Dear Guest: 
Coton de Tuléar French pronounciation is:

<Cot-on>
"Cot" is pronounced as is the sound of the syllable <ut>, in the English verb "Cut" and the suffix "on" is pronounced as is the sound of the syllable <on> found in the word <Tone> (keep the sound of the letter <t> and of the syllable"ne" mute. 

<De>
The word "De" is pronounced as is the sound of the syllable <de.> in the English word <Degree>.

<Tu-lé-ar>
"Tu" is prounounced as is the syllable <tu> in the word <Tunisie> and the syllable "lé" is pronounced as is the syllable <ly> in the word <happily> and the syllable "ar" as the syllable <ar> found in the word <Jar>. (Sorry folks those are the closest words I could find! If other words come to mind, I'll be sure to replace them.)!

The FCI standard describes the ideal description of the Coton de Tulear at maturity and does not imply description of puppies.
Should you not be familiar with this breed, please peruse through the standard carefully before inquiring as you may find the answers to many of your questions such as:

Q:How big or tall is the breed?
A:Please refer to the standard ratios under the proper section. 

Q:What kind of temperament does this breed have?
A:Please refer to Behavior/temperament under the proper section.

Q:What kind of coat does this breed have?
A:Please refer to Coat under the proper section.

Q:What colour is this breed?  
A:Please refer to the proper section under coat. Please note however, that the colour description herein describes the coat colour of a mature dog which is mainly white with a little champagne notably on the ears (but the following are the most common parts of the body where the colours can be found such as: ears, the base of tail, topline and sides, head: either both sides or one side covering one or both eyes, and withers. All of the aforementioned markings can contain a mixture of a few black/gray hairs. Nevertheless, the genetic pool of this breed contains some colour genes and some puppies are born with colouring that may or may not gradually fade as the puppy matures as some colours however do not fade entirely to ALL white such as the rust/reddish/mahogany or pure black markings but then again black sometimes does.  Occasionally, some puppies are born with a vanilla white (yellow-champagne) coat rather than with the Bichon or Maltese white colour of coat. This vanilla colouring also fades but seldom to the whitish coat of a Maltese or Bichon. 

Click Here For New Official FCI Standard In Force

FEDERATION CYNOLOGIQUE INTERNATIONALE

COTON DE TULEAR FCI STANDARD NO. 283 25.04.1996

TRANSLATION : Mrs. Peggy Davis

ORIGIN: Madagascar.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE VALID ORIGINAL STANDARD: 09.11.1995

UTILIZATION: Companion Dog.

CLASSIFICATION FCI: Group 9 Companion and Toys, Section 1.2 Coton de Tulear. Without working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY: Brought in France in 1977 this new-comer of exotic origin has rapidly won a place amongst the small dogs; nowadays his fame has spread all over the world.

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Small dog, suitable for apartment, with long cotton-like coat and round, dark, expressive eyes.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS:

Ratio height at the withers to length of the body = 2 to 3
Ratio length of the head to length of the body = 2 to 5
Ratio length of the skull to length of the muzzle = 9 to 5

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT: A bit boisterous, merry and even a bit of a clown, very attached to his master.

HEAD:

DESCRIPTION OF THE WHOLE:
Seen in profile: short
Seen from above: triangular

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CRANIAL REGION:

Skull: Upper profile convex. Width about 8.5 cm (3 3/8"). Superciliary arches slightly developed. Slight frontal furrow, occipital protuberance non existent. Occipital crest only slightly perceptible. Stop: Only slightly accentuated.

FACIAL REGION:

Nose: Small. Black, dark tobacco colour tolerated. Open nostrils. Muzzle: About 6 cm (2 3/8") in length, about 4,5 cm (1 3/4") in depth and about 5 cm (2") in width. Nasal bridge straight. Lower jaw in straight line.
Lips: Fine, tight, pigmented as the colour of the nose.
Teeth: Perfect, small and white; the lower incisors placed just forward, just behind or level with the upper incisors.
Eyes: Round, dark, bright, well set apart, pigmented with the colour of the nose; eyelids fine.
Ears: Hanging, about 6 cm (2 3/8") in width, about 7 cm (2 3/4") in length, thin, triangular, set high on the skull. Fine at the tip, bent at the base, covered with white hairs or with tints in the following three possibilities:
1) Yellow patches more or less dark
2) Mixture of yellow and black hairs
3) Some black hairs giving the impression of a light grey patch

NECK:

Profile: Straight. Slightly curved at the top. Ratio neck/body = 1/5.
Length: About 8 cm (3 1/8"). Shape: Bulging, muscular; width about 7 cm (2 3/4"). Skin: Tight.

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BODY:

Seen as a whole:
Upper line very slightly convex.
Withers: Only slightly accentuated, set of neck strong.
Back and Loins: Very slightly arched, well muscled. Ratio thoracic lumbar part = 10/6. Belly and Loins: Round, less broad than the chest, belly hardly tucked up.

TAIL:

Set low, length about 18 cm (7 1/8") thick at the base, fine at the tip, when at rest goes down to below the hock with the tip curving upwards.

FOREQUARTERS:

Seen as a whole:
Legs vertical seen from the front and in profile.
Proportions: 1/1.
Shoulder: About 10 cm (4"), oblique, muscular.
Upperarm: About 9 cm (3 1/2"), oblique front to rear, muscled.
Shoulder blade upper arm angle: 120 degrees.
Forearm: About 10 cm (4"). Vertical. Powerful bone structure. Upperarm-forearm angle: 120 degrees. Pastern joint: About 3 cm (1 1/8").
Pastern: About 3 cm (1 1/8").
Front Feet: About 3 cm (1 1/8"), round shaped, small. Toes tightly closed, well formed, well centred and pigmented pads.

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HINDQUARTERS:

Seen as a whole:
Legs vertical seen in profile and from behind.
Proportion: 1/1.
Upper Thighs: About 10 cm (4"), muscular. Coxal-femoral angle: 80 degrees.
Lower Thighs: About 10 cm (4"), oblique from front to rear. Femoral-tibial angle: 120 degrees.
Hock Joint: Length about 2 cm (3/4"), thickness about 3 cm (1 1/8"). Angle of hock: (tibial-tarsal): 160 degrees.
Hock: Length about 7 cm (2 3/4") width about 2 cm (3/4"). Vertical position.
Hind feet: Round shaped, toes with only slight accentuated curve, tightly closed; pads flat and pigmented.

MOVEMENT:

Walk normal, trot shortened. Preferred pace: the trot.

SKIN:

Fine, well adherent in each part of the body. May be pigmented with grey, more or less dark patches.

COAT: HAIR:

Fine, about 8 cm (3 1/8") long, slightly wavy, of cotton texture.
Colour: White, a few yellow or grey more or less dark patches, notably on the ears, are tolerated.

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SIZE AND WEIGHT:

SIZE:

Males: 28 cm, (11"), tolerance up to 32 cm (12 5/8") maximum and 25 cm (9 7/8") minimum.
Females: 25 cm (9 7/8") tolerance up to 28 cm (11") maximum and 22 cm (8 5/8") minimum.

WEIGHT:

Males: From 4 to 6 kg maximum (8.8 to maximum 13.2 pounds)
Females: From 3,5 to 5 kg maximum (7.7 to maximum 11 pounds)
The weights are proportional in relation to the size but must not exceed the maximum.
Example: A male of 28 cm (11") at the withers should weigh approx. 5 kg (11 pounds), a male of 32 cm (12 5/8") at the withers approx. 6 kg (13.2 pounds).

TYPE:

The desirable type is the one described. There are, however, dogs of this breed who are higher on the legs.

FAULTS:

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

SERIOUS FAULTS:

Muzzle: Too small or too thick.
Skull: Flat or too bulging.
Stop: Too marked or non-existent.
Nasal bridge: Arched.
Teeth: Not regularly aligned (incisors), carious teeth, serious prognathism (more than the thickness of the incisors).
Eyes: Light, set too close, entropion, ectropion, prominent, vicious look.
Ears: Too short, hairs too short, attachment narrow or too thick, straight.
Back: Saddle back, too long.
Rump: Horizontal, narrow.
Chest: Badly developed.
Neck: Too short or too long, thin.
Tail: Too long, too short or rolled up, not enough furnishings, cylindrical.
Shoulder: Straight.
Legs: Turned in or out, close together or loose, too wide apart; barrel hocks or cow-hocks; bad angulation.
Thighs: Insufficient muscle; insufficient hair.
Skin: Wrinkled, thick.
Coat (hair): Too short, too long, curly, silky texture.

ELIMINATING FAULTS:

Nose with pink spots or patches, too light.
Depigmented lips, pink spotted, lips heavy and drooping.
Eyelids white, insufficiently pigmented, pink spots.
Tail rolled up or carried straight up (candle or flagpole), tail-less.
Neck too long.
Height and weight over the maximum.
Coat strongly marked with brown or pure black.
N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

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