Numerous rumors bruits speaded - and spread yet - in shows regarding Cotons.We hear about, among other things: "dogs from scubland with very few coat". This is supposed to be the ideal Coton that we can meet in Madagascar ?

We don't doubt about this. But in this case, what is the role of breed Clubs if not the improvement of the different dog breeds.

effectively the Coton met in Madagascar's streets isn't quite the same that we are judging in shows in France. As well as :

• The Afghan hound hunting in Afghanistan's mountains is it exactly the same that the one who win the Best in Show in show ?
• The Bobtail looking after a flock in England is it exactly the same that the one being 3 hours on a grooming table to bring out his beautiful coat?
• The Xolocuintle sawn in Mexico's zoos has it something in common with those one we see in Europe ? Fortunatly NOT.

In a morpholgy point of view, sure it's the same (speking about our Cotons).

To what will serve all the breeder's work and Clubs if it was ok to go and collect (in the scubland) one specimen of the breed and to say here is the ideal type?

I think that, in any country, the dog that we see in the countryside can't be quotes as référence.

We can speak about dogs sawn in the original country of the breed. And here too with the condition that the country of origin has done a good job with his livestock!
Don't let us intimidate by those who, perfidiously insinuate this question : "Do you went to Madagascar?"

Indeed, our Coton, if it was originaly a dog from the bush, became in Europe a "living room dog". A coat suffering with natural environment, with bad weather, a non dapted food, can't be the same as these groomed, feeded, protected you take care of (we don't speak here about the genetic selection, coat is heriditary).

Can we have a grudge against our breeders because they worked to improve the coat?

Can we have a grudge against our breeders because they worked at the most the black spots (we msut recognized not so succesfull). Yes ! Even if we can see in Madagascar !

Can we have a grudge against our breeders because they worked to select cotons better and better pigmented with a coat more and more white ?

In any case, It won't be the breed Club which will have a grudge against.

Of course,there is always work to do, particulary regarding the set tail. Indeed, a lot of our Cotons are showing a too high set tail, that give a tail curled on the back. This being a morphological default, we are obliged, now that our livestock begin to be interesting, to severely penalize a little bit more this problem.

Another default yet is a bad ears set. Some Cotons are showing too small ears, pointed and carried backwards. It's obvious that is an important default that we shall penalize for the confirmation (NDLR : special examiination in France to allow a dog to be breed). Our serious breeders are going well.

They must continue without letting them influence with the RUMORS always fruitless spreaded often by those precisely who are contenting of breeding without trying to improve, and more, try to spread rumors avout the good actual livestock.

We must try to say the right things and use our standard set by the original breed country, I must remember you.

The standard says :"Small dog, suitable for apartement, with longcotton-like coat, etc."

In conclusion, I notice that nowhere it speaks about "dog from bush with not som uch coat"j.

The breed standard is the "Club's bible" which is the representative of the breed and breeders, the only one offical document to which we can refer to.On the other hand it's usefull, or necessary that must be regularly written "commentaries about standard". That is what I tried to do in a clearly way.

Jeanette Larive