[nagdu] Class minus 5

[Tracy Carcione]

Well, it looks like I'm stuck with the trainer with whom I had a bad 
experience.  However, I've been asking around, and people say she uses and 
teaches positive training techniques, which I really want to learn more 
about.  They also say she seems able to think outside the box and try 
something else, if a technique is not working for a particular student, and 
is strong on teaching good technique.  So I think I'll be OK.  I wish the 
supervisor had explained these good qualities to me, which are in fact the 
kinds of things I had asked for in the letter I sent with my application. 
Either he didn't read my letter, or he expects my unquestioning faith in his 
judgement.  I quit doing unquestioning trust some time ago.  Just ask my 
doctor, or my vet. Guess I've just become a difficult old cuss, or a client 
who expects to be involved in the dicision process, however you want to look 
at it.
Really, I don't think many trainers get how stressful this all can be.  A 
friend told me about a discussion she had with a trainer about it.  The 
trainer thought getting a new dog was exciting and fun, a chance to learn 
about a new personality and figure out how best to work with that dog. 
Which is true, but, as my friend tried to explain, it's also trading in a 
dog I know I can trust, who knows what I want and expect, knows my routines, 
and has saved me from serious harm more times than I can count, for some 
unknown green pup without a lot of real-world experience.  It's a whole 
different perspective. Because, though the trainers know in theory that it's 
sometimes life-and-death, it's not usually so for them.
Tracy