Life in a puppy mill is a miserable existence, but life there as a breeding dog is a special kind of horror. For four years, that was the only life BlueBelle knew, and it has left its mark on her, both physically and behaviorally. The two teeth that you see in her photos are the only ones she has, and she eats a raw diet due to her allergies. She didn't get the chance to learn how to be sociable with humans while her puppy brain was forming and she was just trying to survive in impoverished, frightening conditions. As a result, her behaviors were like those of a feral dog when she first came to New Rattitude and a veterinary behaviorist diagnosed her with an especially severe case of fears and phobias. As you might expect, 7-year-old BlueBelle is not at all like the average, friendly, playful, lap-sitting, walking buddy that most people imagine when they hear the words “Rat Terrier.” Quiet and small at only 12 lbs., Belle longs for (and deserves) a calm home with loving, gentle adults only, who will respect her need for space, letting her choose whether and when to be touched. In the past, Belle has lived peacefully with a cat but never with children. She'll need at least one canine companion in her new home so that she has a friend and can learn doggy routines. In fact, she’s curious about new dogs and loves sweet, small dogs like herself, but she’ll demand her personal dog-free resting space and do it with a snarl, if necessary. Her threats, however, are reserved for other dogs, and she has never been aggressive toward a person. BlueBelle is house-trained and uses potty pads when no one is home to let her out. She doesn't walk on a leash, so she must have a fenced yard. Her new home should be within easy driving distance of Bogart, Georgia, so that her foster mom can help her transition and avoid any undue panic. Bluebelle won't return your love in the way most approachable dogs would. You'll need to be able to read her subtle signals and take pleasure in small gains, like feeling her stretch a little to nestle more closely into you. But if you've had experience with extremely shy dogs and are the kind of person whose heart will swell simply at the sight of Belle pausing as she takes a drink of water to look you in the eye and ever so briefly wiggling her gray nubbin of a tail, then you may have found your special girl! Take a peek at more photos of beautiful BlueBelle in her online album at http://www.imageevent.com/newrattitude/bluebelle .