[DorianGrayFFM]

This is going to seem a little unorthodox, so please bear with me before you jump to conclusions.

I work in a profession that requires me to head overseas, sometimes for months at a time. As it stands, this year I'm going to be required to leave for a three month rotation, followed by two months at home before potentially sending me to a four month professional training course.

Adding to this mess I'm likely going to have to relocate to the east coast. I don't want to keep Zeus cooped up in a kennel during this time. My thought process, since I will be able to afford it, is to put Zeus in a K-9 academy where he can learn something valuable.

The idea is for him to spend time being trained to a higher level than he is now, which has been hip pocket training and two stays where he received all the obedience training he could handle.

He's going to turn four and is in great physical shape with a wonderful temperament. Learning comes easily but so does boredom. Unfortunately things changed for us close to three years ago when my wife passed away and he's since, for the most part, lacked a family when I've been at work. When we are together we do tons of stuff (hikes, bike rides, ski tours, road trips) and he lacks for nothing.

I really feel strongly about having him mentally and physically engaged while I'm at work. On the front end, this year will suck but on the back side it will set us up for a life at home where I don't deploy for six months out of every year.

I'm currently in BC with him but will be traveling down to northern California to drop my truck off with my best friend. No matter how many google searches I perform, I can't seem to get the kind of feedback I'm looking for online in regards to a west coast training facility for GSD's.

If someone here could point us in the right direction, it would be much appreciated. Whether it is ScH titling, SAR training...I'm pretty sure he will excel at anything with an experienced instructor as he loves to learn and is quite fearless.

The financial considerations are already made and I can afford to make the investment into his future while I'm gone.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and I really look forward to some constructive input.