Strictly European Lineages
Preservation Hobby Breeders of the Rare Coton de Tulear Breed!
**Giulietta, a beautiful female Coton de Tulear, is expected to arrive (approximately) in late September 2026 and be available for adoption. ** Giulietta to be our farewell [last] Coton de Tulear puppy.
Adopting a Coton for a lifetime is a serious commitment.
Our puppy agreement is designed to protect the Coton and help create and ensure a healthy and secure life.
A Farewell to Our Journey with the Coton de Tulear
We will be retiring in the fall of 2026 after many years of dedication to the Coton de Tulear as hobby breeders. Throughout our years with this remarkable breed, we typically raised only one or two litters annually, and in a number of years, due to Mother Nature’s plans, we were not blessed with puppies at all.
Our journey has been both rewarding and fulfilling as we shared this extraordinary breed, originating from Madagascar, with families throughout the United States.
Nearly 80% of our offspring went on to become certified/trained pet therapy canines.
Unfortunately, the breed community within the United States has changed dramatically over the years. What was once healthy competition among breeders committed to preserving the traditional Coton de Tulear has, in many cases, become an effort to redefine and alter many of the breed’s original characteristics.
We have always imported our show and breeding-quality foundation stock from Europe, maintaining bloodlines that trace directly to Madagascar and are registered through the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI).
Throughout our involvement with the breed, we have witnessed increasing efforts by kennel clubs and breeders to promote variations in size, coat texture, coat color, and overall appearance that differ substantially from the historic breed standard. In our view, many of these changes move the breed further away from the dog that was originally documented and treasured for centuries.
Historical accounts from the 1600’s, in the journals of merchant seamen, described [dogs] the Coton de Tulear as a small dog with a distinctive appearance, temperament, and structure, and a body similar to a fox.
Frequently, we found ourselves attempting to educate prospective owners who had been given information that conflicted with the breed’s documented history and established standards. Often regarding the “tall Coton” or long-legged Coton de Tulear that stands as tall as a bird dog. Additionally, prospective new parents seeking the so-called rare solid, black, brown, chocolate, tan, and silver Coton de Tulear — which is a designer breed, NOT a Coton de Tulear. Too often, as a preservation breeder, we were forced to defend the traditional breed while those promoting newer interpretations were accepted without question. One subject matter I will never understand, as people were brainwashed.
My own experience in the dog world began long before the Coton de Tulear entered my life. I [Cayce] grew up with Labrador Retrievers and later participated in AKC conformation events. During those years, I [Cayce] witnessed increasing pressure to promote colors and traits that departed from long-established breed standards. I [Cayce] eventually walked away from the AKC show ring with the number-two Labrador in the USA [show ring]. Despite considerable success, I [Cayce] believed preservation should always take precedence over novelty. Years later, I [Cayce] found myself witnessing many of the same trends within the Coton de Tulear community, which was heartbreaking.
When we first became involved with this breed, we never imagined that attorneys would become necessary members of a support team.
Over the years, we also experienced hostility from individuals within the breeding community. Some communications and accusations became serious enough to require professional legal representation, verbal threats, emails and on Facebook. One breeder from West Virginia threatened to report us to federal authorities based solely on assumptions and allegations that Ralp and I found to be unfounded. Told us we ” lived in a glass house and everyone knew what we were doing, to be aware”. Needless being tonally clueless and needing to protect our property and animals at the same time was extremely stressful.
Protecting ourselves required retaining legal counsel and investigating the claims. Such experiences revealed how far portions of the breeding community had strayed from respectful disagreement and professional conduct.
Yet that became the reality. The financial and legal pressures associated with breeding often ran into the thousands of dollars per month, sometimes much more, regardless of whether we had puppies available or a litter was due. Our CPA told us to retire because our expenses raised a red flag during tax filing. At some point, we had to show a profit.
As preservation hobby breeders, our goal has always been to protect and maintain the qualities that make the Coton de Tulear such a unique, cherished, intelligent, and long-lived companion. We have been fortunate to see many dogs from our breeding program enjoy exceptional longevity. Several lived to 18 years of age, and one beloved male passed peacefully in his sleep just three weeks before his nineteenth birthday.
Regrettably, there are now relatively few breeders dedicated solely to preserving the traditional Coton de Tulear. Instead, we have watched the growing popularity of dogs that, in our opinion, no longer fully represent the breed as it originated in Madagascar. Preservation has increasingly been replaced by modification.
Despite these challenges, we remain proud of our contributions to the Coton de Tulear. We have always placed the welfare of our dogs and the preservation of the breed above politics, personal agendas, popularity, and financial gain. Every breeding decision was made with the future of the breed in mind and with deep respect for the dogs entrusted to our care.
As we enter retirement, we do so with gratitude for the many wonderful families, friends, puppy owners, and fellow preservation breeders who supported us throughout this journey. The relationships we have built and the lives enriched by these remarkable dogs will remain among our greatest blessings.
We leave the breed with mixed emotions. We are proud of what we accomplished, yet concerned about the direction in which the breed is heading. Our hope—perhaps even by some miracle—is that future generations of breeders will refocus on preservation rather than reinvention and continue to protect the authentic Coton de Tulear, preserving its history, temperament, structure, health, longevity, and heritage for generations to come.
If that happens, our efforts and those of many dedicated preservation breeders before us will not have been in vain.
When seeking a Coton de Tulear, make sure the breeder knows the breed’s history and can provide proof of the ancestry of their foundation stock [the parents of the puppies they are offering to the public], which is VITAL. A puppy being registered with a kennel club is not a guarantee; do your research. There are many ways an unscrupulous breeder can alter forms; in several kennel clubs, a person doesn’t need the parents’ pedigrees to register a puppy.
This was the grand sire of our Coton de Tulear puppies. Our male was Cotonbrie Nureyev Best Dance from Italy. This is his sire.
http://www.cotonbrie.com/hasta
All of our adults are clear of these diseases, not a carrier, nor do they have the gene.
- BNAt, also known as Neonatal Ataxia (NA) or Bandera’s Syndrome (BNAt), is a genetic mutation that affects the nervous system of Coton de Tulear dogs. The mutation damages the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls coordination and movement.
- CMR2 mutation is associated with the Coton de Tulear breed. Phenotype: Affected dogs typically present with multiple, discrete circular areas of retinal detachment around 15 weeks of age. Fluid accumulates under the detached retina resulting in gray, tan, orange or pink “blisters” in the eye.
- DM, also known as Degenerative myelopathy, is a neurologic disorder that can affect the spinal cord of Coton de Tulear dogs. It’s caused by a mutation in the SOD1 gene, which is found in many dog breeds.
- HU, also known as Hyperuricosuria, is a genetic condition in dogs that causes high levels of uric acid in the urine, which can lead to the formation of stones in the bladder or kidneys.
- PH, also known as Primary hyperoxaluria (PH), is a rare, inherited metabolic disorder that affects the kidneys of Coton de Tulear dogs. It’s caused by a mutation in the AGXT gene, which prevents the body from breaking down glyoxylate, an organic compound. This leads to a buildup of oxalate and calcium oxalate crystals in the kidneys and other tissues, such as bones, joints, and muscles.
- vWD1, also known as Von Willebrand disease type 1 (vWD1) is a genetic bleeding disorder that can affect Coton de Tulears and other dog breeds. Symptoms with vWD1 include low levels of von Willebrand factor (vWf), a protein that helps blood clot.
Training is what it is all about — to create a relaxed puppy and well socialized.
International & World Champion 2023 from Italy: Cotonbrie Hasta la Vista is the grandsire to our Coton puppies. Owned by Eli at Cotonbrie in Italy.
Did You Know?
“The Rare Breed Canine”
The Coton de Tulear is a rare dog breed due to its history and origins.
The Coton de Tulear was recognized by the FCI Kennel Club in Europe in 1970, long before the AKC in the USA in 2013. For a long time, the only people who owned the Coton were members of the Malaga royal family in Madagascar and the only country they were found in was France, then the breed was imported into Europe in the 1950s.
Coton de Tulear’s make excellent Therapy Dogs. From their gentle temperament to their remarkable intelligence, the Coton de Tulear offers invaluable assistance and support to those with physical or emotional challenges. Their small size and non-threatening demeanor both work well to reduce anxiety or trepidation.
Our adults are trained, two are certified pet therapy dogs. About 80% of our puppies have gone on to become Certified Pet Therapy and Medical Service Assistant Canines!
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