10/27/25 Update:
Bella attended a meet and greet we attended over the weekend. She is available for adoption. (see her bio link for full details about this sweet girl)
Check out her great update:
Although I am not Bella’s foster mom, I had the opportunity to spend a couple of hours with Miss Bella at Fleet Farm in Cedar Rapids at a meet and greet. This girl is amazing!
Today took her FAR out of her comfort zone, but she did great! Yes, she was scared, but the minute she saw the dogs at our booth, she lit up and gained some confidence in this new and scary setting.
Her new experiences included:
🐾Going for an hour-long car ride. Not only was this a new experience, but her canine BFF stayed home, so she did this without the comfort of her role model. On the way home, she even lay down and took a rest.
🐾Going into a big building with slick/shiny floors, loud sliding doors, carts being brought into the store, and all the scary noises that come with those, loud speakers, and many new sights, sounds, and a ton of activity.
🐾Meeting many new people and dogs. Many of the humans had costumes on, and she navigated that like a champ.
🐾A walk through the store to the Bird & Pet section, where she checked out all the toys and treats that were available.
🐾At the end of the day, she jumped into the van without any help from humans.
Bella requires a confident dog in her new home, a physical fence, and kids over 8 years of age. If you meet these requirements and are interested in Bella, please fill out an application. I can’t begin to tell you how sweet this girl is, and she will make someone a wonderful dog in the right home.
https://grroiowa.org/pet/bella-25-007/
https://grroiowa.org/adoption-information/
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7/21/25-Foster Update:
Bella 25-007 is looking for her forever home. She is a six-year-old Golden Retriever who has left her breeding days behind.
New update from foster mom:
She continues to come out of her shell more every day. She loves to run in the yard and does zoomies, but still won’t play with her foster fur brother. She will need a patient dog that will give her her space and time to come around. She does need a very confident dog to be a role model for her. Storms are not her favorite, but she usually finds a place to lie down close by until the storm passes.
I feel she would do best with older kids, as younger kids move too quickly and are too loud, and they scare her. If you think she might be a fit, submit your application today!
https://grroiowa.org/adoption-information/
4/16/25-Foster Update:
Bella is one brave girl! She still shows no interest in playing with our resident dog, but she does enjoy having him close by. Potty training has gone well and she is still sleeping in her crate overnight. She loves attention, and if she had her way, somebody would be petting her 24 hours a day. We are not sure how she is around cats, but she did show interest when she saw one on TV! Good interest or bad interest… we are not sure. If you are someone with a patient, resident dog, and you are willing to work with her, she might be a wonderful addition to your family.
3/31/25-Foster Update:
Bella continues to get braver every day! She was terrified of the TV when she first came but has taken a liking to it. She met my 5-year-old grandson recently and fell in love with him but I feel she would do better with older children. She is still startled by the quick movements and loud voices that younger children have. She does need a confident dog in the home that will be patient with her for a few days as she warms up to them. She is always looking for attention and loves to have her ears scratched.
Complete your adoption application today if you are interested in sweet Bella!
3/13/25-Foster Update:
Bella is a sweet 6-year-old Golden Retriever. She was surrendered from a breeder and has breeder tendencies such as being afraid of new people, noises, and new situations. She has learned to trust us and comes to us for attention but will crouch down when we walk up to her. She has learned to like and trust her foster brother but it took a week or so for that to happen.
She eats and sleeps (at night) in a crate and during the day sleeps in it with the door left open. She is good about letting you know if she needs to go outside as she will pace around and not lie down. We are not sure about kids and cats but feel she might be best with kids a little older that don’t make lots of sudden movements and loud noises.
She will need a fenced yard and another dog so she can continue to be more confident. She will need a patient family willing to work with her on trust. If she sounds like she might fit into your home, apply today!