FAQ PAGE

Q.  Why did you choose a Coton for your pet?
A. At the time I had an older mixed breed dog whose health was beginning to decline and 2 indoor cats. I wanted a young dog
that could learn from my older dog, Max, before he was past the stage to be able to teach a new addition all the ropes.
Visiting shelters made me face the fact that my allergies to dogs had gotten worse as I aged.  I was afraid having another
dog wasn't in the cards for me.  Then I learned about the Coton de Tulear; minimal dander & shedding and smaller in size
than I usually shared a home with.  The day I searched for breeders I found one not only in Oregon, but within a few miles
of me, and unbelievably they had a litter born 3 days prior to my phone call.  The rest is history.

Q.  How bad is the grooming, really?
A.  Not bad at all.  I comb out Windy and Ryder on a weekly basis, Windy likes it more often, it's just become something I
do while I'm visiting with my husband or watching a TV program.  BUT, when they blow their puppy coat between 7-14 mos.
of age, you may wonder what you got yourself into and consider shaving them over your frustration at the matting.  Don't
cave in, this too shall pass.  First you should never shave them to the skin, if avoidable.  A puppy cut (about 1" long) is fine
and can be preferred during this phase or for the entire life of your Coton. They do have a long coat for a reason, it protects
them from the sun and heat, so consider where you live before you get out the shears. I highly recommend using a soft
bristle brush from Les Poochs, it's a little spendy, but worth every penny and really makes grooming easy.

Q.  What's the life span of a Coton?
A.  Between 15-18yrs.

Q. You offer to deliver puppies between Arizona and Oregon, what does that mean?
A.  I spend part of my year in Mesa, Arizona and the other part in the Columbia Gorge, Oregon.  When I'm ready to
migrate, I load the RV up and head down the road. Hand delivery to most western or southwestern states is possible.

Q. Will the puppies have their shots?  What else do you provide before they go to their new homes?
A.  All puppies are sold with a health guarantee.  Puppies will receive their 1st DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza &
Parvo) vaccinations. They will also start Heartworm/Parasite/Flea Prevention. Your puppy will be able to sleep alone in his/her
crate for most of the night, will have started house-training to a wee-wee pad and will be introduced to basic obedience
commands.  I also have a puppy starter package that goes home with every family. Getting a new puppy is an exciting time
and an anxious one as you wait for your little bundle. We make this "waiting" a fun journey for you and your family by
creating an interactive experience for you; you will get to know your puppy well before you meet in person.  

Q. Will my puppy have a certificate of registration?
A. Yes.  Columbia Gorge Cotons is proud to be a CTCA (Coton de Tulear Club of America) code of ethics breeder. The CTCA
maintains the oldest, continuously active Coton de Tulear registry in the world. It was begun in 1973, and it now contains the
names, the pedigrees, and a wealth of health, conformation, and genetical information about more than 3,000 individual Cotons
that live in North America and elsewhere. Only a CTCA Code of Ethics Breeder can register a puppy with the CTCA. The cost
of registration ($200-$250) is the sole responsibility of the breeder. The CTCA will mail your certificate to you directly.

Q. Why is there such a big range of pricing for a Coton de tulear?
A.  There's not, if you're dealing with a reputable breeder who has "real" Cotons. Sadly, our breed is being exploited due to
their superior health and temperament. In my opinion, only breeders that belong to a breed club that requires members to
follow a strict code of ethics AND strive to keep our breed out of the AKC, to remain a rare and healthy breed, are the
breeders acting in a responsible manner.  The Coton has recently been gaining in popularity causing small puppy mill type of
breeders popping up. We have a few of these “questionable” breeders operating in the Pacific NW; I'm sure they can be found
in every state. One of these breeders was recently raided by HSUS and all dogs removed from their property, they now face
multiple charges of animal neglect. To learn more click here: Canby breeder faces animal neglect charges. You can learn of
another recent puppy mill raid involving Cotons here: Cowlitz County breeder raid  

I have spoken to people who have received puppies from these irresponsible types of breeders and one thing they had in
common is they didn't know they had so many dogs and the people were so nice. The breeder in Canby, only had a few healthy
dogs for buyers to meet, the rest were in the huge barn at the back of their property. Another buyer told me they had an
odd feeling when they met the people but they wanted a puppy so bad. This is called puppy blindness. Follow your instincts, if
something doesn't feel right and you aren't 100% comfortable, then walk away. The irresponsible breeders advertising that
they have cotons, most likely don't have cotons; they are knock offs and therefore sell for about one-third of what a true
coton would cost. Malagasy Cotons are rare, less than 3600 have been born in the United States since they were introduced
in 1974.

A responsible breeder won't breed other similar breeds and they won't mix breeds to create "designer dogs". A responsible
breeder also won't offer a discount if you buy more than one. In fact, they would discourage you from buying 2 puppies at
once and give you the reasons why. (Just google "buying 2 puppies" and read the articles). A responsible breeder won't
advertise their puppies on websites that broker puppies. These puppy brokers have slick websites that appear to have code of
ethic breeders, BUT they won't list their breeder members, they just have photos of pups and give them ID numbers. The
list goes on and on. If you are trying to locate a reputable breeder that has available puppies in your area, call me, I can
direct you to those breeders.

If you're interested in learning more about how to find the right breeder, visit these links:
www.Cotonclub.org
www.citizensagainstpuppymills.org
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