[ Post a Response | Ask Cheryl Carlson ]
Posted by Nelson on 4/18/2007, 11:53 am, in reply to "Question for Cheryl." *** What kind of trainer are you? A smart and mature one would be the answer for that. There is a Chinese Proverb that says: “He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever.” Some people have their ego under control while others don’t. That’s just plain human nature. Imagine if all students in school didn’t ever ask 1 single question! Sure they would learn something, but then true, deep understanding would take a way longer time (if at all) to take place. "Well, first let me say I am grateful for the resources that you and this board offer. Your advice and the advice of other trainers I respect has made me an improved trainer and I will continue to see your advice." C.Fraize "I can’t imagine trying to train a dog or be a professional dog trainer (or doing any profession really) without asking questions, watching, or learning from those that have more experience." C.Fraize "I would imagine that when you think you have all the answers or your ego has gotten so large that you don’t think you need any help you would begin to isolate and limit yourself away from valuable resources that could benefit you and your clients. As a professional dog trainer I owe it to my clients to give them the best advice I can." C.Fraize *** As long as you’re conscious of the “why” you’ll have no problem understand where they’re coming from. Remember the saying, “the smaller the mind, the greater the conceit”. Samuel Johnson said something that is still true to today. He said “Mankind has a great aversion to intellectual labor; but even supposing knowledge to be easily attainable, more people would be content to be ignorant than would take even a little trouble to acquire it.” "I don’t turn clients away and take some dogs that no other trainers would ever think of taking. Because I take the “problem dogs” my skills have improved in ways I would have never thought possible and simply by asking questions from those that have the experience and knowledge. Now that I have asked the questions and applying the advice I too have the experience and knowledge. I hope I can be helpful to someone that needs help in the future." C.Frazie *** Agreed, anyone with talent can take a good dog and train it. It’s training the problem dogs that will make you a great trainer. Whose true motivation stems from the goal of getting a job well done. That is “the reason”. On the other hand you see how some others are full of excuses. My dogs’ too hard, my dog is “trial-wise, this dog lacks defense, prey, fight, etc, etc, etc... And excuses only satisfy the ones who give them. A great dog trainer doesn’t see excuses. On the contrary, they see excuses as the reason they SHOULD train that particular dog. I’m pretty sure you, Cheryl, Paul and other great trainers have all experienced other trainers’ saying you have a crappy dog. Yet I’m sure you all grinded it out and trained/titled them. There’s no better feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction than that of training your own dog. "I know there will always be trainers that want to act like they know it all. I also know there will always be trainers that have to put another trainer down to feel better about their training. These folks are simply too scared of looking like they need help they. I guess that is ok." C.Fraize "It’s called “growing up”. Some people go through all 7 levels of maturity in their life. While others get stuck and don’t go beyond the first couple of them. This reminds me of how small-minded people even get offended when caught in a lie. On another board an individual was going on and on about how this particular person was going to Europe to compete at some championship selection trials with a dog he titled from entry to maximum level. Another person insinuated that he didn’t. The competitor in question, who seems like stand-up guy, went on record to say he purchased the dog with a level 2 title. So, guess what happened??? Instead of acknowledging that he was wrong, the person got angry at the one who “called him out”! This, unfortunately, is the way many people act. "What I don’t understand is how these trainers that don’t seek advice get better as trainers. Do they just watch other trainers or read books and watch videos and pretend to their clients they invented the technique? There is almost nothing new under the sun in the dog world. It just makes sense to me to seek the advice of other trainers to better my game." C.Fraize "Do you have any thought on this? Thanks in advance." C.Fraize *** Well, just a couple! ;-)
169.139.185.1
"Recently I have received some comments (phone calls and emailed) stating that or asking why I would ask another trainers advice. Something to the tune of; “You call yourself a professional trainer and you ask other trainers for help/advise? What kind of trainer are you?” C.Fraize
*** There’s a saying in our school that goes: “when in doubt … ASK!” I concur with you also that this board is a great tool for good advice. You can always count on getting a great answer for any questions, from the most simple to the most complex. I’ve learned a great deal from Cheryl, Paul and others here.
*** You hit the nail on the head. “ANY PROFESSION”!!! It reminds me of the words of the great Chinese philosopher Lao-tzu who said “To know that you do not know is the best. To pretend to know when you do not know is a disease.”
*** Unless they’re a self-taught genius, they can’t get better. That’s the reason why the education system, from pre-kinder to college, still have teachers instead of computers. There is a gap between the theory and the practice that can be breached almost exclusively by human interaction. Reason why going to school is usually the fastest way to get a degree.
Nelson
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