Coton de Tulear: the royal dog of Madagascar

Coton de Tulear is a sweet, cuddly, clownish puppy that is the perfect choice for those looking for an easy to handle, friendly companion.

LocalAlso known as the Royal Dog of Madagascar, the Coton de Tulear is a strong little white companion dog. The breed is very intelligent, happy and energetic, often mischievous but never demanding. Calm and easy to handle, he forms very strong bonds with his loved ones. Known for its unique voice and charming, lovable character. 

History of the Coton de Tulear

The Coton de Tulear is named after the port town of Tuléar. There is no information on how the variety originated. According to one story, a ship carrying dogs sank not far off the coast of Madagascar. The small white cargo swam ashore, and the dogs survived in packs in the wild for a long time. These animals mated with local dogs, and thus the Coton de Tulear was born, which later became the favourite lapdog of the island’s nobility.

The island’s aristocrats were jealous guardians of the soft little furballs, even passing laws forbidding commoners from keeping Coton de Tuléar. And they were even more careful to keep their pets from leaving the island, so the breed lived in isolation for centuries. The puppies were eventually discovered by French tourists in the 1960s and brought to Europe and then the rest of the world. The breed was adopted by the FCI in 1970, and the breed was introduced to Europe in the early 18th century. American Kennel Club waited until 2014.

Breed standard

The Coton de Tulear is a small dog. Depending on its sex, its height at the withers is between 21 and 32 centimetres and its weight is between 3.6 and 5.9 kilograms. Its long, thick coat is very soft and supple, with a texture like cotton, hence the breed’s name. Moreover, the fur of the puppies is even softer than that of the adults. The coat is completely white, but there may be grey or light brown hairs on the ears. Small but strong build, with a cheerful expression that perfectly matches his wonderful personality. Eyes dark and rounded, body slightly longer than tall. The tail is naturally low, with the tip slightly upturned.

Character of the Coton de Tulear

Happy and naughty, Coton de Tulear lives for people and wants nothing more than to spend time with his owners. This small dog forms strong bonds with family members and doesn’t like to be away from them. He is smart and easy to teach, responding well to praise, play and reward food.

He likes to have fun to get attention. It is a quiet breed, not prone to barking out of petulance. He prefers to greet unfamiliar guests with a lick. As with all dogs, the Coton de Tulear needs early socialisation to become a well-adjusted, well-balanced adult.

Care

It is important to get the breed used to the grooming routine as a puppy. If the coat is not clipped short, the animal will need a lot of brushing. Care must be taken to comb the coat right from the base of the hairs, otherwise the coat may become matted and matted near the skin. In addition, of course, the usual ear cleaning and claw grooming is also necessary.

Ideal environment

The Coton de Tulear is a relatively active dog with a moderate amount of exercise.
In addition to daily walks, playing ball or other games that stimulate the animal’s mind are essential. A bored and unhappy Coton can easily become destructive. He is at his best when he gets enough exercise, his owner pays attention to him and he has plenty of interesting toys to keep him occupied. The breed also adapts well to any environment, if its needs are met, and also ideal for beginners.

Common health problems

The isolation of the Coton de Tulear has kept it relatively free of genetic health problems.
This does not mean that there are none at all, but the percentage of cases is extremely low (1-5%).