Name: Bella
Suspected Breed: Lab/Pointer Mix
Approximate Age: 3 years old
Approximate Weight: 61 lbs
Observations with Dogs: Has done well with other dogs with proper intro
Observations with Cats: she is too interested in kitties
Observations with Kids: Has done well with older children
Currently Living at: DC area Foster home
Please meet our beautiful butterfly... Bella! We call her that because she has made a remarkable transformation during her time with us, and it should be noted that she just celebrated her two year anniversary with us... partly because she needed some reinforcement and work, but also because potential adopters tend to pass over dogs who are posted for adoption for more than a few months. But trust us when we say this girl is worth another look!
Meeting this affectionate and engaging girl today, you would never guess she was a work in progress when we rescued her. She lacked confidence, became anxious around strangers and in crowds, and was reactive to both humans and other dogs. Today you will meet a largely confident pup who is relaxed and has learned to lean on her human in times of uncertainty. Fear no longer drives her onto the offensive, and she is generally a happier and healthier dog.
Her transformation could be, in part, simply due to maturity... she was an older puppy when she was rescued. But we also worked extensively with her and enlisted the help of a top area trainer who specializes in reactivity. Through a lot of patience and positive reinforcement, she has blossomed.
She also suffered from persistent ear infections and allergies, and feeling poorly certainly seemed to contribute to her grumpiness. We have figured out the right combination of diet, medication, and ear maintenance, and it has REALLY helped her disposition.
This beautiful gal is affectionate, loyal, and loving. Bella is basically an oversized lap dog at home, and loves being close to her humans. She's smart and eager to please, which makes her highly trainable. No longer full of puppy energy, Bella is still an energetic dog so she does need a foster who is either active and can take her running, or can commit to lots of play. She's perfect for keeping you on track with fitness goals! With enough exercise, she's a couch potato inside.
While she has come a long way, her forever family will need to continue with her training and management as she needs to build trust with you. We recommend another training class for her with her adopter since it is about training the human as much as it is about training the dog! A class also has the benefit of building a closer bond between dog and human. We want to ensure her forever family continues to reinforce the positive behaviors so she can remain a confident and well-adjusted pup.
Her foster reports that she is crate trained and has not had any accidents in the home.
Like most shelter dogs, Bella may need a refresher on house training and crate training. We ask all of DC PAWS’ fosters to work on both house and crate training with their foster dog.
The adoption fee for this dog is $350. If you are interested in adopting Bella, please submit an adoption application at http://dcpawsrescue.org/adoption-info/.<b>ABOUT US & IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES:</b>
Please note that you must use our official adoption application in order to be considered for adoption. Applying through other sites (i.e., Petfinder) will not work. The following are our applications:
Dog application: https://service.sheltermanager.com/asmservice?account=bg0781&method=online_form_html&formid=1
Cat application: https://service.sheltermanager.com/asmservice?account=bg0781&method=online_form_html&formid=6
DC PAWS Rescue does our best to provide accurate and complete information about our adoptable animals. Please note that we cannot make any guarantees about age or breed; we rely upon our rescue partners and their veterinarians to make those assessments. We also cannot make any guarantees about housebreaking and animal temperament, as animals can behave differently through transition and in different environments.
Our shelter partners provide a basic vet screening for each animal we rescue, which includes necessary vaccinations, deworming, microchipping, and spay/neuter (unless the animal is too young or otherwise deemed by the vet to not be a good candidate for surgery). Please note that this is not a comprehensive medical exam and as such, may not identify any and all medical issues, though our goal is to flag any obvious health issues through the basic vet screening. We share all medical records with adopters and are completely transparent about any known issues prior to adoption finalization.
<b>About DC PAWS Rescue</b>
Our rescue is an all-volunteer, foster-based dog and cat rescue in the DC area. We rescue locally from Prince Georges County, MD, and from rural shelters in the south (presently Pickens County, Anderson County, and Greenville County in SC, and Raleigh County, WV).
We partner with a local rescuer in Pickens County, SC, who saves adoptable cats and dogs from the three area shelters. For the animals in this rural area, rescue is a critical lifeline, and often the only lifeline. Our rescue partner not only works with DC PAWS to save as many dogs and cats as possible, but she has also established a successful spay/neuter program in the community to decrease the number of homeless and unwanted animals over the long term.
<b>Foster an Animal in Need:</b>
Fosters make it possible for DC PAWS to save and care for homeless, neglected and abandoned animals! To learn about fostering dogs or cats for DC PAWS Rescue, please visit: http://dcpawsrescue.org/volunteer/fostering/foster-application
<b>Sponsor an Animal in Need:</b>
For any of our animals! Sponsors help us provide critical medical care, food, boarding, and other support for animals facing euthanasia. Individuals who sponsor a dog or cat receive special recognition on the animal's profile. Sponsorships can also be made in honor or memory of a loved one, and you may designate to whom DC PAWS Rescue should provide notice of your gift. Sponsorship levels of $250 and $150 include “naming rights” for a future dog or cat (respectively) that we rescue.
To learn more about sponsorship, please visit: http://dcpawsrescue.org/donate/
