Gorda - the dog from the past...

It's so unusual to see an Old English Sheepdog around here. Gorda is 10 years old and lives in Menton and so do I yet had never seen her before - or had I?

Gorda was born in Italy and lived there for much of her life. Now she lives with her owner's mother. She's got some spinal/incontinence problems that are mostly solved with medication.

Funnily enough years ago I used to look after an OES puppy called Gorda, who belonged to an Italian guy in Monte Carlo --- I wonder if it's the same Gorda? It was about eight or nine years ago so the timeline works. I wish I'd thought of it and asked.

P.S. I found this old snapshot of Gorda as a puppy - taken in 2001. I think it's her! Don't you?

Chloe - à la mode

Chloe was walking around Casino Square yesterday. Well, no, I'll rephrase that - Chloe was being carried around Casino Square. A 4 year old Min.Pin who lives in Monaco.

Seems to me that Min Pins are getting very à la mode lately - along with Yorkies and Chihuahuas.

The touch of red you glimpse in the background is from the flags on display throughout the Principality for Monaco's National Day. Click on the link to see more.

Cappuccino anyone?

I posted two different photographs of Lou on Monte Carlo Daily Photo today but had to show her to you here as well.

This is Lou, the French bulldog who belongs to Mister Brian - owner of Monaco's best known delicatessen. They are taking a coffee by the port - or rather Lou is allowed to taste Mister Brian's cappuccino - off the spoon, of course. Not that Brian would mind sharing the cup with Lou - he's besotted.

Lou is celebrated in Monaco - she's appeared in a book about the Principality and if you saw Piers Morgan's television programme you will have seen him interview Mister Brian - and Lou.

And remember when Lou was stolen? If not, you can read about it by clicking on the link.

Wot, No Sheep in Monte Carlo?

You don't expect to see a Border Collie in Casino Square in Monaco. They would seem to belong in the Welsh hills where I lived a lifetime ago.

Yuna is a 5 year old smooth-coat Border Collie and wasn't remotely interested in having her photo taken. Despite my making all sorts of fascinating noises, she mostly turned her head away as you see in the smaller photo. I expect she was dreaming of hills and sheep, not Monte Carlo ladies and their smart clothes. Yuna was on holiday but normally lives in Trieste.

Shelby

It's getting towards dusk in Monaco and I notice this lady putting her little dog into a carrying bag.

Meet Shelby, a tiny Yorkie, and 15 months of age. She lives in Antibes. Her owner told me Shelby is her fifth Yorkie, or did she say her seventh. I forget. So often when we love a particular breed, there is no other for us. Don't you love Shelby's matching bow and blanket.

Note - in the background of the smaller photo you can see Monte Carlo's famous casino.

Jarvis

Well, you'd give a strange look if someone took your photo whilst you were taking a pee...

Jarvis is a wire-haired dachshund from South Africa, staying on the French Riviera, prior to coming to the UK with his sister, Tallulah.

You can see the dog who lives on a boat on Monte Carlo Daily Photo today.

Buzz plus Bone

It amazes me how some dogs can carry a bone half the size of them - well I exaggerate, of course.

Meet Buzz, a 2 year old Cavalier King Charles spaniel who lives in Antibes, just along the coast from Nice.

'Don't Mess with ME!'

He looks fierce, doesn't he? This is Baro who is a Cane Corso Italiano and is guarding his owner's truck in Ventimiglia market.

Bet he's a softy at home.

Close Encounters of the Two-Feet Kind

Guest photographer today! John Carroll follows Riviera Dogs and kindly sent me this photograph taken in Peyriac de Mer - not technically the Riviera but in France and on the Mediterranean so we'll cheat and call this little Yorkie a Riviera Dog. Peyriac de Mer is in the Languedoc-Roussillon.

Don't you love the mixture of feet here and John's title.

Take a look at talented photographer, John's website Winding Road Photography. Thanks John.

Hunter, the Mutt

Don't you just love mutts like this? Somehow he's a mutt, as opposed to a crossbreed (same of course). He'd be the naughtiest and most adorable dog in a film, wouldn't he? We'd all be in tears at the end as he saves his master from the devastating fire and everyone lives happily ever after...

Hunter was born in England and now lives in Menton. In England he was known as Mr. Hunter, now of course he is Monsieur Hunter or more often, Monsieur 'unter!

The Annonciade Bichons

On Menton Daily Photo we are currently on a walk to the Monastery of l'Annonciade. On the way, half hidden behind a gate, we found these three Bichons Frisés. I know nothing about them but they obviously spend a good part of their day keeping an eye on the visitors and pilgrims who make this trek to the monastery. You can see more by clicking on the link.

Tipsy and Natine

Brittany Spaniels and hard to tell them apart. In the smaller photo, we see Tipsy on the left, she's 7 and smaller than Natine who is 11 years old - on the right.

I'm not sure which one is in the main photo. They were in Gorbio village for the recent festival but they live in Mandelieu which is along the coast near to Cannes. We saw one of them, nose to nose, with a chihuahua HERE.

Shogun and Tokyo

We seem to be on a small dog roll, don't we?

Here - one long haired chihuahua, Shogun, and one smooth-haired chihuahua, Tokyo, in arms of their owner, a lady from Ventimiglia. Macho names for such little dogs. They were visiting a festival in Gorbio.

Both are boys - Shogun is 8 years old and Tokyo only 9 months. Go to Menton Daily Photo today - where little Tokyo meets a Brittany spaniel at the Fête de la Branda.

And to see some touching memorials to dogs, take a visit to the Paris Dog Cemetery with talented blogger, Owen, at The Magic Lantern Show.

The Three Papillons - part 2

Yesterday, we met Fiore - now meet Ventos, who is ten and looking gloriously windswept as if he's posing with a fan blowing his hair for effect.

And in the last photo, this is Bijou and he's 5 years old.

See yesterday's post for a photo of all three Papillons together.

The Three Papillons - part 1

This family have three Papillons - 'butterfly' dogs and so called because of the pattern created by their beautiful ears and the design running down their faces).

Today we meet Fiore, who is seven years old and a male. All three are males and I met them in Menton where they were holidaying from Basle in Switzerland.

Come back tomorrow and meet the other two.

Nero

Hmmmmm....not the easiest dog to photograph. All hair and he wouldn't keep still. I was lunching at Le Balico in Menton and saw this dog walking past so of course I had to get up from the table and run after him to take his photo.

He's a Hungarian Puli called Nero, which seems a good name for a black dog - he's 4 years old and he lives in Germany.

I remember when I used to show Old English Sheepdogs and would often see the Pulis and Komondors nearby - both corded dogs like this. The most important time is when the cords start to form - you have to twist them into even-sized cords else they will break. Once corded, that's it for life. When bathed I know they take a very long time to dry.

You'll find a French Bulldog at Ventimiglia Market on Menton Daily Photo today.

The Market Pom

This little Pomeranian was walking around Ventimiglia's busy Friday market - sometimes carried, as you see in the smaller photo.

I don't know his or her name but a cute little dog, don't you think?

Kendra

Looks like this little puppy is where she wants to be. Her owners were walking her around crowded Ventimiglia market one Friday.

Kendra is two months old and lives in Ventimiglia. She is a Jack Russell Terrier and it looks like she's landed well and truly on her feet.

To see photos of Ventimiglia and its famous Friday market, do click on the link to Menton Daily Photo.

Candy the 'chocolat'

Poodles look so cute to me when left in a 'puppy cut' athough it's hard to see this little one's eyes.

Candy is a two year old chocolate poodle - a miniature or 'nain' as they are called in France. She lives in Toulon and was in the village of Gorbio for the recent Fete de la Branda.

Snoat, who loves ice-cream

The only thing this dog, sitting here in Place aux Herbes in Menton, is interested in is his owner's ice-cream and eventually he got a cone as a reward for waiting - as he knew he would.

Snoat is 10 years old and was on holiday in Menton from his home in Holland. I didn't recognise him as being a specific breed, but he is - he's an Epagneul Bleu de Picardie which translated means a Picardy Blue Spaniel - a French hunting dog.

He knows how to melt his owners with those beautiful eyes, doesn't he? And the ice-cream...

Betty and Classic Week

Copyright 2009 Riviera Dogs. All rights reserved

Betty was standing with her owner by the port of Monaco during Classic Week. Classic Week is when all the famous sailing yachts of the world take part in competition. Also you see the Tall Ships - all much more fun than the massive mega yachts of the rich and famous, although you still have to be rich to own a sailing yacht.

Betty is one year old and lives in England and was visiting Monaco specially for the event.

Elementary, my dear Watson

Snuggled up in his owner's arms is this lovely old whippet called Watson. Watson is 12 and lives near to Paris.

I hardly have to tell you where we are as you can see the Casino of Monte Carlo in the background.

I've just realised Watson is the first whippet to appear on this blog. I've always loved this breed and isn't Watson adorable.

Anubia

Copyright 2009 Riviera Dogs. All rights reserved

Anubia is the house-mate of Robbie who we met in the last posting.

Anubia is a 4 year old Shih-tzu and she lives with François, the gentleman you see on the right of the smaller photo. He, like his father, used to run the Restaurant Beausejour in the village. It's now run by his son, Yvan. You get great food at the Beausejour. The gentleman on the left is François' friend Michel.

Robbie

Robbie is a cross between a Shih-tzu and a terrier and he looks it, doesn't he? He's 4 years old and lives with Anubia, a girl Shih-tzu, who we'll meet next time - both are owned by the father (we'll meet him too) of Yvan, proprietor of the Restaurant Beausejour in Gorbio.

The Tourist Shop Dog

This is Zita - taken on a very sunny day on le rocher in Monaco - too much sun bleached the shot a little.

Zita, a Miniature Pinscher, sits just inside her owner's shop all day. She has one bed inside the door and another outside so she can choose where she likes to sleep. After lunch, like many good people from the south, she takes a nap. Then her owner displays a sign above her bed asking people not to wake her. Zita was a rescue dog who had had far too many litters before she ended up being so loved.

Zita's owner, Rosie, is one of Monaco's characters. Her shop is called Rosie's Memories. You can see a photo of her on Monte Carlo Daily Photo today.