overly long. The hind legs are normally strong and straight. The hind feet are similar to the front feet. Throughout history, the dewclaws have been removed; however, many would now oppose this arguably unnecessary and cruel procedure. The tail is traditionally low-set and tapering, carried over the back when in motion or excited, but relaxed otherwise. Temperament The Coton is a playful, affectionate, intelligent breed. Although generally quiet, it can become very vocal—grunting, barking, and making other noises when having fun. Cotons are known to have a habit of jumping up and walking on their hind legs to please people. Most Cotons love meeting new people and are very curious about new situations. Cotons are easy to train as they are very eager to please. Cotons love to swim, run, and play. They adapt well to any kind of living environment. A common trait of the Coton de Tulear behaviour is to come alive in the evening. Care The Coton has a coat that requires brushing and combing almost daily and bathing about once per week to maintain its beauty. Cotons love swimming; owners who have pools are recommended to let their Cotons play in the pool with supervision. Like poodles, they do not "shed", meaning they don't drop hair on furniture, carpeting, etc. They do lose hair; their coat's texture causes the shed hair to be trapped in the coat. If not brushed and combed daily, this breed's fur will mat up quickly and may require shaving. Cotons need a walk every day for exercise but will appreciate a play session as often as possible and have the endurance to go on a long hike. Cotons love to play with other dogs, and they are great with kids. Health The Coton is, in general, a healthy breed. However, there are still some health issues as there are in all breeds. The most serious issues are heart problems, liver shunts, back (disc) problems, and eye problems. Luckily, these are still relatively uncommon in the breed. The small gene pool of this breed is owing to its near extinction. Due to inbreeding by disreputable breeders, there is an increased incidence of disease. The smaller the gene pool, the more likely a breed is to have genetic abnormalities. The Coton de Tulear has few health issues compared to many other breeds due to being rather generic in type. It is a fairly