Bella 6

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Update 07/22/10:

Bella is a wonderful Springer who has come a long way while in foster care. Although still not completely comfortable with people reaching for her collar, her reaction has improved greatly. In addition, her foster family has tried using a harness for Bella while on walks and it worked very well. Bella has been a real joy for her foster family to have around.

If you are looking for a Velcro Springer, Bella just might be the girl for you. She definitely loves being close to those she trusts. She is nearly a lap dog when her foster mom is around, and easily transfers that affection to her foster dad if mom is unavailable. Bella has welcomed every visitor to her foster home with a happy, tail-wagging greeting. Bella very rarely barks and loves everyone who takes the time to give her a simple pet. She is going to make a great addition to some lucky family!

Original:

Financial difficulties, complaining neighbors, a fence in need of repair, and three dogs all became too much for Bella’s Pennsylvania owner so Bella became a MAESSR girl.

This sweet little dog is a big favorite of her foster family! Bella rarely barks, gets along well with other dogs and cats, and would like to be closer friends with the family’s ducks! Luckily for the ducks, she is called off easily. She is not aggressive with food or treats and readily shares with the other pets in the house. Bella does well with adults and children over seven; she has not had the opportunity to meet any children younger than that. When visitors arrive, she greets them treating them like old friends that she is delighted to see!

Bella has had some obedience training. She comes when called and will sit on command. Her leash walking skills are pretty good but they could still stand some work. When her foster mom comes into the house, Bella gets very excited and she jumps up on her. She is responding to training with this. Gentle, quiet, and very smart, little Bella is eager to please. She is also enjoys riding in the car, sitting calmly in the back seat like a little doll.

Completely housetrained and accident free since coming into foster care, Bella also crates easily and is relaxed while inside it. When her foster parents are out of the house, they crate her and she has been quite calm when they return. Although her former owner said that Bella was a trash picker, that has not been an issue at her foster home since the trash is pet proofed. If there is food on the table, Bella will do some surfing, but is responding to correction. The kitchen counters are too high for her to surf those so that has not been an issue. Bella does jump on the bed with her foster dad when he is in bed and will occasionally get on the sofa, but she stays mostly on the floor. There has been improvement here.

When she first came to her foster family, Bella was quite afraid of almost everything and would lie down and roll on her back in a submissive pose when approached. She did not like to have anyone reach for her collar and would air snap out of fear, not aggression. She is greatly improved in that area and now trusts her foster parents to take hold of her collar to put a leash on. She still doesn’t like to be led or pulled by her collar without a leash, such as using her collar to pull her off of the furniture. She shows fear when this is done. She now knows what “off” means and will usually comply.

Bella was good at the vet for updates in her vaccinations. Her lab work showed she has been exposed to Lyme disease but is not symptomatic. In the event she develops symptoms, she would need to be treated at that time.

Her foster family really loves this sweet girl and find it a pleasure to foster her. They know MAESSR will find her a wonderful forever home full of love. One look at Bella with her big brown eyes will just melt you!