BELLA THE BEAUTIFUL

BELLA'S STORY

On September 11, 2010 we rescued three Adult Papillons from a puppy mill in Nebraska.  When they arrived by plane, the little male whom we eventually named Dancer, was so filthy that it required four baths to get him clean enough to take to our vet the next day.  The one female, whom we called Leta, was so frightened that she had to be pulled out of the back of her crate.  The second female, whom we called Bella, was dirty, so thin every bone in her body could be counted including the spiny ridge of the clavicle, and she was shy. 

All three dogs had varying degrees of Kennel Syndrome, infected mouths from lack of dental care, and were below weight.  Leta got healthy first, after extensive oral surgery, and was rehomed in a wonderful home with a young girl, preteen, who loves her to distraction.  Dancer recently passed away.  The infection in his mouth that resulted in loss of ALL but thirteen of his teeth, had gone systemic by the time we got him.  Though the infection was cured and his mouth put to rights by extensive oral surgery, his kidneys and heart never quite recovered.  We believe he enjoyed his year and a half with us before we had to let him cross The Rainbow Bridge. 

Bella turned out to be pregnant though she was so skinny even our vet didn't realize she was two weeks from delivery!  Fortunately, before her oral surgery date, we suspected something was wrong and had her ultrasounded.  She was carrying three large pups.  For the next two weeks, Bella was hand fed anything she would eat in small amounts every two hours around the clock.  She was put on supplements to prevent eclampsia and other malnourishment issues relating to her pregnancy and then her lactation.  She delivered three healthy pups and two were placed.  We kept one. 

Her pups were very beautiful so we bred her to our up-and-coming young male, Selden.  Bella gave birth to three beautiful pups, again.  But this pregnancy, which was a year after her previous one, still was hard on her.  We were there for her whelping and it was fortunate we were.  The first puppy got stuck and it was difficult to help it get out of the birth canal.  The second puppy came out backwards and was slow in coming.  The third pup popped right out! 

Two of those three pups are in forever-homes.  Feisty, the most energetic of the three, is still searching for the right forever-home. 

Bella the Beautiful is retiring from raising babies.  She will be spayed. 

Due to her background, it has taken Bella a bit to recover from her previous home.  Her kennel syndrome is mostly gone and only reoccurs when she is left for too many hours in a kennel.  It expresses itself in whines and some barks and a depressed appearance.  Though she had no clue about house training when she arrived, Bella is now housebroken.  In new environments, she needs to be watched until the communications between her new person and her are clear.  Bella loves going for rides in the vehicles and will ride nicely either crated or seat belted in.  She has learned to walk nicely on a leash.  She sleeps in her crate at night. 

Bella's favorite occupation is to sit next to her person, or sit on her person's lap, while the person reads or watches movies or just relaxes. She loves to follow her person around the house and she stays near.  Though she seems to tolerate other dogs, she is afraid of large dogs.  (We manage ours so they do not frighten her).  She would rather be with her person than to play with other dogs.  The exception to this is playing with her own pups. 

Bella is a quiet dog who needs a lot of one-on-one attention.  She would do well with a retired or semi-retired person.  If you think you and Bella might be a match contact Aya at dasmassiv@frontier.com or call 425-387-6119 

Bella is patiently waiting for you.

There was a crisis at the Darrington hardware store. The manager, Fancy, had so much work to do that her Mom and Dad were searching high and low for an assistant. Interviewee after interviewee all were found lacking in talent. Finally, Fancy had the opportunity to interview a guy named Buddy (AKA Little Mister). Buddy was the perfect match to help Fancy in her duties as the manager of the Darrington Hardware store. So Buddy went to live with Fancy and her parents, Toni and Laurence. Toni was especially happy because Fancy had taken a fancy to her Dad, Laurence, so poor Toni did not have her very own Papillon. Now that Buddy has come to live with Fancy's family, Toni has her very own little buddy, Buddy.

Reporter: Deva Walksfar

UPDATE 3/1/2012

Little Mister went to live at his forever-home today!  His elder Papillon sister, Fancy, will be teaching him how to run their "mom and dad's" hardware store.  The first day on the job was pretty tiring so his mom had to buy him a bed for those quick, revitalizing office naps! 

Canine Bill of Rights

1. Dogs have a right to be respected as sentient creatures with needs of their own, above and beyond their relationship to humans.
2. Dogs have a right to be brought into this world in a thoughtful manner which will improve their particular breed as well as allow each dog the best chance of finding a purposeful existence that, at the very least, meets that dog's basic needs.