Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Morning walk


I met these three gorgeous Shih-tzus walking along the promenade above Larvotto Beach in Monte Carlo. They were being walked by a really nice guy who works for their owner.

He gave me their names but stupidly I'd left my pen in the car and can only remember two of them - Valentina and Petrea.

You'll find 'The Butcher's Dog' today on Menton Daily Photo. Just click on the link.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Moving Day

April 25th is a big day in my life.

Last year, on April 25th, 2007, people came and put stuff in boxes and took me and all the dogs I knew off our chains and out of the dark and lonely woods. After that I spent a long time in custody, which was really scary and boring.

This year, right before April 25th, my people started putting stuff in boxes. I got really worried and stayed in my crate wondering if this meant the people would come and take me and Lulu away and put me in custody again. Then, on April 25th, my mom took me and Lulu for a car ride to a house in a quiet neighborhood where we had gone before to meet a "fan" that my people called "the Landlord".
Here we are watching some of the boxes during our car ride.

Soon a whole bunch of men showed up with all the boxes from our apartment. Lulu did a lot of talking to the men because she wanted to make sure everything went in the right place (she got in trouble for being too bossy and had to have a time out). My people told me that we had "moved" and this was our new house. I like this place a lot, there's lots of space and an interesting back yard just for me and Lulu, that we don't have to share with neighbors. There is also a special room called the "garage" just for my treadmill!

This April 25th was a lot better than last year.

Monaco Dog Show - Honey

The Kooikerhondje - or Kooiker Hound is a spaniel from Holland. Originally used as a working dog, particularly in duck hunting. This beautiful dog is called Honey.

Monday, April 28, 2008

Monaco Dog Show - Moth Dog

There are two types of Papillon - the Papillon (Butterfly or prick-eared) and the Phalène (Moth or drop-eared). The American Kennel Club consider them to be one breed but in other countries they are two separate breeds. The lady who owned these dogs told me that the Phalène was the original Butterfly dog.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Monaco Dog Show - Ready to go Home...


A gorgeous Pyrenean Mountain Dog (Great Pyrenees) at the show. Does he want to be there? I wonder?

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Monaco Dog Show - Pimpy



Meet Pimpy the Pumi, who lives in Padua in Italy. I wrote about Pimpy's owner, Aurora in an earlier posting. Click on the link to read about this lovely young lady who adores dogs and shows them so well.

Or click on Aurora's Pumi website - a rare Hungarian breed. Isn't she gorgeous.

Friday, April 25, 2008

Monaco Dog Show - Cacharel


This puppy, at 4 months, was too young to be exhibited but nevertheless was walking around the exhibition space, naturally close to where the American cockers were being shown. He is related to the beautiful American we saw yesterday. He lives in the Bouches-du-Rhone. How cute is he?!

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Outside

Outside is one of my favorite words.
It can mean outside in the backyard. I like the backyard.



It can mean a walk in the park. I also like the park. When I go to places outside, I try and say hello to everyone I see. Hey, Mister Gopher, How's it going down there in your little cave ?


Whenever I hear the word " outside ", It puts a smile on my face.

Ahhhhh........Outside.


Hector-

Monaco Dog Show - Best-in-Show

I always have a very soft spot for American cocker spaniels. My Milou was an American cocker bred by the La Vigie kennel in Switzerland, which is where this lovely dog comes from. Milou was black tho. Look at the way this dog swishes his head - he knows how gorgeous he is. And look how beautifully presented he is too.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Monaco Dog Show - Pipo


Meet Pipo, a lovely chocolate Labrador who lives in Peille, a hill village above Monaco. Pipo is two years old. What a love!

Monday, April 21, 2008

Monaco Dog Show - Lowchen


I don't know the name of this dog - just snapped him or her at the show. The Lowchen is a member of the Bichon family. and shares, with the Pekinese, the name of Little Lion Dog. This is because it's always shown in a 'lion clip' complete with mane and fluffed tail, giving it the appearance of a lion in miniature. It is an affectionate, happy, healthy little dog, known in Europe for several centuries.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Monaco Dog Show - Ally & Vzan

Two Shar-peis at the show. Above you see Ally - she's the girl. And with her below, is Vzan, the male. Just look at Ally's wrinkles. Enough to make you look in the mirror and feel your own skin is perfect! These two come from Toulouse in south-western France.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Monaco Dog Show - the Borzois


Such beautiful creatures waiting patiently for their turn at the dog show. I always find it fascinating why we choose the breed of dog we do. Somehow the small lady sitting in the chair and her Borzoi don't seem to go together - which is nonsense of course, because obviously they are more than happy. I also got the impression (could be wrong) this lady is very much a 'doyen' of the breed as people kept coming up and talking to her.

Monaco Dog Show - Cuddled up


Lots of exhibitors keep their dogs in cages when they are not preparing them for the ring or showing them. The dogs are used to it and it's a sanctuary from the chaos of the exhibition hall and the owners know their dogs are safe.

Here you see two Old English Sheepdogs. These made the long journey from Holland - one a champion and one a puppy - both girls. How's this for togetherness?!

Friday, April 18, 2008

Monaco Dog Show - Austin


Sitting with a friend who has a Springer Spaniel, I looked to my left and saw this face under the chair next to me. He's a two and a half year old English Setter - just look at that expression!

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Monaco Dog Show - 'And God Created Dog'

Perhaps they are fed up with all that brushing? These two shih-tzus are taking a rest from the exhausting business of looking beautiful. The one on the left - see below - has a hairstyle I've never seen in the showring before, but perhaps I've not looked at Shihtzus in the ring lately - true. Sure she must think she's Brigitte Bardot and we've gone back to the sixties. Have you ever seen the 1956 film - And God Created Woman?

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Monaco Dog Show - Arak


Sitting in the sunshine, waiting for his class, this is Arak, a beautiful Sloughi. Arak lives in Nice.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Monaco Dog Show: a Campervan Dog




This lovely soft-coated Wheaten was staying in a campervan for the duration of the show. Anyone who comes to the Monaco Dog Show in a campervan will have a million-dollar view as they are allowed to park just along from the Heliport, right on the sea and looking over to the lovely port of Fontvieille.

The Dog who loved Carrots



Taco, a Welsh terrier mix, was a regular client at Pension Milou and proudly shared his birthday, March 14th, with Prince Albert of Monaco. Prince Albert celebrated his 50th this year but Taco missed the day by three months - on December the 7th, three months short of his 17th birthday, off he went to doggy heaven.

Taco had Cushing’s disease and he had a tumour but he was a game little dog and you’d really not have known anything was wrong with him. When he stayed at Pension Milou, he’d play like a puppy, flirt with the lady dogs and roll on his back with the simple joy of life. He always told me what he wanted with a very definite bark. Every day, at 4 p.m. for instance, he had a raw carrot and perish the thought that I might forget. If I did, I soon got to know about it – woof woof.

Taco was Xavier and Sheila’s first dog, although Sheila had had childhood dogs. When Taco died they were devastated. For Xavier, Taco was the dog of his life and he’d never have another one. Sheila thought – perhaps, one day?

As often happens when our dogs leave us, we eventually start to make surreptitious little enquiries. In January, Sheila started browsing the Internet looking for Welsh terrier breeders - a rarity in France. One day she found an advertisement for Welsh terrier puppies in the Pyrenees. The pups’ photographs were displayed and of course, they were adorable. Xavier, though, wasn’t interested but he did take a look. Suddenly he said, ‘Look, these puppies were born the day Taco died.’


Gucci & Peggy, the pug, at Pension Milou

No further mention was made of the pups and soon Sheila and Xavier went off to Ireland on holiday. When they got back, Xavier said to Sheila,’ Well, when are we ordering the puppy then?’ At first, Sheila didn’t know what he was talking about. ‘What puppy?’ she asked. ‘The puppy that was born on the day Taco died.’

So, the decision was made. Taco was re-incarnated! They would get a puppy. Taco would come home. Sheila called the breeder and found there were two boys available. They booked one and when the puppies were old enough, off they went on the long journey from their home almost on the Italian border to the Pyrénées, way over on the Spanish side of southern France.

Once there, they booked into a hotel for the night and then drove to the farm to see the puppies. They’d make their choice that evening and then pick up their new puppy next morning.

All the puppies were in pens. There were Welsh Terriers, Airedales and Jack Russell terriers. He let out the two available Welsh terrier puppies and their mother, a beautiful gentle creature with a superb temperament. The pups though came out of the pen like bats out of hell. One instantly came running to Sheila – jumped on her lap and starting licking her face. The other puppy was more aloof.

After spending time with them, Xavier and Sheila made their choice. They chose the puppy they considered to have the better head and foreface – he had the look they were after and he was a stronger puppy than his brother - the one who’d jumped on Sheila’s lap and given her little kisses.


Back at the hotel after a nice dinner, doubts set in. Had they chosen the right puppy? Surely the puppy who’d licked Sheila’s face was Taco saying, ‘I’m back, I’m back – choose me!’ She didn’t sleep all night.

Next morning, they collected their puppy, who’d been bathed and was ready for the long journey. Now called Gucci, it was not an easy trip for him, as he threw up endlessly on the 69 kilometres of windy roads, until they got to the motorway.

Eventually, they got home and Sheila, who’d been worrying if they’d made the right choice, if perhaps it was Taco who’d licked her the night before, decided to test Gucci. You’ll remember that Taco adored raw carrots and had one every day at 4 p.m. She took a carrot out of the vegetable rack and handed it to Gucci. Sheila says puppies don’t normally like raw carrots. Personally I don’t know, as I don’t recall ever giving a carrot to a puppy.

And what happened? Gucci ate it immediately.

Taco/Gucci was home.

Taco

Monaco Dog Show - Appaloose


This beautiful St. Bernard, Appaloose, comes from Aix-en-Provence and is two and a half years old.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Monaco Dog Show - a gaggle of dogs


Whilst at the dog show I had the good fortune to meet such a nice Italian young lady, Aurora. How pretty is that name! She's a professional handler from Italy, spoke perfect English, and she kept bringing more and more dogs into an empty ring for me to photograph - rare breeds such as a Pumi and a Kooikerhundje - you'll meet these dogs over the next days. In this photograph, whilst walking to the carpark I saw her with these five dogs - two Pugs, a French bulldog, A Griffon Bruxellois (that's the little furry one - front left) and a Petit Brabancon (also a type of Griffon - front right).

Do click on the link to see a photograph of Aurora on Monte Carlo Daily Photo today. And for Aurora's own website, please click on the link in the next paragraph.

As I wrote on Monte Carlo Daily Photo, Aurora is the best sort of dog handler, enthusiastic, loves the dogs yet handles them in a calm and professional manner. Hardly surprising as she's won an enormous amount of Junior Handling Awards. She also speaks perfect English.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Monaco Dog Show - Bundle of love

Look at this great big baby! And look at the size of his water bowl. This is yet another mastiff - this time the Neopolitan Mastiff. Last year's photos of the breed were probably better, although not so soppy and adorable (!) so please click on the link to take a look. Possibly the same dog.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Monaco Dog Show: Jinng


Here's another mastiff, this time a Tibetan Mastiff called Jinng. Too much sun on her face to really see those eyes but she's a beauty, as you can see. Jinng lives in Italy. Tomorrow a Neopolitan Mastiff, then a smaller breed.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Monaco Dog Show -Tundra


Tundra is a Spanish Mastiff who lives in Italy and came to Monaco to compete at the dog show. Just look at that amazing, massive head. I was allowed to approach - but not too close. They were bred to herd, but also to guard, after all. There are many different types of mastiff and I'll feature another seen at the Monaco Dog Show in a few days. Valázquez featured a Spanish mastiff in his famous painting, Las Meninas. Click on the link.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Monaco Dog Show - I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. de Mille


Combs, bands to hold up this apricot poodle's top-knot - and don't you love the coloured bags which I can only assume are poop bags. Maybe I'm wrong but I love the idea of a different colour poop bag for each day of the week!

You can see a French Bulldog being judged on Monte Carlo Daily Photo today.

Going to law school

Yup. You read it right. I got into law school.

Yesterday, my Nice Lady took me for a long car ride up to a place called Sacramento. She had to do a presentation for BAD RAP to a group of law students. We walked around campus for a while so I could pee on a bunch of stuff but she wouldn't let me FLING my masterful flings on the freshly manicured grass -- my favorite kind! Where's the justice in that?!




I was going to introduce myself to the Admissions people, but Nice Lady said she didn't think I was actually allowed to be in the administration buildings. Well, THAT's a silly rule -- how in the heck am I supposed to do well in school if I can't go into the building??

Anyway, the students in the classroom ooh-ed and ahh-ed over me and I soaked it all up. I mean, who would turn down adoration and love? And, who can blame them? I AM pretty darn cute, after all.



It was fun, but exhausting. I hope they didn't notice me dozing off in class -- how embarassing!
Thanks so much to the Animal Law Society!

Monaco Dog Show - Rouchka and Visconte


The Monaco Dog Show was held in the circus tent in Fontvieille last weekend and so lots of opportunities for me to add breeds to this blog that I might not otherwise see. Meet two beautiful Bloodhounds from an area around Montpellier and Sete in south-western France, who made the trip to Monaco - and won! Look how adorable they are together!

This was a lucky encounter for me as I got talking to their owner, Lisa, and we got to discussing the problem I have with Beau, my Bruno de Jura (a breed not so far removed from a bloodhound, after all). I told her how Beau gets abscesses every few months in the area under his ears. Indeed, the vet has already removed both eardrums. She told me that these breeds get an infection of the salivary glands that can't be cured by operation or by antibiotics and she is going to give me a homepathic remedy that works. Soon as I've posted this, I'm emailing her.

Sheri, a regular reader (thanks, Sheri) has a painting of hounds which she's posted on her fascinating blog about the art of quilting. This photograph reminded her of the painting. Take a look. I so agree.

I'll be posting dogs I met at the show over the next week or so. Tomorrow - a smaller breed!

Monday, April 7, 2008

Maya


It's 2 p.m. and whilst it's only March, it's a warm day in the sunshine. Time for this caring owner to give her lovely Mastiff a drink. Maya is two years old and lives in Menton. I love the gentle hand on that beautiful and massive head in the last photograph.






Saturday, April 5, 2008

Camera Time

My friends and I have paparazzi and fans!




Photographers, camera crews, reporters and fans come to our pit bull school to see us, take our pictures, and talk to our people. I'm not the most famous dog in the world, but I guess I may be more famous than other dogs. Camera people come to our house and to our classes and ask me to pose and look handsome. I sit and get treats and next thing you know, my picture is on the internet and in the newspaper! Since my picture was on the internet next to Britney Spears, I guess I have paparazzi.

Sometimes there are people at school who I have never even met who know my name and who get really excited to see me. Even though they are really nice, they make me a little nervous because I'm kind of shy with new people. I try really hard to be brave and say hi, because it is so nice that so many people know me. Dutch says those are "fans".



The first time I had paparazzi was back when I was in custody and people from a paper called the New York Post came. I was pretty worried about the camera, but curious, too. This is me, in my kennel, wondering what the camera was. I was called "number 32" then.





I'm so glad BAD RAP and so many wonderful people worked so hard to get me and my friends out of jail. It is really great to have a free life and have fans and paparazzi. When I meet them I can show my people that I am getting more and more brave.


Photobucket

Now I know about cameras, I don't mind posing for pictures at all. See how good I am at pouting?

hugs, Uba

Friday, April 4, 2008

Sophie

Meet Sophie, a three year old Golden Retriever I met in the port of Garavan in Menton. Please click on the link to see this beautiful laid-back dog with her young owner. He thinks she's a horse!

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Bilbo



No, he hasn't broken his leg. This is Bilbo, an Old English Sheepdog, who became a Riviera Dog for a couple of days. He lives in Barcelona and came to the Riviera to compete in a dog show, just across the Italian border, in San Remo. He and his owners, good friends of mine, stayed here for a couple of nights. Here he is on the lower terrace.

And he won - so he's now an International champion! And the socks? That's to keep his feet clean prior to the show.