Coton de Tulear

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.

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.

Today's Cotons

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 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.