The Coton de Tulear is a lovely breed of small dogs, named this way because it presents a cotton-like coat.
Origins
We have already discovered why the Coton de Tulear uses the term "Coton" in its name, but why does its name include also "de Tulear"? Because this dog originates from the city of Tulear, in Madagascar. Because of its beauty and cuteness, today this type of dog is highly spread throughout the entire world.
Physical features
This dog breed is small-sized, presents very soft hair (not fur), a black nose, which is somewhat large considering its body, expressive eyes and puffy legs. The color of this dog breed can white, black combined with white, or a combination of three colors. Very popular are those champagne-colored dogs.
The height of such dogs is around 10-12 inches, and their weight - 12-15 pounds. Because of the type of coat they have, these dogs have to be brushed daily. Their dead hair has to be removed by hand, as well as the excess hair in their inner ears. Because they are very fragile, these dogs should not be bathed very often; once or twice a year is OK to keep them clean. However, if you do not groom such a dog as required, you will have to wash it more often. Luckily for those who do not like to take care of their dogs very much, Cotons like to swim, so the bathing problem is solved.
Temperament
Cotons are very friendly dogs, affectionate, gentle and active. They are playful and intelligent. Generally, they are quiet, but have the predisposition of becoming very vocal, when they are having fun. They know how to entertain humans through their walking manner; they have the ability of jumping up while walking and they continue to do that, if they notice that their human friends like their way of entertaining them. Also, Cotons are very curious when found in new situations.
Training
Because they are eager to please their masters, they are very easy to train. They can be trained along with other dogs during the same training session, because they get along very well with other animals.
Health
This dog breed is generally healthy, but presents some health issues, like other breeds too. The most common ones refer to heart, disc, liver and eye problems.
Life expectancy
The lifespan of these dogs is truly amazing; if they are taken care of properly, they are able to reach 20 years of age.
Conclusion
Small dog breeds are highly appropriate for small spaces, this making Cotons perfect for apartments. Still, this should not mean that this dog will appreciate to permanently stay in an apartment, because Cotons like the open air very much and they should be allowed to run free once in a while, to enjoy the great outdoors. They love to play with other dogs, so in case you already have other pets, you can truly consider a Coton de Tulear as the next family dog.
