NEW Doodle Kisses Community Guidelines--how can we improve these?

[Adina P]

Community Guidelines to keep Doodle Kisses a fun, informative, and respectful place where we can all have fun 'talking doodle.' The rules appear 'long' and 'involved' but they're really simple. My long-winded explanations are there merely to help bring clarity =)

1) Be Nice. Doodle Kisses is here for connecting doodle owners around a common interest: our doodles! Even though we all love doodles, there will always be differing opinions within large groups. That is okay. Don't let your heated opinion about a topic or idea turn into heat against an individual.

2) Keep it Clean. While this may mean different things to different people, swearing/profanity is not appropriate on Doodle Kisses. Because many of our members have become friends via this community...some off topic discussions will occur and that is totally okay and fun! But as non-doodle topics progress, remember that Doodle Kisses is intended to be a friendly, welcoming community of people who are here to "talk doodle" FIRST. Watch your language and keep things somewhat family friendly.

3) Please do not use 'Doodle Kisses' as a place to advertise another website, product or service. You can use your profile page to tell others about your websites. You can also include a weblink in your profile questions. You can also participate in our link exchange to get your site listed on our links page or contact me for other options. So there are legitimate ways to promote your stuff, but please keep ads and promotions out of blogs or forum discussions or anywhere else besides the above. Posting outside links is fine (especially if you're trying to help someone that can be helped by an educational link or such thing that can't be obtained here on DK). And remember we have a "Reviews" section in which you can write up a great review about a product/service/trainer you have found to be excellent (or awful). But if in providing outside links it starts to look like a major reason for your membership is to advertise your (or a friend's) site, product, or service without providing other valuable contributions to DK, you may be considered in violation of this guideline. If you're unsure, just ask me.

4) Profile names may not contain website URL's -- in other words
---"Adina of Adina's Doodle Photos is okay... "Adina (DoodlePhotos.com)" is not. As our site grows, I may change my mind on this--a simple name LOOKS so much better and less cluttered than a business name.

5) Breeders may advertise litters or puppies for sale in either the "Labradoodle Puppies for Sale" group or the "Goldendoodle Puppies for Sale" group -- instructions on ad guidelines are listed in those groups. Breeders may also advertise in the Breeders group.

6) If you are a breeder, please keep breeding related discussions (finding studs, heat cycles, trouble with dam's pregnancy, trouble finding clients, etc) confined to the Breeders group.

7) If you find a member in violation of any of the above guidelines, please contact me rather than do the policing yourself. If you look at the VERY bottom of any page in the orange bar you'll see text that reads "Report an Issue" -- click that and fill out the form.

8) When in doubt, see rule #1 AND ASK ME!

As time goes on these rules may be adjusted/changed. Your input is always welcome.
I expect all members to familiarize themselves with these guidelines right away, but understand that it takes a while for members to learn the ins and outs...so please be patient with others as well.

[2sforeqbpo84w]

Adina,

Thanks for the clear guidelines. I consider this my #1 site for doodle information and am very appreciative that it DOESN"T contain chit chat.

[Kathy]

I agree and think the rules are reasonable.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I really can see the need for rules to keep the site feeling-small town-friendly which is what makes this such a great place. Adina, you do a fantastic job combining professionalism with hominess. Thanks, Nancy (and Ned)

[Joy Originator of GiantSchnoodles]

Hi Adina, I have a problem with 4 & 5. I was asked many times to join this site before I agreed to join. It was always known that i am a Giant Schnoodle breeder and the originator of Giant schnoodles. There are breeders of aussie doodles and bernise doodles etc. So I think it would now be unfair to restrict the site to labradoodles. & golden doodles. It should include all doodles. I don't plan to breed for awhile in this economy, but I need to get this in there while its coming out & before I become more committed to the people on this site.
I have always signed my name on all sites with my web site & I wish to continue doing so. I also like to have immediate links to other people's web sites so I would rather not have this restriction.
I can not swear as long as we can still talk about poop which is a main topic of conversation on all dog forums LOL.
Your doing a good job ADina. The forum is running well & people are enjoying it. My input is to let go & just let it grow without putting on a lot of controls & implying that you are going to start implimenting restrictions. Use the lesson of Blue. Not too many people want to go there anymore. PUppy love from Joy & furry folk

[Adina P]

Good evening Joy,

Thank you for sharing your concerns. Since doodlekisses began, my thoughts about the direction this site should take have evolved. Although there are many poodle mixes, my personal interest is labradoodles and goldendoodles and my goal is to provide a social network to connect those who have an interest in these dogs. This site is not restricted to those who own labradoodles and goldendoodles but merely aimed at those who own these dogs. You are very very welcome here, Joy :-)

If there comes a time when you want to advertise a litter, you may use either of the puppy sales groups to do so. There are members on here who have no doodle, that simply find them interesting or enjoy working with them. Anyone with any interest in doodles is welcome here. However, keeping this site focused is what makes it a great site.

As far as placing links in discussions--I did not say that this is not allowed. I merely stated, that members can not use our forum or blogs, etc. as a means to advertise other Products, Services or websites. However, since each member has their own personal page, each member is welcome to advertise on his or her personal page. Not including your website name in your profile name should not cause any huge problem--anyone who you communicate with can easily figure out what your website is.

Thanks for being part of our community!

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

WHAT?!!!??????....NO CURSING?!!???.........HOLY &^%$*&^%$$%$!.....( It's a joke people!) as I am surely one of the biggest offenders of the new "DK guidelines" on a fairly regular basis, I do have to agree with Joy regarding some of the restrictions....After all....If I wanted to join an online church group, I would have done that already.......Personally?....I believe that 13 year olds get into more trouble and see more profanity and inappropriate content on Facebook, My Space and every other social forums....Not to mention network television..and I'm certain that you would not find many 13 year olds interested in discussing the finer points of dog stool consistency or ear infections...........I am not a fan of sensorship.....nor am I a fan of certain puritanical thinking....but for the record I will place age requirements, disclaimers and warnings on any groups that I start or am part of in the future.....

[Adina P]

Hymns from our DK songbook will begin promptly at 10:00 Monday morning. Please wear bonnets if you're a woman and make sure your ankles are not showing. HA!

I'm not into censorship either. Free discussion about doodle topics and related matters shall continue just as before. Disagreements are OK and passionate ideas are perfectly acceptable and welcome!

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

I know you aren't a fan!....lol......So you must be getting complaints.....Oy vey!.... $%#$ em if they can't take a joke!.....lol..By the way, your wit is inspiring!......

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

My bonnet is BLACK!....and I'm considering devil worship or at the very least ritualistic Pagan practices just so that I can piss off more DK members.......lol....Yup...I definitely would have been a candidate for a good public hanging in 17th century Salem....."BURN WITCH BURN!"

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

ROFLMAO!

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

I misspelled CENSORSHIP!.....and I'm a $#%*&^* PROOFREADER!!,,,,

[Cam & Oski]

Stop it! I think I've peed myself! LOL