character - Page 1

I recently saw a story about "jail dogs."  Dogs trained by inmates to do service work and the impact the dogs have had on their lives.  I also read a story about literacy and young children in headstart programs.  Young children cuddle with a dog and read to the dog and while the dog clearly doesn't care about whether Horton actually HEARD the Who, or if the eggs were technically green, the point is that the dogs offered unconditional acceptance, no phonetic or spelling correction, just a warm body and a wagging tail. 

I would venture to say that every person on this board loves dogs, if not all dogs, then probably at least GSDs.  And yet, we agree on so little.  So many people with such biting hate filled remarks about anyone's opinion that is not their own.  Believe me I am looking in the mirror on this one, I am as guilty as anyone else.  I have tried to think of what the answer is, and I haven't come up with it. 

So, the only answer that I came up with really relates only to me.  I cannot change someone else's point of view or opinion and the only thing I can really control is my own responses.  So this is my silly little personal challenge to myself preceeded by an apology to anyone I may have ever offended on this board with something thoughtless or hurtful I may have said. 

My commitment is to try to the best of my human ability to "go to my crate" when I need to and not to "bark" out of turn.  I would like for my children to see me as more positive than I have previously been.  So... no more whining or complaining, no mean words or thinly veiled hostility.  I am not a pollyanna and I dont think that disagreements will magically disappear and that I will suddenly become mother theresa, but neither do I need to be Hitler either.

I would like be known as someone who builds others up, rather than someone who is always right. 

Its like "The Wolf" says, just because you are a Character, doesn't mean you have Character. Besides, JIMMY HOLDS GRUDGES!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0w2xTexfAg

von symphony,  Very well written !!   :-)

People on forums are a like drunks. 

Most people can be polite and control themselves having pleasant conversation....until they have a few drinks.   Then the false confidence and beer muscles start to come out and the persons true nature and character is revealed.

Distance and or anonymity plays the part of  the alcohol for the forum junky.  If many of the negative comments that are made on this forum were made face to face...there would be some ass kicking or bitch slapping (which ever appies) going on.

Its my opinion that the people are showing there real personality on the forum........how many of these people would you want to be around?

Ever notice the time stamps on the nastiest, least cohesive/coherent  messages?

You present a very valid reason for posting early in the morning and during the work day after a good night's sleep has washed away a lot of the previous day's frustrations rather than in the evenings after having a snoot full! Personally, I find myself using the posts on this list first thing in the morning as a warm-up for my thinking throughout the day, and a subliminal caution about tempering what I say in customer realtions throughout that day, the "bad taste" we wake up to find sometimes a clear reminder of how NOT to behave.

SS

Can anyone post links to short clips about those JAIL DOGS or similar wanna be border patrol dogs...

I think it all boils down to what you're passionate about.  And as you said von symphoni, we all have a love for dogs (if only the gsd) in common.  However, we have somewhat differing opinions on how we do certain things with them whether it be the training, housing, or even just the "line" of gsd we love so well.

All in all, I believe most, if not all, of the people on this board have something positive to bring to the table (at least some times) IF said in a way that gets the message across without name calling and nastiness.

Most of us here have seen a perfectly good thread go to hell in a handbasket pretty quickly when people just don't agree.  Hey, there's nothing wrong with not agreeing.  I mean, goodness, what a horribly boring world this place would be if we all agreed 100% of the time.  I value the other opinions because ya just never know when you might pick up a little tidbit of information that you didn't know yourself.  I mean, we should all be open to learning. 

Too bad we all don't asteem to be as "sociable" as the dogs we want around us.  If we held ourselves to the same standards, the human race would cease to exist (at least as it is now).  But, if we could meet those same requirements, at least in temperament and stability of mind, we might be able to get along.  hmmmmm, what a thought.