Bella Dogs

12/24/2025

We made sure to tell Santa Paws that all of your pups have been the goodest boys and girls all year 🎄🎁 but he already knew that 😉 They deserve all of the love, treats and more!

12/13/2025

Christmas is officially 12 days away... how is it that time of the year already?! What do you think your dogs would want for Christmas? They have all been super good boys and girls and deserve a little something. Here are a few things that we think your dogs, and you, might love:

🎁 Visits with the best dog walkers in town, Danielle and Alf at of course!!!

🎁 Bully sticks (we get ours from )

🎁 A Qwizl toy from to hold bully sticks and treats.

🎁 Of course the toys are a classic must have and we also love the Wobbler.

🎁 A few puzzle toys are great to have and makes some nice ones. Check out

🎁 Snuffle and licky mats! You can find various versions of these pretty much anywhere dog toys are sold. and
are a few local spots to shop.

🎁 Biothane (or leather) leashes with a carabiner or brass closure. These materials are easy to clean, easy on your hands and long lasting. We've got our eye on a few things from (who are also an R+ company 🥳)

🎁 A well fitted harness to keep pressure off of a dog's sensitive neck. and are some brands to look into.

🎁 If your dog requires some extra warmth outside, we love AND you can even get yourself a matching outfit!

🎁 We use household items like towels, blankets, egg cartons, paper towel rolls or plastic containers as enrichment by hiding treats in them to find! These are incredibly budget friendly and quick to make up. Don't be afraid to get creative, a good sniffari can be had anywhere you make one!

These are just a few things we love, please feel free to add anything that YOU love in the comments!

12/12/2025

12/12/2025

People often say you should never give “human food” to dogs. It sounds authoritative, but it collapses when you examine it. There is no category of food biologically reserved for humans. There is only food.

Why do so many people believe that real food becomes dangerous when it is served to a dog? The answer has almost everything to do with marketing. Before the 20th century, dogs were fed from the same food sources as the household. Commercial dog food emerged as a convenience product. A clever way to turn food by-products into something marketable. Leftover cereals, rendered animal parts and trimmings could be dried, pressed, & sold. This reduced food waste & it opened a profitable market. But companies needed a narrative that positioned their processed product as essential. This is when the idea took shape that dogs require “dog food” and that everything else is “human food”. The goal was simple. If you can frame a product as the only responsible option, people buy it without question.

Pet food industry marketing focused on convenience, safety, & scientific authority. Bags were labelled with charts, numbers, and nutritional claims, giving the impression that pet food was the only way to meet a dog’s needs. Real food was framed as messy, unsafe, or amateurish.

Commercial diets are formulated to meet nutritional criteria. These criteria are minimums and maximums based on laboratory measurements. Meeting criteria means the product contains a certain amount of protein, fat, vitamins, & minerals on paper. It does not mean those nutrients come from high quality ingredients.

When people tell you not to give “human food” to dogs, what they usually mean is that dogs should not eat chocolate, spiced dishes, onions, or ultra processed fast food. That advice is common sense. It does not justify banning fresh foods entirely.

Here is a sensible way to think about it.

• Safe fresh foods are good for dogs.
• Toxic foods or heavily processed junk foods are not.
• Modern dog food is a convenience.

Real food is the same food that living organisms have been eating forever. It is not “human food”. It is food.

12/07/2025

December is a popular time of year where people bring new pets into their homes... and January/February are typically the busiest 2 months for intakes at shelters. Why do you think that might be?

There are a million wonderful reasons to get a dog, but there are also a million practical reasons not to. BEFORE you start the journey of becoming a pet parent, you MUST have an honest conversation with yourself to make an informed decision. Understand that you are making a commitment to a dog for their entire life, no matter what. The dog will be the one to suffer consequences if you cannot take care of them, so please consider THEIR wellness and safety above all else.

The obvious big things to consider are time and money. Dogs require your daily attention in order to live a healthy and fulfilled life. Play, walks, mental enrichment, etc. They also need food, toys, vet visits, grooming, walker/sitter, etc... If you think you can accommodate and budget for all these things, you now need to think about your own physical and mental health.

Are you active and able to chase around a puppy, or is adopting a senior more your speed? Do you have the patience to train your puppy, or do you adopt an adult dog with a few skills already under their belt? Are you physically strong and able to handle a larger, muscle dog, or is that smaller fluffy breed better suited for you? If your dog has any kind of behavior issue, do you have the strength and dedication to do the work it takes to help them? Do you understand that there's no such thing as a "quick fix" or "guaranteed cure"? You must set your expectations reasonably.

We don't know who needs to hear this but: IT'S OK TO NOT HAVE A DOG. Maybe a different pet is suited for you, or visiting with a friend or family dog is your thing? You can also volunteer some time to walk dogs at shelters/rescues and they will really appreciate it.

There are a lot of ways to enjoy the company of a dog without having the major responsibilities on your shoulders and that's OK! It's putting dogs first 🫶🏻🐾

11/30/2025

We see "lost" dog posts daily and it's very distressing. Sometimes it's an accident and one off event, but some are the same dogs over and over. Why is this happening so much and how can we help prevent this? Most of the reasons are preventable and are rooted in the same thing: human carelessness & irresponsibility.

👎🏻 Faulty fencing - broken posts/panels, holes dug, unlatched gates, electric fences, etc.

👎🏻 Newly home(d) - if you've recently moved or brought a new dog into your home extra precautions must be taken.

👎🏻 Fear - loud noises like fireworks, thunder, motorcycles, etc. can cause your dog to flee.

👎🏻 Prey drive - a dog's natural instinct to chase animals or bikes, cars, joggers, etc.

👎🏻 Open doors - inattentiveness arriving/leaving, weak or unlatched storm doors, lever type door handles, etc.

👎🏻 Being off leash - uncontrolled, untrained, unmanaged, on shock collars, trusting dogs "to know" things, etc.

👎🏻 Unsupervised - dogs left to their own devices without anyone watching them, unmet needs, boredom, etc.

👎🏻 Children in charge - allowing children to walk dogs, adults nowhere to be found supervising interactions.

These are the most common reasons dogs are found at large. It can be one thing, or a combination of a few. YOUR DOGS ARE NOT TO BLAME, WE ARE.

WE, as dog guardians, are tasked with the responsibility of protecting and keeping dogs safe. If you need help finding simple or creative solutions to manage your dogs, help is there for you if you ask. We just want all of your dogs to be safe and sound 🫶🏻🐾

11/29/2025

We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebrating too much and napping it off 😂 We definitely made too much food, so that means we've got "leftovers" to share in the form of yummy, pumpkiny cookies made by our friends at 🐾🦴😋

This year, they asked if we could be hired to take some fun Christmas photos for holiday cards. Of course we said YES; we love taking photos, especially of all of our furry friends! We're not professional photographers and we had no idea what to charge lol so we used the good ole barter system instead. Pics for cookies!

makes the most delicious cookies for humans. (We've certainly eaten our fair share lol) We asked if he could make us some doggy cookies instead and wow, did he deliver! They are Bella approved which is a big deal lol

We wanted a fun way to say THANK YOU to our clients for all of their continued support. This week, we'll be delivering these delicious and super cute cookies for all of our buddies to enjoy 🤗

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! We hope you all have a wonderful day no matter what your plans may be... and hopefully that involves spending time with some sweet dogs 🤗

We're so grateful for all of your support over the years, full of thanks!!!! 🫶🏻🐾🙏🏻

11/25/2025

If you've been following us, you know music is a big part of our lives and we incorporate bands we love into our designs. Today, we're incredibly inspired by NJ legends 🙌🏻 The footage here was taken in August at You can even see Alf up there singing along with some of our buds!

These shows, along with many bands we love, are more like family reunions. People that have known each other and support each other's endeavors for decades. It's a community of artists, makers, entrepreneurs and people who pave their own roads. This spirit is infectious and one we carry with us every day running small businesses and working to make the lives of dogs better.

So... this one goes out to all of the True Believers! To all of the punks that live their lives on their terms and stand up for what they believe in, even if it's not always easy to do. Keep going, keep fighting, stay strong. Dogs need our voices to keep them from harm 🫶🏻🐾

11/23/2025

If you leave the house with your dogs, there is absolutely a 100% chance of them stepping in a strange dog's p**p. Judging from the streets we walk on every single day, it's guaranteed that they most likely have. GROSS 🤮

While one would think that picking up after your dog in public spaces is a no brainer, unfortunately it's not. While this is an issue 365 days a year, it gets especially bad in the fall when leaves camouflage p**p and people think it's perfectly acceptable to not pick it up. If this is you, we're going to say it loudly: YOU ARE SELFISH & ENTITLED!

It's one thing if we step in it. Of course it's awful and incredibly irritating, but we can take off our shoes. Your dogs don't have this option. Did you even notice if they stepped in or ate something? They are coming inside and tracking filth all over your homes. Cleaning your shoes off is also much easier than bathing your dogs because a wipe doesn't always get the job done.

💩 PAY ATTENTION to what your dogs are doing. Get off of your phones and stay engaged.

💩 Noticeably, flexi users and off leash dogs tend to leave p**ps behind more often. Always use a 6 ft leash in public.

💩 Always carry extra bags with you. Don't let goofy two p**ps leave you hanging.

💩 Keep bags with walking gear so you don't forget them.

💩 Subscribe order bags or set calendar reminders so you never run out. Delivery is convenient and one less thing to think about.

💩 If you do forget a bag or run out, immediately go back and pick it up when you get one from home.

💩 If your dog p**ps next to another pile, you still need to pick yours up. Don't become a part of the problem due to frustration.

💩 Hire a company to pick up your property! Yes, these services exist!

💩 Have respect and common decency for your neighborhood. You are not the only one that lives there, you a part of a community. Do your part!

💩 Utilize those outdoor cameras! We won't judge if you name and shame the offenders or even kindly send it back to their own homes 🫢😜😂