How to Groom a Coton De Tulear

Relatively new to these shores, the Coton de Tulear is a small, friendly and affectionate dog, related to the bichon frise and the Maltese; it's a generally happy dog that gets along great with children. The Coton de Tulear generally weighs in at around 12 to 15 pounds, and grows from 10 to 12 inches tall. They are active little dogs that love to run, play and swim; not surprisingly, they can sometimes get their "cottony" coat dirty from playing outdoors. With a few basic grooming tips, you can keep your Coton de Tulear's coat soft, clean and free of tangles.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog shampoo
  • Cotton balls
  • Towels
  • Hair dryer
  • Cotton swabs
  • Wide-toothed comb
  • Pin brush
  • Grooming scissors
  • Nail clippers
  • Styptic powder
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Instructions

    • 1

      Wash the dog with warm water and dog shampoo. Only use shampoo specifically for dogs. Rinse the hair thoroughly, keeping water out of the ears and eyes. If your dog's ears are sensitive to water, place cotton balls in the ears before the bath. Gently dry the hair with a soft, clean towel.

    • 2

      Brush the hair with a wide-toothed comb. Gently comb the tangles out of the wet hair. Blow dry the dog's hair with the dryer on a low setting. If the hair is especially thick, use the brush to dry the hair in sections. Do not get the dryer too close to the dog's eyes or ears. Remove excess water from the ears using cotton swabs.

    • 3

      Brush the hair with a wide-toothed comb or pin brush thoroughly once it is completely dry to make sure it is free of tangles and matting. The Coton de Tulear does not shed, but will lose some hair during brushing just as humans do. Trim any hair that hangs into the eyes and blocks vision.

    • 4

      Trim the hair between the pads of the feet. This hair can be clipped carefully using grooming scissors. Excess hair between the pads can make walking or running painful. Trim the ends of any stray hairs you want to remove along the body until you get an even length.

    • 5

      Trim the nails with nail clippers. Clip only the ends of the nails, and do not cut close to the quick. If you cut too close and the nail starts bleeding, apply the styptic powder to stop the bleeding.