Abby Turner always wanted a dog she could carry in a purse. She wound up with Bluebelle instead. The American bulldog weighed 25 pounds as a puppy, but Abby was not to be deterred. She bought a gym bag and carried the pup around on her shoulder — until Bluebelle got too heavy. The 9-year-old dog now weighs 85 pounds. When Abby went to college, she left Bluebelle in the care of her mother, Nancy Turner, who lives in North Stonewall Terrace. The two like to sit on the porch, where Bluebelle can monitor the comings and goings on her street. “Our neighborhood looks like the Westminster dog show with everyone out walking their dogs,” Nancy says. “We sit on the porch and watch the world go by.” With a name like Bluebelle, it’s tempting to assume the dog loves ice cream. But the sweet treat isn’t what inspired her name. With a beautiful blue brindle coat, the Turners decided to combine the words and name her Bluebelle, which contains the French word for beauty. “For such a big and brutish-looking bulldog, she’s a wonderful family pet,” Nancy says.

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