Xmas & New year on Côte d'Azur

2 weeks with an old and deaf dog in Côte d'Aur

We were delighted when Harri & Jamie accepted we came with Tahoe, our own very sociable dog. It was the 8th time we could sit together.

 
  

 

It took us only 3 hours to drive from our home to Grasse, the well known french capital of fragrances.The owners' huge "mas " - a typical old farmhouse in Provence - looked over olive trees, rows of lavenders and roses which must smell nicely when they blossom.

             

Titus, first, ignored Tahoe although our dog invited him immediately to play ! He can fetch with a ball or a stick  for ever...Titus did not like that much games. 

 

Being 15 years old, he slept a lot and was much less active than our 5 years old  pet ! He remained rather distant the first two days. But the 2 quickly got along.

Harri had warned us tIhat Titus did not eat much. For sure we had to find solutions to grab the attention of this thin, rather skinny rescue dog, to make him swallow his medicine against senescence every morning and evening. Quite a hard job !

Titus looked totally indifferent to food, disliked kibbles, patée, could appreciate a piece of ham or cheese one morning, in which we wrapped his pill, disliked it the following evening. We tried to vary meals, to add slices of chippolatas or sausages in his bowl but he obviously prefered treats... I was a little scared he would lose weight during our stay ! Tahoe was kept apart when Titus was eating, otherwise he would have eaten twice !

Titus and Tahoe never showed agressivity. Each of them remained quiet on his couch when we stayed in the kitchen, or near the sofa when we watched a film in the TV lounge. They shared the same bowl of water even if they had 2.

The weather was rather chilly at the end of december but sunny. So we visited the region almost daily. We took the dogs with us and they seemed happy to be together in the back seat of our car. 

 

We had often lunch in Valbonne, went once to Gourdon, a nice perched village with a panoramic view over 80 km of the Mediterranean coastline.The dogs enjoyed to wander in Antibes harbour, Menton historical center too. They behaved very well in restaurants, laying under tables without begging.

  

Every morning and afternoon we made a short walk along the canal and in the fields nearby. We prefered to keep Titus leashed, as Harri told us he loved to run away... Better safe than sorry

In the evening, Titus loved to take his time, to wander in the large fenced garden. We waited in the cold, ignoring where he was hiding. We found the solution : we bought and tied up a red flashing light to his collar in order to find him more easily in the night!