'Ours' - my new dog!

Meet my new dog! He's called Ours, which means Bear in French and he's a mix of a Grand Griffon Vendeen and probably some other large hunting dog. He's five and a half years old. I'll never forget Beau and Mia and Milou and Peggotty and Mistletoe and Scramble and all the wonderful dogs who have lived with me in the past but there is always enough love for a needy dog and goodness, there are enough poor dogs in shelters in this area alone.

The hunter who owned Ours wanted to shoot him - apparently he wasn't any good as a hunting dog! - but fortunately someone rescued him but couldn't keep him as he lived in a studio, so delivered him to the refuge where he has lived for the past two years. He arrived with injuries to a leg and terribly thin.

He's terrified of men in particular but meeting anyone new is a trauma for him. He's never lived in a house so all the sounds of a house scare him and outside sounds he doesn't know, like cars on the autoroute worry him greatly.

Having said all that he is a total love and in only 48 hours has found the places in the house where he feels safe: at my feet when I'm at the computer and by my bed!

I found his photo on the website of the SDA of Nice which is in Tourettes-Levens. Most impressive refuge, spotlessly clean and all the dogs well cared for and lovely people working there who cried when Ours left with me. 

Isn't he gorgeous!

(Thanks so much to my friend, Sheila, who came to the refuge with me and stroked Ours in the back of the car on the way home. It made all the difference. Sheila has been with me when I've adopted several dogs in the past. She has a wonderful calm manner. And she has a great dog herself - Gucci, a Welsh terrier).

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Voici mon nouveau chien! Il s'appelle Ours, c'est un mélange de Grand Griffon Vendéen et probablement d'un autre grand chien de chasse. Il a cinq ans et demi. Je n'oublierai jamais Beau, Mia, Milou, Peggotty,  Mistletoe et Scramble et tous les merveilleux chiens qui ont vécu avec moi dans le passé,  mais il y a toujours assez d'amour pour un chien en manque d'un foyer et malheureusement il y en a beaucoup dans des abris de la région PACA.

Le chasseur à qui il appartenait a voulu le tuer - apparemment il n'était pas assez bon comme chien de chasse! - et heureusement quelqu'un l'a sauvé.  Mais ne pouvant  pas le garder dans le studio où il  vivait, cette personne l'a laissé  au refuge où il a vécu les deux dernières années. Il y est arrivé avec des blessures à une jambe et très maigre.

Il est terrifié par les hommes en particulier et  la rencontre avec quelqu'un de nouveau est un trauma pour lui. Il n'a jamais vécu dans une maison donc tous les sons de celle-ci l'effrayent ainsi que ceux de l'extérieur qu'il ne connaît pas, tels les voitures sur l'autoroute qui l'inquiètent grandement.

Ceci dit, c' est un amour et en seulement 48 heures,  il a trouvé les endroits dans la maison où il se sent en sûreté: à mes pieds quand je suis à l'ordinateur et à côté de mon lit!

J'ai trouvé sa photo sur le site Web de la SDA de Nice, qui se trouve à Tourettes-Levens. Un refuge  impressionnant, extrêmement propre où tous les chiens sont bien soignés par les gens charmants qui y travaillent et qui ont pleuré quand Ours est parti avec moi.

N'est pas il magnifique!

Give a dog a bone ... Ragnar

This adorable three month old bull terrier pup wasn't about to give up his bone and look at the camera.

He's called Ragnar (a Viking name) and lives in Menton.  Sadly he was born deaf but his owner is teaching him hand signals.

Flappy the Cavapoo

A too adorable puppy on the breakwater at  Larvotto Beach, in Monaco.

He's called Flappy and he's an 11 week old Cavapoo, which is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel crossed with a poodle.

Mia and her last journey

Some of you have met Mia, a Bassett Ariegois - or seen this photo of her in exhibitions.  Sadly, today she was put to sleep.

It's been a bad few weeks lately.  First, my oldest dog, Beau - a black and tan Bruno du Jura, had to be put to sleep. It was his time. Indeed the deed was done not a day too early or too late and I was okay about it. He'd had a good life here and lived far longer than he would have in the particular refuge he was in.

But Mia, who had a dreadful early life (as did Beau) didn't deserve to have been so sick for the last two or three weeks of her life. She'd had an ear infection for six months, nothing would clear it up and the skin deep within her ear got so thin it started bleeding.  At this time I changed vets, not because I didn't have the best faith in my old vet but because Mia was so car sick every time I drove a distance to her and she understood and agreed. The new vet gave me product for her ears that went into her blood stream and caused massive inbalance and semi-paralysis -  and ever since then we've been trying to get her right. And I changed vets again, of course.

Last night she became totally paralyzed and so this morning she went to the vet on her last journey.

When I got Mia around 7 years ago she'd been living in a filthy 2 metre square run with another dog, Mistral. She'd obviously had several litters of puppies and was thin as a stick and with bleeding skin. They'd been living on top of years of excrement and having food thrown over the fence. The owner died and the son wanted to shoot them.  So, they came to me. Mistral lived only 3 months because she had cancer, but Mia put on weight and was in excellent health, except mentally and emotionally. All her years with me she was terrified of any visitor, especially men.

 Mia was a wonderful dog, so kind, so sensitive. I miss her like crazy. 

So, now, this house is very empty. I have this photo of Mia hanging on my wall. And another of Beau hangs elsewhere. I'll show you Beau's photo another time.

(the second photo shows Mia with her friend, Maggie in the background)

Mia

This is my old dog, Mia, squeezed into a little dog's bed! She's not well at the moment - with something I'd never heard of before. She's had an ear infection for six months which wouldn't clear up despite analyses, antibiotics and drops.  Unfortunately the skin, deep within her ears, had got so thin, that one particular medication got into her blood stream, totally upset her balance, she walks with difficulty, sometimes falling over, and her rear end has no strength.  Since I took this photo, she's been at the vets each day from 8 till 5 on a drip and does seem a little better and starting to eat again. Who knew that some ear drops could do this! The vet says she will hopefully improve but she'll never completely get back her balance - it's now a neurological problem. Fingers crossed.... back to the vet this morning.

Prickle

This is Prickle, who lives at one of Menton's famous gardens, Le Clos du Peyronnet.

Exhausted

Larvotto Beach, Monaco.   Don't we all feel like this sometimes...!

Elegance

Elegance at Casino Square, Monte Carlo. Woof!

Pakkun

Last time we met Marley, an adorable French bulldog puppy.  This is her housemate, Pakkun, who is 4 months old - a handsome chocolate labrador. They live in Monaco.

Marley

Is there anything more adorable than an 8 week old French bulldog puppy!

This is Marley and she lives in Monaco with a 4 month old chocolate labrador. We'll meet her next time.

Waiting for Mama

This lovely Bernese Mountain Dog was 'waiting for Mama' and as you say, she had soon finished her shopping and he was a happy dog.

Play ball!

This playful Boxer belongs to one of the shop owners along Larvotto Beach in Monaco.  I had to keep putting down my camera, throw the ball for him and then try and take a shot as he rushed back for more! He was so friendly, I didn't want to leave.

As you can see much of Larvotto is boarded up against possible bad winter weather, but there are openings for for anyone who wants to have a swim or sunbathe.

Wura

Meet Wura.  She's an 11 year old long-haired dachshund I met at the Fete du Citron in Menton.  She was being carried around in her owner's bag as dogs are not allowed in the Jardin Bioves.

Wura lives in Holland.

Richard and Halloween

We've met my fabulous friend Richard and little Halloween on this blog before but here's another shot of them.  I love the tender moment they share.

Sisters!

It was a glorious day here yesterday and these two little Maltese terriers were having the best fun on the Promenade le Corbusier at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. I nearly got run over!
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Hier ici, c'était une journée magnifique et ces deux petits bichons maltais s'amusaient énormément sur la Promenade Le Corbusier à Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. J' ai presque failli me faire renverser!

Naya

Last night, after going to the vernissage of Roch Chinchila's beautiful photography, my friend Sylvie and I went to one of our favourite restaurants in Menton, the Volcano, for a plate of pasta and a glass of wine. Great pizzas and pastas here, cooked by chef owner, Driss. And very reasonable.

This little love was my neighbour.... well how could I resist! Her name is Naya, she's nearly 5 and was rescued by her owner - and plainly, they adore each other!

A Night Stroll

A night stroll with the dogs along the pedestrian street of Menton. 

Puppy heaven!

Yesterday I was in 'puppy heaven!'  This is one of a litter of 6 week old puppies in the village of Gorbio.  Mama is a Boxer and Papa is an American Bulldog.

There are still two that are unreserved!

Hunique and Vanessa

We met Hunique when she was a puppy. Now she's all grown up.

Hunique lives at the Bar/Restaurant Les Terrasses in the medieval village of Gorbio.  You can see her with her owner Vanessa in the last photo.

Like a Baby

A cute little poodle that is being carried like a baby, perhaps he's old or sick - or perhaps just lazy!

Two by two

A couple of beautiful Saint Bernards and their family at the Monaco Dog show last year.

Je suis Charlie

Je suis Charlie. A little Shihtzu at the march for freedom of expression in Menton yesterday. This following the horrors in Paris over the last few days.

Loki - American Bully

This is Loki - only four months old. I met him in Menton where he lives.  His owners told me he is an American Bully, a breed that isn't yet registered in France.

I thought he must have American Pitbull in him, but his proud owners tell me the breed is a cross between a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and an American Bulldog.  There's a lot of information on line and it's a little confusing on this.

There is a kennel for this breed in the Herault region of France who breed small, medium and large varieties of the American Bully.

Chihuahua in Menton

A cute Chihuahua in Menton.

Rajah

This beautiful Afghan hound poses amongst the ornamental bananas (or are they Strelitzias?) in the Casino gardens in Monte Carlo.  I did ask his name and can't find where I wrote it, but  think it may have been Rajah. Anyway that seems to suit him, don't you think?

Pom in Waiting

Looks like a little Pomeranian (or tiny Spitz) patiently waiting whilst his owner reads a real estate magazine.  Note the orange trees laden with fruit.  Not long now and Menton will be celebrating the Fete du Citron.

Market Dog

This lovely dog is a Menton market dog.  Tied up to the owner's stand and doing his job as a guard.  With the Christmas rush and a busy stall, I didn't stop to ask his name. He's a beautiful deep  brown and is some kind of setter, perhaps an Irish setter but the head doesn't look quite right and the colour isn't perhaps red enough. Perhaps a mix? Perhaps someone knows. In any case, he's beautiful!

Sense of Direction ...

Place du Cap, Menton 

Not quite sure who is walking who in this photo!

Conversation with a Whippet

I wonder how many people know their dogs have private conversations with strangers behind their back.

I met this lovely Whippet in Dolceacqua. 

Indy

Let's have another dose of cuteness.  Meet Indy.  He's a one year old Papillon who lives in Nice.  I think he knows how cute he is!

Abby and Roxy

Abby and Roxy are Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Abby lives in Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Roxy lives in Monaco.

Halloween (2)

Here's another photo of little Halloween, who we met yesterday.  She's with her co-owner Richard (well half of him!) sitting on steps in the medieval village of Gorbio.  Halloween lives in Villefranche-sur-Mer.

Halloween

This is beautiful little Halloween.  She lives in Villefranche-sur-Mer with my friends Tim and Richard.

Next time I'll show you the photo I took of Halloween with Richard and used in my display at PhotoMenton.

It goes without saying Halloween is a star!