My new Pem Corgi, Selphie has been with me for 2 days now and I'm beginning to get a little concerned. I have always (ALWAYS) wanted to train a working dog. My current adult dog (ChiXYorkie neutered male), Peanut, I had tried training, but it turns out he's much too leery of strangers to be any use to anyone but me as my baby. My mother bought us this puppy because she was a small female, my dog also doesn't care for large or male dogs. I'm concerned that she may end up not being usable either because she's mouthy. She pulls at my hair, chews my fingers, clothes etc. She's only 8 weeks old so she's not "determined" yet. I've been yelping and seperating from her when she does this and she seems to catch on in the IMMEDIATE after moments of the yelp, she will calm down and lick, but then minutes later 'forget' again and try to play rough, I do NOT play rough with her and insist that she calms down before she gets any love from me. My adult dog has also been gently reminding her not to bite hard, when she grabs for his collar and accidentally grabs skin he'll use his mouth and gently push her away.

I know that puppies do these sorts of things naturally but I'm wondering if she will grow out of this rambunctiousness and be a fit therapy dog or do therapy dog trainers specifically go out and find very very calm puppies to start with?

In other words what I'm asking is, since she acts like a "normal puppy" will she be a therapy dog, or should I have looked for the most "laid-back" and serious puppy? The reason I'm concerned is there's a LOT of puppies out there, but not many therapy dogs, so I'm assuming either the standards are rigorous or therapy training isn't as popular as I thought it was?

TL;DR, Can a "normal rambunctious puppy" mature to become a therapy dog, or do therapy dogs start as calmer puppies?

 

Edit: Regardless of her fitness, I will love her unconditionally. Believe me, if one can put up with 800$ worth of destroyed bedroom doors, doggy prozac and training for one's chixyorkie and still absolutely be head over heels for said dog, one can certainly put up with a "normal" dog. I'm just really hoping she'll be able to be a therapy dog, since 2 dogs is our limit financially and space-wise, if she doesn't cut it, I'll have to wait 15 more years for my therapy dog :(

Edit: Thanks everyone. I appreciate everyone's input, truely I do, I am going to go and find some fellow therapy enthusiasts here locally, consult trainers (again) find some therapy training books perhaps. I will also find out what's on the cert. test so that I can be sure to run her through everything. I AM excited about her becoming a working dog. The reason I'm so concerned is because of Peanut. He started out a shy little anxious puppy and I thought that he would become confident with work. Instead he's the most anxious dog in town, so I was just worried that her "assertive" puppy behavior would mean the same thing that Peanut's "shy" behavior meant. I am extremely passionate about using Selphie for some kind of work, I've wanted to do this since forever ago. I really respect people who train their dogs to become more than bed warmers on legs and will work hard to do the same, be it Therapy or agility or whatever.