Queenie

This is all about my sweet giant of a dog, Queenie. She's an Old English Mastiff who served the first 4 to 5 years of her life as a breeding machine, producing 7 litters. She was spayed, passed on to a new family where she was welcome for less than a year, then on to another for a couple of months. I had seen her photo posted in Kijiji under "Pets to Give or Donate", but since I still had another two months to remain in a downtown apartment where no pets were allowed, I refrained from calling even though my heart was yearning to have her as my dog. Then, a week or so before I left to return living in my RV full time, I checked on Kijiji and there she was! I picked her up on April 23 of 2008, a week after her 6th birthday. We celebrated her first anniversary of companionship with a big meaty bone for her and a cool drink for me.

She is characterized more by what she isn't or doesn't do. She's not a barker except to express her indignation at coyotes. She's not a drooler, although many Mastiffs can be. She's protective, but not aggressive. She's super friendly and loves most people on a first meet. She stays near on a walk without a leash where she's allowed by law. She is definitely laid back. The only problematic behaviour is her lack of tolerance for any other dog. But I understant that having had to protect her puppies for years on end, that behaviour is hard-wired in her brain. She has a definite sense of humour and most people are immediately entertained by her grin and affectionate display.

Her full pedigreed name is Venus Queen of Blue Grass, but we did away with Venus and adopted her middle name as Queenie. This name suits her disposition perfectly. After all, she has documents attesting to her nobility. She occasionally usurps my chair, as befits one watching the created world with a regal countenance.

I consider myself lucky to have her with me.