Stormy

Stormy is the name of this lovely Saluki puppy - she is ten months - and it's also what we've been going thru in the south of France. We've had non-stop heavy rain for nearly three days - never seen anything like it.

Stormy was born in Saudi Arabia and lives in Monaco and I suppose because her breed is used to a desert, she doesn't 'do' rain and refused to go out in it! So there was much mopping up of puddles.

She is gorgeous tho and a delightful dog. I took these photos when she first arrived but by the time she left - yesterday - she'd put on quite a bit of weight. Probably the proximity of other dogs got her eating properly. She doesn't have feathering on her ears but her owner explained that not all Salukis have this.

The Chinese Crested without the Crest!

Ted is an 8 year old Chinese Crested without a crest! His owners explained they keep it trimmed. I met Ted in Menton where he was on holiday from Bordeaux. You can read more about this breed by clicking on the link.

Mermoz

This leggy pup of 5 months lives in Nice although I met him walking along the old port in Menton. He looks to be what they call a Griffon-type dog in France but perhaps he's a specific breed and I forgot to write it down.

Look how kind his eyes are - he'll grow to be a wise ol' dog one day.

The Bicycle Dog

Some dogs have it all worked out, don't they? This Yorkie looks perfectly capable of walking alongside his owner but prefers to sit in the basket of her bike. Clever dog!

Water Dog

This lovely dog was frolicking on the rocks on the day the Newfoundlands were giving their display. I think he wanted to prove it's not just Newfoundlands that love to swim!

Molly

Molly lives with the last little dog we saw - Cashew. She's 12 years old and they live in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.

Cashew, the Oldie

Cashew is an old man. He's 14½ and lives with his sprightly friend, Molly, who is only 12 - we'll meet her in the next posting.

These two much-loved dogs live in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and I met them out walking in Gorbio village. Well, Molly was walking and Cashew's was in his owner's arms - absolutely the way to go for a walk when you are a little tired...

The Doggie in the Window

This doggie in the window was in Castellar, a hill village 6 kilometres above Menton.

I looked up - the window is on the first floor of an old house and there he was - or she? - a lovely Brittany spaniel.

More of those gorgeous Newfoundlands on another day...

Waiting to get in the Water

Today - one of the many Newfoundlands who took part in the demonstration - here he is waiting for the demonstration to begin. I don't know his name but isn't he absolutely beautiful.

The Life Saving Dogs at Menton

Newfoundlands showing their skills as life-savers at sea. This demonstration was given by the dogs and owners of 'Terre-Neuve 06' in Menton last weekend. Terre-Neuve is French for Newfoundland. They were brilliant and so funny at times when they didn't get it quite right!

You can read about this and see more photographs by clicking on Menton Daily Photo.

Dachshunds Rule - of course!

These two charmers have long names. The wire-haired is called Donnawetter and she is 2. And the smooth-haired is called Alpenliebe and she is 7. They live in Milan but were in Menton where I met them at a three-day festival held in the Old Port, promoting careers relating to the sea.

Dunya

Meet Dunya. She's a 7 year old mix of labrador and German Short-haired Pointer. She was re-homed from a Belgian refuge 6 years ago and now lives between her homes in Brussels and in Menton. Here she is outside the church in Gorbio village.

Black dogs are so difficult to photograph but the light was just right today - I must bottle this light and treasure it!

Isn't she gorgeous.

You can find another photograph of Dunya on Menton Daily Photo.

Jasmine, the Berger de Picardie

This lovely Berger de Picardie ended up in the SPA of Monaco when she was one year old, which is when her owners gave her a home. She's now 10 years old, lives in Monaco and we met whilst she was running about the area below the Casino.

All Jasmine wanted to do was please her owners. Look how wonderfully attentive she is. Such a lovely dog and the first of this breed for Riviera Dogs.

Stoppit, the Lurcher at the Monaco Yacht Show

'Stoppit' stopped the traffic at the Monaco Yacht Show. Stoppit is a 5-year old Lurcher who travelled from the UK on his owner's yacht. Bet there aren't many lurchers who do that! In fact, I've never seen a lurcher before in Monaco or anywhere on the Riviera, come to that. A gorgeous dog. Look at that face!

Zappy visits the Monaco Yacht Show

Zappy, an adorable little Yorkie - only one year old - lives in Monaco, so naturally he visited the Monaco Yacht Show and looks quite the part on the blue carpet. For photos of the yacht show please click on Monte Carlo Daily Photo to see the first day of a series on this fabulous event.

Thierry, the Leonberger

This beautiful big dog - a Leonberger - came along to the Blessing of the Animals in Gorbio. He's 9 years old and lives above the village.

The breed's name derives from the city of Leonberg in south-west Germany. According to legend, the Leonberger was ostensibly bred as a 'symbolic dog' that would mimic the lion in the town crest.

Paloma at the Café de Paris in Monaco

Am I imagining it or are we seeing more and more Chihuahuas? I seem to see them a lot these days or perhaps I just notice their cute little faces more than I used to.

Meet Paloma an adorable 4 year old sitting on her owner's lap on the terrace of the Café de Paris.

Nager

This lovely dog is a mix of a collie, a hunting dog and a setter. He was rescued from an SPA in the Pyrénées and now lives in Monaco. Some dogs have all the luck!

Nager is 4 years old and I met him at the recent garden fair in Menton. In the smaller photo you see him amongst the water lilies!

You might note the rather smart silver bone hanging from his collar. This is a container for small plastic bags that his owner uses to pick up his poop should he happen to 'go' in public.

Siena, the Maremma Sheepdog

A new breed for Riviera Dogs. A Maremma sheepdog or more correctly, a Pastore Maremano Abruzzese from the Maremma region of Italy. They are guardians of a flock - independent-thinking dogs and incredibly intelligent. You can probably see that this breed was probably related to the Pyrenean Mountain Dog. Click on link to read more.

This is Siena, who is only 5 months old. She was born in Italy and now lives in Vence.

Dolly ... again

At the Blessing of the Animals in Gorbio village I snapped this English setter but forgot to ask her name - but when I looked at the shot on the computer, suddenly I remembered who she is. Almost two years ago I took a photograph of her as a puppy and looking at her markings she identical.

In the smaller photo you see the robes of the priest who conducted the ceremony.

Take a look at Dolly aged 2 months. She was adorable then and adorable now.