Met houndy girl in person today. Drove about three hours there, same back...and I am sans second dog
I'm trying not to be disappointed but...
She was absolutely gorgeous, sweet, and looked athletic - very light and lithe, actually looked like her mix might be BC or some other light herder. But she didn't want to play with Astro. Her corrections were appropriate and measured, but I couldn't see them playing...the org people confirmed that she's really more of a people dog. She heels naturally, learns well, just overall wants to be with humans.
I thought hard about it. I almost took her because she is such a good dog. The logical part of my brain was like "don't get a dog for your dog, get a dog for you." The thing is, I do want a dog for my dog! I want it for me too but I LIKE watching crazy dog play. I want my two dogs to be boisterous and insane together.
I just can't believe how many dogs I've met - upwards of a dozen specific dogs, along with going to numerous adoption events (I haven't mentioned them all on the forum because a) I already seem crazy most likely b) the sheer volume of them) - and none of them fit, when I want what is supposedly all over in rescues: a pushy obnoxious adolescent dog! All I ask is that I find it cute and that it be physically healthy, other than that I actually PREFER crazy and I still can't find it...Every dog I've met has either been indifferent towards Astro, or alarmed at how in your face he is. I know that somewhere out there, there is a dog who will immediately respond to his thumping and playbows and paw shoves with adoration.
I meet the Houla next Saturday. She's 8 months old, hopefully she's still in her wild child phase. If she doesn't work, I think I'll call off the search for a bit, my heart can't take many more ups and downs for a while.