Category Archives: Rescued Dog Bella

The Sky Is Angry, But I’ve Got Tunes: A Dog’s Fireworks Strategy

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Understanding Dog Fireworks Anxiety

If your pup struggles with dog fireworks anxiety, you’re not alone. Even confident dogs can panic when the sky starts cracking open with sound. Helping dogs with fireworks anxiety is something every pet parent can learn.

A Blog Post by Blue Belle the Very Brave (and Very Cute) Dog

Before we let Blue Belle take over the keyboard, here’s a little context from her humans. She’s been part of our family for many years — a senior pup, a cancer survivor, and the bravest little soul we know. But if there’s one thing she has never made peace with, it’s fireworks. Over the years, we’ve helped her through the booms and crackles with gentle support and natural remedies like Rescue Remedy, recommended by our vet. This year, we’re adding something new to her comfort toolkit: calming music. And in true Blue Belle fashion, she has a lot to say about it.

Hello, friends. It’s me — Blue Belle.
Professional snuggler. Treat connoisseur. And, apparently, now a blogger. I know. I contain many talents. For more about Blue Belle’s journey, you can read her adoption story here.

Dog with fireworks anxiety listening to calming music.

Today I want to talk about something important: FIREWORKS. Or as I like to call them: The Sky Is Angry And Nobody Warned Me.

Dog Fireworks Anxiety

Every year, humans gather to watch bright explosions and say things like “Ooooh!” and “Aaaah!” Meanwhile, I’m wishing we had a coffee table I could hide under and wondering if we should evacuate.

But this year, my humans tried something new: relaxing music for dogs.

🎧 “Blue Belle, does the music actually help?”And I have thoughts.

Short answer: Yes… mostly. Long answer: Let me explain, because I’m a dog with nuance.

When the fireworks start, the booms feel big and unpredictable. They make my heart race and my paws sweat (don’t judge me). But when my humans turn on calming music — the kind with soft piano, gentle whooshing sounds, and absolutely zero barking — something interesting happens. At least I hope so, this is the first year we will give this a try.

The scary noises don’t feel as sharp. The room feels safer. And I can focus on the steady, soothing sounds instead of the chaos outside. (That’s what they tell me.)

It’s like having a warm blanket for my ears.

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The Rescue Dog That Rescued Us: Blue Belle’s Story

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Dog gets adopted from adoption center.

Hello friends,

My name is Blue Belle, and I want to tell you how I found my forever family—and how they found me.

🌟 From Shelter to Second Chances

I wasn’t always called Blue Belle. At the shelter, my name was Bella. I had been rescued from a small-town pound where my future was uncertain. Lucky’s Place, a no-kill shelter in Wyoming, gave me hope. I wagged my stubby tail every time someone walked by, wishing they’d see me for who I was: a loyal, gentle soul ready to love.

One day, a family came in. They were grieving the loss of their beloved Maggie, and their hearts were heavy. At first, they weren’t sure about me—my tail was short, and I wasn’t the puppy they thought they wanted. But when they looked into my eyes, they saw something more: kindness, intelligence, and a spark of joy waiting to shine again.

💕 Healing Hearts Together

When they chose me, I didn’t just get a home—I got a mission. I became their comfort, their laughter, their reminder that love always finds a way back. They say I rescued them as much as they rescued me. And that’s the magic of adoption: it’s not one-sided. It’s a bond that heals both dog and human.

🐶 Why Adoption Matters

My story is just one of thousands. Every year, millions of dogs like me wait in shelters, hoping for a second chance. When you adopt:

  • You save a life—sometimes just in the nick of time.
  • You fight against puppy mills and unethical breeding.
  • You find a true match—dogs of all ages, breeds, and personalities are waiting.
  • You gain more than a pet—you gain a family member who may just rescue you right back.

 ✨ A Stubby Tail, A Full Heart

My stubby tail may not have been “perfect,” but it became a symbol of resilience. Every wag is a thank-you to the family who saw beyond appearances and chose love.

So if you’re thinking about adding a furry friend to your life, remember: adoption isn’t just about giving a dog a home. It’s about opening your heart to a story that will change your life forever. 

READ more about how we found the rescue dog that rescued us.

READ how we handle it when our rescue dog got cancer.

AMAZON FINDS

Our dog, Blue Belle, is a cancer survivor. To help us pay for her various medications our family has become Amazon Affiliates. You can click on this AMAZON LINK to find some goodies for your fur family. We appreciate your support.

Our Dog Has Cancer – Now What?

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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, some of the links in our family’s cancer journey will take you to products you may find of interest.

By: Julie Walton and Blue Belle the Canine Contributor

Our dog thinking about surviving cancer.

Can We Rescue The Rescue Dog Who Rescued Us?

Blue Belle, the rescue dog that rescued us, now needs to be rescued again. Blue Belle has been a special member of our family for over 12 years. We adopted her when she was one year old.  We traveled from Idaho, across the state to Wyoming where we were told a no-kill shelter had the perfect dog for us. She had been found in a dog pound where some uncaring family threw her away where she was to be euthanized. The loving people of Lucky’s Place saved her and put her up for adoption. We were so happy when we found our new furever dog.

Please adopt me.
Bella wants to be our furever dog.
See Blue Belle’s Adoption Story HERE.

Blue Belle has had some health issues, but she has been a loyal companion so the vet visits and expense of caring for our fur baby is definitely worth the cost. 

We Hate Cancer!

We are talking about canine cancer. Can we rescue our precious dog from this awful disease?

In 2024 we discovered a lump on Blue Belle’s back leg. The vet said to keep an eye on it and when it grew quite a bit in a few months we knew to make another appointment with our vet. He performed surgery the next day and we returned to the vet clinic several times for wound care. A sample was sent in to the lab and sadly we learned she had cancer.

Dog lump - MCT cancer.
Blue Belle had a large lump on her back leg. After surgery the vet sent in samples to the lab.

We learned a new term. MCT, Mast Cell Tumor. We had no idea what that was. But knew it was serious. Our vet gave us several options. One option was to make an immediate appointment with an oncologist and he gave us the name of a local oncologist he recommended. I called her office right away and was pleased to get an appointment within a few days. 

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Dog Dental Treat Greenies – Review

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3 year old Shaelee shares a video review of the dog dental treats Greenies. Blue Belle waits while we talk with Shaelee about the dog treats, Greenies. Shaelee is wearing gloves because she is allergic to dogs.

1 year old best buds
1 year old best buds

Blue Belle is the same age as Shaelee and we love the fact that Blue Belle is so gentle with her. We were not too thrilled when we realized that Shaelee is allergic to dogs, but we figured out how she can still enjoy being with Grandma and Grandpa and our dog Blue Belle.

When we adopted Blue Belle we tested her people skills.  She was so very gentle when we played with her and when we gave her a treat.  We wanted to make sure that our new forever dog would be a good fit for our family, including our one year old granddaughter.

Here is Shaelee and Blue Belle’s Review – Greenies

We were really excited to have the opportunity to review greenies, they have been a favorite of our family for years. It doesn’t take long for Blue Belle to gobble up a greenie, but I do think they are in her mouth and teeth long enough to freshen her breath.

We received a 12 pack of grain free Greenies from Chewy.com.  They arrived packaged in a box, the mail man brought them to our door.  Greenies say they are the total oral health solution.

  • Fights tarter buildup & plaque
  • Freshens breath
  • Maintains healthier teeth and gums
  • Naturally helps clean teeth

Blue Belle does likes the taste, and we are glad that they are low in calories and fat. An interesting fact that I wasn’t aware of – they have added vitamins and minerals.  Key to us, they are Made in the USA!

Shaelee, Blue Belle, Murry and Julie all recommend Greenies Dental Treats.

What Happens When Engineers Own Dogs

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We are not engineers here in the Walton household, but we do have a dog who would love this smart design. Belle loves to fetch a tennis ball, that is her favorite game. I was watching this video, laughing with glee, and Blue Belle noticed. She immediately brought me a ball.

Enjoy the funny video
“What Happens When Engineers Own Dogs”

Learning Mandarin Chinese With Our Dog

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Teaching our dog mandarin chineseHave you ever tried to learn a second or third language? If you are not living in a country where you are completely surrounded by the new language, with people speaking to you, seeing signs everywhere, it can be quite a challenge to learn a new language.

My hubby and I are learning to speak mandarin chinese, but we are here in the U.S. We are not surrounded by people speaking chinese. We do have friends from Taiwan who have returned to their part of the world. We will keep in touch with them and look forward to visiting Taiwan in the future. We have a favorite chinese restaurant and enjoy our attempts to use our mandarin when visiting.

We decided to begin our education by using the same books that are utilized by the foreign language class at our local university, so we will learn pinyin and also learn to write chinese characters. In addition to a weekly study group we have with friends and a private tutor, we are also using online resources. I have found many resources on YouTube and some websites with free basic chinese lessons. Today I found the site LearnChineseEZ. They show you words and phrases in english and then in pinyin with a sound link so you can hear the pronunciation.  I listen and repeat, it has come in quite handy.  And of course google translate is very helpful, but you have to make sure of the accuracy.  I think one of my favorite tools is an online learning tool,  Quizlet, which provides study tools and games which can be used for learning anything, but is especially fantastic for learning languages.  Using Quizlet, I made up my own set of words and phrases and use the flashcard feature, the scatter game and the tests.  I have found many useful apps for my iphone, including an app for quizlet so I can practice my sets while on the go.

One advantage for us is that we are doing this as a family. Our dog, Blue Belle, will become a part of the learning process. We can speak to each other in chinese and we can speak to Belle. How long do you think it will take for Blue Belle to comprehend our new speech? She is such a smart dog, I think she will pick up on the new lingo rather quickly.

How about you guys? Have any of you taught your dogs a new language?