Shortly after I acquired Bella, my hours changed to 4x10. I did not want to leave her for 10 hours a day which in reality was closer to 12 hours per day, 4 days a week. I was (I am) very fortunate to have two very good friends who graciously allowed Bella to hang out at their house for at least two days each week (often more). Gary and Michael are like two big brothers to me and we have been friends for more than 26 years. So, it was natural for them to become Bella's uncles. 

They would occasionally grouse at the thought of Bella planting a kiss on them, or being underfoot, but I think deep down inside they truly loved her.

I was fortunate to have Gary accompany me to have Bella euthanized. I do not know what I would have done had he not been with me. Having that support over the past four years was so meaningful for both me and Bella.

Not only would Bella spend some days at their home, they would often allow her to stay for several days at a time when I went out of town. I remember the first time she stayed there; I think I carried in about four loads of her belongings from my car. I brought her crate, her pillows, her toys, and her food. All of her accoutrement and way too much stuff! Subsequent visits I only brought her food, a water dish, and a pillow. Toys and treats found a permanent place in their home. There were rare occasions when dog-sitters would care for Bella, but it was never as successful as her stays with Uncle Gary and Uncle Michael. 

 

What a lucky girl my Bella was to have these two gentle souls in her life (and mine). You are both very much appreciated.

Bella was very intelligent, and if you asked me, the most intelligent! I will assume she had a broad vocabulary. She (seemed) to know many words, and their meanings. For instance, when I would come home from work, her favorite activity (after going out to relieve herself) was to cuddle. And Bella knew what this meant. “Bella, do you want to cuddle?” And sure enough she would head over to my chair, waiting for me to pick her up, hold her, and rub her belly.

All I would need to do was jiggle my keys, or say “Bella, do you want to go for a ride? Do you want to go bye-bye?” And sure enough, she would beat a path to the back door! Her favorite activity on our car rides was to perch herself on my lap and gaze out the window, and if I was not driving too fast, she liked to hang out the window, breathing in the smells of the neighborhood, and letting the wind blow through her hair.

Often, I would prepare her a day or two in advance of a visit to the vet, or to Petsmart. She knew the name of her groomer, and all I would need to do is ask her if she wanted to see Melanie, and I would remind her that Melanie bathed her, and groomed her as I ran my hands over her belly simulating the noise of a razor. Similarly, I could ask her if she wanted to see Dr. W, and and her friend Lydia, and she would 
get so excited!

Once we arrived at Petsmart, she would always have to stop and see the guinea pigs and the birds first! And, after we left the groomer too! At our Petsmart these smaller pets are on the left side of the main aisle, but it is not like this in all stores. Once, on our way to California, on our way out of Phoenix, we stopped at a Petsmart in a western suburb. When we got inside of the store, she immediately went to the left of the main aisle looking for the guinea pigs and birds, only to be disappointed! They were on the right! However, she did find a hamster-geared toy on an end-cap whose box cover was adorned with a hamster. Sure enough she barked wildly at the “stiff” little, one-dimensional critter!

Dinner time was generally preceded by a Greenie, an appetizer, as it were. She knew the word Greenie, and that is all I would have to say, "Do you want a Greenie?" and she would run to the area of the kitchen where we kept them and wait excitedly! Likewise, she would run when dinner was announced!

More on Bella’s vocabulary later!

Early on in order to establish a warm and loving relationship, I engaged Bella in “wrestling matches”. These were gentle of course, but fun for us both nonetheless. Sometimes these would occur on the floor, on the couch, but more often than not, we would “wrestle” on the bed in the guest room.  

She enjoyed having me put the side of my hand in her mouth, and she would pretend to bite me. She never did mind you, but clearly we both thought it was funny. She would let me play hide-and-seek during these bouts too! I would throw a blanket over her and pretend I could not find her, yelling out for her to come, “Bella, where are you? Where is my Bella?” Eventually, she would stick her little head out of the covers, as if to say, “Here I am!”

Once her surgical wounds from her spay healed, I would sometimes blow on her tummy. I did not do it too often, because she was not fond of this, but I liked to tease her, as if I was going to do it, just to get her riled up. Speaking of the guest room, by the way, Bella assumed this was her room, particularly after my niece and nephew would come to visit. Bella liked to creep under the bed and hide behind the dust ruffle; I could hear her doing her normal carpet scratching there, as if to build a nest. Unless I called her, she would eventually crawl out the other side of the bed. And it was always this way; in one side out the other. We had good times in the guest room.

Hopefully, Bella found a bed to crawl under on the other side and is scratching the carpet there too.

Three weeks ago yesterday, Bella crossed the Rainbow Bridge after a brave and long fight with pancreatitis. I miss her horribly (I am writing this at 3:00AM) and thought I would start a blog to tell her story.  I hope you join me on her adventures. She was a funny girl and kept me entertained over the past four years.

Bella had a funny quality to her. She loved being loved and loved back just as generously. I was inspired by President Obama after the 2008 election to adopt a dog myself, just as he had promised his girls. On a whim I went to our local "kill shelter" pound. I was perusing the kennels when I saw her kennel-mate. She was adorable, just the right size at about 10 lbs. Another family reached the kennel just before me and took that dog for a walk. That was it, they wanted her. Oh well, I thought. I will go back and look at the other dog. She was white/apricot and jumped a lot. Clearly, she was trying to get my attention. I took her for a walk, she stopped to pee, and that was it! I was in love.

 

We stopped a volunteer who put us in a "family room" and we grew acquainted while the volunteer processed my paperwork. Adopting a dog was not nearly as involved as adopting a child! The dog was a mess. She looked like she had been on the streets for 6 months! She was matted, dirty, and likely had ticks. I had to leave her there until Monday so she could be spayed and micro chipped. But they were not going to bathe her before her surgery! Later that day, I made arrangements for a mobile dog groomer to come to the pound so she could be bathed, groomed, and cleaned of ticks and mites. I stayed and kept her company while she was bathed and assured her she would be fine. The bonding process had begun!

On Monday, after work I stopped to pick her up on my way home. I had spent Sunday running to get food, food and water bowls, a leash and collar, and anything else I thought I would need for her! Also on Sunday, I ran names through my brain. Isabella, Bella. Bella it was! We stopped at the vet on our way home for her first "check-up". The vet was pleased with her incision, although they now use black tattoo ink on females to denote they have been spayed, and the pound was overly zealous with their use of ink on Bella! She has one big tat on her belly!

When we got home, I showed her where her food and water were, and where the back door was. She then promptly wanted to cuddle as she was recovering from surgery. That was it, I was in love.

So, welcome to Bella's Place. I hope you enjoy our adventures. More later.