Encouraging new poodle people, etc

[crickette]

hi
I have just read through the post about the Site being too qiuet.....I agree with this!!    I am very much a NEW poodle owner & everything to do with poodles.  Perhaps there could be Link for people like us, to encougage us to contribute.....to just write about day to day events......perhaps even a Diary?
Also I feel strongly about more information re the best food to feed our dogs. I am stunned to see, even in NZ, that more human canned food has some component from China (banned use here)...these things are slipping through.

I also would LOVE to see more photographs.....Have we got a Photo Library?   Yes, I will contribute.

[zefi]

Hi Crickette... I agree on the quiet thing. When Michael and I first dreamed about a poodle forum and site we dreamed of it being a fabulous resource for poodle people round the world to meet and chat and learn and exchange ideas etc. Its been hard to get it up and running as much as we want for many reasons - one being that there are already so many places for poodle people to go for that since poodles are such a wonderful and popular breed. 

The other reason is that we've both been really busy on each side of the globe with our own work and projects so that (unfortunately) the site itself has suffered in that we havent taken the time to really put all the information we'd have liked on there.

I've had some great ideas for the site and for the forum but havent really had time to discuss them with Michael yet. Still, I'll toss them out here now and see what kind of responses I'll get.

One was something to do with a gallery which people can contribute to.

Another was perhaps something like competitions, fun things which people could participate in each month - whether photo competitions, funny caption to photo competitions, etc.

Maybe a book of the month or something to discuss?

For the site, one project that I've been really wanting to work on for ages is a grooming section with help for beginners as pet owners as well as people who want to learn show coat care. This is a big project.... I already have some tips and info on my website but I wanted to do more, more photos, more details - things like how to line brush, how to brush up a topknot, different ways to band etc.

I have the poodleroom (as well as my sites/art/cafepress shop) all in my signature and interlinked. I try to spread the word about the forum everywhere I can - when I advertise or when write an article for a magazine etc. After that it really depends on word of mouth.

Other ideas are welcome!

[crickette]

hi

Those ideas sound great. I like the thought of a Book to discuss....Reviews also perhaps. Certainly more photographs.   There seem some who write in much more frequently than others.  I realise many are busy.
Perhaps there is a way of contacting members to ask about their poodles/selves?

[zefi]

Introducing themselves is kind of in the welcome wagon section.

And there's a lot more members than actually contribute at all!