Mary Allen
This breed was not officially recognized until 1970. In fact, the Coton de Tuléar had also been at home in France for decades. Find out everything about the behavior, character, activity and exercise needs, education, and care of the Coton de Tulear dog breed in the profile.
In fact, the Coton de Tuléar has also been at home in France for decades. These dogs had been brought back from Madagascar, where they already had a long and successful history. However, it was thanks to the enthusiasm and breeding commitment of the French that this breed first became known and popular throughout Europe and then all over the world.
General Appearance
A small companion dog with long, white hair and floppy ears that are barely visible in the mass of fur. The fur is cotton-like in texture and the dark, round eyes have a lively and intelligent expression. The hair, which is typically soft and slightly wavy according to the breed standard, is white.
Behavior and temperament
The Coton de Tulear is a dog for all occasions: it is cheerful, even-tempered, and very sociable with fellow dogs and people – and it adapts perfectly to any lifestyle. He is a good family dog, gets along well with children and other animals, but can also develop his charm as a companion in single households or with older people. No matter what the living conditions look like: This dog is loyal to its owners, always shows itself to be cuddly and playful. Sometimes he also develops undesirable idiosyncrasies. In 99 percent of the cases, however, they are due to coddling by the owner.
Need for employment and physical activity
The Coton wants to be challenged more than you think. Even if he looks so small and innocent, he still wants to show what he’s made of. Extensive hours of play long walks and agility courses will inspire him. But then he also demands the cuddling hours on the sofa.
Upbringing
The Coton de Tulear should be given regular obedience training. While this dog has no trouble memorizing the rules set by humans, unfortunately, such training sessions need to be a constant reminder to owners that this is a very smart dog, not a cute stuffed animal.
Maintenance
The coat requires intensive care. The dog must be brushed intensively at least three to four times a week so that the coat does not become matted. Because this procedure is very time-consuming, it is important to get the dog used to it from puppy age. There are owners who also have their fur trimmed short in the summer months, but opinions about the meaning and appearance of this procedure differ greatly among fans of the breed.
Disease Susceptibility / Common Diseases
Since the Coton de Tulear is not a fashion dog and has therefore never been a victim of mass breeding, most of the lines are very healthy. Breed-typical diseases have not been noticed so far. However, there is one special feature: cold and rain do not bother this dog, but despite its light-colored fur it is very sensitive to heat.
Did you know?
In “higher circles” the Coton de Tulear was not only popular because of its good character traits, but above all because of its rarity. Up until 20 or 30 years ago, this was hard to come by in Europe and cost a small fortune. Even today you have to reckon with at least 1,000 euros for a puppy from a good breed.