Dora

How adorable is Dora?  She's an English Setter puppy aged three months who lives with a delightful young couple in Italy.  I met her at the Christmas Fair in Monaco.

Empi

Meet Empi.  She is a Rhodesian Ridgeback who lives in Sweden but also visits Menton regularly where her owners have a holiday home.  Empi is 7 years old and is posing here in the Jardin Bioves. Love her crazy ears which she uses so expressively.

Hera, one little boy's dream

All I want for Christmas, tra la ... and it looks like one little Menton boy's dream came true. 

This is Hera, a 2 month old female golden retriever.  The boy's father told me they have had golden retrievers before and know what a perfect breed they are with children. This looks like a match made in heaven.

Billy and Bach

Billy and Bach are litter brothers who live in Menton. They are a Jack Russell X poodle mix - and they look it, don't they?  I met them in Place aux Herbes this morning.  That's Bach in the first photo with the blue harness, Billy with the red one.  They are five years old and you see, bright as buttons.  

The SDF's dog

This lovely dog belongs to an SDF ('sans domicile fixe') which translates as 'homeless.'

The majority of SDFs seem to have a dog and those I've seen are well fed.  The local vets will treat these dogs free when it's  necessary. This dog has a blanket, bowls, even cardboard underneath her so she won't get chilled. Cynically I suppose one could say she is displayed in this way to encourage people to give money.  Who knows?  The truth is that often a dog is the only friend a homeless person has. 

I asked her owner if I could take her photo and he let me but insisted I didn't take his - so of course I didn't.

Bentley

  
Last time, we met Aston.  Today we meet his half-brother Bentley who is 9 years old. These two are such sweet adorable dogs and live in Monaco. 

Aston

This is Aston, an 8 year old golden retriever who lives in Monaco. Obviously thinking that if he closes his eyes I won't take his photograph.

Aston lives with Bentley (got it? - posh cars!) - we'll meet  Bentley next time ...

Toby

This is a Toby, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.  He lives in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. Isn't he a beautiful specimen of this lovely breed ...

For Chihuahua lovers

A chihuahua at the recent Kermesse (church/charity bazaar) in Monaco.

Croque-Monsieur

How adorable is this little boy!  He's a mix between a poodle and a Jack Russell terrier and is called Croque-Monsieur.  He's two years old and lives in Antibes although I met him at the Kermesse in Monaco yesterday.

A croque monsieur is a ham and cheese grilled sandwich which originated in French cafés and bars. He's so-called because his owner likes to eat them!

Two years ago at the Kermesse, (church and charity bazaar) someone had pinned a piece of paper on a pillar advertising pups for sale - with a photograph. Jenny, his owner read the sign ... one of those pups was Croque-Monsieur.

Sniff, sniff ...

The fluffy white dog is a Coton de Tuleur and the one in the foreground is a Jack Russell mix.  They were having fun playing together by the sea at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin this morning. I didn't ask their names.  Simply because I was trying out a new lens and didn't think the photo would be any good -  but I quite like the shape they make together with the terrier's legs all over the place ... and he's got such a lovely face.

The Monte Carlo Westies

Two Westies hoping for a morsel from their owners who are having a coffee and a croissant in the luxurious Metropole centre in Monte Carlo. 

They are mother and son.  Mother in the foreground is called Twiggy and she's 5 years old. Her son is 2 and he's called Tuky.

They live in Monaco. 

San the Chow

This is San, a soulful looking Chow.  She's 8 years old and posed by the fish stall in Carnoles, where her owner was working. 

Note her blue/black tongue which is typical of this ancient Chinese breed.  The Chow is easily recognizable in pottery and sculptures of the Chinese Han Dynasty (206 B.C. to 22 A.D.).

Tess

In the last post, we met little Victoria, who had been found in a rubbish bin at 4 weeks and now lives in the mountain village of Sospel, above Menton. 

This is her new friend, Tess.  Tess was bom in the house next door and Victoria's family just had to have one of the pups.  She's now three years old and as you see, a wonderfully gentle soul.

Victoria who was found in a rubbish bin

This is Victoria who, at the age of four weeks, was found in a rubbish bin in Monaco - dumped in a plastic bag.   That was in 2001 and since then has had the happiest of lives.  You can read Victoria's story and see photos when she was younger, by clicking on the link.

Victoria is now 10 years old and  lives in Sospel, a village above Menton.  She now has a canine housemate who we'll meet in the next post.

Lilou and Poupi

These two Cavaliers - two years old and half-sisters -  were competing at the Agility competition in Menton.  I'm really not sure if the little beauty in the main photo is THIS DOG (flying over the fences)  or not. What do you think?

They are called Lilou and Poupi and live in Cannes.

Flying Staffie

A flying Staffie at this year's Agility Show in Menton.

Flamme - the 'Moth' Dog

This is Flamme, an eleven year old Phalene who lives in Switzerland. I met her in Menton.

A Papillon (butterfly) has its ears UP and a Phalene (moth) has its ears DOWN.

Nourse

This little dog lives in the medieval village of Gorbio and can often be seen under her owner's chair in the Bar/Restaurant Les Terrasses. When I asked what mixture of breeds she is, her owner told me she s a 'Gorbarine' - as she said, you often see small dogs who look like Nourse.  A wiry coat, terrier like face but with an undershot jaw.  And oozing intelligence.  Nourse is 18 months old.

Jen

Jen, the dachshund, was guarding her bench and really didn't want her photograph taken ... grrrrrrrr