Coton de Tulear

The Coton de Tulear (pronounced coe-TAWN day TULE-ee-r) is a new breed to the U.S.

Cotons are now officially recognized by AKC as Foundation Stock Service. They are believed to have originated on the island of Madagascar more than three centuries ago. They are members of the Bichon family (Bichon Frise, Havanese, Lowchen, Bolognese, and Maltese) and believed to have mixed with the island’s terriers and Papillons. Cotons are born with either pink or black skin. They come in two base colors with those being either black or white. Accents include white, tri color, yellow or grey. Although their coats tend to turn lighter in color as they age, pigmentation in a puppy with color is superior to one born white. Breed standards state 9.5 to 13 inches at the withers and a weight of less than 18 pounds. Many of ours are in the 12 pound range. These dogs do not shed and have low dander, therefore are great for people with allergies.

Cotons are a unique breed. You will find their haircoat to be “one of a kind” – so cottony, silky soft with a real appeal. They are not barkers by nature. They are playful, love their toys, children, other animals and humans of all ages. They are intelligent and always willing to learn new tricks. For instance, climbing up a teeter totter, scaling the landscape timbers around a sandbox, going through a raised hula hoop, crawling through a child’s tunnel, dancing on hind legs, or taking a swim off of the beach are all within a day’s play schedule for a Coton.

Parent Stock

The Coton De Tulear is a breed of interest to our family. As a relative of the Bichon Frises that we have raised many years ago, their look is similar. Our original Cotons were imported from the Ukraine, although we have since acquired Hungarian imports as well as American born lines. All have adjusted well and made themselves at home.

The AKC has begun to recognize Coton De Tulears. The foreign pedigrees of my parent dogs have been considered by AKC. The litters produced today are a part of the AKC foundation stock program or the AKC. When three generations have been produced and documented here in the US that third generation will be eligible for registration as an AKC Coton de Tulear from a FSS breed to a fully recognized AKC breed. Most of my parents currently carry registrations with the AKCFSS (American Kennel Club Foundation Stock Service) while some of our younger girls carry a regular AKC registration since they do have three generations documented here in the US.

We love our mommies and daddies and am sure you will be thrilled to help their popularity increase – maybe you have already watched Dogs 101 feature one of our Coton babies named Indy. Or maybe you have already seen Barbra Striesand’s Coton in Oprah’s magazine, or Debra Messing’s in the People magazine, or perhaps the Coton perched on the boat in the latest boating magazine! All puppies are current on wormings and vaccinations. They each have an AVID microchip inserted between the shoulder blades for positive identification. They also have their dewclaws removed.

Recommended Reading

Coton De Tulear: Special Rare Breed Edition
by Wolfgang Knorr
Published by Kennel Club Books
ISBN: 1-59378-354-X

Puppy Training
by Charlotte Schwartz
Published by Kennel Club Books
ISBN 1-59378-365-5

Better Dog Behavior
by Charlotte Schwartz
Published by Kennel Club Books
ISBN 1-59378-379-5