Bella is 5 years old!

Our little Bella is 5 years old! It seem like just yesterday (cliche', I know!) that we brought her home and started our adventures together. We found her in the paper from a couple who wanted a cute puppy and bought her at a puppy store (meaning she was from a puppy mill). They lived in a condo and worked full time and were going to night classes.

Not working out so well.

But, it was destiny! We brought her home and slowly and patiently (OK, not always perfectly patiently) worked on some of the bad things she'd learned in her short 7 months on this earth. We worked on eating and not running and hiding, submissive peeing, and being secure in her puppy-hood.

We took puppy classes, obeidence classes, agility classes. We ran on the trails and played on the beach. We went to the Oregon Coast and played on those beaches.

We ride in cars and take trips to Petco. She loves sqeeky, rubbery toys and also stuffed animal type toys. We had struggles with her getting up at night (is it me or is it just a coincedence about sleeping?) and where she slept. We worked through the clipping nails and now she trusts me with that so we don't have to pay $8/clip. We bought sweaters and parkas. I probably took 1000 pictures of my little girl. (alas, our old computer's harddrive crashed and I only have some of the photos back then from other sources).

(Back up your photos! - lesson learned!)

We dealt with a new fluffy puppy named Rock (look of disgust in her eyes is funny!).

But, they soon became friends...

But, most of all - we just snuggle and love.

We love you Bella! Happy Birthday!