Coton de Tuléar Information

If you own or are about to buy a Coton, be sure you understand that the breed needs regular grooming which should be relaxing and enjoyable.  This article will insure your grooming session is all of that and easy too!

Coton de Tuléar Grooming Information

From Teeth To Toenails, by Rebecca Brown

Grooming your Coton de Tulear is not something that you start and finish. It is something that you start and continue for the life of your dog.

Regular grooming is important as this is when you are also checking your dog over for any problems or health issues that may arise. You need to start at one end of your dog and check the skin , coat, feet etc. all the way to the other end each time you groom. You are looking for any thing out of the ordinary. Skin irritation, cuts, foreign material in the hair etc.

When and if something is wrong, you will hopefully notice the change. Our dogs health and well being is in our hands. When we take our Coton to the veterinarian, they only see him for ten to twenty minuets. They don't know what is normal for your dog, but you will and that could be critical.

Once you complete your over all check, take the pin brush and gently go over your dogs entire coat for five minutes or so. This will loosen up any small tangles and make it easier for you to groom the coat with the metal comb. (the brush is basically used to just loosen up your Cotons coat)

Next you will groom your Coton with a comb. This is the most important tool in grooming and caring for your Coton's coat.

We start in one area on the dog and gently comb section by section, being sure to get right down to the skin. Taking a small section at a time makes it easier to cover all areas thoroughly.

When combing or brushing your Cotons coat, you always want to use a grooming spray. NEVER groom the Cotons' long coat dry as you will break the hair without even noticing and each broken hair wants to mat and make it harder to slide the comb through.  Repeat, use a grooming spray to lightly mist each section of coat as you brush and/or comb.

Nails need to be trimmed approximately every two weeks. There are many different products on the market. Purchase the ones you feel most comfortable with.  Do not trim too far into the quick as this will make them bleed.  Many vets will clip nails at an inexpensive price if you do not feel comfortable doing this.  But your Coton knows and trusts you so for his sake, learn how to clip the ends of the nails and do it regularly.

You can buy a "dremmel" grinder at Wal Mart for about $20.  It comes with little grinding sandpaper wheels (like your fingernail board) and dogs much prefer having their nails filed over having them clipped.  If you let him lay in your lap, get him used to the sound, and file his nails weekly, it is not a chore and he'll thank you!

Coton de Tulear ears need to be kept clean and hair free. You can purchase a bottle of ear powder at most pet supply stores. The ear powder makes the hair easy to pluck with your fingers and takes away the slipperiness. Experienced groomers use hemostats. You must be very careful what you put in any dogs ears. If you use a groomer, they do this for you.

This grooming advice on the coat care is for a dog in long coat. Many pet owners choose to have their Cotons coat cut down into a puppy cut which is about two to three inches all over which is much easier to maintain.  I use a line of products on my dogs that works wonderfully on the Coton coat.  Visit my website for additional information at SunnyBrooks Coton de Tulear.

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