GOLDEN OLDIES – Bella Whateley
Bella (Aemilia’s Christiana at Arkadian) was born 9th March 2013. She had 2 sisters and 2 brothers. As the smallest, and always at the back of the queue, her breeder fed her separately. Nearly 11 years later she still waits patiently at the back for any treats but despite us having 6 other Bolognese, as the eldest, she always gets her treat first.
She is very well-behaved and has never taken much interest in toys but she still has her favourite pink pig, her first ever toy. This behaviour means that we can leave anything lying around and she will ignore it. She was so well behaved that we thought we’d have another one – a good one, just like Bella! So in 2015 she had a litter of 3 puppies and made an excellent mother.
Picking up tricks very quickly, she now has quite a repertoire. Amongst other tricks she can shake paws, roll over, dance, fetch, sit and lie down.
Bella loves barking at cats and patrolling her garden to keep it clear of pigeons and doves. She loves to sit in the living room window and barks at the other dogs that go past. We don’t have many local cats but there’s a black one who likes to tease her occasionally by sitting on the garden wall.
She is very loving and loves a cuddle, however she can sulk and hold a grudge when she wants to. She has always been quite stubborn, in an amusing kind of way. Reminding us of The Princess and the Pea, she can often be found sleeping on top of a pile of cushions. She’s also very partial to a tummy tickle and can assume the position on her back in the blink of an eye. Sunbathing in the garden has always been another favourite pastime for her.
Travelling has never been a problem and she has always travelled everywhere with us, from days out in London to weeks spent up in the Lake District and beyond. She loves running free in the countryside and on beaches but is equally happy walking around a city.
As she gets older, she is getting a little grumpy and hates to be disturbed when she’s chilling out. She’s not a morning dog and will happily lie in till well after lunch if allowed. She has a strong and healthy heart and despite showing some early signs of arthritis she enjoys running around playing like the rest of them and really enjoys a game of fetch or tug of war.
She’s very much loved by us all, still has a stunning full coat and looks great for her age. She has slowed down a bit over the last couple of years, but she can still run around like a puppy when the fancy takes her.
