Bella was born January 4, 2002.  Click here to read a little about Bella's family and how she came to live with us.
 

March 31, 2002 - Bella's first Easter!  Sadly, we celebrated with relatives and Bella, Tucker and Glory had to be left alone for 5 hours while we were gone.  All 3 dogs are getting along fine now.  Tucker has been pouting quite a bit now that Glory and Bella play together, as he feels left out.  But, other than that things are great.  They all sleep together at night with no problems.

Bella's potty training is still a work in progress. hahaha  She has had a couple poop accidents in the house, but both were on the green area rug under the dining room table.  I still feel it has something to do with old smells on that rug, and that replacing the rug may help, but it will be a few more days before I can afford to buy a new one.

March 28 - Glory came home last night and is doing fine.  The stitches don't seem to bother her much at all.  Tucker and Bella slept behind the gate in the utility area and we let Glory sleep in the dining room, so she wouldn't be bothered by Bella.  Tucker was still making his whimpering sounds this morning, but he is eating and playing just fine.  I think he has heard Bella whimpering and has learned it from her.  He sees her getting attention and is jealous.  I took him down in bed with me (he loves the heated waterbed) and we cuddled and I talked to him and petted him for about an hour.  After I brought him upstairs he has been fine.  I truly think it is an attention thing...a jealousy thing.  Tonight we are going to let Tucker sleep in my oldest son's room (he is one of Tucker's favorite people).  I think he just needs extra attention and is feeling a little left out.

March 26 - Tucker and Bella got along wonderful all night.  No fighting, and Bella didn't start crying for me until around 7 am.  I'm not sure if that is because she was able to go out the doggie door and go potty on her own when she woke up, or if it was because she had Tucker there with her.

Tucker is still doing the little whimper thing.  He is running and playing fine and eating okay, so it must just be that he is still missing Glory and doesn't understand where she has gone.   Of course, if he continues to do it when she comes home tomorrow, then I will have to take him to the vet.

As far as potty training is going, Bella is using the doggie door on her own sometimes, but is not 100% housebroken yet and am still prompting her to go outside and walking with her to the door regularly.  Today, I was painting the kitchen and twice she went out on her own (without Tucker or me - lol), I peeked out and she was going potty.  Then later in the day I was at my computer and I happened to look out in the dining area and she was pooping by the table - her first accident since the 22nd and also the first time she has had a poop accident in the house (not counting the first night we brought her home).  Now, I have noticed that she seems to gravitate towards the large green rug that is under our kitchen table when she has to go.  I know that Tucker and Glory have had accidents there when they were puppies, but I always sprayed with the Odor Out stuff.  However, I wonder if there are some spots I may have missed and that is why she went there.  We've had the area rug for years and have decided that we are going to get a new one and see if that may help.

March 25 - Glory had to go to the vet today to be spayed and have 2 baby teeth pulled (poms are notorious for not having baby teeth fall out on their own).  Bella doesn't seem to even notice and has just buddied up with Tucker more.  However, Tucker definitely is missing Glory.  He is whimpering...something he never does. 

Tonight, we put Bella behind the baby gate in the utility area with Tucker to sleep...instead of in her play yard.  I just didn't want Tucker to have to sleep alone...as he already is having some emotional problems with Glory being gone.

March 24 - Glory and Bella are playing a lot together...and Glory has stopped trying to chase Bella back inside when Bella uses the doggie door.

March 23 - Today Bella spent about 2 hours without mom or dad around.  Of course, since her human brother and sister were home, she didn't end up spending much time by herself in her play yard, but it was still a big thing for Bella.  She is used to mommy always being there for her.

No accidents today and no problems with the other dogs.

March 22 - Again, Bella had no accidents on her papers all night.  When my husband got her up this morning he just took her to the doggie door and told her to go out and go potty.  She went out by herself, while he waited inside and watched her thru the window.

Bella had her first accident in the house in a long time.  I saw her sniffing around, but she had went out a couple times on her own already in the morning and I made the mistake of trusting her too much.  She squatted and started to pee in the living room.  I said NO NO and picked her up.  Then I put her back down and said "OUTSIDE, GO POTTY OUTSIDE" and she followed me thru the kitchen and went outside.  I went out with her and prompted her to go potty.  She did and I praised her, hugged her and kissed her and told her what a good girl she was.  Then I came in and cleaned up.

No major problems between Glory and Bella.  Glory is still jealous and is a bit rougher than Tucker is with Bella, but that may just be the way she will always be.

March 21 - Things are definitely getting better between Glory and Bella.  Glory is playing more with Bella and has stopped chasing Bella back inside the dog door.  Glory is still dragging toys outside, but no big deal.  Every time I take Bella out to go potty, I pick up the toys and bring them back in. lol

Glory actually acted as though she was standing up for Bella today.  All three were outside together.  Tucker discovered something and Bella attempted to investigate.  Tucker lunged at her and growled.  Glory came flying down off the steps and really laid into Tucker (nothing physical, just growling, etc.) and chased him up the steps and into the house.  Then she came back out and Bella and Glory came in together and ran around the house playing together.

Bella was sniffing around the dining room table...and usually this is when I would get right up and say "let's go outside and go potty" and lead her outside.  But, this time I decided to wait and see what she would do.  Well, I was very proud.  She made her way out thru the kitchen and went outside all by herself (Glory and Tucker were no where around) and she went pee and poop and then came back in.  No prompting what-so-ever.

I also did something different for bedtime and I think it really helped with the whining Bella usually does when put to bed.  I did everything that had to be done BEFORE I put Bella in her play yard.  Other nights I would put Bella to bed and then maybe go to the bathroom, which is where Bella could see me going in and coming back out.  Or I would put her in her bed and then go out and put fresh water in her bowl, come back into the room and put it in her play yard with her...or put her to bed and then round the other dogs up to put them to bed.  Tonight, I made sure that once I put her in her bed and said goodnight that I could go straight to bed.  I think it worked...because she made one tiny whimper and then not another sound.  We will see if it was just luck or if this new system really makes things easier on Bella when going to bed.

March 20 - Today was a great day.  No major incidents between Glory and Bella.  Although I am still taking Bella outside on a regular basis and prompting her to go potty, she did go out a couple times today on her own and went to the bathroom without prompting.  If left alone, she might go out on her own all the time, but at this point I don't want to take any chances.  I feel that the longer I continue to take her outside, stay with her, prompt her and then give praise, the stronger the habit of going outside to potty will be and the less likely for her to regress later and start having accidents.

Bella hasn't went potty on the papers during the night all week now.  She is taken outside the last time around 9 - 10 pm and she gets up and is taken out in the morning around 5 - 6 am.

She still whimpers and cries a bit when put to bed at night.  By a bit, I mean for no longer than a minute.  And she still does her cute little whimpering to us in the morning, accompanied by lots of pug kisses...letting us know that she missed us and is so happy to see us.

The schedule of getting her up at 5 - 6 and taking her out to go potty, then bringing her into my bed with me to rest for another hour is still working.  I think Bella really enjoys the cuddle time...and so do I.  Although, she wants to be right up by my head, actually laying on or against my face, which makes it very difficult to get comfortable and usually I end up with a kink in my neck. lol

March 19 - So far today, Glory hasn't shown any major incidents of aggression towards Bella.  Just the normal taking and hiding toys (no biggie), letting Bella know when she has had enough or is getting too close, and trying to keep Bella from going outside.  Even if Glory doesn't ever attack Bella again...I still have to solve this issue of Glory keeping Bella from using the doggie door.

Just a little bit ago, Glory and Tucker were outside.  Bella was sleeping at my feet and got up and walked out to the kitchen.  I followed her.  She stopped and got a drink.  Then Tucker came in, greeted Bella and then went back out...as if to invite her outside.  Bella went out the doggie door...Glory ran up the steps towards her (did not growl, bare her teeth or anything like that) and Bella turned and came right back in.  Now, since Bella had just woke up, I knew she had to go potty, but I couldn't get Bella to go back out the dog door.  So, I called Glory inside.  Then I had to pick up Bella, carry her out to do her business and she came in on her own.

I know that this is only an issue for Bella when it is Glory outside, not Tucker.  Yesterday evening, my daughter was playing with Glory and Bella followed Tucker out into the yard, romped and played with him and was fine.  I am really beginning to wonder if the "attack" traumatized Bella so much that she is afraid to be outside whenever Glory is around.  If so, this is a MAJOR problem.

I have read the article about having "Three or more dogs".  In fact, I read it before Bella ever came home.  It has helped me understand how dogs have to have an order to get along.  After studying the article, I feel that Tucker is the Alpha dog and that Glory is the Alpha Female.  When Bella entered the picture, Tucker was not threatened by her because It is well worth taking the time to read if you have or intend to have more than 2 dogs - http://www.doggiedoor.com/threedog.shtml.  In fact, there are a lot of other great articles at this web site.

It is pretty late at night, but I just had to stop in and add a couple things to today's entry.  The GOOD news is that Bella went out the doggie door this evening on her own and without prompting she went pee and poop.  Of course, she got lots of praise from mom and dad.  Tucker was out with her, but not Glory.  Now the BAD news is that Bella had her first real injury today.  My daughter was down on the floor playing with the dogs and somehow Bella hurt her front right leg.  She was limping and didn't want to put any weight on it even when she was sitting.  I was so afraid that she had broken it or dislocated something, but she didn't whimper or seem to mind at all when I pressed all around on it and moved it.  So, we just let her rest and after awhile, she got up and we could see that her limp wasn't as bad.  Then within about 5-10 minutes she was running and playing again.  So, she must just have gotten bruised. 

March 18 - This morning has not been good.  Glory definitely does not care for Bella being here and has let me know in a BIG way.  Up until now Glory has shown some frustration with Bella, has not joined in playing with Bella like Tucker does and has shown jealousy by dragging toys outside to try to keep Bella from playing with them.  This morning, however, it became a bit more serious.  Bella has been learning to use the doggie door.  I heard all three dogs run out thru the kitchen and I heard them go out.  I snuck to the door to watch and see if Bella would go potty while she was outside.  At first the dogs were just running around.  Then it appeared that Glory was playing with Bella.  But, soon I realized that she was attacking her.  Glory was baring her teeth, jumping on Bella over and over, knocking her to the ground.  Tucker was standing off to the side.  I yelled at Glory and she did stop right away.  Bella just laid there.  She has not been injured or bitten, but was scared and covered with dirt.  I scolded Glory and told her to go to bed.  I picked up Bella and comforted her.  I couldn't believe it.  Thank goodness I had never left the dogs alone together.  Who knows what would have happened.

Then later, the dogs all ran to the go outside.  I was watching them, although they didn't know it.  Glory wouldn't let Bella even get off the steps and into the yard.  She chased her back inside.  I am so upset about all of this.

Tonight, we were in the living room watching television and the dogs were all at my hubby's and my feet, wrestling, playing, etc.  Glory was being good, not being rough or mean...I did notice she kept looking up at us and I would say - good girl Glory, being nice to Bella, good girl.  But, then without warning we heard Bella cry out and then whimper.  They were so close to our feet that we had not seen what happened.  One of the children sitting across from us on the couch said that Glory had bitten Bella.  Bella, once again was shaken, but I couldn't find any injury.  Glory was scolded.

March 17 - Not much happened today.  Same old routine.  Bella is using the doggie door more, with prompting.  Although she has followed the other dogs outside thru the door, her objective was to play and not to potty. lol 

March 16 - Bella got a clean bill of health yesterday.  She wasn't nervous or afraid of the vet and everyone fell in love with her.  She weighed 4.6 pounds, which the vet said was very good for an almost 10 wk old pug. 

This morning, I was out in the kitchen and Tucker came running thru the kitchen and went outside using the doggie door.  Bella was right behind him and although a little reluctant, she followed him thru the door and went outside.  Definitely a break thru.  Since Bella loves playing outside... I expect that she will most likely be going outside more often on her own now.  Of course, this time she never made it down the stairs because Glory jumped out the door after Bella and then Bella came right back inside.
 

March 14 - Today Bella go her first real introduction to the "big dog area".  That is to say, we spent about 20 minutes outside in the dog's fenced area.  We had taken her out there a couple times before just quickly.  This time she got to sniff and run and play...oh and potty too. She made it all the way up the steps to the door, but that last step is a bit bigger than the others and she can't quite make it without some help.  Then after watching Tucker go in thru the doggie door, I lifted Bella up the last step and she popped in the doggie door too.  I think it will be a few more weeks before she will be able to go in and out by herself.

Today Bella had her first accident in quite awhile.  Usually I watch her so closely that if I even think she might have to go, I take her outside.  And several times she has even went to the door as if to tell me she needed to go.  Well, the kids had left a comforter laying on the living room floor and she and Tucker were jumping on it and hiding in it...just playing.  When Tucker got tired of that game, he walked over by the window and laid down in the sun.  Bella stayed on the comforter and I noticed that she was running around in circles on it, but I thought she was just still playing...trying to get Tucker to come play some more.  I was wrong, all of the sudden she squatted and started to pee. I said "no, no" and picked her up, then stepped to the door and said "potty outside"...and took her outside where she ran around just a couple times and then finished going.  Then I told her what a wonderful girl she was, got lots of pug kisses and we went back in.

Tomorrow Bella goes to see the our vet.  The breeder had taken her to her vet for shots and a checkup, but this will be the first time Bella meets our vet.

March 13 - Bella truly is a "big dog in a little space", which is the Pug motto.  She doesn't scare easily.  She is not a yappy dog.  We did hear her bark the other day while playing with Tucker.  She has adjusted to her new home very easily.  She loves all the kids, Grandma and anyone else who happens to stop by.
 

March 10 - Bella's personality is really showing now.  She is simply a joy to be around.  She is very playful and loving.  She loves playing with the toys and with her "brother and sister" (Tucker, a chihuahua, and Glory, a pomeranian).  Tucker has taken on a mothering role with Bella.  He cleans her and watches over her.  Glory isn't too sure about her just yet.  She is attempting to play with Bella more, but is pretty reserved.  Glory has also been dragging toys outside in the dog's fenced area.  I believe she is jealous of Bella playing with the toys and she knows that Bella doesn't go out the doggie door yet, so this is her way of hiding them from her.  It really is quite comical.

March 9 - Bella picked up quickly on what she is suppose to do when she is taken outside.  I say "go potty" and she runs and finds a spot and goes right away.  She has also learned her name and responds to it when called.  She likes to sleep underneath my computer chair and has chosen that as "her" spot to rest.  

March 8 - Bella is just a bundle of energy.  She loves to play with toys and loves to chew.  She will grab onto one of our big living room pillows and pull and pull until she moves it into the dining room.  She is very strong for such a little puppy.  She doesn't seem to mind being in her play yard at night, but does cry in the morning when she wants out and then continues to make soft whimpering noises when we do take her out...as if she is saying, "I'm so glad it's morning. I missed you so much."  It is so cute.  We also get lots of pug kisses first thing in the morning.  There is just something about Bella that makes her seem more like a human baby.  My husband was the first to notice it.  She shows so much expression and with that "pushed in" little face...you just can't help but treat her like a baby.  Also her little crying seems human like.  She is definitely a special little girl.