The Coton de Tulear Price: Worth the Cost?

The Coton de Tulear is definitely a dog you should know more about before you pay for one.

This is because the Coton de Tulear price is between $2,000 and $3,000 – and that’s not even for a show-quality dog!

That is a lot of cheddar for a dog you might otherwise know nothing about other than how cute it is.

Therefore, take a gander below for information on the Coton’s temperament and other facts that will help you decide whether she is the right dog for you.

The Coton de Tulear, Up Close

The Coton de Tulear arrived in the U.S. in the 1970s and was a favorite among royals and the wealthy.

There are many theories about how the Coton arrived at Madagascar’s Tulear seaport, for which it received part of its name.

Some believe Cotons accompanied women on longer voyages at sea. Others believe breeders created them to hunt rats on ships.

Even more mysterious, some believe the Coton’s ancestor was the lone survivor of a shipwreck in Madagascar.

So, if you want a dog with a cool backstory that you can share with your friends, this alone may sell you on the idea of the Coton de Tulear.

Coton de Tulear Temperament and Personality

Here are some things you should know about the Coton de Tulear temperament before you ultimately invest in one.

She’s Playful

Cotons are playful dogs who love to have fun.

In fact, they often act like clowns, including walking around on their back legs to make you laugh.

If you love a dog who can cheer you up after a bad day, the Coton is good at that.

She’s a Terrible Guard Dog

If someone’s at the door, the Coton may bark once or twice to let you know, then go back to whatever she was doing.

She doesn’t really give a second thought as to whether the person at the door is a burglar or a friend.

So, if you’re looking for a guard dog, then the Coton is definitely not it. She believes in the good in everyone.

She Loves Being Your Dog

Whatever you’re doing, she’s here for it, whether it’s watching TV or going for a drive.

She’s your buddy, your constant companion.

When it feels like you have no friends in the world, you know you’ll always have her.

She forms strong bonds with her humans and is so people-oriented that she even makes for a fantastic therapy dog.

She’s Smart

If your friends made fun of your last dog because of how dumb he was, you’ll never have this problem with the Coton.

She’s very intelligent, which makes her easier to train.

She’s also observant, which adds to her ability to learn quickly.

She’s Loves Literally Everyone

The Coton De Tulear gets along well with dogs, cats, children – essentially anything with a heartbeat.

However, you may want to avoid getting a Coton if you have younger children at home.

Younger children are less careful with dogs, and accidents can happen that can result in either the child or the dog getting hurt.

This is especially true for a dog as small as the Coton.

Coton de Tulear Size

The size of a dog can certainly influence your decision to buy.

For instance, you may not want a dog as small as the Coton de Tulear.

She only grows to a maximum of 8 to 13 lbs. and 8 inches tall.

So, if you’re looking for a dog to guard the house, she’s probably not your best bet.

However, if a small lap dog is exactly what you’re after, then this can definitely be what sells you on this breed.

Coton de Tulear Price – How Much Do Coton de Tulears Cost?

The Coton de Tulear price range is $2,000 to $3,000 for a standard quality dog.

As for the purebred Coton de Tulear price, you’re looking at between $3,000 and $4,000.

For a lower Coton de Tulear dog price, you may want to consider adopting or rescuing one of these cuddly fluffballs.

The average cost of adoption can be between $150 and $300, and in some cases this payment is a “donation” you can write off on your taxes.

Demand

Popularity for the Coton de Tulear breed, according to the AKC, is rather middle-of-the-road.

The Coton places 81^st out of 195 possible breeds.

This is a good thing because if you’re interested in this breed, the demand isn’t so great that you’ll have to wait forever for one.

However, this doesn’t really do much for the average Coton de Tulear price, since it’s still rather high even though the breed isn’t all that rare.

Coton de Tulear Breeders

When you go through a Coton de Tulear breeder, this will always be the more expensive option.

It’s kind of like buying a car. You can opt for a new model right off the showroom floor or go with a “used” model that’s got a couple of years on it.

Either way, your purchase will bring you years of enjoyment, and you’ll be happy you made that decision.

However, just like with car salesmen, you have to be careful to research a breeder before you just go with the first one you talk to.

Breeders can be just as dishonest and conniving as the worst car salesmen.

Find out all you can about a breeder online before you buy, including customer reviews and feedback.

And be sure to ask the breeder plenty of open-ended questions, not questions that she can answer with a simple “yes” or “no”.

The mark of a good breeder is that she will ask you just as many questions as you ask her.

This tells you that she cares just as much as you do about her pups going to a good home.

Coton de Tulear Rescue and Adoption

As far as rescue organizations for the Coton de Tulear go, you can check out the American Coton Club.

This organization specializes in rehoming Coton de Tulears in particular.

Of course, you can also check out your local animal shelter, where the price of a Coton de Tulear sale will be much lower.

Here, the cost of obtaining one of these dogs drops literally thousands of dollars.

The trade-off, of course, is whether they have one of these dogs available when you want one.

If not, let the shelter know you’re open to a mixed breed, if such is the case.

Then at least you may not have to wait as long to bring a partial Coton home – and you get to give a home to a deserving shelter dog.

Coton de Tulear Cost of Ownership

If you jump into buying a dog spontaneously, then you may be surprised by the breed’s “true” cost of ownership.

A dog’s cost of ownership consists of everything from the costs of food and healthcare to possible training and grooming costs.

Thankfully, when compared to other breeds, the Coton de Tulear isn’t too crazy in terms of how much extra they’ll cost you.

Health Care Expenses

It’s no secret that a dog’s health problems, just like an individual’s, can bankrupt you if you’re not prepared to deal with them.

While the Coton de Tulear is a fairly healthy breed, all considered, it’s still a smart idea to put money away for a rainy day.

This translates to mean increased vet visits, prescription medication, and other long-term forms of care you may need to incorporate into your pet’s life.

Thankfully, the Coton’s maladies typically consist of minor things, like luxating patellas and hip dysplasia.

Sure, these conditions can make your pet uncomfortable, but the true discomfort usually doesn’t set in until they get older, which gives you plenty of time to prepare.

Training Programs

Coton de Tulears can be stubborn, but they love to please you and they’re incredibly intelligent.

You should, therefore, be able to train your Coton de Tulear without the help of a professional.

But, of course, every dog is an individual, so if you happen to get a particularly stubborn individual, you may have to consider training costs.

Otherwise (minimal) treats, praise, and positive attention should be enough to get the lessons you’re trying to teach her to stick.

One thing Cotons are notorious for, though, is their difficulty in learning how to housetrain.

So, while you might need a trainer for this part, you should be able to get by without one for the rest.

Grooming Costs

You probably won’t have to worry about paying a groomer to take care of the Coton de Tulear’s coat.

You just need to brush her once a day if you decide to leave her hair long.

However, you can also opt for a “puppy cut,” which you can ask your groomer to do for you every so often.

And if there are other certain necessary tasks that your dog won’t let you do, like cut her nails, you’ll need to see the groomer for those things too.

Of course, the Coton de Tulear price for grooming will vary depending on the groomers in your local area.

Kailyn C.

Kailyn has worked as a professional freelance writer since 2012, and during that time she has written about nearly every dog breed imaginable. Her mother loved Collies, and so Kailyn grew up with three of them throughout her childhood – including a blonde one who was half-blind! Now her home belongs to her first official dog, Macho, a Dogo Argentino rescue.