If I get banned (which I suspect I might) I love you all in here.

[emptyshell]

The people with a braincell and a sense of perspective... love you guys - the rest can go burn in hell

See ya all cos I ain't stopping and being shouted down by the self-entitled.

Empty. Haven't seen the other thread, but you do realise that if you leave, you leave me a man down in my cunning plan to get everyone on mm to love, appreciate, and preferably own a greyhound?

My methods have been subtle so far but are slowly working on the mm subconscious. Oh yes.

Nooooo, Paws, it's supposed to be a secret conspiracy.....

We've been doing so well too, with lovely pics of collars, and cute pics of nice grunds needing homes, and no mention of the smelly bottoms or thieving talents at all..... ahem...

Smelly bottom - tick. I have never, in my life, experienced canine flatulence like it. DH often walks in and says "please, no-one light a match!" The fight for the sofa starts at 7 pm on the dot when DH gets in, and B will basically unleash hell at that point to drive us all away gagging then sit there in a stinky fug, completely unconcerned.

Thieving - tick. My dad bought B one of those Jumbone treats and said "this should last him" .... turning back to see that he had taken it off the table and virtually inhaled it without making a sound. He can hear the rustle of a crisp packet three rooms away. The haul this week so far (all from ds3) includes a jam and peanut butter sandwich and an iced gingerbread man. Astonishing.

One of the reasons we opted for a raw type diet was hearing and reading so many people say "Of course, it completely cures flatulence you know" in a kind of "Your dog is only farting 'cos you feed it the equivalent of a Greggs sausage roll every day" way. Actually ours do eat Greggs SRs occasionally but thta is a different story.

Anyway, back to the farting. There was a lull, a tiny lull when we started. Our hopes flickered. Then DH's parents came to stay for the weekend. Well, shock and awe is all I can say. They lay there emitting noxious fumes on a grand scale. We had the doors open, the Yankee candles going (with a strange greenish tinge to the edges of the flame), and poor ILs sitting there politely with a strange fixed grin on their faces, inhaling gin. And who can blame them?

So not only do they have to remember to keep the bedroom door closed or there will be a grinning infestation of pointy nosed creatures, but they get gassed and they are lucky if they can find a sofa space. Even then one particular grund is very smitten with FIL and likes to show his appreciation by sitting on him. Sigh. Still, I love them dearly and they make WONDERFUL pets- back to the conspiracy.

Am impressed by B's haul. Class.

Pawsnclaws - I had a grand master plan this week, which involved getting a rescued greyhound as I'd heard all sorts of wonderful things about them. I'd just worked out my bullshit we neeeeed one patter "game plan" to persuade DH, when I end up with another rescue collie. The question is, can I now persuade DH that we "need" 5 dogs, 4 of whom don't work for a living? Ideas?

emptyshell I genuinely hope you do not go. Some of your posts have helped me hugely with a dear friend of mine who I worked with. You made me realise that I can never say anything that will make things better, or do anything better, but I could still be a good friend. She has since said it is just nice knowing that when people are unknowingly or thoughtlessly being tactless that its just nice that she knows that I know she's hurting.

It has never occurred to me to thank you for the inadvertent help your posts have given, as you strike me as the type to say "sod off you daft pillock" if I tried.

I also read the thread in question and agreed with the MANY posters who shared your view.

Please don't go, we need the sensible intelligent people to stay

Please don't go. I know the thread to which you refer and agreed with you and that many who also held your view. I have seen some of your posts over the past months and have often thought that you cut through the bullshit and say it as it is ... that is not a crime nor something you should apologise for. Keep being forthright, honest, true and open ... and stay ... you are wanted here.

Emptyshell - I hope you haven't left! ... and I hope even more that you haven't been banned - I think MN are saner than that.
I saw both threads (I think). I know the first got quite heated, I think a lot of MNers are on your side (even several of those who seemed quite gung ho in the thread, tbh), and understand well that you're having a terrible time.
Like lots of others, I value your posts a lot, I find them helpful and I think MN is a saner, more intelligent place for having you around.

There's a lot of sense in saying that if MN winds you up then maybe a break would be a good idea, but that said, I'd miss your posts.
Also worth remembering that one of the joys of MN is its diversity - flipside being that you'll always find posts that make you feel physically nauseous with rage. I see threads I can't stand to look at/contribute to because I've got enough grey hair already and don't want to spend the next few hours shaking with rage... then, quite often, when curiosity's got the better of me, I find (usually), that posters with time/patience/articulation skills that I couldn't summon in a million years (or in sneaky MN-ing downtime) have re-introduced some sanity...

Anyway, please don't go.
And I hope you're OK.

QuietTiger, honestly they are no trouble at all! The best thing about greys is that they seem to have this ability to just slot in to any household (provided the rescue does a good job of matching home to dog).

B is now 6, we've had him nearly a year. Considering he had never been in a home before (only racing kennels) and had had no exposure to children, he's fitted in amazingly to a family with three young boys.

We were told he was kennel trained but they couldn't guarantee house trained for obvious reasons, yet he "got it" immediately. In fact it took just two days to get him to go to the toilet in the same patch in the garden each time. He travels in the car easily, walks like a dream, is friendly with other dogs, and has a strange ability to not take up much space despite being a large dog .... other than on the sofa. He doesn't shed or smell or bark.

The only downsides are the toxic bottom referred to above ... and his inability to resist a stealth raid on any food left unattended!

Oh dear .... there I go again ..... .

They did ban her btw - just in case you were wondering where she vanished to.

Oh no, what for? Was it 'that thread'?

"They did ban her btw - just in case you were wondering where she vanished to."

Oh FFS! And yet I - like countless others on here - have been told by certain posters to fuck off, to piss off, that I'm this, that or the other, that they "pity my children" ... and these aren't women grieving lost babies and coming to terms with infertility and commenting on that fact, these have almost exclusively been women who just don't like dogs and therefore don't like me speaking up for them.

So it's okay to remain here if you're merely an arsehole who wants to round on a poster who defends dogs, MNHQ, but it's not okay if you speak out of turn (and yes, empty was OTT, I accept that) because you are severely depressed and grieving?

The poor woman's grieving, she's depressed, she's ill, she is, at her own admittance, suicidal - and you take from her a valuable source of support, conversation and comfort when she needs it most despite that she has many "friends" on here who have for some time appreciated her kindness and contribution to discussion? You take from her all the qualities and support that MN has to offer and of which you, MNHQ, are so proud?

Nice one MNHQ, good call.

So Emptyshell has been banned? For what reason?
I'm very saddedned, if that's so.
I think DBF has already commented really well on how unreasonable it seems, if she's been banned. Not much else to add, except that I agree with DBF.

Just so folks know, emptyshell is still (understandably) pissed off and hurt as the whole issue left her in emotional agony but sends her best to you all in the Doghouse, with special thanks to ScuttleButter and love from "the hound" as she puts it too. :)

DBF - please let her know I'm thinking about her x

I'm highly unimpressed that she was banned - yet many a twat is left standing & trolls that come back under other names are just left to get on with it. It's wrong. Emptyshell needs our support and her friends here - not to be banned :(

FFS!! I didn't see the thread originally that upset her but I am mad as fire that she has been banned over being upset!

What a shitey thing to do to her :(. If she is still able to see this thread, then I'm sad you're gone, Emptyshell, very :(.

Thanks for the update, DBF. I didn't see the thread, but am sorry she was banned. I miss the updates on the hound!

A quick update. I wrote to MNHQ asking them to reconsider.

They've informed me that Empty is welcome back if she wants to, and signs up to the Talk Guidelines - she needs to contact them directly herself.

So if anyone here is in contact with her, please let her know. I'd love to see her back (and I want to hear all about Nancy).

Scuttlebutter ...good for you.

I would have been livid if emptyshell had been ousted. I could wholly understand if she had wanted to leave, but not forced out. Not, as DBF, pointed out some posters are vicious, seemingly for the hell of it, without the intelligence or finesse to make a coherent case.

Thumb I read that thread but didn't post because of the ops attitude which I personally found quite repellent, there were a number of posters deleted other than empty shell, as the op didn't take kindly to being called vvvv unreasonable, by a substantial amount of posters.

I'm glad that MNHQ will allow her back as she is valuable member of the forum.

ScuttleButter Superstar!. :)

Oh well done scuttlebutter! I hope she decides to come back (although to be fair I'd understand it if she didn't!)

whilst no ones looking I lurk a lot on kennel club I do so like you

I channelled my inner dbf, this week when yet a-fucking-gain my Lab was clamoured upon by 3 children whilst I stood talking to a friend outside our corner shop. Their mothers didn't even bothers to watch them they queued at the cashpoint chatting.

Now I know my dog is great with dc's, in fact she is the most laid back, contentedly tolerant dog I've ever experienced. They don't know that so I told off the Mums, pointing out their dc's asked neither my self nor them permission to pet my dog, and the next time they did that the dog may not be used to dc's or as naturally docile well trained as mine. They apologised and I thought it had gone well. Till I heard one Mum mutter "only a Labrador"

I then said "pigeons!" to my dog at which point she happily barked her head off hackles up tall, until I said "quiet" They both jumped out their skin (dc's already in shop) and friend and I walked off sniggering.

I know it was naughty but I couldn't help myself

HoneyDragon

I wish I'd been there!!

Emptyshell - come back
x