THE HISTORY OF THE COTON DE TULÉAR

The Coton de Tuléar is a breed of dog that dates back to the 17th century on the island of Madagascar, specifically in the coastal region of Tuléar. The breed is believed to be the result of a mixture of European dogs and dogs indigenous to Madagascar. For centuries, the Coton de Tuléar was a beloved companion of Madagascar's royalty and noble class, known for its elegant white coat and playful personality.

The name "Coton de Tuléar" comes from the French word for "cotton", referring to the soft, fluffy texture of its coat. For a long time, it was considered a national treasure of Madagascar and was banned from export, which helped preserve the purity of the breed.

At the end of the 20th century, the Coton de Tuléar began to gain popularity outside Madagascar, especially in Europe and North America. The breed was recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) in the 1970s and by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 2014.

Today, the Coton de Tuléar is known as a loving, playful and loyal dog, well suited to family life. Its coat requires regular care, but its charming personality and unique history have made it a much-loved breed all over the world.

WHAT IS THE COTON DE TULÉAR LIKE?

The Coton de Tuléar is a small dog, solidly built but not heavy. Its body is symmetrical, with a straight back and a level topline. The head is in proportion to the body, with a slightly rounded skull and a medium length muzzle. The ears are triangular, pendulous and covered with long silky hair. The eyes are round, expressive and dark in colour.

The coat is one of the most distinctive characteristics of the breed. It is very long, soft, wavy and cottony in texture, with no undercoat. The coat colour is mainly white, with possible coloured markings on the head (usually light grey or beige) and at the base of the tail.

The ideal height at withers is 25 to 30 cm for males and 23 to 28 cm for bitches. The ideal weight is 3.5 to 6 kg.

The Coton de Tuléar is known for its affectionate, playful and sociable nature. They are intelligent, loyal and very attached to their families. They enjoy human companionship and are friendly with strangers and other animals.

The FCI standard stresses the importance of maintaining the natural appearance of the Coton de Tuléar, avoiding any exaggeration in its appearance. Overall, the breed is characterised by its charm, distinctive coat and loving nature, making it a pleasant and desirable companion for many people throughout the world.

HEREDITARY DISEASES OF THE COTON DE TULÉAR

-HIP DYSPLASIA: Canine hip dysplasia (CDD) is a problem that dogs begin to have as they grow older and causes instability or lack of adjustment (laxity) in the hip joint. This laxity in the hip joint is responsible for possible clinical signs (symptoms) of hip pain and limb dysfunction and also progressive changes in the joint. The hip joint is an enarthrosis, i.e. it consists of a ball and cup-shaped element; the continuous abnormal movement of the femoral head (the ball) deforms the acetabulum (the cup). The long-term response to this joint laxity is progressive loss of cartilage, scar tissue formation around the joint, and the development of osteophytes (bony protrusions) around the ball and cup.

The cause of CDD is multifactorial, but hereditary factors (genetics) are the biggest single risk factor. Rapid weight gain and growth from overfeeding can complicate the development of CDD. Hip dysplasia occurs mostly in large breeds of dogs.

-CATARACTS: There are several causes of cataract disease in dogs. One of them may be natural or due to the high age of the dog, as we have already mentioned above, due to the rupture of the crystalline lens. But there are also other causes of cataracts in dogs, such as trauma, injury, inflammation of the eye or diabetes. However, the most common cause, or the one most commonly diagnosed, is hereditary cataracts. Age is not a determining factor in this cause as they can appear when the animal is young.  

THE COAT OF THE COTON DE TULÉAR

The coat of the Coton de Tuléar is its most distinctive feature and should be kept as natural and untrimmed as possible. 

This type of coat is fine and cottony, so it must be properly maintained to avoid tangles, "shells" and skin problems; brushing should be done daily, using an extra-long metal-tipped butter brush and a styling spray, which will prevent the coat from splitting when brushed (which would increase tangles).

The baths of our Coton de Tuléar will always be done in a professional hairdresser's if we do not know how to do it correctly nor have the appropriate material (for example, a powerful dryer), since most of the times the dogs bathed at home are not untangled effectively and the water only manages to tighten the knots, complicating the work of the professional hairdresser. These baths should be scheduled every 4 to 6 weeks, using a moisturising shampoo and a complementary mask, finishing with a volumising spray. 

The only shaving to be done at the Coton de Tuléar will be limited to the lips, pads, belly and anus-genital area (in which we include the inner thighs). Some groomers and owners choose to leave a small long tuft at the tip of the penis to direct the urine to the ground, others prefer this area completely shaved for hygienic or aesthetic reasons, I personally prefer it completely clean. 

THE TEARS AND THE MOUTH OF THE COTON DE TULÉAR

The Coton de Tuléar (like many other breeds of all sizes) can suffer from rust in the tear troughs, which gives it an unkempt appearance. This happens for several reasons: 

1- OBSTRUCTED TEAR CHANNELS: The tear channel goes from the eye to the nose, tears and secretions normally exit through them without causing any kind of problem but, when they are obstructed because they are too narrow or there is some kind of pathology, these do not drain the tears well and cause the typical "watery eyes", the coat, on contact with the PH of the tears and the air, oxidises and ends up rotting, staining it a dark colour and producing a bad smell.  

To avoid this, the owner should clean the eyes of his Coton de Tuléar with a mild cleanser specially designed for this purpose. 

2- PH IMBALANCES: Sometimes, rust in the mouth and eyes comes from an imbalance in the PH of the dog's saliva and tears, here you can act by adding a little apple cider vinegar to the water or by giving him bottled mineral water. 

As far as the Coton de Tuléar's mouth is concerned, the care of its mouth is very important, the owner having to brush the dog's teeth every day and make regular check-ups at the vet's. The accumulation of tartar is not a problem for the Coton de Tuléar. The accumulation of tartar will not only produce a bad smell, but will end up causing teeth to fall out, gums to become inflamed, bleeding... Bacteria travel through the bloodstream and can trigger heart and brain diseases. 

FEEDING OF THE COTON DE TULÉAR

The Coton de Tuléar needs a diet rich in high quality animal proteins and low in fat, which will help prevent obesity and keep it in optimum health. 

As puppies, it is always recommended to choose for this type of breed a fattier food rich in Omega 3, such as Reis d'Aranda's Scottish salmon puppy food; this will help the joints, skin and coat to develop well; while as adults, we can opt for other varieties more adapted to their age, such as Reis d'Aranda's pork, Angus or horse meat food.