Monaco Dog Show - I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. de Mille

Combs, bands to hold up this apricot poodle's top-knot - and don't you love the coloured bags which I can only assume are poop bags. Maybe I'm wrong but I love the idea of a different colour poop bag for each day of the week!

You can see a French Bulldog being judged on Monte Carlo Daily Photo today.

Monaco Dog Show - Rouchka and Visconte

The Monaco Dog Show was held in the circus tent in Fontvieille last weekend and so lots of opportunities for me to add breeds to this blog that I might not otherwise see. Meet two beautiful Bloodhounds from an area around Montpellier and Sete in south-western France, who made the trip to Monaco - and won! Look how adorable they are together!

This was a lucky encounter for me as I got talking to their owner, Lisa, and we got to discussing the problem I have with Beau, my Bruno de Jura (a breed not so far removed from a bloodhound, after all). I told her how Beau gets abscesses every few months in the area under his ears. Indeed, the vet has already removed both eardrums. She told me that these breeds get an infection of the salivary glands that can't be cured by operation or by antibiotics and she is going to give me a homepathic remedy that works. Soon as I've posted this, I'm emailing her.

Sheri, a regular reader (thanks, Sheri) has a painting of hounds which she's posted on her fascinating blog about the art of quilting. This photograph reminded her of the painting. Take a look. I so agree.

I'll be posting dogs I met at the show over the next week or so. Tomorrow - a smaller breed!

Maya

It's 2 p.m. and whilst it's only March, it's a warm day in the sunshine. Time for this caring owner to give her lovely Mastiff a drink. Maya is two years old and lives in Menton. I love the gentle hand on that beautiful and massive head in the last photograph.

Sophie

Meet Sophie, a three year old Golden Retriever I met in the port of Garavan in Menton. Please click on the link to see this beautiful laid-back dog with her young owner. He thinks she's a horse!

Bilbo

No, he hasn't broken his leg. This is Bilbo, an Old English Sheepdog, who became a Riviera Dog for a couple of days. He lives in Barcelona and came to the Riviera to compete in a dog show, just across the Italian border, in San Remo. He and his owners, good friends of mine, stayed here for a couple of nights. Here he is on the lower terrace.

And he won - so he's now an International champion! And the socks? That's to keep his feet clean prior to the show.

Bill

Bill, this bright-as-a-button 2 year old Yorkie was sitting by his owner's shopping basket whilst she took a coffee break near to the market in Menton.

Lady

Meet Lady, the Sheltland Sheepdog. I saw her lying by one of the tables at a Bric a Brac fair in Menton. Her owner wasn't there but a nearby stall holder told me her name.

Snowy

I first spied this little dog asleep under a table alongside the Port of Monaco. A little bundle of fluff, you couldn't tell which end was which - see the small photograph.

Later I saw her walking along with her owners and asked if I might photograph her. She's a little bichon maltais (Maltese Terrier) only 4 months old and so well behaved. After I'd told them about this blog, her nice English owners mentioned it was their daughter's 9th birthday today and how thrilled she'd be to see Snowy featured. So here she is, Happy Birthday Emily! You've got a beautiful little puppy.

Ristick

This is Ristick, a fine looking 8-year old Pyrenean Shepherd Dog. His owners were surprised I knew the breed as they say most people don't. This is because I lived for a year in the Pyrenées and saw many - and also my neighbour has a bitch of this breed. At the same table, sitting by the sea, was a lady - a friend of the couple who own Ristick. You'll find her adorable little dog Chico, on Menton Daily Photo. Please click on the link.

Black eyes

Waiting in the queue to buy some bread, I couldn't miss this little bichon staring at me with his big black eyes. I don't know his name, just he was happy to gaze at the camera with so much trust. Aren't dogs wonderful!

Ciappi

This handsome dog caught my eye. Look at him in the small photograph with his Italian family, sitting by the sea in Menton. What a fine looking dog. He is a mix of German Shepherd and Italian Spinone and he lives in Bordighera which is just beyond Ventimiglia across the border in Italy. I don't speak Italian so just as well this lovely family spoke perfect English.

I usually tell owners that they will find a photograph of their dog on 'Riviera Dogs' although sometimes, when I quickly grab a shot, it's not possible. In Ciappi's case, I did and received an email and some photos of Ciappi at home. I'm posting my favourite below - thank you, Stefano, Elena and Luca - and of course, Ciappi.

Gribouille

A hot day in Menton yesterday, and one hot pug. I didn't ask why his owner was carrying him but presumably cos he'd got hot - and pugs can have breathing problems if they get overheated. Look at that lovely lolling tongue! Gribouille, 4 years of age, lives in Castellar - a beautiful old village above Menton. Gribouille looks heavy for his nice owner to carry. Pugs are small but very solid little dogs. What wonderful characters they are.

I've not seen a dog lead like that before - have you?

Nain

This is a really tiny poodle - a toy. Called a caniche nain in France. I met her walking along the Corbusier walk between Cap Martin and Monaco. I was told her name, wrote it somewhere and can't find the piece of paper - very inefficient of me - but I did take this photograph in January - so forgive. If I find her name - and I remember it was a pretty name - of course I'll add it.

Macy

Macy, this lovely 8 year old Boxer, was patiently waiting (see side photo) for her owner to have her nails done in the prestigious Metropole Centre in Monte Carlo.

She's owned by a very nice English lady who lives in Monaco. I didn't trim the top photo just so you could see the beautiful ironwork and marble floors and walls in the shopping centre.

Hasn't Macy got the most beautiful eyes?

Canelle

Meet Canelle, a six-month old Yorkshire terrier. She was at the Corso in Menton yesterday. The Corso is the 'parade of floats' that takes place during the Lemon Festival. You'll be able to read about this, from tomorrow, on Menton Daily Photo.

Meanwhile, if you'd like to see 9 dogs, sitting absolutely still in a New York street, with no one holding their leads, please click on the link. The blog belongs to a great guy, Ming, who posts a photo of New York City every day.

Nutella

Time for Nutella to have a haircut. She's in the Salon de Toilettage of my friend, Carla, in Menton.

Nutella is 4 years old and is the mother of Carla's own shih-tzu, Billy - named after Billy Jean King, the tennis champion. Billy is in the pic on the left.

Nutella, by the way, is the name of a chocolate spread in France!

Shopi

This cute terrier cross, doing his very best to appear 'fierce,' was peering out from under a café table in Carnoles, part of Roquebrune-cap-Martin. He's six years old and called Shopi. Shopi is the name of a local supermarket, by the way. Don't you love the intensity of his expression?

Monsieur Spitz One-Ear?

Not a nice morning in Carnoles - a suburb of Roquebrune-cap-Martin. I noticed this cute and very independent little Spitz following his owner. I took about four photos following them - he, always off lead, even when crossing the road. They walked fast and I didn't think I'd get to take his photo. Suddenly Madame stopped and greeted a friend and from then on, quite oblivious to me, I could photograph this little boy. I don't know his name - I didn't like to interrupt their conversation - but I know he's a boy.

And yes, as you see, he does have two ears!

Olivia

Olivia, the little Yorkie, is the companion of Océane, whom we met yesterday in the medieval village of Roquebrune. She's 8 years old, same as her friend, and is sporting a short haircut which seems to be comfortable for a Yorkshire terrier and fairly easy for an owner to deal with.

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.