How do you choose which training to pursue?
Hoping someone can help me figure this out since I'm new to formal training. This is about Archie, my Welshie. You'll have to forgive me for posting in the Lab forum because there are no forums for Welshies :sad2: I digress...
OK, so we're in our 4th obedience class. The current one is a prep class for CGC. My original plan for Archie was to be a therapy dog but I'm starting to reconsider his qualifications. His pray drive and nose are just insane! In a good way... if you wanted him to be a hunting dog. Last night in class the trainer told me that Archie was "sent sniffing" (I think that's what he called it). For the first half of the class Archie kept rising on hind legs and smelling different levels of air. As in, low, high, higher, low, etc. So the trainer said that getting around his nose will be my greatest challenge with him. Then I started to think, perhaps I shouldn't force the therapy dog thing if that's not his natural tendencies. Perhaps I should cater to his abilities and use them to our advantage. So the question is... what should I do with him?
He's 8.5 months old. There are nose work and agility classes at my training facility. I was considering those. I don't know at what age what training should begin. Are we too late for some things? We don't hunt birds (my husband hunts deer, etc but not birds) so I don't want to train him for that although that's what he was meant for. Ugh I don't know. I need some guidance with his little guy. He's smart and energetic. I don't want his talents to go to waste. Help!