Our beautiful Blue is a wonderful, huge lump of Spanish Mastin dog. She adores everyone in the world especially her big brother Arthur. She loves everyone so much that when she began "living" in the big kitchen with us during the hot summer months a couple of years ago, and started meeting guests and friends regularly, she refused to move back out with the other dogs, into their terrace and cool room. Believe me if Blue doesn't want to go anywhere or do anything, at around 60 kilos it aint going to happen! We have so many photos of her with our friends, they all fall in love with her. So imagine our suprise when she started getting grumpy with her favouite "person" in the whole world, her Arthur!
It all began one evening, Alan and I were taking the washing off the line and we could hear Blue and Arthur having a bit of rough and tumble. The only time that ever happens is after dinner. Usually Blue wants to play, so she runs and jumps at Big Arf and they play happily for a couple of minutes, then either it makes one of them sick, or Arthur gets a bit too rough and Blue tells him off, and Arthur will slope off feeling dejected! After a while he seems to apologise and he'll lick all over her face. So this particular evening we were suprised to find plant pots had even been knocked over in the commotion!
A day or so after, Blue was making an awul whiny whingey noise, which is not like her at all. She snores, farts and joins in with barking when Arthur barks, but never moans. For a while I was concerned she was ill, but she was leaping about for food as usual, plus she always was excited to go for a walk, however she would also mooch about outside for a while and would do this crying noise. She then began digging holes to lie in outside. One, unfortunately, was very close to the door, which meant if any of the other dogs would come near she would growl ferociously at them. In the kitchen she decided to take up residence and curl up in the fireplace, which she has never done before.
One evening things really got bad and she went for Arthur for no reason so Alan put the hose on them, and she soon scappered into the kitchen I decided to ask a friend who breeds mastins for some advice. I told her when Blue was in season, and she said it sounded very much like a phantom pregnancy. She also sent me a link and it was Blue's symptoms totally. Apparently you can ask you vet for medication to calm these symptons down, so we will think about it before her next one.
The symptoms lastest about 3 weeks, which seems forever at the time. Thankfully, for Arthur especially, she is back to her lovely, cuddly, teddybear like self! I know people wonder why she has not been neutered but we live 45 minutes from the city, where the operation would have to take place, and you seem to take the animal home as soon as it has come round from the anaesthetic, as least we have with our smaller dogs. I also believe it is a different operation here, and a much larger one, plus it's all money of course. So at the moment we are happy to keep her unneutered for the time being.
Blue with a few of her friends / fans!
Unhappy Blue, sitting in her fireplace
.... and in her hole, by the door
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