About

About the blog

Bringing up Bella is a journal of sorts about my beautiful, crazy, smart (and crazy-smart) rescue dog, Bella (and other doggie stuff).

Bella is both fearful and reactive and I hope these stories will highlight her amazing resilience, joy and growth as well as my own learning curve as her guide through this life's journey.

About the blogger

Hi. I'm Leslie.

The elevator speech:

Computer programmer by day, dog-lover and animal rescue volunteer by night. Blogger by... well blogger by any spare time I can steal away from my family, chores and other responsibilities. I don't sleep much. I read - a lot; love cooking, gardening and nature; live for good food, fine wine, warm friends and great music. My email address is: leslieolyott@yahoo.com, my Twitter handle is @leslie42363 and I'm on Google+ (as Leslie Olyott, I think), if you want to connect. You can also visit the gardener me at So grows the gardener..." although I'm wildly inconsistent about keeping that blog up to date.

Disclaimer:

I am not a dog trainer. I don't work in the business. I'm not a photographer or even a writer. I am just a computer programmer who loves dogs. (If you have a website you need help with, that I can do.) 

But if I come across as offering advice, take it with a grain of salt. While it's based on a lifetime with dogs, really I'm just figuring this out as I go, trying to do the very best I can by the dogs in my life.

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Thanks for visiting. We hope you enjoy your stay.