The Other Bella

Bella came to live with us several months ago, soon after we had lost our black German shepherd, Heidi, to diabetes and blindness. We had come to love the breed, and so would settle for nothing less. It took some extensive dog shopping, but we finally found a white German shepherd that we felt would fill the gap. Since Bella weighed in at almost 60lbs. and could put her front paws on my shoulders in jubilation, I never quite accepted the fact she was just a puppy. It didn't take long, though, for that to become apparent. All she wanted to do was play!! With me, with my husband, with the cats, and with anyone who happened to stop by. The first time she saw snow, she raced around the yard snapping at the flakes and sliding down the hills. Anything left lying around the yard was fair game to Bella; a bucket, a rag, a newspaper. She soon began gathering her "toys" into a pile on the hill behind the house. EVERYTHING was a game to her...and still is.

Now that she will be a year old next month, she has become an integral part of our family. She is often too rambunctious, always unruly, sometimes troublesome, but through it all, full of unconditional love. I've had one dog or another through most of my life and suspect I like it that way...