Advice

Elsa giving her advice on life itself as a 4 month old.  

Advice - opinion given as to what to do or how to handle a situation; counsel.

Advice is a funny thing; I am often asked for advice on dog issues.  Whether it is on nutrition, behavior, training, photography, writing or anything else; I happily give my advice whenever I can.  My advice on advice itself is to listen and take what you think to be good for you and your dog.  Advice is just that, a recommendation on what you should do by someone who has perhaps dealt with the same issue or is knowledgeable about the subject.  Of course there are those who give advice when they should not; people who have no idea what they are talking about.   They can lead others down a very wrong path with their lack of knowledge.

I have over the years given advice to someone; then in a month or so that same person tells me about the  identical advice they got from someone else and asks me again for advice on this new advice.  Really?  Some of my clients have offered advice from their neighbors on training and ask what I think.  I then explain that the original method that I explained is my advice.  Many people ask for advice but do they listen?  Do they realize that you are sharing your knowledge in attempts of helping them?  Some don't.  I believe some people just like to keep asking.  When asked the same question over and over I tend to shut down and just nod.

I'm not saying not to ask lots of people for advice; the more you have to work with the better.  I am careful where I get my advice from.  I will never listen to conventional trainers as they tend to fog the truth with their harsh training methods.  So I go to the good guys for my advice when needed.  Research, research, research; the more you research the more you will be equipped with the knowledge when asked to share.

If you don't know anything about what someone is asking advice on; tell them that you don't know.  Nothing worse than the blind leading the blind.  if you have a good knowledge about a topic or situation when asked; give it.  Sharing the wealth of knowledge through advice can really help people when they need it.  I think this whole social FB media thing is wonderful.  There is so much knowledge and experience sharing that you will probably learn things that you never would have being able to talk to so many people.

Got the goods?  Share it.  Hopefully that person you are sharing your advice with will listen.  :)