Bella is a petite happy little diva. She's a friendly girl who currently lives in a very busy household - two working adults, four young children and a chihuahua sister. She'll bark at passing people and squirrels, but nothing out of the ordinary. She doesn't pull on lead, and although she gets a little blustery when she sees another dog out for a walk, when she's actually able to meet a friendly one, she's fine. (We don't really recommend allowing dogs to meet strange dogs on the street, but we took along our non-reactive beagle for her to greet, just to see how it would go.)

She's a clever girl as most beagles are, but also exhibits that stubborn trait for which they are famous. Bella knows a few commands, such as sit, shake and no, but is selective on when to demonstrate them. She's no fan of the crate, but stays dry when in it. Bella is going to need some help in mastering house training. She will potty outside, but won't let you know when she needs to go out. We suspect that in a home with less activity and more personal attention available, this can be overcome.

Bella is a nice girl. At 6 years old, she has her moments of playfulness, but is happy to nap and watch TV with you. Awhile ago she slipped a disc, but it was managed with pain meds and a shot of cortisone and the problem has not returned. Her family is very careful not to let her jump off of the furniture. Providing steps to the bed or sofa would be helpful, as well as losing just a couple of pounds.

Posted: 11/25/2020