Bathing Question

by Gail
(Laurens, SC)

I have never owned one of these; my boyfriend was in Chicago and saw this fellow walking his Coton, my boyfriend asked him about the dog and the fellow told him some things about his.

My boyfriend came home and showed me a picture of his Coton. He said you only give it a bath twice a year and you don't cut their hair either. He has looked for me a book so I could read about them, but he hasn't found one yet.

My boyfriend is dying to buy me a coton I won't let him till I can find out more about them. I had a little dog and I got him when he was 8 weeks he lived to be 17 yrs old. He's been gone this April 1st two years. If you will please write me back and give me some insight on these Cotons

Thanks
Gail

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Dec 01, 2015
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Bathing NEW
by: Tana W

We have a 5 month old Coton and I bathe him every 5-7 days because he gets stinky! We have him groomed every 8 weeks with a teddy bear cut and I brush him most every day. I've been doing this since we got him at 8 weeks so he doesn't mind, it doesn't take more than 5 min and he gets a greenie afterwards and is thrilled so we are both happy. They are extremely intelligent and needy in a loving way. My friend said they were "VELCRO" dogs and that is true for ours. Where we go... so is Bandit. He is awesome but would NOT be happy if he were left alone for long periods of time. If you are home and want a true companion I not sure there is a better dog breed. Good luck

Sep 07, 2015
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What to expect? NEW
by: Reenie & CoCo

Gail, your new Coten Angel must be whispering in your boyfriends ear! CoCo came to me by accident, or windfall, too. My prior dog had just left me 4 months prior and I wasn't looking either. CoCo is the best dog ever and changed my life!

If you are a sensitive loving person with lots of time for a "best friend" this happy puppy is going to lighten and brighten your world. They need tenderness and crave love, eager to please and they adore to talk/communicate. Extremely intelligent.

CoCo and I go everywhere together. We are tied at the hip (heart chakra)!

Grooming for me is very easy. The coat is not fur, rather hair. I bath CoCo about every 10 - 14 days with a baby sensitive natural shampoo. I don't use dog shampoos because they're designed for thick oily fur. CoCo has fine soft hair.

CoCo doesn't like the hot hair dryer. We comb dry the hair with warm towels from the dryer. I apply Jojoba oil for hair texture and skin nutrients. It keeps the matts out, too.

I avoid toxic flea chemicals. Jojoba oil keeps fleas & ticks away by adding a drop of lavender essential oil per one tablespoon Jojoba. I dip fingertips into the oil blend and dapple into hair. We call it "Dippty-Doo"!

Sometimes I add a drop of pure Sweet Orange essential oil for a "happy" scent.

I avoid synthetic perfumes, shampoos or conditioners. The Jojoba oil is a natural conditioner and pure lavender essential oil is a natural calming scent. Neither is oily. CoCo's fine hair sparks up with Jojoba like he's ready for a hot date. He looks like a fresh Cotton Ball!

As long as I use Jojoba oil he does not matt. I grow hair long for the winter, and I don't shave any bear spots where he may chill. In the summer I adore the short puppy cut. Either way, he's beautiful. I brush daily. With his small body daily grooming only takes a few moments and we make it cuddle fun!

I avoid preservatives. I home cook CoCo's meals and we use natural treats like apples, carrots, fresh cheese and green runner beans from our garden. He loves the young fresh runner beans in bloom now!

What we feed our dog shines out in the hair.

CoCo's hair is shiny pure white, wavy on his head and thick on his body. It rarely matts. I add fresh pasture butter and olive oil to his diet.

I don't use commercial dog foods. When I'm too tired to home cook I have cans of human food on hand: ham, chicken, salmon. At Dollarama store the human canned food, FDA approved, is cheaper than regular dog food. We all know the hazard ingredients in commercial dog foods.

CoCo gets lots of natural sun daily for Vit D and lots of natural dairy products for calcium, Vit A, E, K and B's, natural butter for oils, beef pasture-range and eggs free-range without chemicals. Pastures are loaded with mineral rich grasses and nutrient rich dandelions!

CoCo loves fresh cheeses. He likes butter sautéed rice with scrambled egg and Rye bread with warm milk as special treats.

We make bathing a good time, warm towels from the dryer await his little wet body. He's so cute. He loves to be clean for mommy cause we sleep together.

I didn't raise CoCo in a crate. He snuggled next to me the very first night. Be had free roaming from the get go but he never left my side. He didn't get into anything bad. Even if I slept in he'd be chewing his puppy bone by my bedside happily awaiting me.

I simply showed CoCo what "Big Boys" do. I don't discipline. I teach him. He listens perfectly to whispers. And I must listen to his whispers too. When he jumps on my bed and licks me in the ear, it's "PeePee" time!

I raised CoCo off leash, first in our garden, then on our private river walk. Then the Ocean walks in the "Big Doggy Park" off leash. He listens to my every instruction.

I use leash for street walking. CoCo acts like a "Big Boy" on a leash too. He loves car rides and store shopping too.

In two more days, two more sleeps, I will have been CoCo's mommy for ONE whole year! CoCo's on the couch beside me and iPad just now, his big black eyes, dot black nose, black paws snuggled next to me. Ya can't help but love this sweet baby.

CoCo is sensitive. He responds very well to flower remedies, like Bach. He even joins mommy for Specialized Kinesiology sessions. He gets "his" session too, and loves it!.

If your boyfriend is going to gift you a Coton De Tulear, he's gifting you the rarest dog, the most expensive puppy. You may wonder why they are so expensive? Once they come to live with you you'll learn. They even strut Royalty!

Oh, did I forget to tell you this breed does not shed? Neither do they smell. Oh, their bladders are tiny, the size of a Pea. You'll need to let him PeePee often for good health, once every half hour as a puppy. Just like a baby, a pupoy needs full-time care. Don't cage and leave your Coton puppy.

Your Angel is calling you. Go be mommy again!

Sep 06, 2015
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bathing a 4 mo old NEW
by: sherry cotton candie

The coton is a wonderful loving companion, they are beautiful but do take an extreme amount of care. If kept in long coat daily brushing would be a must.

Its wonderful that you are concerned enough to ask and question before getting any dog, shame more people do not. I love them but they do also require lots of attention, they do not do well being left alone for very long.

Good luck in your search, I hope you find exactly what you are looking for---cotons are the best but really are not the dog for everyone. They are a velcro dog and want to be with you at all times.

Sep 06, 2015
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Bathing your dog NEW
by: Iris

In my opinion, The Coton is a very high maintenance dog, which I did not know when I chose a Coton de Tulear.There is a lot of information in the internet and youtube videos on grooming and bathing. Even though I was brushing his coat at about 6 months old his undercoat became badly matted and he had to be shaved. No matter how conscientious I've been all these years he has had to be shaved down periodically for the matted hair. I think the dry heat indoors in the house makes his hair knot up a lot.I have had many dogs all my life. The rule of thumb as far as the health of the dog and its skin, is to bathe twice a year.Brushing often is very important, it gets the natural oils flowing to protect the dogs skin and coat, and cleans them as well.If my dog gets dirty feet, I wash his feet. Same with his butt,if it gets poopy. I trim the hair around it so that rarely happens. My dog goes to the groomer from two to four times a year, At that time he does get a bath and I tell them no perfume! I's also important not to get your dog wet if you put a flea and tick application on the skin for at least three days after you apply it(and do not rub it into the skin),hold the hair apart between the shoulder blades and drop it in on spot, don't spread it around. I love my dog and as beautiful as his hair is flowing, I now am resigned to leaving only the tail and ears longer and the rest of him in a short puppy cut(In Winter for the snow, I let it grow to keep him warm.I Summer it's a long puppy cut because he's got pink skin and can burn from the sun.
If you decide to bathe your dog, use only product formulated for dogs, and rinse completey.
Good luck!
xoxo Iris and Tuffy

Sep 06, 2015
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Baths and Grooming NEW
by: Carol

I am far from an expert, but quickly found out that a white dog with short little legs does not do very well walking in wet grass, dirt, puddles or really anywhere that isn't perfectly dry! Summer is my favorite time, as he seems to require less bathing. I do give him a bath about 1/month and get him groomed every 2-3 months with a long puppy cut (where he also gets a bath) Even with brushing I do have to clip out a few small mattes every once in a while. I have come to terms that he will never be the perfectly groomed show dog I see in some pictures - but in his "scruffy" way he is still adorable! I will NEVER own another breed of dog. Cotons are personality plus - as you will find...if you decide to get one!

Sep 06, 2015
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Coton grooming NEW
by: Gale

Hi Gail. According to the poll on this site asking people how often they bathe their dog, 90% give baths every month or more. Only 3% said they only bathe their dogs twice a year. That would NEVER work for my dog Luc. Dogs get dirty. As far as never cutting their hair, you must understand that when their coat is left long, it requires daily brushing and care.

The Coton is a wonderful companion dog, but if you're looking for a dog with minimal grooming maintenance, this breed is probably not for you. You can keep them in a shorter puppy cut, but that will require upkeep and maintenance as well.

You can browse through this site to learn more about the breed. Let us know what you decide.

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