Q: Are there Any Forum Rules I need to Know?
A: With the intention of replying back to you ASAP... please follow these simple rules:
1. Please KEEP YOUR TOPICS AND POSTS AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE...
Doggy Dan and his experts really know their stuff, so all they need to know are the key facts, like how old your dog is, what the exact problem is, when did it start, what triggers it... stuff like that. Please stick to the point.
2. Please DO NOT list all your questions or problems in one Topic thread
If you have multiple questions, or multiple problems, please create new Topics for each issue in the correct Forum. It can take forever to answer overly complex Topics, and it allows other members to easily search for and contribute to Topics.
3. Include your dog's name as well as signing off with your name
We like to refer to you & your dogs personally when answering your questions!
Q. Can I change my Forum Profile (Display Name/Photo etc)?
A: Yes, you can change your display name, your image, about you etc, please login first to the Members Area and then get instructions here: Change Forum Profile: https://members.theonlinedogtrainer.com/how-to-change-your-forum-details/
Q: Why is there more than one forum on the Forum?
A: Firstly, we called our question and answer section the ‘Forum’. It could have been called Q&A, or the Café, or something like that, but we thought most folks know and understand what a Forum is, so we stuck with that. Now, within the Forum itself, there are several different categories, like New Member Introductions and Dog Aggression. Each of these is actually a Forum too… think of each one like a room full of conversations around that particular subject. So we have many different (sub-)forums within the main Forum, and it’s important to keep all the conversations within each forum relevant to it’s forum name.
Q: How To Post Questions in Forum?
A: Here are some quick steps to posting your Question:
a. Once you're inside, find the correct Forum
(subject category) to post in.
b. Click the Add Topic button.
c. Write your Topic headline and content.
d. Click Submit Topic, and you're done.
e. Your topic or reply will appear instantly inside
the Forum, and you will be notified via email.
Your post may have [Unapproved] before the title with an orange exclamation mark, but don't worry, we can still see it...it just means we haven't got to it yet. Once we reply it will say [Solved].
Q: How do you "post a message"? Nowhere on the page that I can see gives the option "Post a message." All I can find is a tab to "Add topic."
A: There can be some confusion around the terminology used inside the Forum, so hopefully this helps…
When someone starts a conversation, or asks a question on the Forum for the first time, they are creating a post called a Topic. This is like starting a conversation thread.
The Topic needs a title, so this is called the Topic Title.
When a reply is written, say, from Dan, that is called a Reply post.
And when the originator replies to Dan, or another person comments on the Topic, it is also called a Reply post.
Q: How do I "subscribe" to a post?
A: When you create a post, you are auto-subscribed and will be sent an email asking to confirm your subscription to this post. If you don't confirm by clicking the link inside the email, you will not be emailed any reply posts.
This is what the email will look like:
-----------
SUBJECT: Please confirm email follow-up to {Post Title}
FROM: Forum: The Online Dog Trainer
Hi {Your Name}
Thanks for subscribing!
This is an automated response... After confirmation you will get email updates from - {Post Title}.
Please click on link below to complete this step.
Confirm my subscription
-----------
Q: How do I receive notifications of replies to my post?
A: These will be emailed to you if you clicked the confirmation in the email that gets sent when you first created the post. See above.
Q: Why is there an orange exclamation mark and [Unapproved] before the title of my post?
A: Your post may have [Unapproved] before the title with an orange exclamation mark, but don't worry, we can still see it...it just means we haven't got to it yet. Once we reply it will say [Solved].
Q: Is it possible that "post a message" and "add a topic" are the same things? How about "ask a question"? Is "ask a question" the same thing as "add a topic"?
A: These are all the same as creating a new post called a Topic. When someone posts, or asks, a new question, for the first time, they create, or add a Topic. When someone answers, they post a Reply. When someone else joins the conversation, they are also replying to the Topic.
Q: I don't know whether I am writing this in the correct space (is it called a space?)
A: If you’re commenting on someone else’s Topic, it’s called a Reply (it’s their subject, or their question, and is called a Topic). And when you post on another Topic your reply will be added to that Topic, so the conversation remains in one thread. When you are creating a new Topic, it will have to be with the correct Forum, so we can keep all the information in the relevant sections.
Q: Who will read this?
A: When you post a new Topic or a Reply, the whole Forum community will see this, including the Administrators or Moderators of the Forum (the folks who run and answer the Forum). This is the whole idea of having an open Forum… it’s for everyone to share, learn and grow.
Q: Where will it go?
A: If you post a new Topic or a Reply, it will be added to the sub Forum in which you either created the Topic or found the Topic you replied on. It will instantly be available for everyone including the Admin to see.
Q: How long does it take to get a reply to my forum post?
A: While Doggy Dan and his team are committed to getting back to you AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, the forum can quite often become very saturated with questions, which does take a day or two to clear. Also please note that different timezones will create delays too.
Please be patient... we do reply to EVERY POST.
Q: And what are the attachments I could upload?
A: You could add small videos or upload images to the Topic. Click on the 'Attach Files' link and use the buttons at the top of the window to 'Attach Files', 'Start Upload', 'Insert Into Post'. Please note we have to cap the file size, so if your video or image won't upload it's too big, so we suggest you upload to YouTube or similar and post your YouTube video link in the post. See this for screenshots: https://theonlinedogtrainer.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/13000049677-can-i-upload-images-and-videos-to-my-forum-post-
Q: Sometimes I write a long question and then I try post it but I get logged out and I have to go back and do it all over again.
A: Unfortunately this is not something we can control. Our server session time is set for a long time, more than enough for you to write a long essay, so our connection to you is open and solid. But if your internet connection dips, even for just a split second, the connection is lost and you will be logged out. This is just the way the internet works :( If it persists, just write the post in another document format, and when you're ready, cut and paste into the forum.
Q: Where can I find all the posts I have previously published?
A: Please find step-by-step instructions here for this solution:
Q: How to find the top posters in the Forum?
A: Eezy Peezy... follow this step-by-step-guide: