Coton de Tulear

Hailing from Madagascar, the Coton de Tulear’s heritage is unique. They may have arrived to the island upon a crashed ship, according to local tales. The belief is that those little white dogs (French Bichons or Italian Bolognese) mated with native dogs to create what eventually has become today’s Coton.

In French, “coton” means “cotton,” which accurately describes this breed’s coat: fluffy and cottony.

Personality

Very friendly, gentle and affectionate
Sociable and amiable, they get along well with other pets and children
Strong attachment to home and pet parent
Intelligent and needs a strong pack leader

Size

12-15 pounds
10-12 inches at the withers (shoulders)

Lifestyle

Loyal and ready to work, Cotons are the perfect family companion
Love children, but because of their small size, make sure to teach your children how to properly handle them
Wonderful apartment pups, and don’t need a yard (although daily exercise is necessary)
Want to please their pet parents and will go to any lengths to do it

Training

Quick learners, though a bit stubborn at times
Easily housebroken

Exercise

Enjoy a daily walk
Very good at agility and work well in many dog sports
Love to swim

Coat

Colors may be white and black or white and tri-colored (the color fades as the dog matures, eventually leading to an almost completely white coat with some slight coloring)
Need a good brushing a few times a week
Hair can grow to up to 4 inches long into adulthood
Minimal shedding
Their adult hair grows in when they’re between the age of 9 to 14 months; special care should be taken with the coat at this time

Care

Coat needs careful grooming, with excess hair between the pads of the feet and inner ears needing to be trimmed
Bathing should be intermittent, depending on the dog’s needs

Health

Cotons are resilient and rarely fall ill

Lifespan

15-19 years

Rescue

To adopt a Coton de Tulear, visit the United Coton de Tulear Association for Rescue and Education

PHOTO: Uschi Goess

i Love Dogs, Inc.

i Love Dogs, Inc.’s three websites – ilovedogs.com, ilovedogfriendly.com and findavet.us – provide information and up-to-the-minute news to keep pet parents aware of all things dog. A premium canine vitamins and lifestyle company, i Love Dogs is famous for its line of diamond dog collars. The name says it all — at i Love Dogs, we are committed to the health and happiness of our canine companions.