Birthday: December 21st 2004 Likes: chasing the cat, fetching toys, going outside Pet-Peeves: people sneezing, vacuum cleaner, blender, hair dryer, pots and pans Favorite Toy: Black and white stuffed rabbit - she bites on the black spots, then starts to doze off. We call it the "Kryptonite Rabbit"! Favorite Food: Nutromax "Little Bites", popcorn and pieces of apple without skin. Also likes the bird food under the cage (yuck!) Favorite Walk: back field of our farm Best Tricks: sit, lie down, come, fetch. Also likes to run through agility tubes and hula hoops! When outside on her leash, she likes to grab the leash halfway up and "lead" herself back in! When we say, "Bad Kitty" she grabs a toy and starts shaking it and growls! Arrival Story: Saw her newborn picture with her littermates online. We had recently lost our sheltie Savannah to old age, and missed having a sheltie as part of our lives. We called the breeder, and the rest is history! Bio: When Bella gets scolded for barking, she will "mumble" under her breath, kind of like she is still trying to get away with making noise! We usually have the TV or radio/CD player on to mask outdoor noises and she is a lot quieter now. Forums Motto: If it makes noise, I make noise! The Groups I'm In: We're not collies! I've Been On Dogster Since:
Sadly, we lost Bella at the young age of 7. Always adhered to a healthy diet with healthy snacks such as apples and carrots and green beans. One night she snaked a half a pizza off the kitchen table and developed pancreatitis. A visit to our local vet sent us rushing her to Michigan State Veterinary Hospital. She was stabilized, rehydrated with IV fluids, and placed in the intensive care area for observation. An NG tube was placed to provide nutrition. The vet called the next morning to tell me Bella was doing fine, was well hydrated, and had not vomited since the tube was placed. I was told I could visit any time and she would be discharged in a couple of days. 20 minutes after the initial call, the vet called me again, and said Bella was found unresponsive in her crate with no heartbeat or respirations. CPR was initiated with no response after 10 minutes, and she was gone. They claim she aspirated her tube feeding and spontaneously passed out and arrested. After a million questions as to why it happened, and with my own vet visiting MSU and viewing the ultrasound and X-rays and labs, and speaking with the vet who was assigned to Bella, they still had no answers as to why this happened so quickly. No amount of speculation will ever bring her back- I am just SO glad I saw Bella right before I left MSU and hugged her and told her I loved her. Hopefully this was the last thing she remembered- that we loved her!
Hello everyone- yes, I'm still kicking, though Mom has been REALLY lax in putting a new entry in. Maybe I should start giving HER treats! Right now it is 64 degrees and sunny - I think summer is here, but the neighbor's dog that poops in our yard told me it's February. Last time I knew I still lived in Michigan - the only place where it can be 20 degrees one day and 64 degrees the next! I went to the mailbox with Mom, and the snow melted into a river that flows down the driveway. I had to work very hard to stay in the water! I had to quit agility because my hind patellas (kneecaps) are luxating, or moving to the side when I do jumps. It didn't hurt a lot, but I would have to kick out my leg to get it back to a normal spot, then I didn't want to do jumps anymore. Bummer, because I LOVED agility, so did Mom. My sister Speck is running on a treadmill - maybe I should try that. Since Mom hardly ever uses ours, there would be plenty of time for me to stay fit!
Wow, time sure flies when you're doing agility! I went to a beginning agility class and graduated December 12th. They had a mock trial, and I got to go through it with Mom, and no leash! Mom didn't think I would behave as well, but did I fool her! I did everything she pointed at, I really "jumped through the hoops" for her. Everyone clapped when the instructor blew her whistle to stop. I thought they were so impressed, they must want more, so I continued to go through the course and pick and choose my favorite things to do - the hoop, the tunnel, the teeter-totter, the plank, the jumps, the weave poles - I did them all. I couldn't understand what was so funny, though the instructor said, "I guess Bella isn't done yet!" I scored 119 points and placed second in the trial to a Samoyed who got 121 points. I got a stuffed animal with a squeaker for the prize! I love squeaky things! Then I got very tired. Even Mom went to bed early that night!
On Christmas I got lots of presents from Santa, and some from Grandma and my cousin Max (he's a Sheltie, too!). Max is almost 12 years old, and he doesn't move very fast. I always try to play with him, but he just looks disgusted. He puts up with me, though. I am hoping to take more agility classes so I can play with some new friends soon.
Dogster Obsessions: The Starter Kit for Dogs by Wildebeest
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