Concept: Team D.O.G.S. is working on the development of a web-based social network that will bring together dog owners at Owen. We are seeking feedback on the following three concepts.
- Social networking - development of a Facebook page/group or development of a Ning network. We are looking for some pro's and con's of using these types of networks.
- User profile's which include contact information and dog information so members can get a hold of one another. Dog sitting is a major issue for many dog owners at Owen.
- Event planning for social events for dogs and their owners (e.g. "Whine and Wine" party, hiking events, big dog/small dog socialization hours, etc...)
We look forward to your feedback.
- Krystal, Lindsey, and Pete
Love the acronym and idea. In fact, one of my suggestions in my 101 ideas was doggy daycare.
ReplyDeletePeople communicate via FB everyday, so using social networking could work well. However, it could become a little spam heavy.
The profiles with dog information is great. In my house of 4 we have a dog (Phil's) and made him a FB profile. Kind of fun.
Events is probably your best idea. Great way to bring people together with common interest (pets).
Although I'm not a dog owner myself, I can imagine having a pooch while at school and needing outlets for it (and me) during the busy modules. That being said, I think connecting on Facebook is a natural first option. People that want to get involved, can; it's free to get started; and all events/profile information has a central location. Is there someway to separate a personal page from a doggy page? People may want to keep their original profile separate - just a thought.
ReplyDeleteI am not a dog owner, but it seems to me that the dog owners at Owen seem fairly well adjusted. I have seen quite a few dogs at Owen and everyone seems to know who they belong to and the dogs themselves seem happy. Basically I am concerned about whether or not there is an actual need for the networking.
ReplyDeleteI don't own a dog but I like idea #3. Anytime you ge to socialize and also make your pet happy sounds like a win/win to me.
ReplyDeleteI liked idea #3 as well. As a dog owner, this is something that I would actually like to see implemented and would look forward to using.
ReplyDeleteI wanna have a dog! But I cannot due to some constraints such as no-pet policy in my apartment...
ReplyDeleteI know some others in similar situation. Then I hope D.O.G.S. would offer some events for people who is not dog owners to have fun with dogs. I think creating good relationship with all Owen students will boost D.O.G.S.'s great reputation.
I think idea #3 would be a great idea. People already bring their dogs around campus and on the weekends, and it seems like an easy and natural extension to make events and outings based around the dogs. Using the social networking (even if its just a facebook group page) to promote and advertise up coming events would be easy and effective.
ReplyDeleteI think establishing an online forum/FB group is a great way to centralize resources for the dog owners' needs. Though there's the concern of sustaining long-term interest and content management.
ReplyDeleteBest In Show: Owen Edition. Event at Kegs - find sponsor, set up stage, and walk your dog down the runway.
Actually, I have been looking for the dog sitting service for quite a long period and do highly appreciate if someone can share with me the related information. I really love the idea of social networking and social event and both of them are not hard to get implemented. Through these kinds of communication, we can make more friends with shared interest and share information. I'm kind of expecting the events!!!
ReplyDeleteI think each of your ideas would be great to implement. From your ideas and problem description, it seems that communication and coordination are big factors, and I wonder if Owen would benefit from a dog-owner club. Each of the items you listed could fall under it, and you would also have dues to support events that you organize. Plus, who wouldn't want to contribute to a fundraiser you organized if it went toward puppies.
ReplyDeleteHaving 3 dogs myself, I see the need for such a network of students at Owen. A Facebook page would probably accomplish the same thing that pet profiles would by giving each member access to and information about other dog owners. Having too many might just make it too cumbersome to manage.
ReplyDeleteI like all three ideas. There are all feasible and useful for dog owners. I don't see any cons of having a Facebook group as it will make it easier to network and host events. I have one suggestion: to invite non-dog owners to the group as well - I don't have a dog as I cannot own one at this stage of my life, but I love them and would love to be able to participate. I am sure there are other non-dog owners in a similar situation like mine who would be happy to join the group.
ReplyDeleteThese are great ideas! I don't have a dog, but I'm sure if Owen had these in place, I would end up with one by the end of two years . . .
ReplyDeleteI particularly like the social events for dogs. It seems as though kegs has already become one through default, but formalizing that could be a good idea to make people feel involved.
A facebook would be a very easy way to introduce Owen pet owners to other - I wonder if you would also want to open that to the law school, since it is so close by? Could be a fun way to meet/socialize with other graduate students.
(Another pro for a facebook site would be that you could include a dogsitting/sharing service that would be useful.)
I like #2 a lot. I once considered having a dog here but just feel it would be hard to have someone taking care of him when I take some trips. And I suggest this user profiles open to all Owen students so that dog owners have a broader base to seek help from.
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! I think number 2 could be crucial especially as students go on interviews or away for a weekend. It can definitely be very costly to use a kennel or a doggie day care. If you can figure something out for this, i definitely think pet owners would be very thankful!
ReplyDeleteI think you should look to using #1 to set up #2. Maybe a good thinking to do would be combine number 1 and 2
I'm not a dog owner, but I like dogs! I love the 3rd idea. Non-dog owners can also enjoy such social events like "keg for dogs."
ReplyDeleteI'm not a dog owner, but I think #3 is your best one. Events like this would build on Owen's sense of community (or greater Vanderbilt graduate programs at large), which might create more motivation to dog-sit for those on interviews than just through a social network.
ReplyDeleteAs a dog owner, I salute this entire endeavor. It's an added challenge on top of an already challenging MBA lifestyle to have a dog -- and certainly good practice for future work/life balancing challenges.
ReplyDeleteIdeas 2 and 3 are excellent. Indeed, you could easily combine ideas 1 and 2 -- a social network home for posting dog profiles and requests for sitting, etc., sounds ideal. I'd love that! I generally rely on the handful of people who I know already love my dog when dogsitting is necessary, but having some outlet for finding additional people would be excellent (and Facebook would be ideal for this).
I like idea 3 simply because I like dog parties :). Can you just do all three of these?
Could expand to other pet owners such as cat.
ReplyDeleteDespite not being a dog owner, I can see all three of the ideas above bringing value to the dog owner community...particularly the ones about social networking and creating dog-specific events. I guess the key for adoption would be to have some enthusiatic supporters in the community from the beginning that would help get the concept going and sustain it in the future. As long as you have a few passionate supporters, I can see this living on at Owen.
ReplyDeleteDog lover myself... i feel you need to put all three into action..
ReplyDeleteAlhough I am not a dog owner myself. I ca really see the benefits of connecting with other dog owners. I think the social events that are tailored to dog owners is a great idea. Maybe that would minimize the number of times that dogs accompnay their owners to "human" events. I seen several dogs get stepped on by mistake.
ReplyDeleteYeah! My wife and I have two little dogs and finding a dog sitter or boarding is always an issue whenever we want to go out of town. Such a pain. We have also looked after a couple other students' dogs ourselves already because they had the same issue.
ReplyDeleteGreat need, and a great idea!
I love this idea! I've considered starting a dog club myself, as I am constantly looking for activities to participate in with my dog. There is a Nashville PAWS newsletter that might be a good starting point for your team to look into.
ReplyDeletePerhaps we could also lobby to allow dogs at Owen? I was told a couple Sundays ago by a policeman that I wasn't allowed to have my Juneau in the building unless I had a permit.
Dog owners unite! You're right sometimes you just need someone to let out your dog and don't have the time. A way for you to put it out to the community and have them lend a helping hand would be a great idea. You could also engage those people who want to volunteer to dog sit even though they don't have one themselves and expand that community.
ReplyDeleteGood problem to solve. There is something very social about dog owners - they do like to congregate and talk. What about making Owen a little more dog friendly. Then dog owners might have actual (and not just virtual) interactions around their dogs. (After all, that's the goal, right?) Maybe a little fenced in area in the courtyard?
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, you might start with a "Dog Day" and have people bring in their dogs (before the end of the mod, of course) and see what they have to say. At very least you could build a little mailing list of dog owners and possible sitters. Also check out: www.lotsahelpinghands.org - might be a model (or tool) for the dogsitting aspect.
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ReplyDeleteLove this idea! Especially #2- I know many people who seek out responsible dog sitters, and if it were a friend, that would be extra nice. I wonder if there is anything to be learned from parent networking groups - think 'new moms' who have play dates and watch each others children, etc. Might be an analogous group/situation from which you could further brainstorm on your idea.
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