How do I know I’m talking to a Breeder I can trust, and who has my best
interest at heart, when I can’t meet the Breeder or see the puppies?

This is a good question, if you are receiving your puppy sight unseen.  Here are
some things you can check for:

…What Coton club does the Breeder belong to?  

USACTC, ACC, ACTA, CTCA, NACA.  If they are a member, are they listed as COE
(Code of Ethics)?  If not, why not?

…Have the Breeder send you a copy of their contract for you to review before you
commit to a purchase.  Know what the warranty agreement is.

…Have the Breeder give you referrals.  You may want to talk to people who have
purchased a puppy from that Breeder before, and had their puppy flown to them.  
What was their puppy’s flight experience upon arrival?  Did their puppy meet
their expectations?

Why is this breed so expensive?

...Initially, every Breeder paid over $3-4,000.00 for their rights to a
show/breedable dog, because the gene pool was so small, and most of them came
from Europe and Madagascar.  Europe does not have the heath testing
requirements like the clubs in the USA requires of their breeders.  Some of those
dogs when health tested, failed, and could not be used as long term breeders,
       
Due to very dedicated USA breeders who started it all, now the breed is very
stable.  Every club has its own requirements for health testing that the Breeder
must abide by, before the parents can be bred and the litter allowed to be
registered with that club’s registration.  These tests are very costly and must be
completed at certain stages in the breedable puppy’s growth.  Costs include CBC
blood panel, thyroid, CERF (eyes), cardio, patella’s, hips, and elbows.  Some
breeders test even further for genetic diseases such as CMR, NCA, and DM; see
caninegeneticdiseases.net and offa.org.  These are still very rare in Cotons, and
more common in other breeds.  Even if the Breeder tests for these in the parents
of your potential puppy, if your puppy is purchased as a pet/companion and not
breedable, you will not see these conditions in your puppy.  Most genetic
disorders are noted before a puppy is eligible to be sold.  After the sale, the terms
of your contract warranty will cover you.

Code of Ethics breeders must health test according to their club’s standards, and
these test results are public record.  The results must be listed on the OFFA
(Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), website:  offa.com, before a litter can be
registered.  Ask the Breeder who the parents of your prospective puppy are, then
look them up on OFFA and check the testing results.

Find out what kind of registry your puppy will be listed with.  UKC and AKC  FSS
registries should be a lower sales price than a Coton club registry, because they
do not require health testing of the parents prior to registration.  These registries
are usually used for puppies sold as  pet/companion.  However, all of these
registries confirm the fact that your puppy is a purebred according to the records
of preceding generations.  Puppies sold with a spay/neuter contract may be
registered with fewer registries than a puppy sold as breedable.  As a breedable
puppy, you need the flexibility to breed with other dogs that have the same
registries as you do.  All breeding programs are intended to improve the Coton’s
qualities, and breed out flaws, faults, and genetic disorders.

What are the most important things I want to know, when I can’t be there to
select my own puppy?

First of all, decide the priority of your three most important questions.  Put these
in order of important expectations, so the Breeder knows what to look for in the
litter.   In descending order, which is the most important to you?

…Do I want a male or female and why?  
...What is the personality difference?
…Do I want the show standard color of white or white with fawn markings, or do I
want more color?
…What personality do I want for the puppy to fit into my family’s                     
environment and life style?
       
Secondly, no puppy is physically perfect, and the Breeder needs your input to
make the right pick for you.  People who request a breedable puppy will select
their puppies first.  Breedable puppies must be as close to the France FCI
standard as possible to be eligible to carry on the Coton qualities.  Sometimes
there are litters where no puppy is good enough to be a breeder, and that’s OK.

You may have elected to receive a pet/companion with no intentions of
breeding, and your puppy will be gorgeous with an absolutely adorable, comical
attitude.  

Then what kind of physical traits am I looking for?
…Tail set:  any degree of curve over the back, whether it touches the back or
not.  Fault:  straight up (flag/or candlestick), or ram’s horn/corkscrew – too tight
a curl.

…Bite:  should be scissors over, under or dead-on.  Fault:  any undershot or
overshot jaw that leaves a gap between the upper and lower teeth.

…Pigmentation:  eyes should be rimmed in black with no pink breaks.  Nose
should be black or dark brown with no pink spots or pink touching the nose.  
Lips should be rimmed in black or dark brown, but may have pink breaks.  Paws
should be black, but may have pink spotting.  Many generations of white-on-
white breeding has created the pink breaks.
       
…Coat:  should be soft as cotton.  After the puppy coat is replaced with the adult
coat, the adult coat may remain ultra-soft or change to a bit coarser.  Coat
should be straight or slightly wavy, but not curly.  The adult coat will be denser
than the puppy coat, so straight and coarse makes for easier grooming.  Ask your
breeder what kind of coat the parents have, and what you can expect your puppy
to have as an adult.

Is there anything that makes the Coton any more special than if I should just
go to the local animal shelter and adopt a dog?
       
Adopting and rescuing is always good.  There is nothing better than for every
dog bred to have a home, regardless of the breed.  However, no dog will meet
your level of expectations without training, including the Coton.  Additionally,
zoonotics, a condition where some forms of bacteria, parasites, and fungus that
is transferable between animals and  humans must be considered in the
household where family members already have medical issues.  Many breeds
have longevity, medical, and maintenance issues making them inappropriate for
every home.
      
…Cotons have hair, not fur:  One of several hypo-allergenic breeds. They are not
seasonal shedders.  Yes, the coat will break off if you keep it long, just like your
hair does.  You will also have the one-time issue of the puppy and adult coats
clashing and matting where they meet.  This usually happens between 9-12
months.  Most pet owners have their puppy coat cut out.  When you do this
remember it will take 6-8 months to grow back, so be sure this is what you want
to do.  The most common cut styles for this action are the Shih-Tzu, Lhasa, or
Bichon.  Unlike other hypo-allergenic breeds like the poodle and some terriers,
the coat grows so slow, you will only make a couple trips to the groomer a year.
       
…Cotons do not carry a body odor or doggie breath; does not smell like a wet
dog; does not require more than 3-4 baths per year.  A dog frequently emits its
odors and defecation based on its diet.  Your puppy’s parents as well as the litter
have been fed some sort of holistic diet, either kibble or BARF (bones and raw
food).  A natural  diet prevents these odors and keeps the teeth clean.  Tartar on
teeth is caused by carbohydrates and sugars in the diet.  Ask your Breeder what
foods your puppy was weaned on.  What will it be on when you get it?  I strongly
recommend a subscription to “The Whole Dog Journal”.  This monthly magazine
publishes two issues each year with their evaluation of holistic commercial
kibble and canned food.  It also has behavior training, medical updates, home
remedies, book reviews, home cooking, and how to correct bad habits.  Keep
these in a binder as reference material, and order back issues for research.

…Cotons have a flexible personality.  The Coton does not gravitate to a particular
family member, but shares attention equally.  Normally not a barker, the Coton is
very alert to its surroundings, plays easily with any size dog or cat.  Its friendly
nature will cause it to be easily stolen, and it can rehome with little
adjustment.  Never fear getting an older puppy, retired breeder or rescue.  They
will love you unconditionally, with a little patience and a lot of loving security.
       
…Cotons like eye contact.  Unlike other breeds, they will seek your face, and
attempt to “read” your every move and attention, and will react to affection.  
They make great therapy dogs, because they stay focused on their desire to
please you.

…Compact size.  Very spunky, sturdy boned, excellent swimmers, runners, good
at agility, do not get car sick, fits under your airplane seat, and tolerates heat
and cold well without adjusting your thermostat.

Best feature bar none – COTONS COME WHEN YOU CALL THEM!!!   They love to
run, are very loyal and rarely get out of ear shot.

CAN YOU WRAP UP ALL THESE CHARACTERISTICS IN ANY OTHER BREED?
Cattail Cotons
Q andA
About Us
Puppies Available
Contact Us
Health  Care and
Socialization
Home Page
About the Breed