Océane

Océane, a lovely 8-year old Hungarian Vizla, lives in the old village of Roquebrune with her owner Josie and a little Yorkie. You'll meet the Yorkie tomorrow. Hard to believe but it's got to be 9 years since Josie's beautiful Weimaraner died. I think she was only around 5. Josie felt she couldn't take another dog of the same breed, it would never be the same, and so she chose a Vizla. In the photo below, she moved her head, so it's just slightly out of focus, but I love her expression.

Calipet

Calipet lives in Fontvieille, right by the small port of Monaco. She's a mix of Fox Terrier and Golden Retriever or Labrador and is two and half years old. Her owner was SO nice. She saw me photographing sculptures for Monte Carlo Daily Photo and asked if I'd seen a specific new and modern sculpture in Fontvieille. I hadn't. So she insisted I went and saw it and indeed took me there. As we walked along she told she was born in Monte Carlo and as a child used to fish off the port - she'll have seen many changes over the years. Calipet met several dogs as we walked along - she knows these streets - a lovely dog and great rapport between her and her nice owner.

'Dogs encourage us humans to become humane' - Jo Winter

Bully at the Fête du Citron

I met Bully outside the Jardin Biovès in Menton, where work was in preparation for the Fête du Citron. Click on the link. When I asked his name -I wrote down Billy but his owner corrected me!- and then told Bully to do his party trick, which you see in the photo below.

Clipper - Tintin's dog?

This little 5 month bundle of trouble is called Clipper and belongs to friends who live in south western France and in Monaco. He is a replacement for Scupper, who died far too young. You can read Scupper's story by clicking on the link.

To me, Clipper looks so much like Tintin's dog, Milou - called Snowy in England. His ears don't stick up but he has that look - probably because he hasn't yet got full pigmentation around his eyes. If you don't know Hergé's famous Tintin stories, do click on the link.

This last photograph - below - is out of focus, but I'm using it cos in this he really is Milou/Snowy! I wonder if he'll have as many adventures in his life as Tintin's dog. I sure hope so.

Crocus, the Florist's dog

Good name for a Flower Shop Dog. Crocus is two years old and belongs to the owner of my favourite flower shop in Carnoles, which is part of Roquebrune-cap-Martin.

Below you see him standing in the window. He's always happy to see me because I smell of dogs - so he spends the whole of my visit sniffing my jeans, much to the dismay of his owner. I'm used to dogs sniffing my jeans...so no big deal.

The Château Dog

This lovely old Wire Fox Terrier belongs to the lady who sells the entrance tickets at the castle in Roquebrune village. Here you see her lying in the sunshine, half asleep - and in the photo below she's eating a snack alongside her owner at one of the village restaurants. You can see the castle of Roquebrune by clicking on the link.

Joey, the Grotte dog

Joey belongs to La Grotte - or rather to Eric, who runs this great Italian/pizza place in Roquebrune village. The restaurant is carved out of the pudding rock of the village. Click on the link to see a different view. They serve truly great pizzas, the thinest crispest crust with fab fresh fillings and served with that wonderful piquant Ligurian olive oil. Joey has great fun walking around the tables, sitting and putting on his best 'I'm starving' look in the hope of being given a taster. He doesn't look too starved to me! In fact, he's in great condition for his 11 years - he doesn't look it, does he?

If you'd like to see more of Roquebrune village please click on the Menton Daily Photo link.

Prickle

This is little Prickle, at home and being stroked by her owner - my friend, William. Prickle has a wonderful life running around her garden - one of the most famous gardens of Menton - the Clos du Peyronnet. 

'My little dog ~ a heartbeat at my feet.' Edith Wharton (1862-1937)

Gigi

Meet Gigi. I met him whilst having a haircut in Menton the other day. He sat patiently by his owner's chair. I thought he was a Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen but his owner tells me he is a cross between a PBGV and a Griffon Vendeen. Nevertheless, considering his size, I've listed him as the former - as I had to make the choice between one or the other. Gigi is 3 years old and lives in Menton.

I lay on the floor to get this shot and when Isabelle, who cuts my hair, went to help me up, Gigi snapped at her (missed!) - not because he is nasty but because he mistakenly thought she was attacking me. We all need to be dog psychiatrists, don't we?

'The world was conquered through the understanding of dogs; the world exists through the understanding of dogs.' Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)

Jackye

This is Jackye, a 3 year old Min Pin who lives in Monaco with her Italian owners. Named after Jackie Kennedy, she's sitting on her owner's lap on a bench just down from the casino area of Monte Carlo.

Gina

Gina is 6 years old. Her owners tell me she is a Miniature Bull Terrier, as opposed to the normal size. She lives at Cap d'Ail with her charming German owners. This photograph was taken in the luxurious Metropole Centre. If you'd like to see what the dog who has everything would like - please click on the link. Maybe Gina will get it for her next birthday?

At the circus - 4

These two were off-lead waiting for their owners - no attempt to run away or to mingle with the elephants. Notice how they both have undershot jaws.

'A dog never forgets his master' - African Proverb

At the circus - 3

As you can see in the photo below, this little girl was standing nicely with her owner until I came along and disturbed her. The humans, of course, are watching the circus. I think she's called Jane - don't you?!

At the circus - 2

Lovely Bernese Mountain Dog, waiting, like all the dogs for his owner to finish watching the circus parade. He looks fed up, doesn't he - but like most of our dogs, a patient angel.

'There are three faithful friends - an old wife, an old dog and ready money.' Benjamin Franklin

At the circus - 1

This little Papillon was one of many dogs waiting whilst their owners watched the circus in the port of Monaco today. You can see what everyone was watching by clicking on the link.

'For fidelity, devotion, love, many a two-legged animal is below the dog...' Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)

Johnny

This is Johnny, a gorgeous little cross-breed - his owner told me half Papillon. He's 6 years old and is owned by a charming gentleman who was born in Menton and works at the Casino in Monte Carlo. He lived for 10 years in Australia so spoke excellent English. This photograph was taken in the tiny market of Carnoles, which is part of Roquebrune-cap-Martin. Look at that oh-so-earnest look in his eye. And see what he can do with his ears?

Sea dog

This little dog has been having the best fun on the beach at Menton and at the end of it all, needs his face and feet drying off. Don't you love the expression of the woman on the right? What is she thinking? 'Ugh, dirty dog,' - or perhaps - 'I wish I had a dog.'


'Today you feel a failure. Yet you pet and take care of your dog and to him you're a success.' Jo Winter.

The Supermodels - Havana and Hopje

Meet Havana and Hopje who are sisters and almost 16 years old. Born in Menton, they now live in the beautiful medieval village of Roquebrune with their breeder, Marie-Hélène, who is a Dutch artist and friend. She is a wonderful source of information on Menton and Roquebrune and often helps me with details of history for Menton Daily Photo.

Marie-Hélène wrote:

'Havana and Hopje had a brother, Hector, who died last December. Their mother was Dufy de Jouxte Boulleng (died 1998) who endured a nuptial ceremony with their father Drill von der Domerhogte in Cabris, near Grasse, early 1992. Their great-grandfather was a well-known long-haired dachshund champion called Richter de Jouxte Boulleng, bred by M et Mme Caron from Normandy (now retired) . In the French dachshund world there is a notion of "la tête de Caron", something about the head which makes them instantly recognizable as descendants of one of the Carons' dogs. I have been stopped in the street by people asking me if they were from "chez Caron". Once at the small airport of Mandelieu, near Cannes, where I went to pick up little Hopje who had made the journey there by herself in a six-seater plane from Switzerland, I saw a dog with a definite "tête de Caron" and he turned out to be their cousin ! Another time in Cannes I passed a dog who had that same lovely head and he also came from Caron.

Havana has been with me since birth. Hopje spent a few years in Switzerland and then ten years in the Hague in Holland. Nearly two years ago she decided to retire to the French Riviera and come back to live with Havana and me. This has been a great success, with the two sisters behaving like a trade union when it comes to food, Bonios etc.. They are the best of friends (I have about 5000 photos of them sleeping with one head on the other's shoulder etc.) and still enjoy the lascivious attention of one or two male dogs, particularly a smooth-haired dachsie from Turin by the name of Gothic, who has always been passionately in love with Havana and now also courts Hopje.

All they do now is sleep and eat with the occasional excursion to the sunlounger!'

Bandit

This is Bandit, a 2 year old shih-tzu from Burgundy. He was on holiday in Menton with his owners and I snapped him just outside the market area. I think he's used to being photographed as he happily posed without moving - look at those gorgeous eyes.

'Sometimes you don't want to talk about problems. You just need your dog's sympathetic brown eyes and silent companionship.' Jo Winter

Street puppy

This lovely puppy lives with some of the Menton street guys. SDF as they are called - sans domicile fixe - without a fixed address. She's 10 months and they told me, in Italian, she is an Irish sheepdog, which I've never heard of - so we'll call her a mix. She was well-fed, happy and the three guys with her obviously adored her. Let's hope she has a good life.

'He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.' Author Unknown

Izzy

This is Izzy, the Yorkshire terrier and his very proud owner. I took it in Menton, today - first day of sunshine for well over a week and everyone and his mother was out walking. I forgot to ask Izzy's age but he looks quite an old dog, wouldn't you think? The land you see in the background is Italy.

The mask shop dog

As you can see in the photo below, this little black poodle belongs to the owner of a stand at the Menton Christmas market. She sells masks and jewellry but at the time I took the photograph, she'd not quite finished her display ready for the opening.

Gilda

Gilda, who is 18 months old, lives in Italy - near Lake Maggiore to be exact but her owners have a holiday apartment in Menton. I met them in the Jardin Bioves when I was photographing the Christmas displays in the rain. Sorry she's not central in this photograph. You try clicking a camera and holding an umbrella at the time! In the photograph below you see her proud owner - Gilda meanwhile is struggling to look at the sheep who are in a pen just alongside. It was so nice to talking to this nice gentleman and his wife, so proud are they of their lovely little dog.

Happy Christmas to everyone and thank you so much for comments on Riviera Dogs. From the dogs and me - woof woof!

'You give a dog food, warmth, shelter and walkies, and in return they give you their heart.' - Jo Winter

Aldo's silver tie

This is Aldo, the Menton Christmas Fair dog you saw the day before yesterday. I didn't know his name then but this morning, there he was again - this time in the rain. And look at his smart silver tie. His owner posed him for me. Quite the dapper little dog. Happy Christmas, Aldo!

'...a dog...never makes it his business to inquire whether you are in the right. You are his pal. That is enough for him.' Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927)

Give a dog a bone...

This Brittany spaniel wasn't really interested in looking at the camera. He wanted to concentrate on whoever or whatever is inside the door below. It's the kitchen entrance of a restaurant in Menton and presumably his owner is working inside.

'A good dog deserves a good bone.' American Proverb

The Christmas market dog

This gorgeous little dog sits outside the shop you see below. The shop is part of Menton's Christmas market that runs from the sea to the market area. It opens every day at 10 a.m. and every day this dog sits there. When I took the photograph above no one was in the shop but it seems our hero is resigned to the several weeks he must sit here each year.

'For fidelity, devotion, love, many a two-legged animal is below the dog...' Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)

Conan

The Cane Corso is an Italian Mastiff and massive he is too. This boy was standing just in front of the market building in Menton. You can read about the Cano Corso Italiano by clicking on the link.

'The best part about owning a dog is the way he doesn't care about bad hair days or overdue bills.' Author Unknown.