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Coton de Tulear (KO-Tone Dih TOO-Lay-ARE) is a small, extremely attractive dog that is 9 to 11 high and weighs 8 to 13 pounds. Cotton is known for a rich white coat that is as soft as cotton (or, as the French say, “”cotton””). Their primary job is to provide entertainment, comfort and companionship.
The bond between the cotton and their people is so tight that the owners discuss it in a human context. Fans of Cotton describe him at times as a “”funny”” fellow, but never demanding “”and”” inherently clownish and light, “”who”” has a remarkably gentle, sympathetic awareness. “”The amusing traits of these long-lived justers include the unique tone and habit of walking on their feet.
The Cotons de Tulear, named for the port city of Tulier, was once the favorite lapdog of the nobles of Madagascar. The island nation is located approximately 250 miles from the southeastern coast of Africa, but the population is not primarily related to Africans but to the people of Indonesia. Due to a bond with France that resulted from pre-colonial rule, Madagascar developed strong ties with the French-speaking countries of West Africa. French is still widely spoken by Malagasy elites, hence their little doggy French accent.
The island’s elites were jealous of their drunken little comedians, even passing laws that restricted the ownership of cotton to the common people. One dog historian wrote, “”They were very reluctant to allow their pets to leave the island.””
The Cotton de Tulier’s AKC breed standard begins with a tantric emphasis: “”In Madagascar, the Coton de Tuller survived in packs in the jungle, later becoming the Companion Dog of the natives and the marina tribal nobles.”” The standard falls short to explain how these delightful lapdogs wound themselves on an isolated island. There are fictional tales of a shipwreck from Madagascar and how a cargo of small white dogs swam for safety, built a wild animal, and worked with local dogs to make cottons. (This is a wonderful story, and it can also be true. It is known that, in the ancient world, small white Companion Dogs, such as the Maltese, were particularly frequent bans by maritime traders around the Mediterranean and North Africa Were given.)
Cotton lived in its splendid isolation until the 1960s, when French tourists discovered the breed. It was an immediate hit in Europe, where generations of selective breeding refined the breed in Coton as we now know. AKC registered its first Cotons de Tulear in 2014.
The Coton de Tulear, also known as the “Royal Dog of Madagascar”, is a hardy, sturdy little white Companion Dog. Coton de Tulear is characterized by a natural long, white, dry, prolific, cotton-like coat, dark chubby eyes, white joie de vivre expressive smile and witty personality. The breed is somewhat tall. The top line is bent forward, with the tail carved backwards. At rest, the tail is downward with hooks and the distinctive outline of the Coton de Tuller reveals.
The gestation period in lasts for 60-64 days The primary period of the reproductive cycle of the female is called Proestrus and goes on for around 9 days. During this time the females begin to draw in males. The subsequent part is the Estrus when the bitch is receptive to the male. It goes on for around 3 to 11 days. The third part is the Diestrus. Usually, it happens around day 14. In this period the bitch’s discharge changes for distinctive red and reaching its end. The vulva gets back to average, and she will no longer allow mating. The fourth part called the Anestrus. The time span between heat periods ordinarily keeps going around a half year. The litter size ranges between 6 to 8 puppies at a time
Coton Puppy Ready is a breeze. During that time you should prepare him regularly and make sure that he learns to see sessions that are prepared as a positive time to build a relationship with his person. Unless you are going to place your cottons in a short “puppy clip”, your dog will need a lot of brushing. You should be careful to get your comb and brush all the way on the skin (gently) during daily brushing, or the hair next to the skin will be mature and if it is too wide then your dog needs to be shaved Might be possible. You should use spray conditioner while brushing to avoid breakage. Check the ear once a week, and remove any excess hair, wax, or debris to avoid ear infection.
Coton is a vigilant dog and is naturally territorial. Coats should be well socialized from a young age so that they can enjoy walking with you wherever they go. Obedience training is a good idea, along with socialization, reinforcing lessons and etiquette. A bored kotan will be unable to learn anything. For the best results, keep your training session live and entertaining. Cotons react poorly to negative training practices but will excel in most dog-sport activities when trained in positive ways. They do well in agility and obedience and make excellent medical dogs.
Coton is a fairly active dog, which requires moderate amount of exercise. Walking daily with your human at a slow pace will keep him in good weight and condition. Chasing a tennis ball around your backyard can keep your body as well as your mind active. A bored and unhappy cotton can become destructive. When he does enough to keep him occupied with enough exercise, lots of attention from his boss, and interesting toys.
High quality dog food suitable for the age of the dog (puppy, adult, or senior) will contain all the nutrients that the breed needs. Some dogs are at risk of being overweight, so watch your dog’s calorie consumption and weight level. Treatment training can be an important aid, but giving too much can lead to obesity. Give very little to table scraps, if not at all, especially avoid cooked bones and foods with high fat content. Know which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. If you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet, check with your vet.
Coton de Tulear has been largely free of genetic health issues. This is not to say that they do not exist, but that any event is of an extremely low percentage. In Coton, the known incidence is usually in the range of one to five percent. Coton breeders are working to keep the breed as problem-free as possible by performing genetic screening of all breeding stock. Sometimes eye problems and hip dysplasia occur in the breed. As with all small breeds, there is a chance of lasing patellas, and is known to have spinal disc disease.
Recommended health tests from the National Breed Club: