A Bit of Info, And a Bit of Figuring

I always figure the first post ought to have a bit of an intro, because it just seems weird to just jump into life at the moment with nothing to lead into it. Anyways, I'm a 21-year-old guy (22 this coming July) with a Jeep that needs some work, but is running, and a 6-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer-Boxer-Pit Bull-mix I adopted about five years ago from a nearby SPCA. She's my first dog who's truly mine, and she's my baby. I've learned a lot from and with her over the years, much of it behavior (and she's come a long way in that time), and I'm hoping to be able to put it to use through a career as an Animal Behaviorist and Animal Trainer...just need to get my foot in the door to get on the right path to such a goal.

Just recently I finally convinced my mother (yes, still living with the folks: I tried moving out late last year/early this year -- to put it briefly: it didn't work out) to allow me a second dog, but she has to approve it so it's really a huge, ongoing compromise. I'm doing my damnedest to work within that compromise though, even if it's not easy...

Which brings me to the figuring part of this post. Pending a response on whether my ma might possibly consider the right Australian Cattle Dog-mix, I've been taking a look at and trying to figure out how I feel about a small red Pit Bull girl at the SPCA (same one I got my current dog, Jin, from). Now, don't get me wrong, she is a great dog, I'm just trying to figure out if she's what I'm looking for...

She's ridiculously sweet and affection (though a bit...exuberant...in that department) and absolutely adores attention, especially belly rubs. I've messed with her tails, ears, face, lips, nose, touched most of her body really and she hardly cares: it's attention. She seems she could have good promise as far as obedience, at the very least the basics, and she seems she could have tracking potential. I've seen her twice and the second time we found a toy she likes, because she thinks it's cool she can squeak it herself: she goes after it full-tilt, and even actually brought it to me a few times, haha. She doesn't, however, seem very toy-motivated...

Any time she sees a dog out and about she wants to play with them and, being young, about a year and a half, she's very much puppy exuberant about it and seems disappointed when they walk past. She's literally the sort of Pit who would lick someone to death and maul them with affection than anything else (a shot to the jaw by a Pit Bull muzzle doesn't feel good, by the way, haha).

All-in-all, she's really a great little girl, and gorgeous to boot. I've been on the fence since meeting her the first time, and still am to an extent. I was told I'd know what I was looking for when I saw it, and I'm reminding myself that, since I'm looking for a dog I can work, I have to use my head in this decision. As great of a dog as she is, the more I think about it and as I was typing this, I'm beginning to think she's another great dog that just isn't what I'm looking for...she's very sweet, but I'm just not sure I feel that "click"-sort of connection, and I'm not sure she has the work-potential I'm looking for, unfortunately.

Perhaps I'll have a bit of luck in convincing my ma on an ACD-mix...everyone but her thinks one would be perfect for the situation and what we're both looking for.