Connie's ideal home

I've been thinking about Connie's ideal home, and I think it's with someone who really wants a dog who wants a best friend - she's not a good fit for someone who wants a dog that does her own thing. Connie really wants to please, so someone interested in training (maybe even going for a canine good citizen certificate, or doing agility) would be great for her. She likes other dogs, but I don't think she needs one in the home (in fact, because she can sometimes get carried away in trying to control other dogs, I think she'd do better in a home where she could have some dog friends, but not be loose in a yard with them ever).

If she does have a 4-legged buddy, I think she'd do best with a dog that doesn't try to dominate her (she doesn't like being mounted) and that likes a running/wrestling/herding style of play - the more I see her in action, the more I think catahoula is what she's mixed with - explains her coloring, herding interest, and that her nose is glued to the ground frequently. She's not a ball-chaser (and tries to herd dogs chasing balls, which causes some collisions), and she's *very* acrobatic - leaping in the air as she runs down my yard (it's terraced), over planters, even over other dogs, pirouetting - at times it's like she's almost suspended in mid-air briefly, before landing softly.

The herding and physical style of play, though, means she's not a good match with small children or with smaller/more timid dogs, and means dog parks/daycares aren't a great environment for her. So her ideal home would have a fenced yard or some other means of getting her some good exercise each day that didn't involve random packs of dogs and the inevitable playground bullying.

Here, it seems like 3 or 4 bouts of running/playing in the yard spread out throughout the day (only rarely more than 10-15 minutes) is sufficient to have her happily curled up on a soft bed for hours. When it's just her and Willow I take them on two 20-30 minute walks each day (and she walks very nicely on a leash, next to me, not pulling - when she starts to get ahead, I just give her a quick leash correction and she's back by my side), but I think that's more mental exercise than physical (for them!). With Buddy here, I haven't been walking them since 3 dogs is more than I'm comfortable handling.

She's going to make someone a fantastic companion - she so desperately wants someone to love (and to love her). I'm hoping that person comes along soon - I'll have my problem dog back in a few weeks, at which point I won't be able to keep Connie with me and right now there's no plan for where she can go then.