Coton de Tulear

The Coton de Tulear is a small white companion dog from Madagascar. It was introduced to France long before its official recognition in 1970, which is why it carries a French name: “coton” is cotton, the texture of its coat.

Four small white dogs: can you tell them apart?

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Which small white dog is this?
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Which small white dog is this?
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Where did the Coton de Tulear become established, long before its official recognition in 1970?

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Where does the Coton de Tulear come from?

Madagascar, the island off the east coast of Africa. Its breed standard tells the story from France: introduced there long before its official recognition in 1970, “this newcomer from Madagascar” quickly took a prominent place among the companion dogs of that country, and today it is found all over the world. France still looks after the breed’s standard.

Its name comes from its coat. The standard calls the cotton texture one of the main characteristics of the breed, “from which its very name derives”.

How do you recognise a Coton de Tulear?

Coat: very soft and supple, with the texture of cotton, never hard or rough. Dense and plentiful, sometimes very slightly wavy.
Colour: white. A few light grey or red-roan shadings are allowed on the ears.
Eyes: rather round, dark and wide apart, with a lively expression.
Tail: carried low at rest; on the move, curved “gaily” over the back.
Size: males 26 to 28 cm at the shoulder and 4 to 6 kg; females 23 to 25 cm and 3.5 to 5 kg.

Which small white dogs look like the Coton?

Other small long-coated companion dogs, each told apart by its coat: loose curls for the Bichon Frisé, straight silky hair for the Maltese, fluffy flocks for the Bolognese. Every breed is in the atlas of dog breeds by country.

Facts from the Coton de Tulear’s official breed standard (No. 283, 25 November 1999).

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