Rukshi’s beautiful girl Bella

Pet’s details:
Name: Bella (10 months)
Breed: Bullmastiff

Owner: Rukshi Nethicumara

What was the thinking behind naming her Bella?

I've always liked the name Bella so when I got her, it was the first thing that popped into my head.

Brief us through her daily routine?

She’s up around 5.45am and that's my wake up call. She comes near my bed, sits on the side and then starts licking my face. This is so I will let her out to do her business. If I don't wake up, she'll bring slippers, T-shirts and pretty much anything she can find and dump it on my bed! She eats twice a day and I've put her on dog food.

What’s her favourite snack?

Apples and avocados!

Does Bella have a particularly favourite place to sleep and hang out?

She loves to sleep with the curtain covering her head so she snuggles under the curtain. Her favourite place to hang out is near the gate watching people go by and bark for hours.

Have you always loved pets?

Our family has always had dogs. My dad had this thing, when each kid was born he would get a puppy! We always had dogs in the house from the time we were born and it's my father’s love for dogs that rubbed off on us. 

Who was your first pet?

A boxer named Rambo.

What is having a pet like?

It is the most amazing feeling in the world. The unconditional love they have towards us are beyond what words could describe. Whether it is a bad day or a good day, they are always there.  They are happiness machines :) That's what they are! You forget all the worries in the world and nothing matters the moment you see them!

What is bath time like for Bella?

Bath time is utter chaos! She hates it. So there's three of us that's needed to bathe her. She absolutely hates to be dried using a towel. She has an ongoing battle with the towel!

How does she react when you head out of the house and when you return home?

The first time I left Bella it was for about a week and I still remember my mum calling me and blasting me asking me to hurry up because the dog is suffering. She had stopped eating, was whining and stayed in my room and refused to come out. Bella knows I'm home the moment I enter through the gates. She comes darting through pushing everyone away. She has this thing, where to get noticed, she carries something in her mouth. Whatever she can find –  Clothes, slippers, her soft toys...  Anything!  She comes running towards me and hands it over to me and then she needs loads of cuddles and kisses!

Could you imagine life without her? 

I cannot ever imagine my life without Bella. She makes everything okay for me! Whenever I’m upset or having a bad day she'll just look at me with those big brown eyes of hers which just melts my heart!

What is the most precious moment you share with Bella?

My most precious moments with her is whenever I'm home with her. She's very attached to me – Literally like my tail. She can’t go for five minutes without me If I'm at home. She will sniff me out or somehow find me and will lie down next to where I am. If I'm even gone for even two minutes she will follow me and somehow find me... Every moment with her is so precious!

By Natasha Fernandopulle