Coton de Tuléar

Translation: Mrs. Peggy Davis.

Origin: Madagascar.
Date of Publication of
the Valid Original
Standard: 09.11.1995

Utilization: Companion Dog.
Classification / FCI: Group 9 Companions and Toys
Section 1.2 Coton de Tulear
Without working trial.

Brief Historical Summary: Brought in France in 1977 this newcomer of exotic origin has rapidly won a place amongst the small dogs; nowadays his fame has spread all over the world.
General Appearance: Small dog, suitable for apartment, with long cotton-like coat and round, dark, expressive and intelligent eyes.
Important Proportions: Ratio height at the withers to length of the body = 2 to 3 Ratio length of the head to length of the body = 2 to 5 Ratio length of the skull to length of the muzzle = 9 to 5.
Behaviour / Temperament: A bit boisterous, merry and even a bit of a clown, very attached to his master.
Head
Description of the Whole: Seen in profile: short. Seen from above : triangular.
Cranial Region:
Skull : Upper profile convex. Width about 8,5 cm. Supercialiary arches slightly developed Slight frontal furrow, occipital protuberance non existent. Occipital crest only slightly perceptible.
Stop: Only slightly accentuated.
Facial Region:
Nose : Small. Black, dark tobacco colour tolerated. Open nostrils.
Muzzle: About 6 cm in length, about 4,5 cm in depth and about 5 cm in width. Nasal bridge straight. Lower jaw in straight line.
Lips: Fine, tight, pigmented as the colour of the nose.
Teeth: Perfect, small and white; the lower incisors placed just forward, just behind or level with the upper incisors.
Eyes: Round, dark, bright, well set apart, pigmented with the colour of the nose; eyelids fine Ears: Hanging, about 6 cm in width, about 7 cm in length, thin, triangular, set high on the skull. Fine at the tip, bent at the base, covered with white hairs or with tints in the following three possibilities: 1) Yellow patches more or less dark, 2) Mixture of yellow and black hairs, 3) Some black hairs giving the impression of a light grey patch.
Neck:
Profile: Straight. Slightly curved at the top. Ratio neck/body = 1/5. Length: About 8 cm. Shape: Bulging, muscular; width about 7 cm. Skin tight.

Body
Seen as a whole: Upper line very slightly convex.
Withers: Only slightly accentuated, set of neck strong.
Back and Loins: Very slightly arched, well muscled. Ratio thoracic lumbar part = 10/6. Belly and Loins: Round, less broad than the chest, belly hardly tucked up.
 

Tail: Set low, length about 18 cm, thick at the base, fine at the tip, when at rest goes down to below the hock with the tip curving upwards.

Forequarters
Seen as a whole: Legs vertical seen from the front and in profile.
Proportions: 1/1.
Shoulder: About 10 cm, oblique, muscular.
Upperarm: About 9 cm, oblique front to rear, muscled.
Shoulderblade-upperarm angle: 120 degrees Forearm: About 10 cm. Vertical. Powerful bone structure.
Upperarm-forearm angle: 120 degrees
Pastern joint: About 3 cm.
Pastern: About 3 cm
Front Feet: About 3 cm, round shaped, small. Toes tightly closed, well formed; well centred and pigmented pads.

Hindquarters
Seen as a whole: Legs vertical seen in profile and from behind.
Proportion: 1/1.
Upper Thighs: About 10 cm, muscular.
Coxal-femoral angle: 80 degrees.
Lower Thighs: About 10 cm, oblique from front to rear.
Femoral-tibial angle: 120 degrees.
Hock joint: Length about 2 cm, thickness about 3 cm.
Angle of hock: (tibial-tarsal) : 160 degrees.
Hock: Length about 7 cm, width about 2 cm. Vertical position.
Hind Feet: Round shaped, toes with only slight accentuated curve, tightly closed; pads flat and pigmented.

Movement: Walk normal, trot shortened. Preferred pace : the trot.

Skin: Fine, well adherent in each part of the body. May be pigmented with grey, more or less dark patches.

Coat
Hair: Fine, about 8 cm long, slightly wavy, of cotton texture.
Colour: White, a few yellow or grey more or less dark patches, notably on the ears, are tolerated.

Size and Weight
Size: Males 28 cm, tolerance up to 32 cm maximum and 25 cm minimum. Females: 25 cm, tolerance up to 28 cm maximum and 22 cm minimum.
Weight: Males from 4 to 6 kg maximum. Females from 3,5 to 5 kg maximum. The weights are proportional in relation to the size but must not exceed the maximum. Example :a male of 28 cm at the withers should weigh approx. 5 kg, a male of 32 cm at the withers approx. 6 kg.

Type: The desirable type is the one described. There are, however, dogs of this breed who are higher on the legs.

Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should he regarded should he in exact proportion to its degree.

Serious Faults:
- Muzzle Too small or too thick.
- Skull Flat or too bulging.
- Stop Too marked or non-existent.
- Nasal Bridge : Arched.
- Teeth : Not regularly aligned (incisors), carious teeth, serious prognathism (more than the thickness of the incisors).
- Eyes : light, set too close, entropion, ectropion, prominent, vicious look.
- Ears : Too short, hairs too short, attachment narrow or too thick, straight.
- Back : Saddle back, too long.
- Rump: Horizontal, narrow.
- Chest: Badly developed.
- Neck : Too short or too long, thin.
- Tail : Too long, too short or rolled up, not enough furnishings, cylindrical.
- Shoulder : Straight.
- Legs : Turned in or out, close together or loose, too wide apart; barrel hocks or cow-hocks; bad angulation.
- Thighs : Insufficient muscle; insufficient hair.
- Skin : Wrinkled, thick.
- Coat (hair) : Too short, too long, curly, silky texture.

Eliminating Faults:
- Nose with pink spots or patches, too light.
- Depigmented lips, pink spotted, lips heavy and drooping.
- Eyelids white, insufficiently pigmented, pink spots.
- Tail rolled up or carried straight up (candle or flagpole), tail-less.
- Neck too long.
- Height and weight over the maximum.
- Coat strongly marked with brown or pure black.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended Into the scrotum.