Which statement best describes favorable transfer of learning?

• A. It occurs when prior learning helps acquire a new task more quickly.
• B. It occurs when prior learning hinders learning.
• C. It occurs when there is no impact.
• D. It occurs only in humans.

Answer: (A)

Favorable transfer of learning happens when what a dog already knows about a task helps them learn a new task faster or more accurately. In MWD training, this shows up when a dog trained to search for one odor can apply the same search patterns, cues, and handling techniques to a related scent or a different environment, speeding up acquisition and improving performance. The idea is that prior learning provides a useful foundation that carries over to the new task. The other statements describe learning scenarios where prior training hinders progress, has no noticeable effect, or wrongly restricts transfer to humans; those don’t fit because positive transfer is about beneficial carryover from one task to another, and dogs can exhibit it.