ·
I was just thinking the same thing, but for #250 posts, it's been pretty civil and talk about a range of topics...and a good splatter of GDG....RTF is one dysfunctional family for sure!
 
#253 · (Edited)
I started in AKC first & young dog, thus it was harder to get the MH than the HRCH's and MHR's, my dog was well finished when we started those. Now I run them all I don't see much difference, same tests, same principles, usually same judges (so same technics), different clothes. I've noticed differences in different areas of the country, prob. why pros travel ;) (another can of worms). My hardest series was a NAHRA Senior, hardest blind HRC. As for the grand it's a guaranteed # of series, it is graded to a grand standard. With the recent uptake of MN entries, we're getting less and less series, done to finish on time. So that it appears it has become simply a double master hunt, sometimes less than that. The MN does not have an official higher MN standard of grading, so all it's really grading different from a weekend test is longevity, hard to do that with less series. The grand does everything it can to remain standard regardless of venue. The MN changes, #series, what's considered a series, appeared toughness etc. every year, it's not standard. We could get into Grand vs. MN judge selection processes, (Do club votes vs. committee =popularity contests?).

The MN is in my area next year, the highest pass rate ever is this area. I might pony up the cash to go, but pushing to run 6 MH tests, with dogs that have already passed many, just to go and sit for days waiting. Seems like paying money, to condemn myself to purgatory as next years vacation. What is it proving for a finished dog to run 6 additional test to the same standard they've passed time and time again. Except to put $ in a kennel clubs pocket, and if one pays enough $ runs enough tests, you too can qualify ;). So I prefer the HRC, when your an HRCH your an HRCH, your not a Grand dog, you have to prove that at the Grand under the grand standard, and still pass enough finished tests (200pt)but you don't have to pay every year to reprove you are indeed an HRCH.

It's been fun wacking it back and forth. But we really should've gotten in to name calling and threats by now. Perhaps those P.C. beatings and sensitivity training are starting to work (is this a good thing?) :confused: At least we've added substance to a W(H)INNING Thread ;)
 
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