Bella (whose name is actually Belle but has since changed a bit) is a mixed retriever and Samoyed with a big fluffy coat and a squat, round body that has earned her yet another name, "Bella the Bear."

She belongs to Jennifer Deyoung and Bella is relatively new. "I got her at the end of October so I've only had her for about six months," said DeYoung, "and I got her from the animal shelter over by Interbay. She's about five years old."

Bella is extremely gentle, curious, friendly and very calm. "She's one of the sweetest, most good natured dogs I've ever met and I'm a big dog lover and have interacted with a lot of them. She's just very patient. She loves other people and other dogs."

When dogs and cats get together the results can sometimes be dramatic. Not with Bella. "The first time she met my friend's cat, we were very anxious about 'How is she going to interact with cats? Bella walked into the room where the cat was, looked around walked right up to the cat and just started licking the cat. And the cat just laid there and purred," Deyoung said laughing, "Now the two of them are friends for life."

Bella does shed and that means vacuuming, "a lot" but she's worth it.

Bella enjoys her Kirkland brand dog food, but she's gained a little weight so her amount has been cut back. For treats, "Lately I've been trying out some natural food treats I bought at Next to Nature in the Junction. I got some of the little salmon hearts and she's really been liking those a lot."

She isn't a highly trained dog but Bella knows 'sit' and 'down' and she also loves car rides. "If we let her out through the front door, the first thing she does is just run to the car."

Toys are not something Bella cares about even though she has a few from plush toys to a ball, "If you throw the ball she'll just kind of look at you," Deyoung said laughing, "Taking her to the dog park is a little anti-climactic."

Harbor Avenue and Lincoln Park are favorite walks.

"One of the first things we did when we got her was to give her a bone. She took the bone in her mouth and started running around the inside of the house. She went into our back bedroom and it has black wood painted floors. She was in the corner and she was pawing at the floor. She got up and went to a different part of the house. So, we have a potted banana tree and she tried to dig in the dirt to bury the bone. But then she realized she wasn't going to get very far."

How to nominate your pet for Pet of the Week:

Want to nominate your pet for Pet of the Week? Stop by the VCA West Seattle Animal Hospital at 5261 California Ave. S.W. and just ask for a form. A nomination is not a guarantee of appearance and your name and photo may appear in our newspaper and online.

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