Hello! We are the Coton de Tulear Club of America, Inc., (CTCA). We were formed in 1974 and formally incorporated in 1976 as the parent club for the breed in the Western Hemisphere. We maintain the North American stud book (almost 500 registrations and pedigrees), the Standard, history, information database, and recommended breeders directory. We represent hundreds of registered Coton families and more than 18 breeders in the U.S. and Canada.
COTON DE TULEAR - General BREED INFORMATION (return to CTCA menu)
© 1995, all rights reserved
By The Coton de Tulear Club of America, Inc. [CTCA]
Robert Jay Russell, Ph.D., President
Laurie Spalding, Secretary
Suite 864, PO Box 917729
Longwood, Florida 32791-7729 USA
Voice mail/Fax: (609) 268-9737
email: CTCA CLUB@AOL.COM
Note: The CTCA was established in 1976 and is the Official Parent Club for the breed in the Western Hemisphere.We represent almost 500 Cotons and their human companions and 17+ breeders. This information is updated frequently. This revision is dated: 5 December, 1995. For the most recent information, to register your dog, to discuss a breeder, to purchase "The Official Coton de Tulear Book," or to subscribe to the CTCA's newsletter (Coton de Tulear News),please contact the CTCA.
THE ROYAL DOG OF MADAGASCAR (return to CTCA menu)
The Coton de Tulear, which means 'cotton [dog] of Tulear', is an increasingly popular, rare, ancient pure-breed that originated on Madagascar more than three centuries ago. The Coton was exclusively the dog of Royal Malagasy nobles, but now this exceptional, elegant companion is available to a select few outside that legendary land.
The Coton stands less than a foot tall at the withers (shoulders), is little more than two feet long, and weighs less than 15 pounds. They have dark, engaging eyes, black lips, and a medium-length muzzle tipped with a black nose.
The Coton de Tulear earned its name from its unique, cotton-like hair, and for a port city in Madagascar, Tulear. Its dry, wind-tossed coat is probably the easiest to maintain of any long-haired breed. The hair is about four inches long, dries quickly when wet, and requires little brushing. It sheds very little, and rarely bothers people who suffer from chronic allergies.
There are three handsome color varieties: White (often with champagne color patches); Black-and-white; and Tri-color. A Tri-color is mostly white with champagne patches and a faint, irregular 'dusting' of black hairs.
Cotons are hearty dogs and, with acclimation, frolic in desert heat and winter snow. However, the Coton is strictly an indoor dog. The breed is extremely healthy, long-lived, and has no known genetic defects. They live about 16 years; the oldest survived until almost 19.
Probably the most outstanding characteristic of the Coton de Tulear is its behavior. The Coton is a 'companion dog', bred for the pure delight of its intelligent, loving attention to its human family. It is very intelligent, and studies its human family with great care. The Coton is an alert, lively companion, but it is slow to anger, rarely barks, and has never been known to bite a human. They usually snuggle in the lap or rest close-by like a small, elegant, mohair rug.
Cotons are calm, sturdy dogs who enjoy the well-intentioned rough-housing of children. Cotons enjoy most household pets including other dogs and cats. Cotons cock their head attentively when spoken to, smile, and stand or walk on their hind legs to please their human family. They are easily trained. A Coton quickly becomes a family member and retains a puppy-like joy throughout its long life.
A BRIEF HISTORY (return to CTCA menu)
The Coton de Tulear [pronounced co-TAWN day two-LEE-are] is a member of the Bichon [BEE-shawn] family of dogs. The Bichons (as well as the Poodle and Briard) are descendents of an ancient European breed, the Barbet. A small, short-haired descendent of the Barbet, the Bichon Tenerife, was introduced to the Canary Islands by the Spanish. The Tenerife gave rise to the modern, Mediterranean Maltese, the French Petit Lion Dog and Bichon Frise, the Italian Bolognese, the South American Havanais, and the Coton de Tulear.
The Tenerife, now extinct, was introduced to the Indian Ocean Islands of Mauritius and Reunion by sailors in the 16th and 17th Centuries. The breed acquired a long, cotton-like coat (perhaps the result of a single mutation) and was known as the Coton de Reunion. The Coton de Reunion, a valued possession, accompanied merchants, officials, and pirates on their voyages.
The Coton de Reunion is extinct, but its descendent, the Coton de Tulear, appeared at the pirate and slave-trading port of Tulear, Madagascar, during the 17th Century. Adopted by the ruling Merina [MARE-in] tribal monarchy, it quickly became known as 'The Royal Dog of Madagascar'.
The Merina forbid both coastal tribesmen (85% of the population) and non-noblemen to own a Coton. At the turn of this century, conquering French colonists adopted the Coton as well. Today, usually only social-climbing Malagasy and Frenchmen own a Coton de Tulear.
The Coton is the Official Dog of Madagascar, and has been honored on a postage stamp. In 1970, the world-wide French Kennel Club [the FCI] recognized the Coton de Tulear as a rare, pure-breed. Unfortunately, political and economic crises on Madagascar now threaten the Coton with extinction in their native land.
In 1974, Dr. Robert Jay Russell, a biologist studying Madagascar's lemurs, sent Coton breeding stock to America. Dr. Russell's father, J. Lewis Russell, founded Oakshade Kennel in New Jersey, and the breed was enthusiastically received. Articles about it have appeared in many publications including Dog World, Dogs USA, Gentleman's Quarterly, The Robb Report, and The American Express Company Newsletter. The Coton has been featured on ABC's Good Morning America program and has appeared on The David Letterman Show accompanied by actress Glenn Close, a devoted owner.
The Coton de Tulear Club of America, Inc. [CTCA] was formed in 1976 to maintain the Official Breed Standard, Pedigrees, Stud Book, History, and the owner's Registrations for all Cotons in the Western hemisphere. The Coton is one of the world's rarest and most desirable dogs. As of December, 1995, fewer than 500 Coton de Tulear produced by fifteen CTCA sanctioned breeders were registered. The club publishes a widely acclaimed newsletter (available by subscription to everyone) and a 400-page book about the breed (available 2/96). The CTCA accepts no advertisements, so the club's assessments of breeders remain honest.
THE CTCA STANDARD (return to CTCA menu)
A Standard is the description of an ideal representative of the breed. The CTCA standard, first published in 1974, is adapted from the original Malagasy breed type. A recent European standard for the Coton de Tulear (FCI, 1987) differs from both the original Malagasy and the CTCA Standard.
Brief Description: The Coton de Tulear is a hearty, lively, small companion dog with a friendly, engaging personality. Calm and intelligent, the "Royal Dog of Madagascar" is characterized by its long, dry, cotton-like coat. There are three color varieties.
The Coton de Tulear is shown in Non-sporting Class in various North American shows and the FCI Companion Class [FCI Group 9] in Europe. In the Western Hemisphere, the Coton de Tulear is registered by the Coton de Tulear Club of America, Inc., [CTCA]. The CTCA was formed in 1976 to maintain the Official Breed Standard, Stud Book, Pedigree, History, and owner's Registrations.
Head: Skull somewhat rounded with proportionate muzzle and slightly accentuated stop. Top-view, triangular. Tape measurement: muzzle to stop, 1.75-2.5"; stop to occiput, 4-5'; total head length, 6-7.25".
Eyes: Large, dark brown, sparkling, expressive, with dark eye rings.
Nose: Black and pronounced.
Lips: Black, finely featured.
Bite: Level or scissors; incisors should touch.
Ears: Dropped, 2.75-3.75" long, covered with long flowing hair approximately 4-6.5" total length.
Neck: Rather long, 4-6.25", strong but gracefully carried, head erect.
Body: Deep chest tapering slightly to abdomen. Ratio of thoracic to abdominal girth, 1.2-1.4 to 1. Topline (withers to base of tail) straight to somewhat convex, 12-16" long. Height at withers less than 13". Body weight to 15 pounds (7 Kg). Little or no sexual dimorphism, but males may appear more muscular than females.
Legs & Feet: Forelimbs mostly straight and strong. Hindquarters slightly angulate with well-muscled thighs. Feet small with black pads.
Tail: Carried straight or curled over dorsum (no preference), 5.5-8.5" long; covered by flowing hair.
Coat: Long (4-6"), dry, 'wind-tossed' flowing hair. Texture of cotton, not silky. Prominent beard and moustache. Well-haired limbs, tail, and ears. Eyes may be obscured by hair which must not be scissored in show dogs, but may be trimmed for pets.
Coloration: Three color varieties are recognized without preference. White: all white, often with champagne (cream-biscuit) highlights on ears and dorsum. Black-and-White: pure white with prominent black patches on head and body. No restriction on the ratio of white-to-black. Tri-Color: mostly white and cream, but tinged with beige areas; black hairs dust portions of the ears and sometimes the body and head.
White is the most frequently seen color variety, but a Black-and-White male won the coveted Championship of Madagascar in 1974. The Tri-Color has been honored on an official postage stamp of the Repoblika Demokratika Malagasy (Madagascar).
Grooming: Well-brushed but not scissored. As for any long-haired breed, eyes and ears should be kept clean. The show dog's coat must be natural. Adulteration of the coat (e.g., powdering) is not permissible.
Movement: Free, balanced, effortless. Good reach in the forequarters and good drive in the hindquarters. Slight lateral roll at low speed. Legs move straight fore and aft along the line of travel; as speed increases, there is a slight convergence of legs toward the center line.
Faults: Undershot or overshot bite. Poor pigmentation. Body weight greater than 15 pounds. Height at withers greater than 13.0".
Disqualifications: Silky (oily) hair. Cryptorchidism. Eye color other than dark brown. Any trait that indicates unsound structure or poor health.
Show Points: Show points are tabulated by judges when determining a dog's conformation (beauty) in the show ring. No dog earns '100 points,' even winners are marked off a point or two.
TYPE - 5
BALANCE & SIZE - 20
HEAD, EYES, MOUTH, PIGMENTATION - 15
LEGS & FEET - 5
TAIL & CARRIAGE - 5
COAT, TEXTURE, & COLOR - 25
GAIT, MOVEMENT & ACTION - 5
EXPRESSION - 10
Standard Approved by the Coton de Tulear Club of America, Inc., 9/76; revisions 12/82, 3/84, 6/86. Approved by the Rare Breed Kennel Club, 3/84 and 6/86, and the American Rare Breed Dog Association in 1992. The CTCA Standard is published in Dog World.Standards © 1976, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995 CTCA, Inc., all rights reserved
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS IF YOU ARE BUYING A COTON (return to CTCA menu)
At present, there are almost two dozen of registered Coton de Tulear in this hemisphere (see listing this text file). Other breeders and importers have appeared from time to time. In a few cases, the parents of the puppies they sell have complete Federation Cynologique Internationale (F.C.I.; Europe) registration and pedigree papers. If so, then their puppies may be eligible for CTCA registration. Make certain that both parents are properly credentialed with the CTCA or F.C.I. before you buy.
BEWARE: in 1995, literally dozens of breeders/importers appeared, selling Cotons without papers or with virtually worthless pedigress. Some breeders are selling supposed Coton de Tulear without FCI or CTCA papers; these dogs may not be Coton de Tulear. In a few cases, the dogs are definitely not Coton de Tulears. If you have doubts, contact us or have the breeder contact us.
Please note: there is a relatively new American rare breed registry that is called the 'Federation of International Canines.' Their abbreviation-F.I.C.-is easily confused with the Federation Cynologique Internationale, the F.C.I. The F.I.C. issues 'registration papers and pedigrees.' Many new breeders of Cotons sells puppies with only F.I.C. papers. F.I.C. papers are not acceptable for registering a Coton de Tulear with either the F.C.I. or with the CTCA because the FIC requires no documentation to support an applicant's claim of pedigree or even breed affiliation.
1995 has proven to be a turbulent year for the Coton de Tulear breed. Two rival clubs formed and literally dozens of new, non-CTCA breeders and importers have appeared overnight to cash-in on the breed's popularity. Do not assume that a dog's 'Championship' title has meaning (a dog can get one with little competition in just a few weekends). Contact a CTCA breeder or the CTCA before you buy.
In general, Coton de Tulear puppies are sold as either 'Pet Quality' (neutered) or 'Show Quality' (not neutered) at about three months old. Note that Pet Quality Cotons are wonderful companions but may not be used for breeding. Prices range from about $1,300 to about $3,000 depending upon quality, age, etc. Breeders, not the CTCA, establish kennel policy and prices, so please contact them for specifics. The Coton de Tulear is one of the world's rarer pure-breeds. Introduced into the Western Hemisphere in 1974, today there are fewer than 500 registered Cotons in North America. Expect to wait some time for a puppy. Breeding quality dogs cannot be rushed.
ABOUT THE CTCA (return to CTCA menu)
The CTCA is the official Parent Club for the breed in this hemisphere. We maintain a sure control and guidance of the breed's standard, registrations, and stud book. Lifetime membership in the CTCA is conferred when your Coton is registered (sometimes by the breeder in your name; cost: $20). The owner receives an official Registration Certificate and a Pedigree Certificate, both suitable for framing. The CTCA has no annual dues. Periodically, members can subscribe to a directory of all CTCA dogs and members who chose to include their name and address. The Directory is distributed for a nominal fee.
The club's acclaimed newsletter, the quarterly Coton de Tulear News is now available to all for a modest annual subscription of $25.
The CTCA's long-awaited The Official Coton de Tulear Book will soon be available to all people interested in the breed. The book is the most detailed, honest examination of a rare breed ever published. Approximately 400 pages, the book is well-illustrated and includes chapters devoted exclusively to Coton de Tulear History, Standards, Conformation, Grooming, Behavior, Genetics, Breeding, Health, Shows, Pioneering Breeders, and Purchasing a Coton. Send us your postal address and we'll send you a book order form early in 1996.
© Copyright 1995-96 by James P. Calamis, Commack, New York
