Bella #22 Chocolate Labrador Retriever Female 7 Years Old ID#2990

Bella is a 7 yr old AKC chocolate who has had lots of puppies but no longer can.  Typical sweet Lab temperament, good with dogs and kids and all people.  She needs to slim down to be her best self and I’m sure will be a delight to her future family. She is settling into her foster home.  Please read her blog from the bottom up.

Bella is now available: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/bella-53195498/pa/warrington/brookline-labrador-rescue-pa06/

September 24, 2021

I will tell you Bella is WONDERFUL!  Seriously, considering she is a farm girl she has really made the transition to residential life in what I would consider a seamless way. Anyone that brings Bella into their home will be very lucky. She is sweet, gentle and very smart.We are still working on her getting comfortable doing her business outside.  It takes some time and dedication to staying out there with her to make it happen.  We have shifted her to eating her main meal at dinnertime so that we can go for a walk and play in the yard for an hour or so and then she will usually comply.

Bella walks very well, no pulling or dragging behind. She easily complies when I try to keep her on my right side(curb side).  Lots of normal sniffing and stopping to explore but is easily redirected to continue the walk.  She doesn’t go too far yet but each walk I try to get her to add another street in our neighborhood.We have a resident Boxer mix, Cookie, and Bella has not been phased at all with her presence.  Most days its Cookie that looks at me in the morning and I get a distinct “oh, she’s still here?” look.  But they have gotten into a routine. She has also met other neighborhood dogs and had no issue at all.

She not only plays but she’s playful! When I come home she actually dances and jumps around.  I wasn’t sure that a dog her size would be too energetic but she definitely has it in her.  We’ve started to introduce a frisbee to her and so far she runs after it then turns around and runs back-without it-but it’s a run! She has a bit of a curious streak and has emptied my computer case under my desk, dummy me for leaving it there, but she has not been destructive at all.  We have left our shoes all over the place, handbags on chairs and sports stuff everywhere and she has never done anything that needed major correction.

Bella has been working on her waistline since coming into foster care.  I put her on a weight loss food and she didn’t have any digestive issues transitioning. I do believe that she has lost some weight as I can now definitely see her “waistline” indenting.

I had her to the vet last Friday, she checked out totally ok (negative heartworm and fecal was clear). She has one small fatty mass on one of her nipples but the Vet said it does not appear to be anything to worry about (it would be similar to a skin tag on you and me) and to just keep an eye on it.  She suggested that possibly it could be removed at her sterilization but didn’t even think that was necessary.

September 22, 2021

Bella has been in her foster home since September 7, and has been settling in.  Updates coming soon!