Bella

Bella:

Bella (formerly Della) is a love! She is a stunningly beautiful 8 year old purebred classic border collie. She is healthy and up to date on shots, spayed, heartworm negative and microchipped. She has a beautiful glossy coat. At this point, she’s seriously overweight. 40 pounds would be about right, but she currently weighs 67!! Bella spent most of her life producing puppies for a backyard breeder. A year or so ago, the owner became ill and could no longer care for Bella and her littermate. A neighbor was concerned because the dogs were confined, neglected, and overfed. Eventually she called animal control for help.

Bella absolutely loves attention and petting and is a bigtime kisser. She is fully house trained and accustomed to a crate. At first she was fearful of a leash, but has become tolerant of it and we are gradually increasing her walking distance (two to three miles daily at this point). As her weight drops and her endurance increases, we will lengthen the walks. For now, longer walks are limited early morning and evening so she doesn’t become overheated. Bella doesn’t mind car rides, but she’s too heavy to jump in and lifting her is hard. Once in the car, she wants to be in your lap, which is okay unless you are the driver. She will probably relax with more experience. She is a very sweet girl, but something of a worrier. She’s done quite well with other dogs in her foster home, but may shy away from strange dogs. People are another matter – she adores them, especially men. I have not seen her around young children, but for many border collies they aren’t a great match. Bella has shown an unwholesome interest in cats and critters we meet on walks, so a cat free home would be best.

Miss Bella is not at all hyper, though as her fitness increases, her need for exercise may grow as well. She will need a home that offers regular walks and exercise to keep her fit and healthy! For now, napping is her default activity, but we’d like to change that.

This beautiful dog will make a wonderful companion for the right person and once she slims down, will be a show stopper. She will need a fairly calm household, lots of attention, an understanding of the breed, and commitment to fitness.