Coton Information

The Coton de Tulear is known as the Royal Dog of Madagascar, where they originated. Check out the full History in the Canadian Coton de Tulear Club History.

Cotons are happy, cheerful, intelligent dogs who are very adaptable. They are willing to do as much or as little as you want. They have soft, cottony textured fur, which is the hallmark of the breed. Coton are sturdy and athletic dogs. They are always happy to greet you, even if you have only been gone 5 minutes. Some will walk on their hind legs. Many make unusual vocalizations. Most Cotons will cock their heads attentively while you talk to them. They seem to sense if you are down, and give you an extra bit of love, and a laugh.

The typical English pronunciation of the Coton de Tulear is Ca-tawn de Too-lee-ahr. Of course, in French, it sounds more elegant. Coton is the French word for Coton and Tulear is the port town in Madagascar that they originated in. Many people just call them Cottons.

Cotons are good for some allergy sufferers and shed very little. Even though they are hypo-allergenic it is still possible to have allergies to them. Please discuss allergies with your breeder.

Cotons are bred for companionship so need their people around. The maximum amount of time they should be left alone would be 3 to 4 hours as an adult or less for puppies.

The Coton is an overall healthy breed. They do not have as many genetic defects that many other breeds do. This is why health testing and breeding for genetic diversity is so important so we can keep it that way.

Adding a Coton or two to your family will give you countless hours of happiness and joy! Check out the Canadian Coton de Tulear for the complete Breed Standard