Coton de Tulear puppies

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Coton de Tulear puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A toy breed puppy at eight weeks is small enough to be genuinely fragile. It can be hurt by a jump off a sofa and by being stepped on, and toy breeds are prone to low blood sugar, so it needs frequent small meals rather than two big ones. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are high. Start daily brushing and short, positive handling sessions at eight weeks, well before the adult coat arrives, or the first professional groom will be traumatic. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Patellar luxation, a slipping kneecap, found on a patella evaluation
• Hip dysplasia, screened by hip evaluation of breeding stock
• Inherited eye disease, screened by an ophthalmologist evaluation
• Cardiac disease, screened by a cardiac exam on breeding stock
• Intervertebral disc disease, which shows as back pain or hind limb weakness and is confirmed by imaging

From Coton de Tulear breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/coton-de-tulear/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Your Coton de Tulear puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Toy for a Coton de Tulear.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 3.6 to 6.8 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Other toy breeds

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