Catching up

It's been an insane two weeks, but I'm still getting some training in. Working on the same old stuff. Nothing new and exciting going on here!

We did go to a friend's house and did nosework in her garage for someplace new.

Oh, and he passed his CGC test on Tuesday. It was more a test of my skills to manage him than his skills to pass. Sad, but true. There was a dog there that scared him very much. He could not concentrate because of that dog. (That dog did snap at another dog, so he probably had legitimate concerns.) I used a lot of hand touches to get him back with me through several tests. And for the petting and exams, I used a chin target to my hand to give him something to focus on besides being touched.

So, while I'm proud of him for passing, I also wonder how far training is going to take him. Will he ever be able to handle an obedience ring with strange dogs and people? Will he be able to do a stand-for-exam with somebody dressed funny or wearing a hat (one of his bugaboos)? Will his stays be solid, or will he break for something that scares him? I'm not giving up on him, I will continue to train, but I do wonder how far I'll be able to get him.