Did I solve the mystery?

sunbathing

at the vet, teasing other dogs

right after knee surgery

waiting for lunch

Hi everyone!
Almost 14 years ago a female puppy woke me up licking my face, it was so tiny I could hold it with one hand. Our brother brought it home and told us the puppy's mother was rescued by a pet shop owner, but she was pregnant and died giving birth three weeks before. We were at the time looking for a dog after overcoming the loss of our poodle, so another poodle was the first choice.

Althought this puppy didn't look completely like a poodle, we couldn't resist her cuteness and charm, so we immediately welcomed her. As she grew old, we were intrigued by her big dark eyes and her soft, not poodle-like hair... she also happened to be very healthy, curious and active, and she had the habit of standing up quite often. Given that we don't count on many breed experts, people usually made fun of us saying she was a strange/funny mixed poodle with huge eyes, which made us love her more because we thought she was unique. I

I could write endlessly about what an exceptional dog she is. She's the smartest dog I've ever had and despite loving and friendly, she has quite a character of her own. She loves being the center of attention and she's so playful and active no one believes this old lady turns 14 in a few months. But problems come with age: she had a knee surgery at 10 so we cannot let her stand up or jump anymore... she also has heart problems now, so we try to keep her calm and give her all the attention she needs.

Today I was watching 101 dogs in Youtube, boasting about my "mixed poodle's" intelligence, and I saw a picture of a dog similar to mine among the suggested videos! It was a Coton de Tulear, so I have spent the last few hours watching videos and looking for pictures of them, and I am still surprised to see how they all have these big dark eyes and soft hair I love so much about mine. She might not be 100% related to this beautiful breed, but at least I won't say she is a very strange, big-eyed mixed poodle anymore.

What do you think? Does she pass the test? If not, at least I guess she's as pretty as yours ^_^

Comments for Did I solve the mystery?

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Apr 15, 2014

Chelsea NEW
by: Vicky & Jonah

I think u solved the mystery. She is adorable & such a lovely story.

Apr 15, 2014

Thank you! NEW
by: Anonymous

Thank you everyone!
I have been reading the information posted on this website, and I can now understand many of Chelsea's features, either physical or behavioral, that I could not explain before.
I guess she and her siblings were very lucky to be born in a place where they could survive in absence of their mother, hopefully they had a good life too.
I am very grateful of having found this community and will take all these new advices for taking care of my senior baby ;-)
Best wishes to you all!

Apr 14, 2014

Absolutely a Coton NEW
by: Marcia

If Chelsea is not a Coton, then I've never seen one. She is adorable!

Apr 14, 2014

Mystery NEW
by: Anne/Glenmoore PA

What a great story. And I vote definitely Coton. Beautiful and intelligent, loving dogs. We also have a beauty named Molly. Adopted from a shelter. The shelter didn't really know what she was because she was a stray but we knew she was young. A stranger told us and I looked up Coton on the internet and found this wonderful site. Then we knew for sure. Fits the descriptions of looks and behavior to a tee. We love her dearly and she loves us back. Can't believe anyone would have given up this dog.

Also, she likes to jump off of the beds, the sofa etc. I try to lift her off and also have ottoman's placed so she doesn't hurt herself. Will have to be more careful with her.

Thanks for your wonderful story. Wishing you all the best.

Apr 14, 2014

Chelsea's surgery NEW
by:

Thank you very much! Indeed, Chelsea was -and still tries to be- a jumper and her experience could advice others to watch your doggies' legs. When young, she even liked to stand up and jump to reach my hair tips when I was getting ready to go to school, and went a few steps away from beds to catch impulse and jump to them... so you can imagine. We lived in an apartment with carpet until she was 10, so she had no problem in running and jumping before, but then we moved out to an apartment with ceramic floor and she started slipping constantly. One day, she was lying on the couch when someone rang the bell. We weren't watching her but a few seconds later we heard her crying and yelling and bending her hind-left leg, so we guess she wanted to go down but slipped and fell. She got a cruciate ligament ruptured and she went under surgery shortly after. Theoretically she was not allowed to move her leg for at least three weeks and go to therapy for five months, but who can tell them that? As soon as she arrived back home she started trying to stand in her hind legs so you can guess we had to give an effort teaching her not to jump to beds and the couch but she got it after a while. About standing up, the best way I have found is trying to calm her down when she gets excited and wants to do so. I start tickling her in the ribs to get her distracted and then grabbing her so she relaxes again. She still tries to jump on the couch when we're sitting once in a while... but we always try to catch her as soon as he gets impulse to avoid her falling backwards.

So the moral is: watch your little one's legs, especially at an older age, and keep them from running or jumping in slippery floors! And if you have bad luck, they have a very good recovery from surgery nevertheless, and will still be able to be as playful as before... but no jumping!

Apr 14, 2014

Mystery solved NEW
by: sherry cotton candie

What a wonderful story and yes she sure looks like a coton to me.
How fortunate for you and her that you have her. She is just beautiful and they are a really special breed. I to lost a poodle years ago, at the time thought I would never find another dog like them......Have to say after getting a Coton they are not like any other breed I have ever had.........So much personality and character, Love them.

Good luck and I was wondering how you keep her from jumping.
Mine is such a jumper and I worry in later years she will have knee or hip problems.

Apr 14, 2014

Spitting Image NEW
by: Anonymous

She's the spitting image of a Coton if she isn't one. And a great mimic too. Sounds and looks just like my adorable dog. I'd conclude she's a Coton and count yourself blessed you got to spend so many years with this wonderful breed.

Apr 14, 2014

Lucky You! NEW
by: Donna & Lily

She is adorable! How lucky that you found each other!! She sure does look like a Coton and they do have personality PLUS!! They are the best!

Apr 14, 2014

Coton NEW
by: Marty

She is a Coton. Best little dog in the world.

Apr 14, 2014

Forgot to mention her name! NEW
by: Anonymous

Thank you! We never met her mother and we had not seen dogs like her before... people always compared her to a poodle and said she was so strange! But now I'm glad I know some of her cousins and they are all very very cute, just like her. Btw, her name is Chelsea and she was born on August 17th, 2000 :D

Apr 14, 2014

I think you have a match NEW
by: Sandy

She looks just like my Pixie and she's a Coton-de Tulear. So very cute and quirky these pups are.

Apr 14, 2014

Mystery NEW
by: Carole

It sure looks like a Coton to me. The description that you gave also fits the breed. They are great little dogs.

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