Size
(when grown) Large 61-100 lbs (28-45 kg)
Details
Good with cats,
Needs experienced adopter,
House-trained,
Story
Meet Bella!
A graceful six-and-a-half-year-old Saluki/Labrador Retriever mix currently living in Portsmouth, VA, whose essence is a poetic blend of athletic elegance and soulful loyalty wrapped in a shiny black coat with white accents.
Bella’s story began far across the ocean in Bahrain, and after traveling to the United States at just six months old, she has blossomed into a deeply intelligent and devoted companion. At 63 pounds, Bella is a sleek, athletic girl who loves sprinting laps around the yard, running alongside her human on hikes, and pulling every toy from her basket just to nap among them—her quirky way of making sure none of her beloved treasures feel left out!
She’s crate trained, leash trained, and knows commands like sit, stay, down, up, give paw, and recall by name. Her guardians share that by 8 pm sharp, she transforms into a sleepy pumpkin ready to curl up for a quiet evening—a gentle routine that brings peace to any home. Bella thrives on structure and finds joy in simple pleasures like chewing her sturdy bones or playfully borrowing her cat siblings’ tiny toys.
Bella is selective with dogs but has had positive experiences with calm, smaller canine friends. She lives peacefully with cats, handling alone time up to eight hours with ease. While she takes Trazodone for long car rides and has fear-based reactivity in crowded or unpredictable settings, her heart is pure gold with her trusted inner circle, greeting them with loving eyes and endless devotion. She would do best in a calm, child-free home with an experienced pet parent who understands her cautious nature and offers her consistent, gentle guidance.
Bella has a history of fear-based biting incidents when startled or approached too quickly, so her new family should prioritize calm introductions and continue working on confidence-building through positive reinforcement. Her seasonal allergies occasionally cause itching, but she remains healthy, vaccinated, microchipped, and spayed.
Bella is searching for a caring environment where she can be both protector and best friend, basking in morning sunbeams before snoozing at dusk. Could you be the patient, loving family ready to watch Bella’s brilliance shine every single day?
We’re also including a month of professional behavioral support to help Bella settle into her next chapter with ease and reassurance.
To welcome Bella into your life, contact adopt@joyfulpets.com! Are you ready for this beautiful girl’s next chapter of loyal companionship and peaceful twilight cuddles?
