Caring for a Coton De Tulear
Feeding: The Coton De Tulear may have sensitive stomach. You vet can recommend a brand of food if your Coton suffers from this issue.
Living with a Coton De Tulear
Personality: The Coton De Tulear is a happy-go-lucky breed with an optimistic outlook on life. They are always happy to see you and are full of trick and surprises. They can go from being very calm and relaxed to full-speed playful in two seconds flat, depending on your mood. They are happy to do almost anything as long as it's with you. They love to amuse you with tricks like walking on their hind legs.
Temperament: The Coton De Tulear is a gentle, friendly, affectionate, alert, sociable dog. They are very attached to their master and love to be with them all the time.
Family Dog: The Coton De Tulear makes a great family dog. They are loyal to their master and get along well with other pets and children.
Shedding: The Coton De Tulear sheds very little hair making them what most consider a non-shedding dog. This breed is good for allergy sufferers.
Grooming: The coat of the Coton De Tulear should be brushed and combed daily to remove any dead hairs. The excess hair between the pads of the feet and inside the ears should be removed. It is recommended to have them professionally groomed every five weeks or so. They should only be bathed when necessary and should not need a bath more than once or twice a year. The coat should not be scissored.
Training: The Coton De Tulear is fairly easy to train using positive reinforcement methods. Remember to keep your training sessions short or they may get bored and become stubborn.
Behavior: The Coton De Tulear is a very good-natured breed. They make good watch dogs and love to cuddle on the couch with you, go for a jog on a sunny day, or even play hide and go seek in the snow.
Barking: The Coton De Tulear does not bark much. They will bark when defending their home or master. This is a breed that will defend his family with their life.
Weather: The Coton De Tulear is comfortable in temperatures between 0 and 90 degrees farenheit.
Exercise: The Coton De Tulear loves to walk, swim and play. They typically do very do well in dog sports such as agility. They are active dogs who need a moderate amount of exercise every day.
Living Conditions: The Coton De Tulear makes a great apartment dog. They are fairly active indoors and will be fine with just a small area in which to run. They do wonderful in either a city or country setting.
Coton De Tulear Appearance
Appearance: The Coton De Tulear looks like a stuffed animal brought to life. Coton means Cotton in French and as the name describes the coat of the Coton De Tulear should be cottony and soft not silky. They have big brown eyes and a tail that curls over their back.
Size: The Coton De Tulear stands between 10 to 12 inches tall and weigh between 10 to 15 pounds when fully grown.
Companionship: The Coton De Tulear makes an excellent companion dog. They thrive in a family environment or in a one person household.
Eyes: The eyes of the Coton De Tulear are bright and dark in color.
Gait: The gait of the Coton De Tulear can range from a leisurely stroll to a rabbit-like run or anywhere in between.
Color: White is the most desirable color for the Coton De Tulear although the most common color is a brown on white which fades to a light coffee cream on white when the dog matures. Other common colors include white & black and tri-colored.
Coat: The coat of the Coton De Tulear should be cottony and soft with a long topcoat.
Coton De Tulear Facts
Life Expectancy: The average life expectancy of the Coton De Tulear is 13 to 16 years.
Coton De Tulear Health
Health: The Coton De Tulear is a very hardy breed but they may be prone to stomach-related illnesses.
Dental Health: The Coton De Tulear may be prone to problems with plaque causing them to need their teeth cleaned once or twice a year by a veterinarian. Be sure to ask your vet about brushing their teeth to help reduce the need for professional cleanings.
Coton De Tulear History
History: The Coton De Tulear is related to the French Bichons and the Italian Bolognese as well as other possible breeds. They are believed to have arrived in Madagascar with the French troops. This breed was relatively unknown until it was reintroduced in Europe and America within the last 20 years. For centuries, Cotons were kept as companions by the wealthy residents of Tulear which is in southern Madagascar. Although still rare, Cotons are becoming increasingly popular in the United States. They are the official dog of Madagascar.
