How did you meet the breed ?
I never believed that , one day, I would have some small dogs. Before meeting the coton, I thought that they were dogs for "grannies". I have been raised with german shepherds and I only loved tall dogs. I discovered the coton on Reunion Island. A tall dog's temper in a small head, it was love at first sight.

Jiwaki de la Case Créole

Who were your first Cotons?
Jiwaki de la Case Créole. A dog with a rare intelligence. When I came back from Reunion Island, I did not know my dog's quality. I brought Jiwaki for confirmation ,and the judge (Mr Le Magnan), told me: "madam, you must bring your dog to shows" A bit later, we subscribed in a show (a speciality). The judge did like the dog, he was third and told me :" how bad presented is your dog!". I began shows since that day. I continued with Lola de la Case Créole, whom I had brought from Reunion too. Then, came Cartoonland's Jacuzi, Monoï's mother.

Cartoonland's Jacuzi

Can you explain the choice of your kennel name?
Everyone who ever came to a port heard " l'echo des élingues". it's the sound produced by the boats' rigging when it taps on the mast, a jingle. I like this sound, it's an invitation for travelling, and our Coton proved it: he's a great traveller.

What quality(ies) do you favouring in a Coton?
The construction's harmony! it's essential. they can be light or strong, small or tall (even if I prefer small ones...), a balanced and harmonious construction is essential. there are some details on which I am intransigent: legs, teeth, health exams, and, above all, a pretty face. Are less important in my opinion the color if it is on the head, and the tail's set, if the attach is down.

Oula Hoop and Monoï

What are your selection criteria for your reproductives?
It's hard to answer something else than: a good, harmonious construction. I love pretty faces, with a muzzle in proportion with the head's width. I don't want too long noses. Temper and presence: I think that in shows, the dog must want to be in the ring. I was delighted to go to shows with Pilpoil, he is a "showman". He wants to go, to show off. Reggae takes the same way, it's great. About females, a pretty face and a pretty expression. I like when they are "actresses" and clingy, only females can be like that. Of course, the construction must follow ; first forgive me if I annoy anybody: in my opinion, a feminine bitch is not tall nor big boned. The ideal size is 24 / 25 centimeters (9.44 inch / 9.84 inch), and the weight , in fonction of the bones, between 4,5 and 6 kilos (9.92 lbs and 13.22 lbs).

 

Raffia de l'Echo des Elingues

What do you think about the Coton evolution these last years?
when I came back from Reunion island, I was surprised and sometimes disappointed by what I saw in shows. It was often heterogeneous! there were lots of long, curly-haired dogs, and very bad straight front. In five years, the evolution is spectacular. The breed is more homogeneous. The grooming evolued too (perhaps too much!). Breeders began to worry about health things, that is a very good thing.

 

3 cotons from l'Echo des Elingues

Can you describe the "ideal" Coton ?
a/male
He never gets dirty and his coat never tangles :-)))

b/female
she never gets dirty and her coat never tangles, but she has a girl's face :-)))))))

R'Shayana de l'Echo des Elingues

If you're participating to dog shows, what are your motivations, and what are your critera for choosing them?
I do like showing abroad, with judges who I don't know, because when my dog wins, I know that only the dog's quality was judged. During the world winner dog show in Porto (Portugal), I knew Mrs De Ridder's name, but my dogs had never been judged by her. I liked the attention she gave to dogs'expression and construction, she touches a lot the dogs. On the other hand, there are some judges for whom I don't move, even if the show is close to the house. going to shows is for me a reward for hours and hours of hard work.

Reggae de l'Echo des Elingues (World Champion 2001)

When you're breeding, what are the éléments you're taking into account to choose the dam and the sire ?
I choose a male I like and a female I like. It seems to be a very single way to do, but I have my personnal vision of the coton and I try to visualize the future pups when I do a mating. That's why I sometimes use sires whom nobody uses because they do not show.

 

R'Sushi de l'Echo des Elingues

Is there a question that you would like us to ask you ? If yes which one ? And can you answer ?
Yes, in order not to have to explain why I did what I did during the CCCE's General Assembly in 1999, about the modifications of the breed standard. To make this answer be clear, I have to explain the facts:
two years ago, I learn that a questionnary by Goran Brcik, the CCCE (French Coton Club) president, is published in an American and a Quebec kennel club revue to know what american and Quebec breeders think about modifications on some standard points. In France, nobody was informed of this. Some french breeders (four of them) get interested in that question, and contact the kennel club: they are answered that tey are not concerned by this affair!! France is the biggest coton producer, and the standard is given to France, so :

Do the modifications of the french standard concern only foreign breeders?

To react, I signed the international petition that circulated against these modifications, and I wrote a letter to the SCC (The french kennel club) to ask a consultation of french breeders. Then I learned that I would appear before a discipline committee, and that my 7dogs were refused to the National speciality. I was punished BEFORE appearing before the committee, thing which never happened because after some months I learned that it was CANCELLED.
Some french breeders forget that a kennel club is an association under the 1901 law, above which there is the French law, above which there are the Human rights. As a memo, here is the article 19 of Human Rights Declaration 1948 - 1998:

Art. 19. - Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. .

The affair is now closed, but if I speak about it today, it's because yesterday (september 23rd 2001) somebody asked me which penalties were taken against me during the discipline committee!!!!!!

Finally, some people (and not only french ones) took advantage from the situation to make noises run about me and my dogs.
For having done that and for not worrying enough about the Coton's future, I don't congratulate them.

R'Shayana de l'Echo des Elingues

Answers and photos by Cathy Armani - kennel L'Echo des Elingues