History of the Coton de Tulear

The Coton de Tulear (pronounced ca tawn day tool-ee-are) is an amazing rare breed of dog that originated over four centuries ago on the island of Madagascar, off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.  The name Coton de Tulear is derived from the soft, "cottony" touch of its hair with Tulear being the port city in Madagascar where the breed was first established. Bred for their gentle temperament and striking beauty, the Coton is also known for its intelligence and charming personality.  It is presumed that because of their beauty and affectionate personality these dogs were offered to the Royal Family and Nobility. In fact, it was forbidden that anyone other then royalty own the breed. Thus, it took on the title of "Royal Dog of Madagascar."

Our search has taken us around the world to find the appropriate bloodlines in order to continue the high standards of the breed. Our dogs ancestry includes the now famous Irving Jazz and his son Louxor du Domaine de la Rouviere, Rifelin Julius Caesar and Cartoonlands Organdi to name a few. This aligns with our goal of continuing to provide high quality bloodlines that reflect the breed standard and producing the healthiest, most well-adjusted, beautiful puppies anyone has ever seen. They are raised in a loving home environment and they are socialized from a very young age. Because of their eagerness to please their humans, they are easy to train and grasp new activities very quickly.

The Coton de Tulear has become widely known as the "anti-depression" dog because of its oftentimes clown-like behavior, endearing personality and loyal attachment to its human companions. The Coton retains its puppy-like playfulness throughout its relatively long life, which averages over 15 years.  Coton hair is easily managed and kept tangle free if it is brushed and/or combed several times a week. Shedding is minimal and because the coat is long, dry, oil and dander free and has no doggy odor the Coton is the perfect companion for allergy sufferers. It usually stands between 10 to 12 inches tall at the shoulders, a third again as long in length and typically weighs between 10 and 13 pounds.  The Coton adapts quite well to its environment and will thrive in any type of setting, from living happily in an aparment to romping in the countryside; from frolicking in the surf at the beach to skipping about playfully in the snow. It has become apparent that Coton breeders have carefully monitored and developed a dog that is void of any negative traits or genetic defects.