We've had Bellarina now for 6 weeks now and she has fitted in like, all we can say "as a good ole comfortable shoe". As the grade A couch potato, Bella has taken dibs on the most comfortable chairs in the house and is quite content to observe the going ons from her soft perch. Bella and our other pug Dinero get along famously, although Dinero's nose was a little out of joint for a couple of weeks. We look at Bella as the older furry sister, calm and sedate where Dinero, as the younger brother, born to raise a little more mischief. Bella definitely enjoys her food and we are trying to keep her on a diet. At dinner time when the two are eating, just a gentle no stops Bella from raiding Dinero's dog dish. Their walks are the highlight of the day with Bella surprisingly more rambunctious than Dinero. We call her the running cow, as she grabs a mouth of grass in full stride and tries to engage Dinero in a game of chase. Our vet uses the term "Love Sponges" and we can't find a better term to describe a pug.

Bev and Neil

Bellarina is adopted! Please stand by for more information and a happy tails.

Bellarina is certainly a quirky girl. Her funny little ways have been keeping us amused. Bellarina is the most wonderfully house trained dog I've ever had. She only needs three pees a day. In the morning, when Jackson is racing to the backyard to unload his bladder, Bellarina prefers to stay in her bed. She'll wait almost two hours until we go for a walk for her morning pee. Only twice has she peed in the backyard. As for pooing, it seems to take her quite by surprise. She'll be walking in her usual no nonsense manner, at the end of the flexi-leash, straight down the middle of the sidewalk, and suddenly squat and produce several rabbit-like balls and then merrily be on her way again.

Shy with people, her inquisitive nature eventually gets the best of her and she timidly approaches encouraged by getting down to her level. Children she finds too active and noisy, but who can blame her! Bellarina is generally good with other dogs, but tends to be a bit leery. If Jackson starts his big black dog barking, she willingly chimes in. This girl has a deep full bark, so if you're looking for a pint sized burglar deterrent, she's your dog. Bellarina barks when someone comes to the door, or she hears another dog bark -- all appropriate times.

She certainly knows her name and will sit for a treat. This pudgy puppy loves carrots — good thing since she's on a diet! She comes as well as any pug, and we haven't noticed anything else she answers to. Even on the first day she initiated play with Jackson . But she certainly will not put up with any humping. Enjoying a good run around the house, she doesn't fetch balls, but happily follows Jackson down the hall when he chases his ball. She has a nice fuzzy blanket that she enjoys licking and some toys that came with her, but I haven't seen her playing with them. While not a couch potato, I wouldn't call her high energy — I wouldn't even call her medium energy.

Bellarina would be happy as an only dog, or part of a twosome, as long as it wasn't a high energy, in-her-face companion.

She has a lovely personality that is just beginning to come out. I've never know a dog to mourn for her family so. She spent a lot of the first week laying in her bed looking mournful. She is so sad waking up in an unfamiliar house with unfamiliar people that she won't eat her breakfast. She has to be hand feed in bed, and even then doesn't finish much (By dinnertime, even though she is a slow eater, she seems to be settled enough to eat.) Now she is just starting to want to be close and cuddle. Whoever adopts her is going to have to be willing to let Bellarina set the timetable and wait for her to feel comfortable in her new home and with new people. But once she opens her heart to her new family, they will have a loving loyal dog.

Her visit to the vet was pretty uneventful as she is a healthy pug. Yes, her eyes are bulgy, but aren't causing any trouble. When she was two, she had an eye scratch from a cat (schlera lacerated but no harm to cornea) which healed well with ointment. Her nose wrinkle is nice and clean, and her ears are fine.

Her teeth are in pretty good shape, and like all dogs, may need some work in the future.

She does have a minimal luxating patella (in her hind left), but if she loses weight, she should be fine.

She got her DHPP booster. She's been microchipped and is ready to find her furever home. At 28 pounds, losing this extra weight is going to be a long-term issue that the new owners will have to continue to address.

This girl was surrendered because the family had very young children and were just not able to give Bellarina the attention she richly deserves. She came to her foster home very inquisitive and excited. She is a very big girl and with reduced food and lots of walks take off enough weight to put and end to her heavy panting. While heavy, Bellarina is in no way unhealthy or limited in her activity. She jumps on the couch, goes upstairs and runs around with no difficulty. Already spayed and up-to-date with all her shots, Bellarina has not current health issues. She will be vetted later in the week.

She's already initiated play with Jackson and for the first four walks was ready and eager to tour her new neighbourhood. By the fifth walk, Bellarina sauntered back to her bed telling us enough was enough. She is absolutely house trained, and produced on each walk, apparently enjoying the snow. Her luxuriant, thick double coat yielded enough soft fawn fur to provide a very comfortable home for any hamster that would be interested. At 6 p.m. she looked at us, looked at the empty dog dishes and made it clear that her ladyship was hungry. She ate at a fine, slow pace and didn't notice the reduced portion. She spent her first evening on the couch or in her bed making sad eyes at all the new people and surrounding. Bellarina spend a very quiet night downstairs in her bed and happily puttered out to the backyard for her morning pee. She didn't eat her breakfast until hand feed and seems to be mourning for her family. Such a sad sight. Hopefully Bellarina will soon feel comfortable in her temporary home and once she is assessed be ready to move to her furever home with people who can shower her with all the love and attention pugs so richly deserve.