Read and Learn

I can’t say for sure when it started, but as long as I can remember I’ve always held to the practice to “read the instructions before assembly.” Although this has almost always proved to be a worthwhile practice, I do remember one time, many years ago, that things did not work out quite as nicely as I would have expected. I needed additional storage space for various outside tools and equipment and I figured that a prefabricated metal shed would fill the bill. I’ve always had good experiences with Craftsman products from Sears and I decided that one of their outdoor sheds would be ideal. I prepared in advance by building a wooden floor that was square, level, and elevated slightly above the ground to allow for air circulation. When the cartons were delivered, I got out the instructions but was surprised that although there must have been well over 1,000 parts, the instructions consisted of a single sheet of paper with tiny numbered pictures and even smaller print. Nevertheless, the assembly proceeded smooth as silk. The last step was to hang the two sliding doors, but as I tried to do so, I discovered that the two top rails for the shed were not identical. One was solid and one was grooved to accept the wheels at the top of the doors. Picture it, I had a 50/50 chance of getting it right, but on the premise that the bread always falls to the floor, buttered side down, I had put the front roof rail in the back of the shed and the back roof rail in the front and therefore there was no place for the door wheels to go. I went back to the instructions, but there was no mention that the roof rails were distinct front and rear. With great frustration, I had to disassemble a significant part of the structure to free up the rails so I could swap them. Nevertheless, I still believe that reading instructions before assembly is beneficial. 

Secondly, I developed a love of reading as a youngster. My mom took a picture of me, I probably was in the nine or ten year old age range at the time, sitting on the driveway, my back against the garage door, reading a book. No way to remember for sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was one of the Black Stallion books by Walter Farley – I loved that series as well as the Hardy Boys.

After my second year in college, I had the opportunity to work at G. Fox & Company in Hartford, Connecticut. Back then, there were no shopping malls, instead we had department stores and G. Fox was the premier store in Hartford. It was our Macy’s or Sax Fifth Avenue. I worked as a clerk in the book department and I was surrounded by books from 9 to 5! During that period I read paperback novels whenever I had free time. Some were classics, and others were not. I recall riding the bus to work, reading a book. Always being prepared, if I finished a book on the way to work, I would reach into my pocket (they were afterall Pocketbooks!), take the next one out, put the finished one away, and start the new book without delay!

This love of reading has continued throughout my adult life and although I lean towards fiction and find crime novels to be particularly worthy, I will read non-fiction whenever the topic has captured my imagination. Since this concept of non-aversive dog training was all totally new to me, I decided to check it out. I’ve learned that, for me, the first stop in pursuit of knowledge is “the stacks” at our local library. The dog training section is 636.7 and I pulled out a half dozen books. I typically read at least a book a week and can accelerate to 3 or 4 books a week if I’m “on a mission.” Often I’ll read two books “simultaneously” switching between them. 


On the page titled Books to Read, I've listed a number of books about dog training that I found to be quite informative. 

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