COTON DE TULEAR Breed Standards
The Coton de Tulear developed on the Island of Madagascar and is still the island's national dog. The Coton's ancestors were brought to Madagascar in the 16th and 17th century on pirate ships. Madagascar was a haven for pirates and pirate graveyards can still be seen there. Pirates established the only democratic kingdom for themselves on St. Mary's Island, Madagascar and took Malagasy wives. Whether the dogs were brought along to control rats on the ships, as companions for long voyages or were confiscated from other ships as booty, no one knows. Tulear is a port which is now also known as Toliara. The Coton is of the Bichon dog type, linked most closely to the now-extinct Bichon Tenerife and Tenerife Terrier. There have been many stories circulating about the history of the Coton in recent years. Most of them are untrue. The Coton de Tulear was never feral on Madagascar. It did not hunt wild boar or alligators. It was a companion dog of the Merina (the ruling tribe) in Madagascar. It has very little prey drive and is not a hunting dog.
The cottony coat may be the result of a single gene mutation. This small, friendly dog caught the fancy of the Malagasy royalty and they were the only people allowed to keep Cotons. When Dr. Robert Jay Russell discovered the breed in Madagascar in 1973 and brought the first ones to America, he coined the phrase the Royal Dog of Madagascar and the name stuck. They were also imported occasionally into France by returning French colonists but weren't officially imported to Europe until the 1970's.
SKILLS: The Coton de Tulear is a small, long-haired companion dog with a white cotton textured coat, dark eyes and a lively, intelligent expression. He gets his name from his cottony, dry-to-the touch coat and the main port city of Tulear, Madagascar. The Coton has a happy, stable temperament and he is very sociable with humans and other dogs. He is intelligent and very devoted to his family. He loves to run and play games such as catching frisbees and chasing balls. He is known by the nickname of "anti-stress dog."
SIZE: Size: Small , Height: 12.5 inches
COAT: Ground color: White. A few slight shadings of light grey color (mixture of white and black hairs) or of red-roan (mixture of white and fawn hairs), are permitted on the ears.
CARE REQUIRED: They need regular brushing since the undercoat can easily mat. Maintaining its cotton-like texture means regular grooming. To avoid matting and potential skin irritations, you must check the coat carefully after any time spent outdoors and remove all burrs, dry grass or thorns. Brush and comb at least twice a week.
CHARACTER: The Coton de Tulear is intelligent, alert, curious and easily-trained. This dog is extremely willing to please and is very loyal to his family.
TRAINING: Exercise Needs: While the Coton is an ideal apartment dog, he needs room to run to maintain his happy disposition and to stay healthy.
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR: Coton de Tulears usually get along with other small animals but can be suspicious of strange dogs. Cottons are wondeful with children, but early socialization is still recommended.
EXERCISE:
While the Coton adapts perfectly to all ways of life and climates, he prefers to be an indoor dog. The most prominent physical feature of this breed is its beautiful coat. The Coton de Tulear can be difficult to house break. He benefits from early obedience training.
