[nagdu] changing schools

[Jenine Stanley]

I guess, based on my last post, that my advice to people is general. 

If you are changing schools, give the new school as much time as you can for
class. 

I think of it this way. You may have had 50 dogs from 20 different schools
plus owner training but that dog has only  had one way of doing things. 

I hear a lot of people say that they'll just do whatever they're used to
doing and if the dog is trained, it will adjust . Though this is true for
some dogs, I look at it differently. 

Isn't that kind of like you going to college, learning how to do something
one way then starting a job where the boss, the one with all the power, does
things so differently that half the time you don't get what he or she wants
you to even do. Then he or she yells at you or doesn't reward you. That's
sort of what I think the dog must feel like, and apologies for the
anthropomorphizing. 

Yes, I took some time and a lot of instructor reminders, some subtle, some
not so subtle, to learn GDF's ways but boy, there's something to be said for
muscle memory. When I went back in 2008 and they weren't doing hand signals
and had changed some other things in a very minor way, it took time to work
out but to further the partnership with my dog, I did it their way and eased
into the old GDF ways over about 6 months or so. 

Jenine Stanley
jeninems at wowway.com
http://www.twitter.com/jeninems