Bella is U-CH U-CD Int/Am CH Stargazer’s Astrud Isabella CD RA WWD SROM, a black and white Irish-marked curly Portuguese Water Dog. She is 6 years old, 19", and 42 lbs, which is right at the breed standard for females. She was bred by Christi and Sandy Overton and is out of Sabrina (Am/Cam CH Stargazer's Bewitched CD OA NAJ AWD SROM). Her sire is Kilo (Int'l/Am Ch Sunnyhill Lookout Stormwatch CD C-CD NA NAJ WWD SROM), bred by Suzanne Malick. 

Bella has great working drive, and a very sweet, fun-loving and stable temperament. Her first love is water work of any sort, and she has earned Junior, Apprentice, and Working Water Dog. Our efforts at Courier are sidetracked by maternity leave this year, but we plan be ready for 2009 if we don't make it in 2008! She has earned AKC, UKC, and International Championships in the breed ring, as well as AKC and UKC CD titles in Obedience, and an AKC RA title for Advanced Rally Obedience. She is also a Certified Therapy Dog, and AKC Canine Good Citizen. For her combination of titles in diverse areas of competition, she has received the Silver Register of Merit award (SROM) from PWDCA. Earlier this year she entered her first agility competition and qualified in all her runs, so that will be an ongoing activity once the pups have gone to their new homes.

Bella is rated OFA Excellent for hips, and OFA Normal for elbows. Both of her parents are OFA Good. Her CERF is clear, and she is OptiGen B (PRA carrier), GM-1 Normal, and Cardio Normal 1-1. She was bred to an OptiGen A1 (non-carrier) sire, so there will be no risk of producing PRA-affected offspring. In addition, her MSU thyroid assay is normal, suggesting no tendency to inherited thyroid auto-immune disease.