Chew Toys

Not all stuffed chew toys are created equal. I've only tried a few on Bella and literally in less than an hour, the toy is destroyed. At Petsmart, they aren't super expensive, but when they don't last, they aren't cheap either.

I tried a new stuffed toy on her (made by Tuffies Pet Toys) which are supposedly "built" for aggressive chewers. I bought her a gator which I was told was a "7" on a scale of "10" in chewing durability. Within minutes, Bella had chewed out the nose area and removed the stuffing. Over the course of a couple of hours, the tail (and stuffing) and the toes (and stuffing) were gone or opened up.

Now I know she is a chewer, but I had higher hopes for this particular toy. When I went to the manufacturer's site, I realized the gator was merely a "5" on the chew scale. Ah ha! No wonder! I bought it through a small, independent shop, so I let the owner know not all of those particular brand carry the same chew ranking.

Bella hasn't completely destroyed the toy yet (though it is a mere shadow of its former self). So even at a 5, the toy is tough. None-the-less, had I known of the gator's unique ranking, I would have waited until the store owner got more in stock and purchased a more heftily constructed toy. At over $20 a pop, I wanted something a bit more duro.

Odd Noises

I was working at the computer when I heard a strange noise. Puppy? Where's the puppy!

She was busy! Waste baskets might be fun, but toilet paper on a roll—now that is fun!

Behavior and Color Changes

My nephew and his wife were visiting us for a few days. Bella was in heaven. Four people with whom to play! What a boon! The downside of their visit is that we now have a puppy who thinks she is the center of her universe. (Which unfortunately isn't too far off.)

Her ability to ignore well-known commands has escalated and I can tell I'll have several days of getting her back on track. The worst issue is ignoring "Come!" when our game of fetch is over. She wants no part of "over." I call her, she stands just out of reach and stares, I wait, she ignores. The word which has never failed is "Treats!" said in the highest, squeakiest voice one can muster. She always comes, but I must have a handful of yummy morsels. I want this command to be foolproof.

My nephew said she'd changed color since she was a baby. We hadn't noticed as we see her daily. But he was correct. Here's a picture of her the first day she came home. Look how much more white she was as a baby.

Coziness

Bella chews her toys only when we're around. In fact, she's happiest when she's chewing the toy right next to us or even better, on us. On our foot, against our leg, at our back. It's annoying, but somehow endearing. It's a little personality quirk that I'm not sure I really care to "fix."