Evans discusses the benefits of serving a formal apprenticeship and includes some fascinating glimpses into his own apprenticeship at New Skete. He theorizes on the importance of understanding emotions like anxiety and despair in the training of aggressive dogs. Evans believed this last point to be perhaps the most critical one in a world where many dog owners, troubled at home, add dogs to the problems they feel themselves incapable of solving. Balance your feelings of comfort and control that quite naturally flow out of training dogs with the risk-taking and possible loss of control that might happen in human relationships. Stop running away at the expense of your dogs, your clients, and, most importantly, yourself.
Balance is the key.
Take time to love. Evans' education as a monk was clearly never forgotten. Some of Evans's advice to professional trainers is more mundane but no less important. He provides a useful chapter on the business aspects of running a training service, including keeping records on clients, publication legalities, and advertising. He discusses the importance of dressing well while training and instructing and of developing a personal style.