with them, don't know - but some, altho moving slowly and some very carefully, still have good search times (remember, the clock is always ticking), cuz they're not wasting their movements like some younger dogs, still trying to get some fast exploring in while searching. Aaahhh, the wisdom of years, huh?
I bet he'd LOVE it!!! I've seen some dogs that were doubtful for other reasons, just blossom. I had the opportunity to assist at a few classes, and also took a friend's dog to a few sessions. There was a small chi mix who had just been adopted (well, several weeks prior to beginning class) - talk about SHY!!!!!! Omg, that dog was so shy it was pathetic. Our training director recommened Nosework, as the dog was spending all it's time at home under the furniture, not interacting with the other dogs, the people, nothing. Just a terrified mess, and not much sign of coming around. He just shook constantly, and was in a constant state of "terrified". I saw this dog's first night, and thought holy cow, this is unbelievable. The dog was a wreck. To begin, several (shallow) open boxes are scattered on the floor, and a food treat in placed in one box. All the dog has to do is check the boxes, and find the food. This dog was, of course, terrified of the boxes. Our trainer put the food next to the box. Well, he saw the food, but was WAAAY toooo terrified to approach it, let alone eat it. She worked with that, and separated the box and food from the others, and let him get as close as he could, then fed him. (That alone took prob 15 min, and he got 3 passes at this -- the other dogs took maybe what, a min, tops?). The second week, it took him maybe 10 min each pass. The 3rd week maybe 4-5 min each pass - and by the 4th week, he was looking like all the other dogs in class (of course they were working with him at home, doing the box drills - very important, altho simple). They said he had started coming out from under the furniture more, and had started interacting a bit more with the other dogs also. I saw that dog about a month later, he looked like a totally different dog, full of confidence, just a little charger. He'd enter a room, and bam, go right to work. They said they were amazed, and if they hadn't seen it themselves, they might not have believed the change that dog went thru. Last I heard, he was still doing Nosework, and doing very well (he started about a year ago). Buster's mom saw her, and said to go ahead and bring her over - so I did. Omg, I think she's in love. It's gotten to where now, if we have time, we'll let them have a few "stolen moments" and walk them together in the pasture before class. I don't tell her that Buster is way more interested in gopher holes than her, don't want to break her heart - but she's never actually wanted to go meet a dog before. Usually it's a process that I ask of her - just to attempt to keep a few of her skills up with any dog besides Alf. And I usually only ask her to get closer than her usual comfort zone, not actually meet. Don't know what she and Buster have been 'talking' about thru the car windows all these weeks, but obviously something. They may look like the odd couple, but hey, love is in the eye of the beholder, huh? And it's our secret, we don't tell Alfie. 
doing tons of desensitization work around dogs, And with these dogs, Buddy can play very successfully off leash with these dogs, no problems. Just like 2 normal dogs playing!
For *me*, i can easily tell when Buddy will like a dog, cuz he whines, a soft lil whine. Whenever i hear *my* gangsta whine, i smile hugely!! YESsss!!! when he sees a new dog, cuz for Bud, that means, "mom, i LIKE that dog, mom! can i play with it, mom? huh? huh? c'mon mom, lets go play with THAT dog!"
)
Same with musical freestyle - we tried it, but so many dogs in class, and Makena spent most of her time looking around and really had a hard time concentrating - and of course she had to tell a few dogs off during the course of the 6 wk session. 
Nosework is the one competitve sport where reactive dogs are welcomed - I don't know of another that is so welcoming. That was a total shock. I do think that totally came about cuz they had been having their 'conversations' for a whole year-plus, so he wasn't a *new dog* to her. She did have a Choc Lab that she played with regularly for a few years in our neighborhood, but they moved away. They played beautifully together - hard and wild, but really well. They were about the same size and weight, so were a great match. I was so sad for her when they moved away. She LOVES to play, and Alfie doesn't (bad back end) altho she tries so hard to convince him occasionally. I've always found it sadly ironic - she's the one with the issues, but who LOVES so much to play play play, and he's the one who's so social and loves to meet other dogs, but has no interest in running and playing with the dogs he meets.
but, in Buddy's defense, this isn't something i work very hard on, either, as i think buddy getting chance to play with his friends is a top priority, cuz he has so few. ....my guy said Buddy did great, but, he thought if someone else was there that they'd probably wonder what the heck we were doing! (we only have first stanza of song down pat so far )
when one of your Makena's friends moved away, that just happened to Buddy, his best pal ever just moved away, big loss. the first time Buddy ever ever loved a dog on sight, i had no idea that could even happen!! He does just fine playing with his pals. One of his pals is a greyhound, who loves to chase/be chased, for hours and hours... trying to get Buddy to chase him. ....it's "something else" for buddy anyway......
They're so very close, they'd be lost without each other. Right now, they're laying here on the floor by me, practically wrapped up in each other. They're always touching, it's so cute - I love the way they are with each other. They've been that way from the very start, that's the main reason I kept Alfie (I sure didn't need another dog at the time, he was supposed to be a foster for ~ 2 mos) - but they got so attached to each other so quickly, I just couldn't bare to separate them. They're a match made in heaven, truly.
i would have felt same as you, i think! It sounds wonderful for both dogs to have each other!!
with most dogs, (which is NOT "alpha" behavior at all!!)
). When my mom's old girls came into the house, they immed deferred to her - and Brandy (one of my mom's dogs) did tend to be pushy - but never with Makena. Her other girl, Bailey, was very submissive - as is Alfie. I never had dog-issues with them, tho (as far as aggressiveness - I had a whole barrel of other issues - a whole different thread altogether, sheesh!!!, you wouldn't believe it!!!). About the time Makena's issues started, Alf was coming into the house, and we were in LA, we had met Alf, she had reacted badly toward another dog, the trainer over the kennel grabbed her leash and "corrected" her really really hard. I was stunned, but you know how fast things can happen (and this guy was huge) - he had basically grabbed her up off the ground in one hand, and the other 85+lb dog in the other hand (also up off the ground), and "corrected" them at the same time - think Emma Parsons' incident with Ben in "Click to Calm" (if you've ever read it). My stomach almost turned inside out. Makena was much much worse after that. I sought help from a trainer that came with such recommendations up here where I live (about 180 miles north of LA) - and she was worse than the guy in LA. After a short time with her (literally, minutes not sessions - I didn't stay for a whole session) I just left and said "I'll call you" when asked if I wanted to book future sessions), and she jerked Makena around. I left there and cried on the way home, and told Makena we'd find a better way -- cuz she was HORRID after that. I searched and searched and found Gentle Touch just 5 miles from home (that other trainer was about 15 miles away - sad when you drive 15 miles to get abused, huh?). Anyway, all that work, to get her only part of the way back to where she used to be. In hindsight, I think maybe she was a bit fearful, but took her cues from Sherman, and he thought life was fabulous. I think he was such a calming influence on her (and maybe the best teacher she could have had) - and sadly, he died quite suddenly of an hemangiosarcoma (he literally collapsed, and I lost him a few hours later). I often wonder if he had stuck around (and I had known more) if life could have been different for her. We'll never know. We'll just continue to do the best we can, and take this jourey together.
Her boyfriend Choc Lab thought (who was not neutered) he may give it a try once - she surely laid that law down quickly!!! Alf has never tried - I'm sure she told him she'd gnaw it off!! While I don't know when the absolute 'moment' was with Makena, I do know that trainer was her tipping point (as was that trainer that threw Ben over the edge), and then the one that we went to to help us just pushed her over the cliff. Sad.