Coton de Tulear: Difference between revisions

Coton de Tuléar
Coton de Tuléar
	A Coton de Tuléar
Common nicknames	Coton
Origin	Madagascar
Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Kennel club standards
Fédération Cynologique Internationale	standard
	Dog (domestic dog)

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The Coton de Tuléar is a small breed of dog. It developed in Madagascar as a companion dog.

Description

Appearance

The Coton has very soft hair, comparable to a cotton ball. It has a prominent black nose, large expressive eyes (usually covered by bangs though) and somewhat short puffy legs. There are currently four breeding standards for the Coton de Tulear. The FCI, UKC, CKC and the Coton de Tulear Club of America each maintain their own standard.

Coat and color

The Coton de Tuléar has a medium-length (about three inch), fluffy, cotton-like coat that is hair rather than fur^{[citation needed]}. Since it has hair rather than fur, it is hypoallergenic (like the poodle). It should also be noted that dander is the source of allergies, not fur. What confuses most people is that the dander is the result of having an animal with fur, dander consisting of scales of dried skin and fur, seeming similar to dandruff or pet pollen. The FCI standard specifies that the Coton's coat should be white but may also have lemon colored, light brown, or grey markings on their ears and body, but the coat must be primarily white. The CTCA allows for six different but equally favorable colorings: white, black-and-white, tri-color, honey bear, ferret, and black. White is described as nearly all white, sometimes with Champagne coloring on the ears and face. Black-and-white is defined as pure white with prominent black patches on the head and body (no ratio of white-to-black is specified or favored). Tri-color is described as mostly white and cream colored with some markings and dustings of black on the body and head. Honey bear has black spots which gradually fade to light brown or lemon color. Ferret is dark brown hair mixed with black hair. Black is all black hair.

Size

The international FCI standard gives the Coton's weight as from 4 to 6 kg (about 9 to 13 lb) for males and 3.5 to 5 kg (8 to 11 lb) for females. The Coton's height (including tolerance) is from 25 to 30 cm (about 10 to 12 inches) tall for males and from 22 to 27 cm (8½ to 10½ inches) for females. [1]

By contrast, the CTCA standard specifies the weight as no more than 18 lb (8 kg). The standard height is 13 inches (33 cm), except for the rare Tall Coton, which can be up to 17 inches (43 cm) high. ^{[citation needed]}

The Tall Coton shows up in all three colors, and can be born to a litter with normal sized parents that carry the appropriate genes. These long-limbed dogs are exceptionally agile and graceful. ^{[citation needed]}

Detailed description

The nose is black in colour in the CTCA standard. However, the FCI standard, which does favor a black nose, states that brown is tolerable as well. A pink or partly pink nose is not accepted in either standard. The lips are tight and of the same colour as the nose, specifically black in the CTCA standard. The teeth are in a scissor bite or pincer bite. The eyes are round, dark in colour and wide set. The expression should be lively, intelligent, bright, and merry. The ears are triangular and set high. The leather of the ear should be thin. The neck is strong, without a dewlap and slightly arched.

The chest is well developed and reaches below the elbows. The feet are small and arched. The back should be strong and slightly arched. The pads of the feet are usually black. The body is of moderate lengh and should have a moderate tuck up. The loin is muscular and not too long. The hind legs are strong and straight. The hind feet similar to the front feet. the Dewclaws may be removed. The tail is low set and tapering, carried over the back when in motion or excited, relaxed otherwise.

Temperament

The Coton is a playful, affectionate, intelligent breed. Some people consider it as a completely non-aggressive breed when given the proper love and care it deserves. It loves people and as a result can have separation anxiety. It loves life and is enthusiastic and lively. It is a very vocal breed, grunting and making other noises when having fun. Some Cotons have a habit of jumping up and walking on their hind legs to please people. Since it has hair rather than fur, it is hypoallergenic (like the poodle), making it an ideal breed for people with allergies. Some Cotons may exhibit shyness or cautiousness in new situations, especially around strangers, but this can be overcome with training. Most Cotons love meeting new people and are very curious in new situations. The dogs are very trainable with praise, instead of punishment. They are great with other dogs.

Care

The Coton has a long coat which needs a thorough grooming everyday, and a bath about once a month. Cotons like Poodles are hypoallergenic so they have hair (a lot like human hair), this making them very popular and compatible with people who have allergies. Because they have hair, they don't shed. Instead, they lose a small amount of hair. Cotons need a short walk every day for exercise, but will appreciate a play session as often as possible and have the endurance to go on a long hike.

Health

The Coton is in general a healthy breed. Some dogs have had stomach issues. Being fairly rare, it has not been overbred or bred in puppy mills and as a result there are no genetic diseases that are prevalent in the breed. Some Coton fanciers are worried that, due to inbreeding practices common in other breeds that have become popular in the US, this may change. However, they are currently known to be long-lived and healthy, normally living between 14 and 18 years.

History

The Coton de Tuléar developed on the Island of Madagascar and is still the island's national dog. The Coton's ancestors were brought to Madagascar in the 16th century by sailors from Spain and Portugal. Tuléar is a port, which is now also known as Toliara. Sailors at the time routinely kept Bichon- and Maltese-type dogs on their ships to control the rat population. The Coton is believed to be related to the Bichon family of dogs, perhaps linked most closely to the now-extinct Bichon Tenerife. Legend has it that there was a shipwreck off the coast of Madagascar, and all the dogs on the ship made it to shore. They may also have simply escaped while ships were docked, or have been let go. In any case, for over a century the Bichon and/or Maltese-type dogs lived ferally on Madagascar, and during this time developed into their own breed. The Coton is, in fact, one of the few modern breeds which developed on its own through natural selection, as opposed to human selection for desired traits. The breed acquired its cottony coat which is thought to be the result of a single gene mutation. This small, friendly dog caught the fancy of the Malagasy royalty, and for another hundred years, they were the only people allowed to keep Cotons. Cotons were then given as a gift to a visiting French dignity, and the breed became quite popular in France, where its French name comes from (Coton is French for Cotton). The breed is also known as the Royal Dogue of Madagascar.

Cotons have been fancied for many decades in Europe, and are quite a familiar, well-known breed in France. The breed is now becoming popular in America as well. The all-white, FCI-standard Cotons have their strongest presence in Europe. However, CTCA-standard Cotons, which most closely resemble the original Coton in its native Madagascar, are the most commonly seen in North America. The breed is supported by several organizations in North America, the oldest and most prominent of which is the Coton de Tuléar club of America. Though Coton de Tuléar has been included in the AKC-FSS, a majority of the breed's supporters in the United States are against an AKC takeover of this rare breed.^{[citation needed]}

The Coton de Tuléar was first brought to America by Dr. Robert J. Russell in 1974 (three years before it was originally brought to Europe). He modeled the CTCA standard after the characteristics of the Coton in its native Madagascar. The French brought the Coton de Tuléar to Europe in 1977. They developed the FCI standard, which has a narrower description than the CTCA. In most cases, a Coton that fits the FCI standard will fit the CTCA standard as well.

External links

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 ====Coat and color====
-The Coton de Tuléar has a medium-length (about three inch), fluffy, cotton-like [[coat (dog)|coat]] that is hair rather than fur.  Since it has hair rather than fur, it is hypoallergenic (like the poodle). It should also be noted that dander is the source of allergies, not fur. What confuses most people is that the dander is the result of having an animal with fur, dander consisting of scales of dried skin and fur, seeming similar to dandruff or pet pollen. The FCI standard specifies that the Coton's coat should be white but may also have lemon colored, light brown, or grey markings on their ears and body, but the coat must be primarily white. The CTCA allows for six different but equally favorable colorings: white, black-and-white, tri-color, honey bear, ferret, and black. White is described as nearly all white, sometimes with Champagne coloring on the ears and face. Black-and-white is defined as pure white with prominent black patches on the head and body (no ratio of white-to-black is specified or favored). Tri-color is described as mostly white and cream colored with some markings and dustings of black on the body and head. Honey bear has black spots which gradually fade to light brown or lemon color. Ferret is dark brown hair mixed with black hair. Black is all black hair.
+The Coton de Tuléar has a medium-length (about three inch), fluffy, cotton-like [[coat (dog)|coat]] that is hair rather than fur{{fact}}.  Since it has hair rather than fur, it is hypoallergenic (like the poodle). It should also be noted that dander is the source of allergies, not fur. What confuses most people is that the dander is the result of having an animal with fur, dander consisting of scales of dried skin and fur, seeming similar to dandruff or pet pollen. The FCI standard specifies that the Coton's coat should be white but may also have lemon colored, light brown, or grey markings on their ears and body, but the coat must be primarily white. The CTCA allows for six different but equally favorable colorings: white, black-and-white, tri-color, honey bear, ferret, and black. White is described as nearly all white, sometimes with Champagne coloring on the ears and face. Black-and-white is defined as pure white with prominent black patches on the head and body (no ratio of white-to-black is specified or favored). Tri-color is described as mostly white and cream colored with some markings and dustings of black on the body and head. Honey bear has black spots which gradually fade to light brown or lemon color. Ferret is dark brown hair mixed with black hair. Black is all black hair.
 ====Size====