There are no Bad Dogs only Bad owners. A dog needs training from the very start, and sounds like you had a plan.
Then thewife put a stop to it. I would never leave any dog under 2 years old loose in the house unattended. If I did and something Bad happened I wouldn't blame the dog
I have owned and trained Dogs most of my life and I'm a AKC Licensed Field Judge. I'm no longer active in the Field Trials, but my Rotty just won his 2nd Major today at 12 months old. He only needs a few points now to finish his Championship. It' just a matter of time!
Dan