The breeder interviewed in this issue is Juli Renois, breeder in USA (TX) with the kennel name of : Casablanca.

COTON DE TULEAR OF CASABLANCA

How did you meet the breed?

 I   have spent the better part of my life devoted to animals ranging from dogs to exotics to all sorts of hoof stock. I have also been an avid reader, believing in the expression "Knowledge is Power". As such, I spend hours and hours reading about dogs, genetics, horses, parrots, - if it breathes – and has feathers or fur –I’ve probably read about it! Having said all of this, the "true" love of my life is dogs. I began showing my Cocker Spaniel at age 9 in all breed shows, and then competed with her in obedience. In 1984, I entered the world of "rare breeds", and was owned by Neapolitan mastiffs and Fila Brasilieros for many years. Because of various health concerns with these two breeds, I began searching for a breed of dog that was beautiful, healthy and one that had a great personality. I was always drawn to the endearing, happy face of the Coton featured in various dog publications, and in 1992, when the Coton was featured on the cover of Dog World, I felt that it was simply meant to be. Since this time, I have become deeply involved with Cotons and they have permeated every aspect of my life. As I have always said, rather like the famous brand of potato chip here in America, you can’t just have one!

Who were your first Cotons?

 My very first Coton, Indie, was purchased sight unseen from France. I anxiously awaited her arrival for several months, and once she arrived, she immediately stole my heart. I had to have another one and within a couple of months, I had obtained a Coton that hailed from Sri Lanka, her name was Orianna. These dogs had charming personalities, and both were very nice specimens of the breed.

Can you explain the choice of your kennel name?

I chose CasaBlanca as it means "white house". With Cotons on the couch, on the bed, and underfoot in the kitchen, our house truly had "gone to the dogs"! I believe that since our home is devoted to the dogs, it was appropriate to have our kennel name reflect this.

Which qualities do you favor in a Coton?

An affectionate personality, along with overall good health, are both primary on my list of things to notice in the breed. In my opinion, the happiness should just radiate from the individual dog, charming strangers and bringing them under the Coton’s spell. The health of our breed is very important, we are fortunate in that there are only a few know genetic defects occurring in our breed. For the structure, I prefer a "medium" size female and a medium to large size male. Overall, I believe that the front and rear assemblies are so important to help balance the dog and add much to it’s overall appearance. I prefer the "soft", wider face as opposed to the longer, more narrow, faces. I think that their expression, coupled with their sunny dispositions, is what makes them so adorable. having said this about the face, I DO prefer to have a male that looks masculine, and a girl that look feminine. Overall adherence to the breed standard is important as well. The Coton standard has enough variation to prevent all Cotons from appearing identical, yet it has enough leeway to allow us to express our interpretation of the standard thru our breeding programs yet remain within certain guidelines.

What are your criteria for selection in your breeding program?

As stated above, health and personality come first. Next, I prefer those dogs that have correct proportions, are well-balanced, with solid structure overall and with good front and rear assemblies. These traits, a soft expression, along with the beautiful, dark eyes, will ensure that we have laid our foundation for our breeding programs correctly.

Can you describe the "ideal" Coton?

The ideal Coton to me is one that meets the above criteria with regard to health, temperament, and structure. The only thing that would make this already ideal dog better, is if it were a Coton that never got mats!

If you are participating in dog shows, what is your motivation and your criteria for choosing them?

I love to go to shows and have always enjoyed exhibiting not only my Cotons, but other breeds as well! Unfortunately, in 1998, I was diagnosed with dystrophy, and regrettably, this has put a damper on my showing activities, as I am never sure whether I will be up to traveling or not. I enjoy all aspects of showing – seeing the other Cotons and their owners, watching the other breeds in competition, and just getting to spend quality time with my dogs out of our daily routines. I have found that our dogs love to go as they are getting extra special attention from Mom and they are also getting to spend extra one on one time with me as well. Plus, dog shows are a family activity that both my husband and my daughter enjoy. Nothing is more satisfying than getting beat by my daughter in the show ring with one of my dogs!

When you are breeding, what elements do you take into account when you choose the sire and dam?

I can’t stress enough Health and Temperament! After this, the choice of breeding partner needs to be one that will compliment the other partners strengths and weakness. For example, you would never want to breed together 2 dogs that are missing the same P1, as this would only further "set" the gene in your line. Same thing when breeding a larger dog to a small dog, you must realize that you won’t end up with a medium dog, as the genes don’t "blend" like this. You will have pups that mature larger, and some who mature smaller. It is important to realize when you are breeding that all we can do is make an educated guess as to the outcome, and hope that we are able to stack the genetic cards in our favor by our knowledge of the bloodlines we are joining to create "that perfect, elusive, Coton (remember "mat free")". It is so important that as breeders, we do not become kennel blind, and we are able to see the faults in our own dogs. We must realize that ALL dogs have some sort of flaw, and once we recognize this fact, we can seek breeding partners who will hopefully produce puppies together that are better Cotons than the preceding generation.

Why are you breeding?

I am breeding Cotons because I am in love with the breed! My goal is to produce healthy, happy huggable pups that give as much pleasure to their adoptive parents as my Cotons have given me. I enjoy all aspects of the process; from the months spent researching pedigrees in order to make ‘just the right" match, to the anticipation of the litter being born, to the actual whelping. Every time we have pups, the true miracle of new life astounds me. I love to smell their puppy breath, and kiss their warm little tummies. It is such a delight to watch the pups as they grown, interacting with one another and trying to see the world as they see it – where everything is brand new and as such is an adventure! Oh, if we were able to approach life with the same delight and full speed ahead attitude that our pups have….

With each new owner, it is so much fun to experience thru their eyes, the new joy of Coton ownership. Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t say that I am also trying to breed the perfect Coton too! You know the one, I mentioned him above – the one that is happy, healthy, and beautiful, and does not mat!