Andy, Clara & Cannelle

These three lovely Cairn terriers were walking near to the Port of Monaco. In case you wonder why you are looking at the back of me, it's because I was with my friend, Nathalie, Avignon in Photos, and she took the shot. I love that the dogs' owners are looking so happy.

Andy is the grey Cairn and he is 4 years old. Clara in the middle is 18 months old and so is her half-sister Cannelle. Andy and Clara live in the Gard and Canelle lives in Grasse and all three come from the same breeder at St. Jean-du-Gard. Cairn Terriers are lovely dogs - adorable.

Ever - the Vocal Dog

This lovely dog is a cross between a Berger Suisse and a Golden Retriever. He's 12 years old and was rescued from a refuge. He lives in Menton.

He really didn't want to keep still for a photograph and, as you see, told the world about it! His owner was so patient with this sweet boy.

Alain

Alain jumped about like a kitten and was too scared to look at the camera, but then he's very much a baby. He's only three months old and is a cross between a Spitz and a Chihuahua. He lives in the Old Town of Menton.

Tosca

Look carefully and you'll see his eyes looking right at us. This beautiful dog is a Bouvier de Flandres - a breed that originated in Belgium.

Tosca is 7 years old and lives at Le Lavandou, which is down the coast near to St. Tropez. He was visiting Menton with his owner.

Bella the Bobtail

You don't see many Old English Sheepdogs in the south of France, so when I saw this one sitting with her owners outside a restaurant, I had to take a photograph. 'My' breed after all - one I'd loved, bred, shown and judged for years.

So meet Bella, 6 years old and living in Frankfurt, Germany - on a visit to Menton.

Update on Mistral and Mia on Postcards from Pension Milou today.

Tina

In the smaller photograph, and out of shot, is a bench - in the middle of Menton - and every day you'll find a group of men sitting here, chatting, passing the time of the day. And Tina, the 7-year old Brittany spaniel, is there too.

She's always ready for a game which is what is going on here amidst much laughter from the other men. He's pretending he's got a tennis ball, which he hasn't. Spaniels and tennis balls are inseparable, as we all know.

Alia

Alia is a French bulldog from Cavaillon, which is in Provence. If you are French you'd know that Cavaillon is where the melons comes from! It's famous for the melons that I think are called Agen melons elsewhere.

Alia was in Menton for the Lemon Festival - she's three years old and looks wiser than her years, doesn't she? Her family are sitting around her, waiting for the Corso (parade) to begin.

Kika

One of the things I so love about living here is the proximity to Italy. Walk around Menton and sometimes you hear more Italian than French. And of course the Italians bring their dogs when they visit.

So meet little Kika, an Italian Min Pin, two years old - in Menton for the Lemon Festival.

Patsy

You don't often see a Ruby Cavalier King Charles spaniel - more often it's a Blenheim or a Tri-colour. This little girl lives in Cagnes-sur-Mer - along the coast from Menton, beyond Nice and near to Cannes. She looks good for 10 years of age, doesn't she? I love her surprised, questioning look - one of those looks you could put alongside a quotation.

Dakota

This little Boston terrier pup - he's a year old - was playing around in the hardware shop in Carnoles (part of Roquebrune-cap-Martin) where his owner is the proprietor of the shop. Great place too - one of those great places where you can find anything and everything.

A little dark in the shop, so the photo is a little grainy - doesn't make him any less cute, does it?

Confetti pup!

Snapped at the Corso (the parade of floats at the Fête du Citron in Menton) this lovely beagle pup was far more interested in playing with the confetti.

Ortone and his Bad Hair Day

I'm only kidding - not really a 'bad hair day' - in fact rather a good one - I love that flick of hair over his eye.

This little dog is an interesting mix - a poodle crossed with a dachshund. Adorable, don't you think? Ortone lives near to Grenoble and is one year old, seen here walking along the sea in Menton.

Bounty

A handsome French bulldog walking along by the sea in Menton. Bounty is two and a half and lives in the Var, the next department along from the Alpes-Maritimes.

Protection

Snapped at the Fête du Citron in Menton, this adorable dog is held in his owner's arms to protect him from the crowds - 25,000 this year at the Corso (parade of floats).

Charles-Henri

Basset Hounds always make me laugh with their big soulful eyes. My Mia, who is a Basset Ariegois, has a similar look - wins me over every time.

Meet Charles-Henri (what a grand name). He lives in Belgium, but was in Menton with his family for the Fête du Citron and posed on the sea wall near to Roquebrune-cap-Martin.

Ida - the SDF

I love this dog! See how patiently she sits by her owner in Menton. He told me she was a SDF, which means Sans Domicile Fixe (homeless) - well, it's obvious she now has a really good home, even if she has a rope lead - even that, seems to suit her adorable scruffy appearance.

Her name is Ida and she was rescued from the Antilles and now lives - obviously happily - in Nice. I've heard before of badly treated dogs being rescued from the island of Antilles. Ida was one of the lucky ones.

Baccarat

All you can see is her nose! This lovely Briard was walking at the Place du Cap in Menton, on holiday with her owners who live in the Piedmonte area of Italy.

There's an update today on Mia and Mistral on 'Postcards from Pension Milou.'

Cayenne and her orange ball

Walking along the Port of Monaco is Cayenne, a 16 month old female Cavalier King Charles. Cayenne played non-stop with her ball, continually bringing it back to her owner with a 'look' saying 'please throw it for me.'

She lives in Monte Carlo so I'm sure this is a regular game on the wide area of promenade above the luxury yachts.

The Foot Ball

Using his owner's foot as a ball, perhaps this dog is a little confused. He was near to the Botero sculpture of Adam & Eve in Monaco yesterday.

Thandie

Meet little Thandie who is a miniature wire-haired dachshund and too cute for words. Isn't she adorable? She's only a year and a bit and lives with a standard smooth haired dachsy called Coco, who we met in Menton last June. Click on the link to see her.

Both live with their South African owners in Monte Carlo - Thandie is a South African name. Here she poses at Pension Milou. See her tail wagging in the smaller photo.

Sethi

This little Sheltie was a long way from his home in Luxembourg. Here with his owner for the Lemon Festival of Menton, he's 8 years old. Like many Shelties he was a little nervous at being photographed, but in the end we got there - he wouldn't look at me though - you can see in every photo he's anxiously looking at his Mama. Isn't he gorgeous.

Maya

Maya was waiting for her owner outside the veggie shop in Carnoles. She's old and he is too. When he came out I had a chat and he confirmed her breed - a Pyrenean Shepherd Dog, sometimes called a Labrit here. He said she is 12 years old and his second dog of this breed. They obviously adore each other. Dogs are good for all of us but so good for an older person living alone.

See how patiently she waits for him.

In step

Snapped last summer - hence the shorts. Actually it's pouring with rain at the moment and cold and yesterday we had hail too. This little dog is obviously enjoying his walk along the seafront of Menton.

'All animals except man know that the ultimate of life is to enjoy it'

Samuel Butler (1835-1902)

Benediction of the Animals

This is a pic I took in October at the Benediction of the Animals in Menton. (It's not t-shirt weather at the moment!) No details on the dogs but isn't this a gorgeous Golden Retriever.

Update on Mama Mia and Mistral on Postcards today.

The Performing Dogs at the Monte Carlo Circus - 4

This little Papillon or Papillon-mix is sitting at the back of the enclosure, not at all interested in the people looking in. Papillons are, by nature, a little wary of strangers so perhaps that accounts for it although a circus dog must have to meet all sorts, one would think.

The Performing Dogs at the Monte Carlo Circus - 3

Another circus dog - this time a pretty little Shetland Sheepdog mix - I think?

There's a labrador on Monte Carlo Daily Photo today waiting to steal popcorn from a child...as if!

The Performing Dogs at the Monte Carlo Circus - 2

This little dog really looks like a circus dog, doesn't he? Can't you just see him doing tricks to make the audience laugh? Perhaps he's the one that turns somersaults?

The main photo fades on his left because that was shadow from one of the bars.