Ch Monty
Tribute to a gentleman
by Pilar Hannan

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Time back way way back 1 time it wer Ful of the Moon a man and woman sqwatting by ther littl fire. Squatting by ther little fire and afeart of the nite. The dog wer in the nite and looking tords the fire. It wernt howling it wer jus looking at the fire. The man and woman seen the fire shyning in the dogs eyes. The man throwit meat to the dog and the dog come in to them by the fire. Brung its eyes in out of the nite then they all lookit at the nite to gether. The man an the woman seen the nite in the dogs eyes and thats when they got the 1st knowing of it. They knowit the nite the same as the dog knowit. (...) When the man and woman got that 1st knowing from the dog they made a contrack with the dog in the Ful of the Moon. They roadit on to gether with the dog and foraging to gether. Dint have no more fear in the nite they put ther self right day and nite that wer the good time. Riddley Walker. Russell Hoban.

The north wind took our thoughts away with it this 3rd December. Monty was born on 3rd December 1999 and left us the same day in 2007. The same crashing north wind, that battered the windows, made me dream of him in 1999, then took him with it in 2007. It seems to me that everything good, and the not so good, is brought and then taken away by this furious wind, erasing and provoking my thoughts. Ch Monty came and went with this wind. That puppy, small puppy only seven weeks old, with the proud expression, looking out from a poor quality photo would become one of the most admired and wanted dogs on the planet. There were so many unconditional admirers. And, to paraphrase Gladys Loseby, I had Monty, and all the world was mine. However, this was not nearly the best that he brought with him. Monty, more than a dog, was also much more than a friend, more than a show dog, he was a companion through life’s ups and downs companion, more than a faithful, obedient dog, he was the sweetest of characters, always ready to please. Kind-hearted, he never met anyone with a bad gesture, be they person or other dog. I only once saw him angry, a response to a terrible provocation, and I would have wished never to have witnessed it, so furious was his defence. Fun, too, especially when chasing the dreamy seagulls along the shore and into the water until he found himself swimming. Always in love. Above all with Peggy, his unreachable friend, never sharing the basket, but like the gentleman he was politely leaving it to her. It won’t be easy to find another dog that poses so well for the camera. I only had to pick up the camera and call him. I put him in the right place and he did the rest. It didn’t matter if that place was on a wonky table on top of another wonkier table to get a photo with just the right background, he didn’t miss a beat. He never found himself out of place, even in the tightest of corners he never lost his cool. He would look up, point is ears, fix his gaze and await developments. Just like the north wind, he put his all into anything he did. Eating, sleeping, playing, paying attention to the world around him expressing his needs and wants. Everything was done with complete conviction. He hardly ever barked, neither did he have a tail to wag, so you know what he wanted to communicate by his incessant guttural, verbal expressions. In this last he had no equal. He would “speak” in this way for as long as it took to convince you. Tireless “talker” who now runs along with the seagulls on his favourite beach, forever free when and where he pleases... Monty was not just a Frenchie with a beautifully balanced body, apart from the few small defects he undoubtedly had. Not just a French Bulldog with an exceptional personality. Ch Shanvic Sunbeam Bear, “Monty”, was the French Bulldog. And, above all, a dog who let me love him and will live forever in my memories. Thanks "Tochin"! Photos: bulldogfrances.com records