USACTC Official AKC Breed Standard for the Coton de Tulear

GENERAL APPEARANCE

The Coton de Tulear, also known as the "Royal Dog of Madagascar", is a hardy, sturdy small white companion dog. He is endowed with a bright intelligence, is gay and energetic, and at times boisterous but never demanding. He is naturally clownish and lighthearted, as well as calm and easygoing. He possesses a remarkable gentle, sympathetic awareness to those around him and is known for expressing himself with unique vocalizations.

In Madagascar, he survived in packs in the wilderness, later to become a companion dog of the native Malagasy and Merina tribal nobles. He is as unique as many animals found on this wild and isolated island.

He is characterized by his natural long, white, dry, profuse, cotton-like coat, rounded lively dark eyes, black on white “joie de vivre” expressive smile and witty personality. He is somewhat longer than tall. His topline is very slightly arched over the loin and he happily carries his tail curved over his back on the move. At rest, his tail is down with an upward hook at the tip revealing his distinguishing outline.

SIZE, PROPORTION and SUBSTANCE

Height

The ideal height for bitches is 9 inches to 10 inches and for dogs is 10 inches to 11 inches. A tolerance of ½ inch below the minimum ideal height or 1 inch above the maximum ideal height is allowed but not preferred.

• Disqualification - any bitch less than 8.5 inches or taller than 11 inches in height; any dog less than 9.5 inches or taller than 12 inches in height.

Weight

The Coton de Tulear is a sturdy small dog and should never appear fragile. The ideal weight for bitches is 8 pounds to 13 pounds and for dogs is 9 pounds to 15 pounds.

When dogs are judged equal in type, proportion, coat and movement, the bitch/dog within the ideal height and weight range is to be given preference.

Proportion

The height measured at the withers is 2/3 the length as measured from point of shoulder to point of buttocks. This proportion creates a rectangular outline. Specimens should never appear long and low.

HEAD

The head is short and triangular in shape when seen from above. The length of the head (nose to occiput ) in relationship to the length of the body (point of shoulder to point of buttock) is 2 to 5.

Expression

The expression is lively, intelligent, inquisitive, alert and happy. The Coton’s “joy of life” is displayed in their expression.

Eyes

The eyes are rather rounded, dark brown or black in color, lively, set wide apart with the inner corners and the outer corners on the same level. The rims of the eyelids are completely pigmented in shades of black.

Ears

The ears are pendulous, triangular, set high on the skull and attached above the line of the eyes. They are fine at the tips, carried close to the cheeks and reach to the corners of the lips. The ears are covered with white hairs or with some traces of grey (mixture of white and black hairs giving a light grey appearance) or light tan (mixture of white and light tan hairs.)

Skull

The skull as seen from the front, is slightly rounded. It is rather wide in relation to its length. The superciliary arches are only slightly developed. There is a slight frontal groove. The occiput and crest are only slightly accentuated. The zygomatic arches are well developed.

Stop

The stop is slight.

Cheeks

The cheeks are lean.

Muzzle

The muzzle is straight. The length of the muzzle in relationship to the skull is 5 to 9. The muzzle as seen from the front must be rather large and capacious with a strong chin.

Nose

At the end of the nasal bridge, the nose continues as an extension of the same line. The nose has the shape of a rounded triangle, is completely pigmented in shades of black with the nostrils well-open.

Lips

The lips are fine, tight, and completely pigmented in shades of black.

Flews

The flews are tight.

Teeth

The teeth are well-aligned, strong, white and have complete dentition. The absence of the PM1 is not penalized. The M3 is not taken into consideration.

Bite

The bite is a scissor or level bite without losing contact.
SEVERE FAULT: An overly large or bulging eye is a severe fault as is an almond shaped, obliquely set eye.

• Disqualification - Eye/s of any color other than brown or black.
• Disqualification - Total lack of pigment on the eye rim(s), nose or lips.

NECK, TOPLINE and BODY

Neck

The neck is well-muscled and slightly arched. It is set well into the shoulders. It is clean with no dewlap. The length of the neck is 1/5 the length of the body.

Topline

The topline runs smoothly from the withers with a graceful natural arch, not too accentuated over the loin between the dorsal region and the croup. The withers are only slightly pronounced. The withers and the croup are on the same plane.

• Fault - A dip behind shoulder blades or a steep or flat croup is to be penalized.
• Severe Fault - A wheelback or flat back are to be severely penalized.

Body

The body is longer than high. The length of the body as measured from the point of shoulder to the point of buttocks is 3 to 2 as compared to the dog’s height at the withers.

Chest

The chest is long, well-developed and well-let down to elbow level. The forechest is well-pronounced and protrudes well-forward of the point of shoulder.

Ribs

The ribs are well-sprung. The ribcage extends well-back.

Underline

The underline follows the profile of the sternum, then rises slightly toward the belly. Tuck-up - The belly is tucked-up but not excessively.

Back

The back is strong.

Loin

The loin is well-muscled and short. It is fundamental that the loin is short. If it is wide and strong, it helps to give stability to the entire dog’s movement.

Croup

The croup is oblique, short and muscled.

Tail

The tail is low set and in the axis of the spinal column. At rest it is carried below the hock with the tip being raised. On the move the tail is carried happily. It is curved over the back so that the hair of the tail rests on the back with the point towards the nape, the withers, the back or the loin. In specimens with abundant coat, the tip may rest on the dorsal-lumbar region.

• Fault - A tail that does not reach the hock; A tail that has a complete curl (loop); A gay tail; A tail that is carried completely flat over the body (snap tail).
• Disqualification - No tail

FOREQUARTERS

Shoulders

The shoulder is muscular.

Shoulder Blades

The shoulder blades are laid back to somewhat near a 30 degree angle off the vertical.

Upper Arm

The length of the upper arm corresponds approximately to that of the shoulder blade. The upper arm extends well back so that the elbow is placed directly below the top of the shoulder blade when viewed from the side and structurally the elbows are held close to the body. The scapula-humeral angle is about 120 degrees.

Legs

The front legs are upright. The lower arms are vertical and parallel. They are well-muscled with good bone. The length of the lower arm corresponds approximately to that of the upper arm. The corpus (pastern joint) is a continuation of the line of the lower arm. There is no bow or curve in the forearm or wrist.

Pasterns

The pastern is strong. When seen in profile, it is sloping very slightly. Dewclaws may be left natural or may be removed.

Feet

The feet are small and round.

Toes

The toes are tight and arched.

Pads

The pads are completely pigmented in shades of black.

HINDQUARTERS

Angulation

The pelvis is sloped at approximately 30 degrees off the horizontal. The pelvis meets the femur at an angle of about 80 degrees. The angle of femur to lower thigh is about 120 degrees. The angle of the hock is about 160 degrees.

Legs

The hind legs are muscular from hip to hock.

Upper and Second Thigh

The upper thigh and lower thigh are approximately equal in length.

Hock Joint

The hock joint is dry and well defined. The height of the hock joint when measured to the ground is slightly less than the length of the lower thigh.

Hocks (Rear Pastern)

The rear pastern is perpendicular to the ground from any angle.

Dewclaws

Dewclaws may be left natural or may be removed.

Feet

The feet are small and round.

Toes

The toes are tight and arched.

Pads

The pads are completely pigmented in shades of black.

COAT

This is one of the main characteristics of the breed from which its very name derives. The coat is very soft and supple, with the texture of cotton. It is never hard or rough. The coat is dense, profuse and can be very slightly wavy.

• Severe Fault - Atypical hair or hair that is tightly curled, wooly or silky.

Skin

The skin is fine and stretched tight all over the body. Although of pink color, it can be pigmented.

COLOR

Coat color is white.

On the ears

A few slight shadings of light grey (mixture of white and black hairs) or of light tan (mixture of white and light tan hairs) are permitted on the ears. These shadings are only tolerated but are not desirable.

On the body

Light tan shadings (mixture of white and light tan hairs) are permitted on 1% of the body. These light tan shadings may appear in one area of the coat or scattered throughout the coat. These shadings should never be so intense or deep in color or be so heavily marked on the coat that they alter the overall appearance of a white coat.

These shadings are only tolerated but are not desirable.
When all other considerations are equal, the judge should give preference to the dog whose coat has the most amount of white.

• Disqualification - BLACK, or any other color, is a disqualification with the exception of 1% of light tan (mixture of white and light tan hairs) appearing in one area of the coat or scattered throughout the coat, or on the ears, with shadings of light grey (mixture of white and black hairs) or light tan (mixture of white and light tan hairs).

GAIT

When trotting the gait is a moderate free and easy movement. The topline is retained on the move. There should be no sign of uneven movement

TEMPERAMENT

Of a happy temperament, stable, very sociable with humans and other dogs, adapting perfectly to all ways of life. The temperament of the Coton de Tulear is one of the main characteristics of the breed.

PRESENTATION

The dog must be shown as naturally as is consistent with good grooming. His coat should be clean and free of mats. In mature specimens, the length of coat may cause it to fall to either side down the back but it should not appear to be artificially parted. The long, untrimmed head furnishings may fall forward over the eyes, or be brushed backwards over the skull. The hair on the very bottom of the feet and between the pads may be trimmed. Any other trimming or sculpting of the coat or any grooming which alters the natural appearance is to be severely penalized.

• Severe Fault – Any trimming, sculpting or grooming of the coat which alters the natural appearance.
• Fault - Any deviation from the ideal described in the standard should be penalized to the extent of the deviation.
• Fault - A tail that does not reach the hock; A tail that has a complete curl (loop); A gay tail; A tail that is carried completely flat over the body (snap tail).
• Fault - A dip behind shoulder blades or a steep or flat croup is to be penalized.
• Severe Fault - A wheelback or flat back are to be severely penalized
• Severe Fault - An overly large or bulging eye is a severe fault as is an almond shaped, obliquely set eye.
• Severe Fault - Atypical hair or hair that is tightly curled, wooly or silky.
• Severe Fault - Any trimming, sculpting or grooming of the coat which alters the natural appearance.

DISQUALIFICATIONS

• Height - Any bitch less than 8.5 inches or taller than 11 inches in height; any dog less than 9.5 inches or taller than 12 inches in height.
• Eye/s of any color other than brown or black.
• Total lack of pigment on the eye rim(s), nose or lips.
• BLACK, or any other color, is a disqualification with the exception of 1% of light tan (mixture of white and light tan hairs) appearing in one area of the coat or scattered throughout the coat, or on the ears, with shadings of light grey (mixture of white and black hairs) or light tan (mixture of white and light tan hairs).
• No tail.