The dogs of Valle

There are quite a few dogs here in Valle that run around the village all day. They all seem to get along well, often travelling in twos and threes from house to house, chasing kids on bikes (but not cars!), mooching for food, and running from the women wielding brooms. The dogs love the Canadian visitors because we pay them more attention than they usually get.

This little dog, Stella, got in a fight a couple of weeks ago and the owners were ignoring her wounds so the Canadians staying in the house by the church took her to the vet. She's a character with her turned out feet and very friendly too. Stella often hangs out with a younger male dog, a very handsome boy.

These two have adopted us, I think. Here they're lying on an old staircase just around the corner from our front door. Buddy has no family though. He was left behind about a month ago when his people moved away! He's very young, less than a year, and loves to bound around and jump. The kids tease him and the housewives chase him away from their front doors--but he is one of the sweetest, gentlest dogs I've ever met.

We call have taken to feeding Buddy nourishing dog food in an effort to fatten him up before we leave. I'm told that people in the village will care for him but I kind of wonder about that. It certainly won't be the level of care we would offer.
There's another older dog we were worried about with a gimpy foot, but we talked to his owner, an elderly Italian woman, who rescued him (I think) and feeds him and lets him sleep in the sun outside her door. She tells us his name is Macchio. Doesn't he have a noble face?

It actually breaks my heart to see these dogs as I wonder how they cope in the winter. I would bring them all home in my suitcase if I could.