How to Breed Coton du Tulear Dogs

The Coton de Tulear is a charming little breed of dog, with white flowing hair and a spunky personality. The Coton is becoming a popular pet, and the breeding of these dogs is growing more common. Special testing and precautions are an important part of responsibly when breeding your Coton, as health, safety and the integrity of the breed standard as priorities.

Things You'll Need

  • Male Coton de Tulear dog
  • Female Coton de Tulear dog
  • Access to veterinary services
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Instructions

    • 1

      Perform the necessary health checks on your dogs prior to breeding. The recommended tests for Cotons are patellar evaluation, eye examinations by a certified veterinary ophthalmologist, x-rays of all major joints (such as the hips and elbows) cardiac evaluations, thyroid and full blood chemistry screening.

    • 2

      Test both male and female dogs for the Brucella canis bacteria, which can be transmitted during mating and results in a natural abortion of any puppies conceived.

    • 3

      Evaluate the ages of your dogs. Waiting until after two years of age for both male and female dogs is the safest and most recommended time to breed.

    • 4

      Monitor your female dog's heat cycles. She will come into heat approximately every six months. After one week of vaginal bleeding, your female should be fertile and ready to mate. The male dog will have strong interest in the female once she becomes fertile.

    • 5

      Place the male and female Cotons together in a supervised area once every other day for a week once you suspect she is fertile.

    • 6

      Allow the dogs to mate naturally during each visit. If the female becomes upset or unwilling, remove the male. The dogs need to create a "tie" between them during mating, which is where the male's penis becomes lodged inside the female's vagina for several minutes to an hour. This signifies that a mating has taken place, but does not positively indicate conception.

    • 7

      Take your female Coton to the vet 3 to 4 weeks after the mating. The vet will palpate the female's abdomen or perform x-rays, to confirm pregnancy. If no pregnancy is detected, you will need to repeat Steps 3 through 5 at your female's next heat cycle.