Happy New Year's Eve to all...

I don't wear costumes...

I really don't care how many times you show me these wonderful costumes that you brought home, my dearest Food Lady - but I still refuse to wear any of them! OK, maybe I'll play with the ribbons
but don't let that hat drop on my head! I do believe that I will just stay behind the tree
until all of those costumes are properly put away!~~~~~
It's time for the Carnival of the Cats and it's being hosted by the King of the Carnival of the Cats, Laurence Simon. This will be his final time so make sure to check it out here.
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Weekend Cat Blogging is over at the Tuxedo Gang's Hideout and hosted by Samantha Black and Tigger.
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The Bad Kitty Cat Festival of Chaos is over with Zed Monster and Megan at Bad Kitty Cats Journal. There is an optional theme of New or Old.

The mask shop dog

As you can see in the photo below, this little black poodle belongs to the owner of a stand at the Menton Christmas market. She sells masks and jewellry but at the time I took the photograph, she'd not quite finished her display ready for the opening.

Breakthrough!

A word of advice. If you want a dog that will trot obediently behind you - off lead - then whatever you do, don't get a hound. Hounds are born to hunt. Their sense of smell and their need to follow a scent is all-consuming.

One of the many joys of owning Milou, an American cocker spaniel - and the dog of my life - is that once we were away from a main road, he could be let off his lead - he'd explore but he never went far - always keeping an eye out for me. He'd wander about Gorbio village whilst I had a coffee in the bar and he loved walking in the hills above the village, amongst the olive trees and the wild thyme - especially when his best buddy, Candy, was visiting from America. My Milou went to doggy heaven a couple of years ago and I miss him still.


When I adopted Beau from the refuge in April 2006, the furthest thing from my mind was the word 'walkies.' I just got sucked into the look in his eyes and how needy he was. And he was. Once home and following three weeks on antibiotics, he had to have both eardrums removed - 4 and half hours on the operating table. It took a year for him to get reasonably healthy but still - every four months - he got massive abcesses below each ear. Things are better now and since July, he's not had another abscess and that's because they've never quite healed - each day both sides drain just a little. The vet suggests this is a good thing and I agree. It's a simple matter to wash the areas each morning - far better than painful abscesses for the poor dog.

So when it came to walking - and I did take Beau on several walks soon after the swelling had gone down and the stiches were removed - what did he do? As soon as I let him off lead, his long big beautiful nose went down and off he dashed into the undergrowth. Beau is a Bruno de Jura which is a Swiss hunting dog - bred to hunt, bred to follow a scent. Fortunately I was with a friend when he ran off and we managed, between us, to get him back. Since then I tried a couple of walks with him on an extension lead which wasn't much fun cos he'd dive into the undergrowth and the lead would get twisted around twigs and rocks and he'd need to be rescued. Now he walks on a normal lead, albeit quite a long one, with me getting dragged into the woodland everytime he wants to 'follow his nose.'

And then suddenly things changed. Some of you know I have several photo blogs. One of them is Menton Daily Photo and I decided to photograph the Promenade le Corbusier which goes from the point of Cap Martin all the way to Monaco - a walk and takes about 2 and a half hour each way. It has to be one of the most gloriously beautiful walks in the world and you can take the walk with Beau and me on Menton Daily Photo in January. It occurred me to me that perhaps Beau wouldn't run away on this walk because in the first place, it's right by the sea, so hopefully no wild boars about, and secondly, it's fenced on the inland side of the walk - ie all the beautiful houses and gardens protect their wildly expensive properties with wrought iron railings. So off we went. Beau had a breakthrough - and so did I.

We parked by the sea, and I walked Beau, on lead, to the beginning of the 'walk.' There were several other dogs running about and I knew I had to let Beau off as dogs feel vulnerable when meeting new dogs if they are on a lead and the other dogs are running free. He stopped dead, allowed the other dogs to sniff him and then I called him to follow. Beau, whilst he has no eardrums can - amazingly - hear a little. The vet explained there is some mechanism left to allow him to do this. Certainly when the other dogs at Pension Milou bark, he pricks up his ears and follows them - barking along with them. So he followed me for a bit. Great. We continued the walk and soon he was ahead of me, but every so often, he stopped, turned and looked around for me. A miracle. As soon as he saw me, he'd continue. Sometimes he'd take off down one of the little tracks to the rocks and the sea, then he'd stop and look for me again. One time, it was the other way around - I was ahead of him, went around a bend - later I looked back - no Beau. I ran back. No Beau. Ran further. No Beau. I asked people if they'd seen a large black dog with very long ears and they pointed down a track. There he was, on the rocks just waiting and when he saw me, he bounded over - so joyful. And then I knew. Miraculously I have a dog who wants to be with me. He's become 'my' dog. Now I know we can go for walks together - I can trust him off lead so long as there's no traffic and he can trust me to look after him.

I'm looking at him now. He's sitting in MY chair. Yes, I lost my chair soon after he got here. He doesn't move his majestic head but I know, if I were to walk past him, his eyes would follow me around the room. This dog loves me. I look at this beautiful dog and remember that poor old dog I first saw in the refuge. Beau is about ten years of age. I remember how he staggered out to greet one of the volunteers, then slunk back to his corner of a filthy carvan where he lived because he was so sick, the sides of his head massively swollen with infection. The filthy caravan I might tell you was considerably better than the kennels the other dogs had, which were only airline crates giving no protection from the cold and rain. I didn't want to take him. At the time I had two other rescue dogs and they were a handful. I hesitated - twice. Imagine if I'd left him there?

If ever you are given the choice between buying a puppy or giving a home to a refuge dog, don't hesitate, please give an unwanted dog a home. You'll never know the joy you will get when you nurture a dog to full health and then watch him grow into his potential. And then there's the love you get back - and sometimes it's overwhelming - but I'm not complaining. I was told Beau had had four homes before being put in the refuge and he'd been in the refuge a long time. I really don't know if this is true or not but I can't imagine anyone giving up this beautiful dog. Anyway - it's all worked out beautifully. We suit each other, my dog and me.

I must go - from the terrace I see the sun shining over the sea - and Beau wants a walk. So do I.

This is a watercolour of Beau by British artist, Katie Lancaster. Katie is based in the South of France and creates contemporary dog portraits from photographs. Each drawing is an original piece of artwork, drawn with sensitivity and focused attention to detail. Katie also designed the Pension Milou website. To see more of Katie's beautiful dog portraits (in water colours or pastels) please click on Pet Portraits | Katie Lancaster.

Merry Christmas!

Gilda

Gilda, who is 18 months old, lives in Italy - near Lake Maggiore to be exact but her owners have a holiday apartment in Menton. I met them in the Jardin Bioves when I was photographing the Christmas displays in the rain. Sorry she's not central in this photograph. You try clicking a camera and holding an umbrella at the time! In the photograph below you see her proud owner - Gilda meanwhile is struggling to look at the sheep who are in a pen just alongside. It was so nice to talking to this nice gentleman and his wife, so proud are they of their lovely little dog.

Happy Christmas to everyone and thank you so much for comments on Riviera Dogs. From the dogs and me - woof woof!

'You give a dog food, warmth, shelter and walkies, and in return they give you their heart.' - Jo Winter

Cat Wallpaper #29

Free cat wallpaper
Three cute kittens and a shoe




Dimensions: 1024x768
Size: 102 KB

Secret Paws from Yuki

I received my Secret Paws package a few days ago but my Food Lady has been so busy we haven't been able to post my pictures until today!
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Yuki from Kazoku Neko was my Secret Paw. She is a beautiful white cat and her names means "snow" in Japanese. I think that is a terrific name for such a pretty white cat! And she sent me some really terrific presents!
~~~~~
I could smell catnip in the box so I went in the box
as soon as my Food Lady got it opened for me. China Cat came over to see what I had going on.
She found one of my catnip mousies
and she didn't even see that there were
Salmon Temptations right behind her! I didn't know what to play with first... Oh, what fun - look at these little mousies...
they are the same color as me!
They are called Skitter Critters!
And she sent me feather toys - I love feathers! I smell some more catnip here... Look at my card from Yuki! It says to have a merry little Christmas
and I certainly am doing that! In her card she personally recommended the Skitter Critters because of the catnip! She was right about that!
~~~~~
I Love Catnip and Feather Toys and Temptations
and sweet Yuki for sending me such great presents!~~~~~
Katie and Puddy are hosting Weekend Cat Blogging at A Byootaful Life,
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Astrid, Kashim & Othello are hosting Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos
(with an optional theme of family or friends) at The Catboys Realm
~~~~~
and the Carnival of the Cats will be hosted by Missy & KC
at The Cat Blogosphere (with an optional Christmas theme).

Aldo's silver tie

This is Aldo, the Menton Christmas Fair dog you saw the day before yesterday. I didn't know his name then but this morning, there he was again - this time in the rain. And look at his smart silver tie. His owner posed him for me. Quite the dapper little dog. Happy Christmas, Aldo!

'...a dog...never makes it his business to inquire whether you are in the right. You are his pal. That is enough for him.' Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927)

Give a dog a bone...

This Brittany spaniel wasn't really interested in looking at the camera. He wanted to concentrate on whoever or whatever is inside the door below. It's the kitchen entrance of a restaurant in Menton and presumably his owner is working inside.

'A good dog deserves a good bone.' American Proverb

The Christmas market dog

This gorgeous little dog sits outside the shop you see below. The shop is part of Menton's Christmas market that runs from the sea to the market area. It opens every day at 10 a.m. and every day this dog sits there. When I took the photograph above no one was in the shop but it seems our hero is resigned to the several weeks he must sit here each year.

'For fidelity, devotion, love, many a two-legged animal is below the dog...' Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)

Conan

The Cane Corso is an Italian Mastiff and massive he is too. This boy was standing just in front of the market building in Menton. You can read about the Cano Corso Italiano by clicking on the link.

'The best part about owning a dog is the way he doesn't care about bad hair days or overdue bills.' Author Unknown.

Avoiding the paragliders

This lovely golden is taking a walk, with his stick, on the Plage du Golfe Bleu at Roquebrune-cap-Martin. This is the beach where the paragliders land after their flight from Mont Agel, way up up up in the mountains. You'll see in the third photograph the dog's owner is gently holding him as a paraglider lands so he is not scared. I'd imagine any dog would be terrified if a man suddenly arrived out of the sky. Click here to see the paragliders and click here to see the landing.

'You know you're a dog lover when you think the paw prints on the hall floor make an interesting mural.' - Mae Somers

Church walk

Really I'm not sure what breed this is. He looks a bit like a Pyrenean Mountain Dog but the tail carriage is wrong and so is the gait. Colour appears wrong for a Maremma sheepdog - could be an Anatolian Shepherd dog? If anyone knows, I'll happily delete these worlds and list him under his rightful breed.

He was having an early morning trot in Fontvieille, which is the area of Monaco reclaimed from the sea. Here he is walking past St. Nicholas church. Click on the link to see this relatively new church in Monaco.

'This honest sheep-dog's countenance I read:
With him can talk; nor blush to waste a word
On creatures less intelligent and shrewd.

William Wordsorth (1770-1850), from "The Pastor"

Monday Mail

I had such fun helping to pack the package for my Secret Paw.
I was being very careful not to show all the secret presents.
Wasn't I good?!?!?!

~~~~~I was having such a good time
I almost mailed myself!
Wouldn't that surprise my Secret Paw!!! Ann from Zoolatry made a lovely picture
of both of us with Santa Claws.
I hope that he thinks we've been good!

Our female puppies 5 months

Kitty angel

Kitty angel is looking after you... bless you

Energy!

This bundle of energy lives in Belgium. His owner explained that his daughter lives in Roquebrune village - this photo was taken on the way to the 1000 year old olive tree. I'm not quite sure why he is wearing a coat as the sun was shining - perhaps because there was a little bit of wind.

'The one absolute, unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world...is his dog.'
George Graham Vest (1830-1904. from "Eulogy on the Dog."

Thanks on Thursday

What an exciting day it is today!
China Cat and I had some mail to open.
We received a Christmas Card
from Mom Laura, Mu Shue and Lilly Lu!
This is our first ever Christmas Card!
There's a picture of all three of them on the card
and they wished us "Happy Holidays" - thanks so much!
~~~~~
And then there was more!
It's wasn't Secret Paws but it was a very special package indeed!
My Food Lady has actually given us a Holiday Gizzy Quilt!
The special limited edition of the Holiday Gizzies
was on sale last September and we really wanted one.
We saw on some of the other cat's blogs
that they had received beautiful Holiday Gizzies.
Well, the surprise was on us...
My Food Lady DID buy us a Holiday Gizzy
from Mom Lynne and Millie!
~~~~~
It has been hiding in my Food Lady's closet
since September!
Actually, she caught me in there one day, sniffing around,
but she told me that there wasn't anything for me!
Ah Ha...It was Nip that I smelled in that closet!
Along with the lovely Holiday Gizzy,
there was a Christmas Nip Ravioli that Mom Robyn
(from HotMBC) made with some Primo Nip!
~~~~~
So I made a slide strip to show
how much both China Cat and I enjoyed
our brand new Christmas Gizzy and Nip Ravioli
and our 1st Christmas Card!
~~~~~

Yuky

There are cross breeds and cross breeds but how cute is this! Only two months old and much travelled already. This little bundle of cuteness lives in Majorca, Spain but is here on holiday with his young owners, and visiting the medieval village of Roquebrune. These photographs were taken fairly near to the entrance to the Xth century Chateau.