Who are 'we'?
“Deaf (and blind) dogs forever (DDF)” was created as a journalistic readily available Web international resource of readable science information, observations, experience and possible thoughts for the owners of deaf and-or blind domestic dogs. “Permanent” in comparison to the momentary life of messages on moderated Web lists, Blogs, Facebook and Twitter. “Readable” as far as possible by balancing completeness and accuracy of the text against freedom from jargon and hyper-detailed references, written for sincere dog-owners from diverse personal careers, varied or no academic backgrounds and one or more breeds of dogs. None of the participants were reimbursed except by their respective personal morale and satisfaction for their efforts.
What led to the DDF’s existence? By 2009 many people recognized a need for affordable science-help resources for owners of deaf or blind dogs. Many were frustrated by limitations of Internet list-message groups, Twitters, Blogs, peer-reviewed web journals and for-profit magazines.
The concerned people for months exchanged ideas for bettering the useable science insight and other resources needed for the well-being of deaf and-or blind dogs and their owners.
We agreed on a distributed set of systems, with independent sites, aided by people gathering questions and information, some doing analyses and trend studies, yet others writing and editing and posting results.
Evolving Guidelines for participants:
What led to the DDF’s existence? By 2009 many people recognized a need for affordable science-help resources for owners of deaf or blind dogs. Many were frustrated by limitations of Internet list-message groups, Twitters, Blogs, peer-reviewed web journals and for-profit magazines.
The concerned people for months exchanged ideas for bettering the useable science insight and other resources needed for the well-being of deaf and-or blind dogs and their owners.
We agreed on a distributed set of systems, with independent sites, aided by people gathering questions and information, some doing analyses and trend studies, yet others writing and editing and posting results.
Evolving Guidelines for participants:
- No specific breeds of dogs or forms of deafness or blindness were excluded.
- Questions for the benefit of deaf or blind dogs, from their owners, would be answered as well as possible and where feasible would include suggestions of other Web sites, books, and science or medical experts .
- The site staff would collect and attempt to offer readable journalistic style knowledge for dog-owners visiting the Site, about dog-reality and science. Because no other dedicated Web sites were focused on assisting dog-owners about the recent international progress of dog-research and observations potentially useful for the well-being of dogs and their people. Participants were provided anonymity (name withheld by request), to protect freedom of speech of individuals against harassment, bullying, and threats of violence from parties who have a vested interest in certain questions not being posed and/or certain information not being provided. .
- Moral, Ethical, Financial aspects: Participants would as resources permitted inquire about allegedly “forbidden” topics, such as the possible technical origins of the so-called deaf-dogs Myths, about the technical foundations of BAER tests as an apparent basis for the sorting of dogs to determine which would be subjected to large scale PTS (killing) of deaf dogs, and other ‘forbidden’ deaf dog-science “puzzles”.