I have done both, and with my schedule as tight as it is, I really respected and appreciated the behavior my show dogs brought with them. Grooming was a wonderful, wonderful experience....obedience and following commands were a wonderful welcome relief.....I adore and appreciate the effort that has gone into the training of my breeding show dogs....if you have the time to train and work with a puppy, the satisfaction you get when that adorable little baby starts to follow YOUR training and commands, is heart warming and endearing, giving you a sense of bonding in that area. with that baby you may miss with a well trained show dog. I love both experiences...but I am not a trainer, so the level of training I am able to provide my puppy is amaturish.....when I groom my trained show dogs, I can put a leg "here" and position the head "there" and they do not move! During their bath, they stand absolutely still in the sink, until I reposition them....not because they are fearful, but because they have "show manners"!! It is all a matter of what you want to do! Transitioning a show dog to a pet is a breeze!....I just have to be careful because when they see a carrier, the show dogs think they are going out "on the road", and they all run to the carrier and try to load up! |