The Coton de Tulear is perhaps one of the less well-known petite companion dog breeds, but they are certainly one that has a lot of good points and that can be a good choice for many different types of owners.

They are a small breed and so equally happy in a small or large home which makes them a viable choice for most people, and they are not hugely challenging in terms of providing them with enough exercise, although like all dogs they do need at least a couple of walks of around half an hour a day.

The Coton de Tulear is a good middle of the road pick that has a lot of appeal and less challenges than many other breeds of a similar size; but like all dog breeds, they also have their own unique care requirements and traits that for some owners might be less than desirable, which you need to find out about before you go ahead and buy a Coton of your own.

If you are wondering if the Coton de Tulear is the right dog for you or want to find out more about the breed and its plus and minus points, this article will help. Read on to learn ten things you need to know about the Coton de Tulear, before you go ahead and buy one.

The Coton de Tulear is a toy dog

The Coton de Tulear is included within the Kennel Club’s toy dog grouping, which reflects dogs that make for excellent pets, companions and lapdogs but that don’t have a notable working history or obvious aptitude for a named working role.

This is naturally what many buyers of small dogs are looking for, but if you want a dog that will be full of beans, keen to go jogging with you or to try out canine sports with, it makes the Coton a poor pick.

They are very social and affectionate dogs

The Coton de Tulear is a highly social little dog that likes people in general, as well as forming strong bonds with their owners and regular handlers.

They will not thrive without a lot of human company, and usually get on very well with other dogs too, although they may be prone to jealousy!

Coton de Tulear dogs are very expensive to buy

The Coton de Tulear is quite costly to buy, particularly for a small dog breed; and this reflects the fact that they are not hugely common and you may need to go some way to find a breeder, and potentially join a waitlist for a puppy.

According to our Pets4Homes advert statistics, the average asking price for Coton de Tulears for sale in the UK at the time of writing (September 2019) was £1,182 for pedigree dogs, and £911 for non-pedigrees.

The Coton de Tulear tends to be long lived

The Coton de Tulear is actually one of the longer-lived dog breeds, and even for a small breed their average lifespans are quite notable.

The generally accepted average lifespan for dogs of the breed is over 14 years, which is rather better than that of most other pedigrees.

However, the breed does have a number of health challenges

Even though the Coton de Tulear breed tends to have a relatively long lifespan, the breed does have a number of hereditary health challenges within it that all prospective buyers should be aware of.

Learn about Coton de Tulear hereditary health and speak to breeders you’re considering buying from about their health testing protocols before you go ahead with a purchase.

The Coton de Tulear is very low shedding

One particularly popular trait about the Coton de Tulear is that they have very low-shedding coats, and drop little to no fur around the home.

The small amount of hair that they do shed tends to get tangled in the rest of the coat rather than lost, and so they are sometimes considered to be a good breed to explore by people who are commonly allergic to dogs that shed heavily.

Their coats require a lot of grooming and care

The flipside of the Coton de Tulear’s low shedding coat is that their coats need a lot of grooming, to keep it from getting knotted and tangled and to remove loose hair.

This is something best taken care of on a daily basis, and the Coton’s coat will soon become unkempt and uncomfortable if this is neglected.

They can be rather vocal

Coton de Tulear dogs tend to be quite vocal, and will often be “barkers,” which can get annoying. They are also quite expressive in general, having a whole language of sighs, whines, grunts and other noises that some owners find endearing or hilarious, and can even interpret quite adeptly after a while!

The Coton de Tulear is not the smartest dog breed, but can still certainly learn the essentials

The Coton de Tulear falls in 113th position out of a total number of 138 dog breeds on the Coren canine intelligence scale, so objectively, very near the bottom.

However, the breed is smart enough to learn and execute all of the essential commands like sit, stay and come, if taught properly and with consistency and patience.

The breed might be a good choice for first time dog owners

The Coton de Tulear is a breed that is generally considered to be a good pick for first time dog owners who are looking for a personable, engaging and very cute toy dog type to join their families.

However, any prospective owner must be prepared to meet the challenge of keeping the dog’s coat in good condition, and take their time learning about the breed in detail before committing to a purchase.