How did you met the breed?
In a 1993 Dog World magazine I read about the
breed. Having been a breeder of the Great Pyrenees for many years, and
never really caring much for small breeds, I was charmed by their appearance.
Who were your first Cotons?
My first Cotons are from the Valaury's Cottage.
They are Igloo, and Hindie. They both are multiple Champions. Both are
retired, and living with me at TARA, where they will remain However,
they are not the foundation of my breeding program. .
Can you explain the choice of your kennel name?
TARA is taken from the novel "Gone with the Wind.”
The selection of that name came into my mind, as my family and I moved
into a beautiful tree filled acreage, that I called "My Tara," Over
twenty years ago TARA became the name of my Kennel with the breeding
of Great Pyrenees. Therefore, it was only natural that is would become
the kennel name for my Cotons.
What quality(is) do you favoring in a Coton?
Temperament is the most important quality/selection
in breeding of all animals, regardless of their beauty. So, this is
top priority.
Second, is health. Correctness in the conformation of the animal to
the standard is most important. Conformation does not just apply to
the show ring, it means also the health of a dog. A companion dog, with
incorrect structure will eventually have health problems. This leads
to a shorter life.
I prefer the scissor bite. The original
standard was written in Madagascar, by the breeders, yes I know a Frenchman,
who knew the problems in the breed. Therefore they accepted 3 types
of bites, as well as missing teeth. I feel that this is a recessive
gene, and that this will always be a problem, regardless of breeders
breeding only the scissor bite. You may change the standard on paper,
but that does not mean that it will change with the dog. If breeders
start to try to breed out the missing teeth issue, eventually they will
have bred into the breed problems much worst than missing teeth. As
all genes are also related to others. The hair quality that I prefer
is cotton feeling, long, luxurious, but not with an abundance of under
coat. Coton means cotton, meaning texture, not abundance. The size must
be small. The small Cotons have a certain charm about them, that the
larger ones do not have.
What are your selection criterion for your reproductive?
The pedigree is important, but not near as important
as the two individual animals that you intend to breed. You can't breed
paper to paper and expect to see a nice individual. As there is no perfect
animal, you have to select in both breeding animals what each has to
offer that is correct. A well balanced animal, is very important, as
this will always give beautiful movement. Having been involved with
the performance Quarter Horse for well over twenty years, has made movement
selection as easy as breathing. The Cotons pictured are my three generations
of males.
The one in the middle ( Champion
World Jr. 1999. Mexican, American, Preferred Stock of TARA has the very
sweet, face, and temperament of the Coton that I admire. His father,
to the right, is Sugar of Woodland Cottage. The puppy (son) is now Ch.
Invest in Sugar of Tara.
The next photo is of a full sister
of “CH.Preferred Stock.” "CH. One Mint Julip of Tara." She is a little
over a year in this photo, but shows the balance, and sweetness of the
Coton.
Below are two off springs of, Preferred
Stock, two different dams.
The Coton on the left is from my
first two Cotons. That is her baby, Windi.
What do you think about the Coton evolution these last
years?
The Coton has changed, however, I’m not sure that
it is the original Coton, that once graced the country of Madagascar.
The Coton of today is very beautiful, but certainly not true to it’s
origin .
Can you describe the "ideal" Coton ?
Of Course! Read the standard..
If you're participating to dog shows, what are your
motivations, and what are your criterion for choosing them?
Dog shows are as important as a person wants to
make them. As long as I enjoy showing, I will continue to do so. I do
not use a handler, not do I put a lot of importance on wins. It should
be fun for you and the dog. One is hoping to see the ideal dog/Cotons,
which is not always the case. Often a lot of breedings will take place
to duplicate a dog that is winning. This dog may be of type, or may
not be, so unfortunately some breeding will take place that are not
true of the standard.
When you're breeding, what are the éléments you're
taking into account to choose the dam and the sire ?
They must compliment each other, and have the
qualities that I find important.. This means a balance of good traits.
One dog may have a “great” front and an “okay” rear. Then the other
dog must have a “great” rear.
Is there a question that you would like we answer you
? If yes which one ? And can you answer ?
Yes. Has anyone addressed the issue of the preservation
of the breed? No, and this is very important. A committee needs to be
formed to promote the historical preservation. Devoted to the procurement,
care, and to display objects of lasting interest or value at all World
Shows. Once the breed becomes an AKC breed, then the representation
should be at all specialities.. Things are already being lost, because
some breeders do not want to admit that they ever existed. The explanation
for that is that most of the Coton breeders are “new to the world of
breeding, and do not understand that you are suppose to be preserving
a breed, not changing it to their ideas of what they are breeding!
Answers and Pictures by Carol
Hugues - kennel of Tara