Bella, age 2

Bella has definitely become an adult.  Although she still jumps, she is much calmer.  When I had her last week, she didn't get under the gazebo, she didn't crawl under the deck, and she didn't go wild chasing rabbits.

Exercising while Bella is in the house is still an adventure, however.  I have a series of exercises I am supposed to do three times a day, and I have to tell you, Bella makes it interesting.

On the first set I have to lay on my back and twist my legs to the side.  The minute I lay down, Bella sits right next to my head and stares at me, her tongue hanging out.  Soon she lifts her paw, as if to shake hands.  I take her paw and hold it until she gets bored.  She changes paws, and I hold it until she tires.  By then, my first set is usually done.

The rest of the exercises encompass some form of laying on my side or back.  By that time, Bella wants to be closer to me.  So the minute I turn, she cuddles up next to me.  Close.  Very close.  After a few minutes, she rolls over on her back, expecting a tummy rub.  If she doesn't get the tummy rub, she sits up and stares at me again.  Three times a day.  Frankly, I think it is cute.  Sepster used to do that, too, so it is nice to have a dog who wants to be near me.

Bella will also lay on my feet when I am at the computer, sit next to me on the couch, or try to be as near as possible.  When she was here, she got two dog bones from two different banks.  She thought she was in dog heaven.  The best part, however, was in the morning.  She had very obediently slept in her dog bed all night.  When Don got up at 6:00, he let her outside.  She came inside, and very carefully crawled into the bed, snuggling up right next to me.  I thought it was Babs and didn't pay much attention until I got out of bed, and there was a black and white dog in my bed.

Keeping Bella is truly a treat.  She is a very sweet dog!