Bella
Bella has a rather sad story. She was owned by a homeless couple who didn’t treat her very well and used her for breeding. After having many litters of puppies, a rescuer approached them to surrender her. They agreed and her new life began.
Bella has been spayed, so no more litters for her! She is also up to date on all vet care and is healthy. We estimate that she is about 3 to 4 years old.
Bella is scared of people she doesn’t know, so we recommend a home without small children. Teenagers who would respect her space would be best.
Bella is slow to warm up, but once she trusts you, you’re golden!
Bella is dog-selective, so a meet and greet with any other dog in the home is essential. We believe she was forced to breed by her prior owners, so that is why she can be wary of other dogs.
Bella is a diamond in the rough. She is doing great in her foster home because they have taken time and patience to work with her to make her feel safe and comfortable. That’s the kind of loving home she needs. CPAA is offering FREE, lifetime training support for Bella’s adopter.
Won’t you give Bella a chance to shine in your home?
6/2/2023 Miss Bella Boo had another amazing week! Since the hot weather has officially arrived, I got the doggie pool out and placed it in the play yard so that the dogs can cool off. Bella is the only dog who will submerge to get her toy. She LOVES the water. I had to take my shoes and socks off to play some pool tug with her. I got totally drenched, but seeing how much she enjoyed it made it worth it!
Bella will go off leash from yard to yard to spend time with Chief (her bestie), Luke, and Rocco. Sometimes, it’s all play and other times it’s just her sniffing around like most dogs do. A lot of times, she’ll just relax in a shady spot due to the heat.
Bella and Jaida spent time on each side of the fence quite a bit. They sometimes run the fence for play and sit and accept treats within inches of each other. Bella is truly the life of the party for the people and other canines here.
Bella has come SO FAR in her time in HOPE. She has shown no aggression toward other dogs. She walks off leash in the play yard with the other dogs without any problems. She plays the submissive role very well. She loves people, and as long as someone she doesn’t know gives her a treat, she meets them without any issues. She obeys all her commands, and I am able to redirect her to me as needed.
Bella is a GREAT DOG! She will make a wonderful addition to any family, with or without children.
5/26/2023 This past week, we introduced the new dog on the block, Luke, to Bella. With Luke being a little uneasy with his new environment, his handler thought Bella would be a good choice for first introductions. We both thought that since Bella is good with all of the dogs, her behaviors would be more welcoming to Luke. I’ve known for quite some time how far my Miss Bella Boo has truly progressed.
Bella and Luke had a great time. Bella brought Luke out of his shell and allowed his comfortable side to reveal his playfulness.
It’s great to see the progress Bella has made in HOPE. Bella came into HOPE a shy, unaware, curious, and nervous dog. She now holds her head high during walks and play time. Her confidence can be seen in her behaviors and actions. She brings such joy to me, and others too–people and dogs. She is the greatest dog and definitely ready for her forever home!
5/19/2023 Bella and Chief continue to be the best of friends. They enjoy their play time together each day. They share toys, play tug, lie next to each other when they’re exhausted from playing, and even drink out of the same water bowl. Bella’s motherly compassion allows her to be totally submissive to Chief when necessary. Their time together has become a friendship that could last forever. I secretly wish they would be adopted together.
Many new people come to our cell block, and Bella wants to meet them all, especially if they have treats. She is a very social dog. If you’re looking for a cuddly dog that loves belly rubs, Bella is your girl! That’s why I call her “Belly Bella.”
4/28/2023 Everyday Bella looks forward to her play time and being around the other dogs. Chief, the youngest of all the dogs is especially her favorite by far. The two can play off leash for hours a day. They share toys, food and water and when Chief decides he’s done sharing with her, Bella allows him to have his way and comes back to it minutes later when he realizes he was being rude. Bella never shows animosity towards any of the dogs and will hang out at the fence line, work and take treats next to all the other dogs.
Bella brings so much joy to her handler, all the handlers, every day. She will win your heart over in an instance, all she needs is a chance to get to know you.
4/21/2023 This week was full of meeting new people, from new interns, Unit Managers and counselors on the block! Bella loves meeting people, as long as they take their time and go slow. She still has trouble meeting “big, burly, men” but given treats from a distance slowly quiets her down. One on one interactions are still best for Bella, but she continues to gain more and more confidence with strangers every week.
Bella and Chief like each other so much that she lets out a bellowing bark if Chief is around and she can’t get to him. They always look forward to play time together, even when he’s being rude and pushy with toys. She also does the bellowing bark with her favorite people too!
Sometimes Bella seems to “mother” Chief, especially when he saw Bowser and ran to the fence line in a not so friendly greeting. Bella cut him off and engaged him in more play, and he happily followed her. She’s a peacemaker and lover for sure!
4/14/2023 The Pool Week! This week we got the dog pool out for all the pups because its been so very hot! Even though neither Bella, nor Chief, really enjoy bath time, they both definitely enjoyed the pool! Bella even stuck her head completely under the water to fetch a toy! Eventually though, Chief decided the pool was all his, and chased poor Bella off. She takes it stride though, she’s a true Queen!
Bella really enjoys running along the fence with all of the dogs and will easily walk away from those that get too hyped up or don’t want to be bothered with her.
4/07/2023 La vita è bella! Life is certainly beautiful for our Bella recently!
Bella has now played with both Rocco & Chief! She and Chief play together off leash and seem to really enjoy each other’s company. They played for so long, laid side by side, drank water together and got utterly filthy together. When they see each other, they cannot wait to be reunited, and Bella let’s out a howl of excitement!
She also got to go on an outing with some staff members too! She met several new people, and while she was shy at first, she had Rocco to show her the way to be. She just followed his lead and as long as people sat down to greet her, she wasn’t afraid. She just loves getting and giving attention to people. After their outing together, she and Rocco played too. She seems to really like those two boys.
3/31/2023 I spent a lot of time this past week getting Bella used to the basket muzzle. She had a vet appointment to get her nails trimmed, and she has been apprehensive at the vet’s office in the past, so we thought it best that she be muzzled. She didn’t mind me putting it on, but hated having it on. She would swat at it with both her paws when she walked. It looked so funny and cute. I reassured her with “It’s okay, Bella,” and she would stop, but her sad eyes got me every time. We practiced all week, and when it seemed hopeless, the day for her vet appointment came. I watched out the window as she strutted toward the main gate–she made me so proud! Our experience together was not hopeless and our hard work paid off. I knew she was going to be just fine.
When Bella got back from the vet office, the HOPE volunteers told me she did great! She even let them draw some blood from her. I was such a proud papa!
During Bella’s sleep this week, all four of her paws were moving like she was running somewhere, and she let out a high pitched howl. Never did it pull her from her sleep. It was so adorable.
Strangers that Bella has never met make her bark, but I’ve been introducing them by having them sit at a table and letting them meet her by saying “Let’s say hi, Bella.” Big, burly guys scare her a little, but she is getting so much better, especially if I give them a treat to give to her.
All in all, Belly Bella is doing great!
3/24/2023 Bella’s Handler had an exciting week with her, learned a pet parent lesson, and is working towards some future goals with Bella too!
Some REALLY good things took place this week! Bella was out in the yard when Chief barked at her playfully. Rocco was in another yard with his Handler. I asked Chief’s Handler to bring him over and we introduced Bella and Chief! They sniffed, they play bowed, they just took turns politely introducing themselves to each other. Then Rocco and his Handler came over and we all hung out together, as the dogs just enjoyed each other’s company. It was great to see Bella being able to enjoy herself around other dogs.
Bella even had a good interaction running along the fence with Jaida too! She’s still not always a fan of female dogs, but does seem to enjoy the goofy boys.
She also likes to bark at people for attention too! She either remembers that they have treats, have previously given her attention, or she’s just convinced that person wants to pet her! She may have a big bark, but if you give her the chance, she will show you that she just wants some pets and cuddles!
And since she had such a good week, you know she had to have one mishap…well, technically, I had a mishap. Apparently Bella likes to chew on brushes, and I left one within her reach. I thought she was past that phase, but apparently not. Now I know, if she can reach it, she might take it. Now I have to make sure my stuff is away before I leave her in the cell.
Oh, Bella also wanted me to remind everyone that she passed her Level I Obedience and will be testing for her Level II! She’s such a smart girl, I have faith in her!
To give Bella a lifetime of belly rubs, apply here:
3/17/2023 Belly Bella, as her handler affectionately calls her, is working on new tricks with her, which she is perfecting her “come pet me eyes”.
Bella socializes daily with almost the entire block now! She likes to bark at strangers for attention. She needs to give them a good sniffing before she will let them pet her. If she knows you have food, she will warm up to you right away!
She believes that her days should be divided into cuddle time, play time, and food time. I try to keep her learning something new all the time so she doesn’t get bored. This week we worked on jumping over crates and going around them in different directions! When she’s first learning something, I like to use food or a toy that I can use as a lure to teach her what to do.
Bella will tell you when it’s cuddle time, as she will nudge my arm, as if to ask, “can I hop up next to you?” Sometimes she’ll grab the blankets and toss them at me like, “hey cover me up please”. And of course I can’t say no to those puppy eyes! But watch out! If you move your feet, you lose your seat, and she will take up the entire bed!
Bella isn’t too keen on the new dogs yet, but we’ve been working on walking along the fence kind, sometimes running next to another dog in the next yard over. We do this for a little bit, then we walk away and relax, then go back. Sometimes we will just sit or lay down and watch the other dogs play too.
Bella can be dog selective. She seemed to like playful Finnegan, but that took a lot of work in her foster home before joining HOPE. Her future home mind be best being a single dog household.
3/10/2023 Bella is so smart and a very fast learner. She knows so many commands–sit, stay, down, side, paw (either side), heel, sit pretty, high five, crate, over, touch, target, leave it, bring it, nice, release (when playing). Did I mention she was smart?
Some of Bella’s endearing characteristics: She loves to sleep through the night. She will alert you when an intruder is within her boundaries. She holds no grudges. If it’s raining outside, she’ll try to avoid going to the bathroom. If you put a leash on her she will go outside, but will immediately bee-line back to the door to get inside when she’s done.
If you play off leash with Bella, she’ll be your best friend. Fetch is no problem, and you can use a rope, ball, or toy as a tool to get all commands out of her. She’ll wait, or stay, even from far away, just to keep playing.
When I leave Bella for several hours, she’ll greet me with many tail wags and kisses, just to show how much she missed me. Bella always looks forward to a good belly rub, hence my nickname for her, “Belly Bella.”
3/3/2023 Bella and her handler spent this week continuing to build a great bond together:
When I have to leave Bella, whether its for 5 minutes or an hour, she always has a warm welcome waiting for me! She wraps her paws around me with her tail swaying from side to side, and she lets out these little puppy sounds of happiness. I’ve learned that she loves to be showered with lots of hugs and being rubbed on her belly. I called her “Belly Bella” and she knows what her belly is for…belly rubs all day every day! She also has no problem letting you know she’d like to play by simply picking up the toy of her choice and bringing it to you so that you can join in on the fun. Covers at bedtime keep her sound asleep throughout the night, except for loud noises. She’ll wake up, look to me as if to say, “everything okay?” And then she’ll go back to bed. She really likes to play a lot of fetch and tug-of-war for fun, but she will stop at any time you say “release” or “give it”.
She struggles with watching you eat and staying at your feet, she gives you this look like she’s been starved her whole life. She’s also improving with her barking at other dogs, and lately you can tell she’s getting used to some of them, and that she’s just selective about her canine friends. She LOVES Finnegan!
2/24/2023 Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work with Bella. She is so irresistible–you’ll find yourself always wanting her around. With her puppy dog eyes, she’ll have you at her beck and call.
Meeting new people is something she enjoys very much. Bella loves to play and have fun, but most of all, she enjoys a good night’s deep sleep. She asks permission through her body language to sleep next to me but has no problem going to her own bed. She loves to cuddle closely.
When I’m away from my cell for a few hours, she does fine. She will bark and whine for about five minutes, then she comes to the realization that it does no good, so she goes about her own business.
Bella is distracted by her new environment, and with dogs and food at an abundance, it is a challenge that she and I will conquer.
Bella’s personality is 100 percent awesome. She is smart, a quick learner, and positively a great dog!
2/17/2023 With all the excitement of meet-n-greets and adoptions over the past week, we didn’t get to announce the new arrival of Bella! She joined the HOPE Dogs last week and we are looking forward to learning more about this girl! She was fostered in the same foster home as Finnegan, and he’s helping Bella settle in and learn the ropes.
She’s going to spend a few weeks with us, but if you think you might be interested in Bella, you can apply here:
