Sponsored by:  Sandra L.

January 12, 2010:  Let me introduce you to one of the new stars on the RAGOM Team...Bella!

FYI--Bella is a little camera shy.  Anytime I bring out the camera she goes to hide! My goal is to catch her when she least expects it!

Bella was found as a stray; the GS that found her advertised for the owner for 2 weeks---but no luck.  Someone out there must be missing this wonderfully, sweet, mellow dog-Bella!  I have come to call her Maddy Bell.  You may ask...How did I come up with Maddy Bell?...well, when I was grooming her for the first time, I found that she was full of matts.  While I was working on her coat, I began calling her my little matty bear!   I did a little tweaking and came up with the name Maddy Bell!  (She responded to the new name right away-perhaps in her past life her name began with an "M" or sounded something like Maddy.)

Bella, AKA Maddy Bell, has been to the vet and she checks out in good health.  The vet thinks that she may be a golden cross with English setter.  Here are her stats---approx 55 pounds, 5-8 years old, spayed, has a little stiffness in the body this could be managed if need be with glucosamine/chondroitin. All of her blood work came back good.  Maddy does have some tartar build up on her teeth and close to the gums. I currently have Maddy  chewing on raw bones to see if that helps the situation.  If the raw bones don't help, a dentistry (good clean and polish) has been recommended.  If the decay into the gums is far enough along, Maddy may need 1-2 teeth extracted.

Maddy is a sweet little girl. She is really getting comfortable in her new surroundings-no accidents, no counter surfing and a quiet sleeper all through the night. She has full run of the house when I am away. 

When Maddy first came to my home, I would look at her and would try to imagine what she was thinking----“Who is this person?  Where am I?  Whose house is this?  Where are the other people I used to hang out with?  Why do they keep calling me this “Bella” name---now she’s starting to call me Maddy!  What the heck; I’ll humor her and respond to the Maddy name!"    Wow!   Can you imagine!  Think about the changes that Maddy Bell has been through! 

We take a short walk in the morning and a longer walk in the early evening.  Maddy is content to relax and sleep in the evening-or other times if nothing else is going on.  Maddy and my house cat get along well--kind of indifferent to each other; a little sniff, sniff here and there.  So far she likes the other dogs that we have met.  She likes to run and chase a bit, however she is not into the body slam, wrestling sort of play; it seems to be too hard on her body.  When we take a walk in the safe, large open area by my house, I am able to let Maddy off her leash.  She listens well...she will trot up away, turn around to look at me, and wait a bit! She is too sweet.  She will bark when she sees or meets people, but she instantly becomes their friend!  What a sweet girl--My little Maddy Bell.  She would warm anyone’s home!