A common mindset you’ll find in Wing Tsun students that are just beginning to learn this ancient martial art is that of understanding the structure of the movements, what things mean, and how to apply Wing Tsun Kung Fu appropriately. This sounds very similar to a student learning the ins and outs of a new set of laws that they must know for their profession. The discipline taught in Wing Tsun Martial Arts can easily relate to the structured learning of new success principles in any field, including the law.
Wing Tsun Kung Fu is a martial art that teaches discipline, balance, and mindfulness of the world around you. All of this allows a student to clearly understand their target, their movements, and their goals. Wing Tsun training involves repetitive movements at first to learn the patterns, then applying the pattern with a partner, and finally using the knowledge you’ve learned when you need it.
Of course Wing Tsun teachings can be easily likened to the understanding of a real-world law that the student must obey. Our legal system is fairly simple, at face value. Just as with kinetic movements in Wing Tsun, laws often have a structure that must be followed. Unfortunately “common sense” doesn’t always cover every situation. Wing Tsun practitioners spend time learning to move the same in multiple directions, allowing them to make adjustments when the situation changes. This is the same in the legal profession.
Understanding Tennessee Service Dog laws have a structure, just as most state laws do. Knowing these laws can eliminate confusion, fear, hostility, and ignorance when it comes to your service animal. Employers need to know the difference between companion animals and service animals, so that they do not discriminate against those who require service animals and may not even know it. Just like in Kung Fu, those who “get it” and “know the truth” should educate those who do not. That is where laws like the ADA’s (disability rights) and the FMLA (short-term disability rights) come into play. The Tennessee Service Animal laws just keep the wheel turning.
Understand that education goes both ways. As a service animal handler, knowing the laws (state, federal, and local) are just as important as holding a black belt at Wing Tsun Kung Fu. You would never take off your shoes before entering the exam room at the doctors office, so why break the law when it makes you look bad? Knowing the law eliminates the probability of problems and puts the power back into your hands. Talk about martial arts!
Wing Tsun’s theory is that the student learns better and more efficiently by having the law at their back. If you know the law, you won’t get bitten by a serious legal problem. Waving your fists and arguing with an employer will get you nowhere because you do not fully know what you can do, and what others can do.
Knowing Tennessee Service Dog laws may be as complicated as learning a new form, and it may require the student to work hard. Just like getting into the “Zone” to learn a form, knowing the law may require the student to step back and take a moment to understand what they are reading. If you have a problem now, remembering State Dog Leash Laws may be like learning a medium level form. Get it right from the beginning, and your knowledge of what you can do (and what employers can’t do) will flow.
As a martial artist, what we do in class reflects how we should treat our dog friends, and ourselves. Discipline, respect, and understanding of how we fit into the big scheme of life. Always stay within the law in your training, and you’ll go far. And by the same token, learning the law is vital for management. Who trains the trainer? Those “rich” service dog lawyers won’t be useful to you without a little legal direction. So get out there, and get it all learned (even if it means taking a break every few minutes). Service dog law may be complex, but just like the black belt at Wing Tsun Kung Fu, so are you!