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Training/working discussion groups on FB


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After years of vowing I would never "do" Facebook, I have lost my sanity, ahem, I mean I have changed my mind and decided that some of the sheepdogging groups might be useful and informative for me. I happened to come across somebody's training blog and I've learned a lot from her writings, but she doesn't seem to update anymore. There's usually not much activity in the top section of this forum, although there's a lot of wonderful archive material that I've read.

 

Several of you have mentioned that there are training discussions happening on Facebook, but no specific groups (is that what they're called?) have been named. I'm sure there is some obvious way I could find the names of them, but since I know nothing about Facebook could some of you please post them here? Or PM me?

 

I hope I have posted this in the correct section. Thanks in advance for any info provided!

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Hi there!

I belong to three training groups, though I don't always keep up. Here they are:

To Novice and Beyond:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1643319009228888/

Working Sheepdog:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/188293424610962/

 

How To Train Your Sheepdog:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/howtotrainyoursheepdog/

They seem pretty sane and low key and the Novice one in particular often has good info. Enjoy! :)

~ Gloria

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Have the same attitude towards facebook as Thefner, but also gave in to the dark side, though not entirely, share my wife's account.

Will check out the groups you linked Gloria.

Don't really like the facebook format for these kind of discussions though, especially the lack of search options.

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Thank you, Gloria! I've made the join request...waiting on the moderator.

 

Smalahunder, if I could've shared my husband's account I would've! But he doesn't have one either. Just curious, what don't you like about the fb format for the discussions, besides the one you stated? Like I said, I know nothing about this new world, so I don't know how it compares to, say, the discussions on these boards (which is the only venue I know anyway!).

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I won't touch facebook with a ten foot pole for any reason at all, but would love to find another dog forum to visit. Not that I would find one any better than this one; this forum is of higher caliber than most any you would find. But I have two dogs who are not border collies, and I do freestyle with them, and I would love to find a quality forum where I could join others who do freestyle with their dogs.
I know the OP is talking about a herding training forum, and I don't mean to derail the thread, but does anyone know of a forum for freestyle that is Not facebook?

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Thank you, Gloria! I've made the join request...waiting on the moderator.

 

Smalahunder, if I could've shared my husband's account I would've! But he doesn't have one either. Just curious, what don't you like about the fb format for the discussions, besides the one you stated? Like I said, I know nothing about this new world, so I don't know how it compares to, say, the discussions on these boards (which is the only venue I know anyway!).

Well, everything is in one heap, as opposed to a forum as this one where stuff is categorized in subforums.

Also you have to check facebook regularly otherwise you tend to miss stuff. I don´t like scrolling through a huge amount of post to find that one I found interesting some time ago.

 

I hate facebook in general, but the Icelanders love it so much you are more or less forced to have at least one account in the household.

The horse-riding club, and sports clubs of the kids use it solely to communicate with members, yeah even school.

Worst thing is people assume you have the bloody thing open on your smartphone (I don´t have one) 24/7, so they can just use fb to cancel/change stuff at a moment´s notice :angry: Okay I´ll stop ranting now...

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Ok, well I can certainly see how that would be frustrating! And actually, I'm already a little overwhelmed with it. After figuring out how to get some accounts like Meeker and National Finals to show up on my newsfeed (and I'll admit that I had to ask my sister how to do that

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But I have two dogs who are not border collies, and I do freestyle with them, and I would love to find a quality forum where I could join others who do freestyle with their dogs.

I know the OP is talking about a herding training forum, and I don't mean to derail the thread, but does anyone know of a forum for freestyle that is Not facebook?

 

Unfortunately, the only ones I know of that have any discussion going at all are on FB. It seems that, for the most part, most people have gone that way.

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You could probably find some freestyle chat via the boards at Fenzi Dog Sports Academy. However, I believe you're only granted access for the duration of the class (I'm still a Fenzi Academy newbie, so feel free to correct me). There's Facebook support groups tied to Fenzi, as well as a couple freestyle and/or trick groups on FB, but I understand that's a no-go for you.

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Gloria,

 

I'm sure I'm being an idiot, but I have a question. I got an approval to join from one of the groups you recommended. However, as far as I can tell, that group isn't showing up on my fb. Will it appear on my newsfeed, or will I have to do something different? Thanks, signed FB Clueless.

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You could probably find some freestyle chat via the boards at Fenzi Dog Sports Academy. However, I believe you're only granted access for the duration of the class (I'm still a Fenzi Academy newbie, so feel free to correct me). There's Facebook support groups tied to Fenzi, as well as a couple freestyle and/or trick groups on FB, but I understand that's a no-go for you.

With the Fenzi group it's for anyone who is taking/has taken a class through FDSA, regardless of their current enrollment status.

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Gloria,

 

I'm sure I'm being an idiot, but I have a question. I got an approval to join from one of the groups you recommended. However, as far as I can tell, that group isn't showing up on my fb. Will it appear on my newsfeed, or will I have to do something different? Thanks, signed FB Clueless.

You can go to that page to access previous topics. Newly posted topics will show up on your news feed and in your notifications (the icon at the top of the page that looks like a little earth).

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You can go to that page to access previous topics. Newly posted topics will show up on your news feed and in your notifications (the icon at the top of the page that looks like a little earth).

I am not sure, but I think when you "Like" a page, or are approved to join a closed group, the posts show up in your newsfeed. If not, go to their 'homepage' and check the icon for "Following". If it is not checked, then the posts will not show up in your newsfeed.

 

This can be helpful for pages where there are a high number of daily posts. If you only want to see them when you want to access them, "Unfollow" that page. You will still be a member of the closed group (for example) and have access to the posts, but the posts won't clog up your newsfeed.

 

ETA: ....then the posts will not show up in your newsfeed, but you will still be able to access them!

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I don't think FB is any worse than anything else on the Internet per se. I became a member because of my MA studies where we all were form all over the world (both students and teachers) and the supervisor thought it was a good idea, and at the time is was a more convenient option than the mail groups. I do dislike the ease with which threads get "lost" in FB groups, but having friends from different walks of like, it's a good place for me to have them all together.

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I hate FB because of the impossibility of having an intelligent discussion. Dumbing down doesn't go close to describing it - it's for the sound bite society.

 

I belong to a few groups because I have to or I miss information. The only friends I have are those I had to request to join a group. I'm not interested in the trivia of people's lives and don't expect anyone to be interested in mine.

 

I also have an aversion to mobile phones. Hate carrying one so mine is generally kept in the car for emergencies only. I just think using them in company is rude. Make your calls or send your texts in private, engage with the real people around you. May be hard for some people to believe but I manage my life just fine without one.

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Dear Doggers,

 

One of the few advantages of geezerhood is those things one isn't obligated to do. I needn't provide Mr. Zuckerman with my personal information on Facebook, nor need I twitter or tweet. This forum has some very knowledgeable Border Collie people who treat one another and newcomers courteously. I thank Eileen and Heather for making it possible.

 

Donald

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I hate FB because of the impossibility of having an intelligent discussion. Dumbing down doesn't go close to describing it - it's for the sound bite society.

 

I belong to a few groups because I have to or I miss information. The only friends I have are those I had to request to join a group. I'm not interested in the trivia of people's lives and don't expect anyone to be interested in mine.

 

I also have an aversion to mobile phones. Hate carrying one so mine is generally kept in the car for emergencies only. I just think using them in company is rude. Make your calls or send your texts in private, engage with the real people around you. May be hard for some people to believe but I manage my life just fine without one.

 

My sentiments exactly, almost word for word (except I don't "follow" the couple groups I'm on as I can't stand all the posts all the time, and then rarely bother to actually look at them). B)

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I fully agree with Julie, I have friends and family spread all over the globe and Facebook provides an easy way to stay in touch. I am a horrendous letter writer, and never send cards, and so over the years I have lost touch with some very good friends. The Facebook groups I have had the most use for are the buy/sell variety which have helped me out of the last few years of moving. Facebook also helped me network to find my super little puppy, I would never have found him without as he was bred privately and was not advertised.

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FB, like any other internet tool, is what you make of it. I love it for being able to "keep in touch" with people (family and sheepdog people, primarily, but also friends) that I would otherwise not have contact with on any sort of regular basis. It fills a function (or functions) according to how you set up your account.

 

My only regret is that this forum does not tend to have the same level of working dog discussions that I find on FB or that used to be here, but perhaps that's just a natural evolution in the internet age. I will always be grateful for what this board supplies in terms of philosophy, advice, sharing, and caring about these marvelous dogs (and those that love them).

 

It is interesting that my friends who have seen these boards and the sheepdog groups I belong to on FB, who are involved in boards and other FB groups involving other topics or breeds, have mentioned very often how "civilized" and "polite" these boards and those sheepdog FB groups are in comparison. That is something that pleases me and reflects on the quality of the people here.

 

My thanks, as always, to Eileen and Heather for their efforts.

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In light of the recent comments, and just to make sure no one misunderstood my post, I am certainly not disparaging these boards in any way. I have appreciated the wealth of expertise that is found here, and it has benefitted me personally many times. I also have enjoyed the varying opinions and lively discussions - they help me to solidify my own ideas and opinions.

 

I do, however, wish the upper section was more active. Judging from the archives, it used to be so. But as someone has said already, it is the natural evolution. I certainly don't think it is the fault of any person or that anything should be done differently.

 

I will continue to take advantage of the valuable information found on these boards, and I'm grateful to be a member, "lurking member" though I may usually be.

 

Back to my original question.....if anyone knows of other discussion groups I'd be happy to hear about them!

 

Thanks to everyone for the info and tips on how to navigate Facebook!

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Gloria,

 

I'm sure I'm being an idiot, but I have a question. I got an approval to join from one of the groups you recommended. However, as far as I can tell, that group isn't showing up on my fb. Will it appear on my newsfeed, or will I have to do something different? Thanks, signed FB Clueless.

 

 

Oops, sorry, didn't get back here for a couple days. I hope Sue's reply helped you sort things out! :)

 

~ Gloria

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