Asia

Meet a little button-nosed poodle called Asia. An adorable puppy of 8 months, she was in Menton on holiday from her home near to Bologna, Italy.

Ursula....zzzzzzzzzzzzz...Ursula!

Is it the face only a mother could love? Some people think English Bulldogs are ugly. I adore them! I once looked after a puppy for three weeks before she travelled from Wales to Australia and from that moment on, I was in love with the breed.

Meet Ursula - hey, wake up Ursula! She was walking around Menton with her owners until they stopped to chat and then she thought she'd have a nap. Ursula is six years old and lives with her family in Brescia, Italy.

Phanny

Today we are in Eze village, which is on the Moyenne Corniche between Monaco and Nice.

I much prefer to photograph a dog in sunlight as it gives life to the coat and to the picture and today, it was dull, overcast. No matter - I couldn't resist this wonderful old girl. Phanny is 10 years old and was on holiday with her owners who live in Paris.

I wonder if she thinks she looks fierce - I think she looks adorable. Unusual to see boxer with cut ears these days. Let's hope one day it will become illegal all over the world.

Darcy

Here's one for the pug lovers! Meet Darcy who is 15 months old and was in Menton on holiday. Darcy and his family live in Bandol in the Var. Bandol produces some of the best Provence rosé wines.

His owner warned me that he was unlikely to keep still for a photo and I had visions of the Westie we saw last time. In fact, Darcy was an angel.

The Dog who wasn't interested...

The most difficult dogs to photograph are terriers because they are so active, but even so most will look at me at some point. This dog refused. Nothing was going to make him look at me - all the noises I made, cluck cluck sounds, eee eee eee sounds, etc. Yes, you can laugh! Of course not all terriers are like this, but this little chap, called Bonbon, didn't want to know anything about having his photo taken or even glancing at me.

So here's the best I could do. Bonbon is five years old and lives in Italy and in Menton where his family have a second home.

Fur in fur on fur...

Fur in fur on fur...there's a lotta fur going on here but then it was a very cold day in Menton.

Meet Eden who is a two month old long-coat chihuahua, sitting in total comfort in her own special furry handbag.

The Dalmation who Digs

This lovely Dalmatian doesn't belong to the couple walking along the beach in Menton, but he tagged along with them for a bit, then came back, had fun digging up the sand before returning to his owner who was sitting further up the beach.

Milou

It was a dull afternoon walking away from the Lemon Festival in Menton and this grey and white Fox terrier has no light on his coat. I thought the photo might look better in Black and White and think it does.

Milou (he was Tintin's dog, of course) is a grey and white Fox Terrier and he's 14 - looks good, doesn't he? Don't you just love the way he sits in the smaller photo.

He was with his owner on holiday from Monbéliard in north-eastern France. Such a pity for all the visitors that we have such lousy weather. At this moment it's raining really heavily.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Maya, the Golden and Daisy, the Labrador, two dogs who stay at Pension Milou. You'll meet Daisy again as she is here for 5 months, and as you see likes nothing better than pushing a smelly rope pull into another dog's mouth. Ain't love grand!

Sissi

I met Sissi walking with her owner near to Cap Martin. Her owner doesn't know what mix she is - there's surely terrier there somewhere as the coat around her face was quite wiry. What else - I don't know? Perhaps Shih-tzu looking at the curly tail? She's lovely, isn't she? Sissi is 9 years old and live in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.

Louise

Louise is a very smart Scottish terrier, walking here in the Casino Gardens. She's 9 years old and lives in Monaco.

Vince

How adorable is this little bundle of fluff?!

I met Vince, this enchanting apricot poodle, in the gardens below the Café de Paris in Monaco yesterday morning. He's six months old and is owned by a lovely Italian lady called Andrea who invited me to a party! Unfortunately I can't go but appreciated the invitation.

Me and My Shadow

As you can see in the two smaller photos, I was fiddling about snapping shadows with the help of Ricky. Ricky is a truly adorable dog - a hunt terrier with the sweetest kindest temperament. I probably shouldn't have favourites but this dog eats his way into my heart every time he comes to stay. Ricky is 8 years old and lives in Monaco.

Dixie

Dixie was being taken for her morning exercise in Monaco when I met her in the Fontvieille area. She's young - only 18 months old - as lovely as any Golden Retriever with those beautiful eyes. I bet she's naughty tho - what young Golden isn't?

Mia

This is Mia. If you've read any of the Postcards from Pension Milou postings, you'll perhaps remember her story. She's a Bassett Ariégois, which is a French hunting dog - rather like a Bassett Hound with longer legs, don't you think? She appeared on this blog once before - the day she arrived which was the 31st December 2008.

So she's been living at Pension Milou for just over a year now - taken from a dreadful situation with her friend Mistral. They'd been shut up for eight years in a two-metre square run living on top of eight years of excrement. Sadly Mistral was to put to sleep after three months suffering from advanced cancer. Look at Mia now - she's come on a treat physically but is still terrified of people - it's getting a little better tho as time goes by. (in the photo with the pug she'd only been here 4 months. The other photos are recent.).

You can read more about Mia and also an update on Beau who recently had major surgery when his inner/middle ear was removed. Click on the Postcards link. It all ends well!

Circus Dogs?

These two dogs were shut up in a large pen outside the circus tent in Monaco. I was photographing the lions, elephants and sea lions when I saw this beautiful face peering through the bars.

The big one is a Newfoundland, the smaller one is a mix. Both gorgeous dogs but not very happy. I don't know if they were part of a circus act or simply dogs belonging to a member of the circus and kept in this pen for the day. You can see other shots on Monte Carlo Daily Photo.

Chloe

This pretty Cavalier, Chloe, is tiny - much smaller than usual but it doesn't take away her beauty, does it? She's 4 year old, lives in Monaco and with her owner was wandering around the circus animals, currently on display outside the circus tent in Fontvieille where the 34th Festival of Circus of Monte Carlo is taking place. Click on the link to take a look.

Camilla, Susie and Nina - the Peas in a Pod

Aren't they alike? Like peas in a pod or Jack Russells in a litter. In fact they are mother and two daughters - not sure which is which although I'd imagine the mother is on the left. She's called Camilla and is ten and a half. The daughters are Susie and Nina and they are eight.

They were in Menton but in fact live in Turin.

Estrelia

Estrelia - isn't that a pretty name. She is a one year old Papillon who lives in Menton and obviously adores her owner.

Papillon, of course is French for butterfly.

Warmer Times

The weather has been so awful here - snow and then endless rain - that I've not taken many dog photos. So here's one from last June - two French bulldogs crossing the Boulevard des Moulins in Monte Carlo.

Shorts and beach shoes seem a long way away at the moment although...as I write...suddenly the sun is shining. Long may it last.

Jack

Cheating really...I don't know if this little Jack Russell Terrier's name is Jack or not but the French often call this breed a 'Jack' - rather as they call football 'le foot.'

As you see, a rough Mediterranean in Menton after days and days of rain but Jack is having the best time rummaging amongst the detritus thrown up by the sea.

The SDF Dog

There seem to be an awful lot of 'street dogs' in Menton this winter - meaning dogs who belong to an SDF (sans domicile fixe) - of no fixed abode. I suppose they and their owners come south in winter where the weather will be warmer - unfortunately this year it isn't. Well, warmer than Paris, no doubt, but even so not the sort of weather to sleep outside.