Page 300 - ShowSight - August 2019

Coton de Tulear Q & A
“A Coton De Tulear with the right coat texture is easy to tell apart from other similar breeds;
THE PROFUSE COAT IS UNIQUE AND ALSO
THE FUNNY ATTITUDE OF THE BREED IS UNMISTAKABLE.”
extremely lucky to have one of the best. She knows who she is as well and knows how grateful I am to her. It also bears saying that just being kind and pleasant to others, listening to what they have to say and sharing what you yourself have learned with others has a major effect on your success—and it makes you feel better about yourself and about your dogs than any ribbon could. Although nice ribbons are also lots of fun.
Do I think breed’s ranking is a good spot? I think it’s probably alright the way it is. I wouldn’t want the dog to become too popular, as I think it can be hard to fill demand even where we are at now. Cotons generally don’t have large litters and I wouldn’t want to see the quality of the dogs out there diminish. On the other hand, we could certainly use more exhibitors out showing, but I guess that is a problem in most breeds these days.
What is its overarching hallmark that to me shouts “Coton”? Well firstly the coat. The breed is named for it. Secondly the unique silhouette. If you go beyond appearance and into what most affects your life with one, it’s the darling, funny, clownish personality. When we bought our first one as a pet, it was that personality that caused us to fall in love with the breed. I had had many dogs prior to my first Coton, but none that absolutely commands your attention and constantly makes you laugh the way a Coton does. Our first breeder told us that “Cotons are like potato chips, you can’t just have one”. I laughed at her sales pitch at the time, but now I know just how true that statement was!
My favorite dog show memory? I have two that both involve handling dogs on my own. Back when we were still in Miscella- neous, I was too nervous to show my puppy in the Open Show in Orlando that was designated as our National Specialty. I was going to have a friend’s junior handler daughter show him for me. She had a last-minute ring conflict with her own dog, and I just decided to wing it. My puppy won BISS and Group 2 in an Open Show with an entry of over 120 dogs! That BISS puppy ended up being my first stud dog. Second special memory was last December, also in Orlando. I brought two eight month old littermates, a male and a female, hoping maybe to get one major on one of them while there. Showed them both myself each day with my husband’s job being to change my armband for me and toss the right dog my way each time I had to leave the ring with one to fetch the other. In three shows, I managed to get all four of their majors and finish them both myself, getting both WD/BOW and WB in one show from same judge, and then finishing them both with an additional five point major on each in the two shows (one a speciality) held the following day. Each of these times, I literally expected nothing from doing it by myself, and had a big success. Those moments are without ques- tion the most fun part of doing this. I’m also very grateful to Laura King and Robin Novack and their team for the great job they have done campaigning two of my dogs over the last two years, includ- ing making one of them No. 1 all-systems for 2018, and winning a National Specialty with each of them.
I clearly love Cotons, and think they are a wonderful breed. However I don’t think that they are the perfect breed for every- one and I think there needs to be more education, especially in the popular press, so that people better understand what the dogs’ wonderful attributes are, but also what their specific needs are.
They were bred to be companions and I personally don’t think do well in homes where they spend long periods of time alone. They need their people even more I think than their people need them. If you have the time and are willing to make the emotional commit- ment to one, it’s an amazing experience to own one.
LUIS ORTIZ & MONICA DE TUYA ORTIZ
I’m Luis Ortiz, Breeder, Judge and owner handler and owner of Mi-Toi the most winning Coton breeder in USA and one of the Too around the world. I have over 30 years experience in the Dog World with Cotons, Chows, Beagles, Spanish Water Dogs, Presa Canarios to mention some. Always intelligently breeding for physical and mental soundness.
I live in Clermont, Florida but also own a property in Puerto Rico. Due to some health issues I can’t do anything that will put my health in jeopardy. I’m a drafter and that’s where my education was.
I had been involve in Cotons now for 24 years and judging for 18 Breeding around 33 since I bred Chows Spanish water dogs beagles to mention some other breeds.
The secret in my opinion for a successful breeding program is knowing the lines your working with in your breed. Everything start with a good gene pool of females. You can always find a good stud from another breeder. Being at the #81 in the AKC ranking is okay. It was a popular breed already before it became AKC for many reason personality, cuteness and Life longevity (durability) they could live for 16 years. Is not known for been a low price breed unless non reputable breeders decide to play with their prices. Breeders who have work hard for so many years to establish their lines will not let them go so easy.
Cotons are known mostly for their Cotonese coat texture. A Coton De Tulear with the right coat texture is easy to tell apart from other similar breeds; the profuse coat is unique and also the funny attitude of the breed is unmistakable.
I have many show memories been the breeder with the most Champions in AKC and International tittles all over the world from USA is hard to pick one specific show but definitely having the first Coton De Tulear to win a AKC Best in Show, Multi CH Mi-Toi’s Icon seal the most important accomplishment as a breeder owner handle. Also the over ten World Champions in FCI shows is another of my great memories. Can’t forget a dog bred by me Multi CH. Mi-Toi’s Burberry winning Westminster for the first time for the breed and three years in a row.
This breed is a very functional one they are so adaptable to any weather or climate they love to interact with other people and some do agility or obedience with them since the are very trainable and very cooperative in top of been an elegant breed.
298 • ShowSight Magazine, auguSt 2019