Where the Coton de Tulear came from
The Coton de Tulear comes from Madagascar. The name comes from the port city of Tulear, now called Toliara, and from the French word for cotton, for the soft coat.
One common story says the ancestors were small white dogs that swam ashore after a shipwreck. That is a story, not proven. Another idea is that small dogs arrived on ships in the 1600s or earlier. The Merina ruling people are said to have kept the dogs as companions for royalty.
The breed reached Europe and the United States in the 1970s. The AKC recognized the Coton de Tulear in 2014, and the AKC lists it in the Non-Sporting Group.
- 1970 France's Societe Centrale Canine first recognizes the breed
- 1973 Dr. Robert Jay Russell finds the breed in Madagascar and brings the first dogs to America
- 1974 Madagascar issues a stamp showing the Coton
- 2014 AKC fully recognizes the Coton de Tulear
The job a Coton de Tulear was bred for
Cotons were companion dogs, bred to be close to people. That is why many follow you from room to room and struggle to be left alone.
What you may see at home
Cheerful, clingy, follows you around.
Give them: Tricks, find it games, and alone time practice.
Sports that fit a Coton de Tulear
- Trick dog. Cheerful and eager to learn new things
- Rally. Great teamwork with a close handler
- Agility. Light and quick, in small doses
- Scent work. A calm game that builds confidence
Training tips for a Coton de Tulear
- Practice short alone times with a chew, and build up slowly to prevent panic.
- Use treats and play, and keep sessions fun and short.
- Brush daily and teach calm grooming early, and pay for standing still.
- Teach polite greetings so friendly jumping does not become a habit.
Body and health
The soft coat mats easily and needs regular brushing. Watch the teeth, eyes and knees, and keep a healthy weight.
Fun fact. Madagascar issued a stamp showing the Coton in 1974.
Breed is where we start
A study of more than 18,000 dogs found breed explains only about 9 percent of the differences in behavior between dogs (Morrill and others, Science, 2022). So your Coton de Tulear is a starting guess, not a label. We find the drive your dog actually runs on, give it a job, and teach you to read them.
Free tools for your dog
- Breed drive calculatorMixed breed? Add the other breeds and see the drives your dog was bred with.
- Dog breed quizTen photos, four names each. The same quiz our trainers take.
- Dog drive testAnswer everyday moments and find the job your dog runs on.
Looking for a different breed? See what 137 breeds were bred to do, and download any of their guides.