Coton De Tulears Breed Information

Coton De Tulears are a member of the ‘Toy’ breed group. Toy breeds are small companion dogs, commonly referred to as ‘lap dogs’. Most toy breeds love attention and can be very friendly and affectionate. They don’t require a large amount of exercise.

Coton De Tulears are loyal and loving dogs that thrive on family life, making them excellent family pets. They’re intelligent dogs that are keen to learn, so training is relatively easy. For more information on training your dog using reward-based techniques, take a look at our dog behaviour page.

Breed-related health problems:

Owners are, understandably, upset when their dog develops a health problem linked to its breed. Often they wish they’d known what problems the breed was prone to have. The potential health problems that Coton De Tulears are prone to include:

• Hip dysplasia – hip joint laxity as a result of poor development, which will eventually lead to arthritis.
• Von Willebrand's disease – deficiency in blood platelet function resulting in excessive bleeding.

For some conditions, there are screening programmes available through the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the Kennel Club. The Canine Health Schemes allow breeders to screen for a range of inherited diseases, so it’s a good idea to check the parents of any puppy you’re looking to rehome have been screened under these schemes. We’d also recommend discussing the medical history of your potential puppy’s parents and grandparents, and think very carefully before taking on a dog with any of the health conditions listed above evident in the family line.

You can find out more about the Canine Health Schemes on the BVA's website.

Exercise and grooming requirements:

Coton De Tulears will need around 30-40 minutes exercise per day, and will happily join in with games at home. However, they’re very affectionate so will as happily accept a cuddle and fuss as they will a game! Daily grooming is needed to keep their coat in tip-top condition.

Estimated lifetime cost:

The likely lifetime costs for a Coton De Tulear are based on estimates calculated using current market prices and include:

• Initial costs of the purchase of the pet
• Neutering
• First vaccinations and booster vaccinations
• Microchipping
• Accessories
• Food
• Pet insurance
• Toy
• Grooming
• Worming
• Flea treatments

The list above does not include veterinary costs if your pet becomes sick or injured, so these average lifetime costs could be even higher.

Insure your Coton De Tulear with PDSA:

1 in 3 pets need vet treatment each year and vet bills can come to hundreds of pounds. PDSA Pet Insurance can give you peace of mind when your pet is poorly, especially for breeds like Coton De Tulear that are prone to certain conditions. PDSA Pet Insurance offers:

1. Dog and cat insurance policies from 8 weeks of age.
2. 24/7 veterinary advice online or over the phone with Petcall.
3. Manage your policy online with the PDSA Insure Hub.
4. Monthly payment at no extra cost.

By insuring your Coton De Tulear with PDSA Pet Insurance you’ll also be helping to provide vet care to some of the UK’s neediest pets.

For more information on taking care of your dog please visit our puppies and dogs section.

Rehoming from a reputable source:

Where you get a dog from can have a big effect on how healthy and happy it is for the rest of its life. Find out where our PDSA vet experts recommend you get your dog from.

Not sure if the Coton De Tulear is the right pet for you?