Though not smarter than teenagers in Texas, Vermont teens are better at driving in snow, assuming they ve been taught. A middle-aged Vermonter, however, will have more experience and thus know more about driving in snow. A dog who has never seen a jump flanked by brightly striped frogs holding petunias may very well hesitate or refuse to jump. Jumping indoors on various footings and under sometimes odd lighting may need to become part of the dog s knowledge base. Jumping outside on dry grass is different from muddy footing which differs from light dewed grass which is not the same as sand.
Emotional states are just that - emotions at work in the dog s body and mind.
Anyone who s ever stood outside the ring feeling the butterflies in their stomach multiply and organize into the 200th Anxiety Squadron knows that emotions can have powerful effects on our bodies and our minds. Generally speaking, the stronger the emotion, the less we are able to think clearly and use our bodies in precise ways. As a quick experiment, stand up, suck in your breath and hold it, clench your jaw, tighten your buttocks and widen your eyes. Hold that for just ten or fifteen seconds. Now, try to jump in place.