Coton de Tulear (English pronunciation is Cah-Tawn de Too-Lee air, French pronunciation is Cah-tohn deh Tu-lay-ahr)  is an extremely rare, ancient purebred.  Developed in Madagascar, an island off the coast of Africa, they were favored by royal families.  Coton is French for "cotton," referring to the texture of the coat which is white, soft and cottony, while Tulear is the trading port where their ancestors were first introduced.  The Coton is called "The Royal Dog of Madagascar", and has a postage stamp in their honor.  They are non-shedding and seldom bother people with allergies.  They do not need to be clipped, unless you opt to keep your Coton in a shorter hairstyle. They enjoy daily brushing.  If you plan on showing your Coton, the standard requires them to have long hair.

The Coton breed standard follows the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), which you can read about on our link to the American Coton Club (ACC) below.  The Coton stands about a foot from the withers and is about a third longer than tall. The female weighs no more than 10 pounds, the male no more than 13.2 pounds.  In France, they are called "petite marionette" (little puppet) owing to their brilliant liveliness.  In fact, they are best known for their happy temperment.  A friendly, clownish, alert, extremely intelligent and inquisitive companion, they quickly bond with their family.  They are both boisterous and calm, zooming around the yard to play, then snuggling in your lap to snooze.  They are happy to alert you when someone is at the door, but are not at all yappy. 

Cotons are sturdy, resilient and love to play in the rain, snow or at the beach. Though they love romping in the yard, they are still an inside dog.  Their coat dries very quickly when wet.  They enjoy swimming, chasing balls, and like a cat, are very dexterous with their paws, batting under furniture to get a toy.  Their life span is sixteen to nineteen years, are very healthy and have few genetic defects. 

Our dogs have yearly blood panels and are screened and cleared for hips, luxating patella and elbows.  Their eyes are cleared by the Canine Eye Registry Foundatin (CERF).  

We are affiliated with the American Coton Club Code of Ethics Breeders, www.cotondogs.com.