Havanese chows down on a bouquet buffet

Meet Bella, a Havanese from Chicago who is always happy

Nationwide members Flavia M. and Igor Z. started looking for a new puppy around the time when COVID restrictions left many people stuck at home. However, they needed to find just the right breed—and the right dog—for their lifestyle. Luckily for them, Bella was a perfect fit.

Igor says, “When you interact with Bella, she's always happy and has this wonderful ‘in the moment’ attitude. I think it naturally translates to us, and it changes your mood.”

“She has really become our best friend,” Flavia says. Bella also lives up to her beautiful name in every sense. “She loves going to the spa, going to the groomer. Yeah, she enjoys it.”

Igor adds, “She likes [toothbrush time] because it's an opportunity to put something else in her mouth. She has an oral fixation that I think is once in a generation.”

Bella likes keeping her pet parents on their toes, chiefly by picking things up in her mouth—street treats, toothbrushes, even a tooth whitening strip in one instance. Flavia says, “At least once a day, you will find one of us with a hand in her mouth, trying to take out something that she picked up.”

Bella’s pet parents are typically able to manage what goes into Bella's mouth. But one time, when mom and dad were away, Bella feasted on a beautiful bouquet—landing herself this Hambone Award nomination.

What happened?

On the day in question, Igor got flowers for Flavia to celebrate her return from a trip.

"My husband always gives me flowers," says Flavia. "He made the bouquet, and he chose the flowers."

That evening, they met with some friends to see a movie. While they were gone, Bella was hard at work figuring out how to climb onto a table.

Flavia continues, “We stop back at the house, and as soon as we open the door, we see a minefield of vomit and diarrhea and leaves everywhere. Then we walk in, and we see Bella staring at us—”

“Happy,” Igor interjects. “Her entire face was green, blue and yellow, because she had a buffet. And obviously her system wasn't a big fan.”

The couple knew that many popular flowers were very toxic for pets. To make matters worse, they didn’t know exactly which blooms made it into the arrangement. “I couldn't name a type of flower outside of a rose and a tulip if you paid me,” Igor says.

Flavia and Igor rushed Bella to the emergency veterinarian. Luckily, one photograph the couple took of their especially lovely bouquet offered great insight into which flowers she’d munched, none of which were especially dangerous for dogs.

Bella’s bouquet buffet was a scary experience, but she quickly recovered to her normal, happy self. For Flavia and Igor, Nationwide was there to cover their eligible veterinary expenses (flowers, however, are off the table).

How Nationwide helped

For a pup who loves to nibble on strange things, pet insurance is a no-brainer. However, pet health coverage offers peace of mind against all sorts of unexpected scares.

Igor says, “If a pet is a meaningful part of your family, having pet insurance is an absolute must. Pet insurance is a matter of when, not if. At some point, you will need to make a claim. That's just a fact. I'm a huge believer of insurance, every aspect of it. Because again, when you need it, if you don't have it, it's too late. I know it's not the sexiest thing, but it it's a lifesaver in a lot of a lot of times.”

“I look at Bella like myself,” he adds. “I would never go uninsured for my health. I just wouldn't do it.”