Hi Hockey,

How exciting!
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I, too, have been a certified/licensed trainer. It was lots of fun!
I don't offer training anymore.
I had chosen to specialize in GSDs and in training service animals.
I am in love with GSDs, although I adore all dogs. I definitely don't recommend GSDs to most homes.

I am very much in favor of temperament-testing all dogs with a prior history.

(We had adopted a dog advertised by a local reputable rescue shelter as an A+++ family pet. This dog had seriously attacked two adults within the first 24 hours of adoption. I had very quickly volunteered to endure an attack when the dog had escaped and was aggressively chasing after a young girl in our neighborhood, in order to attack her. The girl was just running for fun and had no awareness of the dog.
I had called the dog's name, ran in the opposite direction and the dog -- a full-grown GSD-- had then attacked me.

The dog was held at a kennel and I had sent a well-known trainer to the kennel to temperament-test the dog. It was her opinion the dog was seriously dangerous and never should have been put up for adoption. Two more trainers had independently tested the dog as well. The dog had to be euthanized due to the serious nature of chronically aggressive behaviors. I was not yet a trainer at that point or I would have tested the dog myself. Instead, I had trusted the word of the shelter staff and their ad in the local paper. Please be very careful of dogs with prior histories. Some shelters will agree to pay for temperament testing, by the way.)

I like the way the site
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matches the lifestyle of the human guardian(s) to the canine companion. If I go to that site and answer the questions posed, the site makes suggestions of favorable matches.
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As you know, "energy level" is an important characteristic, as are personality attributes. Grooming needs is another factor you had mentioned.
The AKC site outlines all of this and more for each breed.

I am excited for you, for your daughter and for the lucky canine companion!
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Am anxious to hear all about the lovely addition to your family!


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DejaVu