Bobby - me and my shadow

The sun is low, a walk along the beachfront of Menton. Bobby poses for a photograph but the sun is too bright, so what would any self-respecting poodle mix do, but squint. Bobby is 12 years old and is on holiday from Brussels.

Boogie

Meet Boogie, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He lives in the medieval village of Gorbio, which is near to Menton. My village, in fact. His young owner picked him up for the photo. He looks awkward, doesn't he, but he is a much-loved dog who follows his owner everywhere. Isn't that a beautiful Cavalier head?

I think he's saying 'put me down' or 'who is that lady photographing me?'

Yappa

This is Yappa - on a wall near to the beach at Roquebrune-cap-Martin. Yappa was a nervous little dog - very wary of strangers so you see her here, tail down, not too happy at having her photograph taken. Her owner, one of the characters of Roquebrune, can be seen on Menton Daily Photo today - and you'll find her there too, much happier alongside her owner.

Apologies for lack of posts recently. I've been in America for three weeks. Was very tempted to post some of the lovely dogs I found in Ohio and Utah but decided, however beautiful, they weren't Riviera Dogs. Normal service has now been resumed. Woof-woof.

Old boy

This old Miniature Schnauzer looked up at me in the market area of Carnoles - this is part of Roquebrune and adjoins Menton. His owner told me he's 15 and doesn't see too well. Like all Miniature Schnauzers tho, he has plenty of spirit.

Teeny

A little Min Pin in Menton. With his little willy sticking out! His harness looks almost too heavy for him, doesn't it? I'm sure tho it's hard to get just the right size collars or harnesses for such a little dog.

The Menton Yorkie

This gorgeous little Yorkie has been featured on Menton Daily Photo before but always with his elegant owner. You see the owner in the small photo which was taken at the display of antique cars in Menton a few months ago. The lady normally dresses completely in white so it was unusual to see her in colours on this day. She walks with a stick, always with her Yorkie, of course, and always so friendly and happy.

On the day I took these photographs, I asked the name of the little dog but I'm in America at the moment and the note of his name is in Menton. Duh!

Coco - Dachshunds Rule!

Photographed in Menton, Coco lives in Monte Carlo. She knows she's beautiful, doesn't she?

Bouba

Bouba, most Yorkie as you can see, is three years old. Photographed here in the walking street of Menton, just outside the Maison du Patrimoine.

Raymond

Outside Le Balico in Menton, a beautiful French bulldog: Raymond, aged 9. He lives in Sospel, which is a beautiful village 20 ks above Menton in the mountains.

Clara

This is Clara, one year old and bright as a button. She is sitting at a restaurant in Rue Princesse Caroline, the walking street - in Monaco. Water provided by the management. Cotons are lovely little dogs - originally from Madagascar.

Bon Bon and Marco

We've gone back to the Monaco Dog Show for this photo. Meet Bon Bon, a beautiful female Chow Chow, aged two and half and her owner, Marco, who is 8 years old. He'll have all the girls sighing one day, won't he? Marco and Bon Bon come from Varese, in Northern Italy.

Street dogs

Tied to a tree, these dogs belong to street people - or at least people I often see hanging around Menton who appear to be street guys They were sitting on a nearby bench and spoke very proudly of their dogs. These pups appear to be well-fed and have smart collars.

Nose to ground

A smart beagle, doing what it does best, sniffing...searching for a scent.

Landseer

One hot pup here. It was on Brocante Day in Menton. Hot afternoon sun and this little (what am I saying?) boy is only 4 months of age. A beautiful Newfoundland. When they are black and white like this they are called Landseer.

Minnie

Meet Minnie - taken at dusk - 8 p.m. above Larvotto Beach, Monaco. Minnie, a long-coat chihuahua, lives in Monaco and was taking her evening promenade. I've noted chihuahuas do this - close up their eyes tight as I photograph them. Perhaps they think if they can't see me, I can't see them!

His Master's Voice Dog?

A patient little Jack Russell type of dog at the Brocante in Menton. He reminds me a little of the His Master's Voice dog - remember those adverts...you'll need to be old!

The Wrinkly Puppy

This lovely puppy - 4 months - was at a Bring and Buy sale in Garavan, Menton. You can see another photo of this puppy, with his owner's shadow (!) at Menton Daily Photo. Just click on the link.

Rosine

Rosine looks very comfortable in her carrying bag, doesn't she? She's a seven and a half year old, long coat Chihuahua on holiday in Menton. Normally lives in Alsace. Here she's sitting on the wall alongside the beach in Menton.

Wheeeeeee - catch it!

A beach and a stick - and a someone to throw it. What more could a dog ask for? This lovely Golden Retriver is having the best fun with his young owner at Roquebrune-cap-Martin.

A Jack Russell Terrier on a Gorbio balcony.

The Olive Mill Dogs

These three live and protect one of the olive mills in Gorbio - it's also a caravan park for visitors. Gorbio is a Medieval perched village above Menton.

Bibi

Meet Bibi - 15 years old and comfortable on a chair in the Salon de Toilettage of a friend of mine in Menton.

Doggone Easy

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels must be one of the easiest dogs to own. I always say I could have twenty Cavaliers en pension and not know it! Here you see a pup at the Brocante in Menton a week or so ago. I think she's ready to have a game with a ball but she's being patient. All dogs would rather be with their owners than left at home - so all in all, fine. She's too cute, isn't she? All legs and arms like a colt.

Beam me up, Scotty

This Scottish terrier was at the Brocante in Menton, standing near to his owner's stall. I love the way he doesn't move, his lead loose on his back. Look at that eye.

Forgive the title!

A Market Dog

A beautiful Golden Retriever - belonging to one of the stallholders at the Brocante in Menton.

The eyes have it

Naturally when one dog looks right, the other one decides to face the other way! So we have two photographs. These two dogs were at the May 1st Brocante in Menton. I don't know their names - their owners were busy buying stuff. I loved the look in this brown dog's eye - we met, I asked him to pose - he did - I thanked him and I left... Just look at those eyes.

Monaco Dog Show - Didi

Look at this beautiful head - not to mention the collar! This beautiful Saluki is called Didi. He's two and a half and lives in Italy. I don't know if he won or not but I hope he did.

Monaco Dog Show - The Look

Such an adorable look from this beautiful Italian Greyhound.

Monaco Dog Show - Chablis

Like all Springer Spaniels, Chablis wouldn't keep still! So her lovely nose is slightly out of focus. Chablis is young, so she doesn't see why she should keep still? She belongs to Nicky, the hard-working lady in charge of the Refuge de Flassans.

Bianca

A rather wet Bearded Collie, Bianca, rests below a wall by the beach in Menton. Her pretty owner has just received a sprig of Lily of the Valley from a young man - see them both on Menton Daily Photo. Lily of the Valley is traditionally given in France on the 1st of May - to apporte bonheur - give good luck. Bianca is only 18 months old and quite hyperactive - it took a lot of shots to get one of her reasonably calm. Typical Beardie behaviour! She lives in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.

The WC Dogs - America & Banjo

Meet the two chihuahuas who belong to the friendly lady who looks after the toilets on the Sablettes Beach in Menton. The smooth coat in her bed is an old lady called America - she is 17 years old. The beautiful young one with the long coat, is Banjo and he's only 3. You can see where they spend their days on Menton Daily Photo today.

Yopi and Janus

It'll be the Historique Grand Prix in Monaco this weekend and wandering around photographing the beautiful old cars, I came across these two lovely dogs. They have the most beautiful eyes and I wish the photo was slightly sharper - the sun was too strong for my camera setting. Perhaps I should say my camera setting wasn't right!

The pale one of the left is Yopi, a Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen who is two and a half. The other one, a mix, is Janus and he's 10. Both were found at SPA refuges in France and they live with their very nice Dutch owners in Monaco. They told me that Yopi can get very scared - suddenly scared - and it's probably because of something that occurred in his life earlier. Hopefully he'll grow out of it. He is a beautiful dog, wagging his tail at me - you'd not realise he can be so scared at times.

Nora

Nora is 11 years old and I had the pleasure of meeting her walking around the market in Menton. You can just see cheeses in the background! Actually she wasn't walking but was being carried in her owner's arms. Hardly surprising with all the crowds and anyway an old lady deserves a bit of consideration, wouldn't you say? Nora was on holiday in Menton from the north of France.

The small photo is slightly out of focus but with that expression and her tongue out, I had to show it.

Windswept

I know nothing about this dog except he stood here, alone, whilst I took his photo. He looks rather windswept, doesn't he? So that's what we'll call him. In fact it was a lovely day - no wind! He's cute, isn't he? He was hanging around the Old Town of Menton - probably lives around there somewhere.

The Brocante Dog

Surrounded by bric-a-brac, he belongs to a stall holder at Menton's Brocante, run by the Lions Club. Notice a lump on his head? - really quite big. His owner told me it's not serious, just a fatty lump and nothing to worry about. He's a cross between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and something else - she didn't know what. Certainly a bigger breed as he's taller than a Cavalier. The size is more obvious if you look at the photo of him on his owner's lap on Menton Daily Photo.

Daisy

Daisy has had a somewhat unsettled life. She had many owners - we don't know how many. When her last owner died, the family didn't want her and she was passed around until she was eventually put into the marvellous Sans Collier Provence. She was looked after in four different foster homes - all good people, caring for her until a permanent home came along. And it did. Luck was about to change for our heroine.

She now lives with Laura and Michael in Cap d'Ail, which is near to Monaco. Laura and Michael have always had poodles and when their last rescue poodle, Ziggy, died far too young, they rang Sans Collier Provence to see if they had a poodle. And of course they did!

I'm not sure who loves who the most but there is much mutual adoration. Daisy has gained 2 kilos, she has 13 teeth - you can see one in the photograph! She's estimated to be about 12 or 13 years old and is the happiest friendliest poodle you can imagine.

Lucky dog - lucky owners.