Bella

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Update 06/10/08:

Bella’s first foster family realized that she was being bossy to the resident dogs because the resident dogs there are extremely submissive. They asked that Bella be moved to a foster home with dogs with strong personalities to evaluate her when she lives in a more assertive pack. Bella moved to a foster home with 5 other dogs. Upon entry, she did grumble and snarl for about 10 seconds until the alpha stepped in, and she backed right down. From that moment, Bella has been an absolute pleasure with the other dogs and people she’s met. 

This gal’s true need is to be paired with a more assertive dog and she absolutely must get a lot of exercise. Bella’s foster family took her recently to MAESSR’s Pittsburgh event where they stayed the weekend with another volunteer and 14 dogs (including two dogs under 20 pounds) and attended the picnic with even more dogs. Bella behaved as a social butterfly and proved herself to be very adaptable, loving, athletic and with excellent social manners with the other dogs. If any other dogs looked at her crossly or growled, off she scampered to the next fun activity. One of these activities was swimming. Bella absolutely loves water. She loves the baby pool in her foster home, but this weekend, she proved she loves regular swimming pools too. She even figured out how to climb up on the rafts herself. She was quite as good at remembering to walk to the steps so, if there is a pool in her adoptive home, she will need to be monitored around the pool at all times. Bella would absolutely love to have a pool or other water source in which to play. 

In her first foster home Bella previously showed a resource/object guarding tendency. With more assertive dogs in her new foster home, this is not an issue. It is, therefore, a requirement that Bella not be placed with a dog less submissive than she. She needs structure and also needs a lot of exercise. Trips to the dog park would be wonderful for this girl. She visited one while in Pittsburgh and met all of the dogs and people with ease. Bella does still countersurf but easily drops her find when her foster mom gives a stern “DROP.” Bella does love to play with toys and is very quick to bond to her new people, though she does need a little time to warm up. She is doing better every day with her training and has not had any accidents in her new foster home, but again, she is under constant supervision to ensure her success. 

Bella has learned sit, down, paw, and other paw and is about 80% reliable on coming when called. She should not be trusted off leash in her new home and does need access to a fenced yard daily for off leash running. MAESSR is requiring Bella’s new family to take her to a minimum of one obedience class. A quick study, Bella might just be a great competition obedience dog!

As you can see in the pictures, Bella is quite a gorgeous girl and would love nothing more than a dedicated family to adopt her forever.

Original:

Bella needs MAESSR’s help to find a new home due to her owner’s work schedule leaving insufficient time to provide Bella with the attention, training, and exercise she needs.

This young gal has not been trained very much and, as a result, she still acts like a puppy. She will benefit greatly by obedience training and by having a new owner who is consistent in setting rules and boundaries for Bella. Good house manners are a must so that she will be a pleasant companion. Currently, she counter-surfs, gnaws on shoes, begs, and jumps on people when they enter the house. Her foster family is very dog-savvy and they are working on these training issues with Bella. She already knows that the furniture is for people and she stays off! Affectionate, Bella likes to be cuddled and wants to be a companion dog. 

Bella is not 100% housetrained and has had accidents in the house. So, she is crated when her foster family is out of the house or when she cannot be watched by them. She has been fine in the crate; a cookie leads her right in and she does not mind being in there. When it comes to commands, Bella knows sit and she comes when she is called. Her former owner reported she rides well in the car. Bella loves to be outside in her foster family’s fenced yard. Although she loves to chase the ball, she will not bring it back. Her foster family has an aquarium, and Bella loves to watch the fish! 

Bella has shown some aggression toward the two resident Springers. She does not like to be close to other dogs nor does she share toys. This object possession has been the cause of her growling and snapping at the other dogs. She once grumbled at her foster mom when she intervened. Her foster parents think she is just not used to being in a structured place and is not sure how a good dog should behave with a human. Although she has not met any young children in her foster home, because of this object guarding, she should be placed with adults and teens, but not with young children. This is another reason Bella should be placed with a knowledgeable dog-person who would give her life structure, setting limits for her and making it clear what behaviors are expected from her. 

Watch for more on Bella!