# Coton de Tulear or Havanese?



## atsilvers27 (Jul 5, 2011)

Ok, so I had this client come in a few days ago with her 1 year old Coton. Now I've seen them before and they are without fail completely white with a thick coat, and bigger than a Hav. Well I didn't even know it was her standing in the lobby because the dog was listed as a Coton under my appointments, so I was expecting a snow white bichon-size dog, but instead hers was mostly a really dark brown, almost black, with a lot of ticking, a flat coat and small (8 lbs.). I would have thought that the woman just got confused and thought she bought a Coton when she really bought a Havanese, but I saw the papers she brought for the dog and it really was listed as a Coton! I've read that Cotons used to have color and now they are white, but does anyone know if they do come in colors? Her dog is a Havanese to me. Either that or the breeder crossed a Coton and a Havanese.

FYI the dog was matted everywhere, typical owner that doesn't bring their dog to the groomer until they are a year old and matted. I did demat the entire dog (mats were not tight and to the skin so I determined she was demattable as long as she didn't show signs of stress), gave her my little grooming schpeal, charged her more than the cost of a regular bath and groom (and I didn't even bathe the dog, just dematted it, but it did take me a solid 3 hours), and sent her on her merry way. Any other groomer would have shaved the dog down but I wouldn't have blamed them. I will only do this kind of dematting once for an owner and then the next time your dog is matted everywhere you are out of luck.


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

I just looked in Wikipedia for the breed standard. They come in White, black and white and tri-colored. There is a picture of a black and white one on the web site.
Size if about like the Havanese.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Yup they do come in colors other than white. I think the confusion is that there are two different Coton registries, and in one they are all white (at least as adults, many are born with color, like our sables) while the other registry has the colored ones. From what I've read, it's one of those situations where both registries claim to be the "real" registry. One wants eventual AKC sanctioning, the other group feels it will ruin the breed.

I've never heard of one as small as 8 lbs... all the ones I've met have been substantially bigger than Kodi, and he's a big Hav. They also seem to have more bone than most Havs. That said, runts do show up in every breed from time to time, so that could account for the size.


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## atsilvers27 (Jul 5, 2011)

Wow, thanks for the clarification. That makes a lot of sense to me.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

the face looks different to me than a hav... not sure what is different about it though... LOL body does look very hav-ish...?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

TilliesMom said:


> the face looks different to me than a hav... not sure what is different about it though... LOL body does look very hav-ish...?


They are very similar breeds... I looked into Cotons before deciding on a Havanese. Now that I'm used to Havanese, they seem a little coarser looking to me.

Interestingly, they have some with silkier coats and others with more cottony coats too. But for them, the silky ones are considered "out of standard" and would not do well in the show ring. But when I was talking to a couple of breeders, they told me that they prefer to place their silky puppies in pet homes anyway, because their coats are so much easier to manage!

BTW, I've noticed in Tillie's more recent photos that she seems to be getting silkier and less cottony now that her adult coat is coming in. I assume she's getting easier to groom too?


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

krandall said:


> BTW, I've noticed in Tillie's more recent photos that she seems to be getting silkier and less cottony now that her adult coat is coming in. I assume she's getting easier to groom too?


I have thought the same thing, Karen - that Tillie is looking more silky.


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

atsilvers27 said:


> Ok, so I had this client come in a few days ago with her 1 year old Coton. Now I've seen them before and they are without fail completely white with a thick coat, and bigger than a Hav. Well I didn't even know it was her standing in the lobby because the dog was listed as a Coton under my appointments, so I was expecting a snow white bichon-size dog, but instead hers was mostly a really dark brown, almost black, with a lot of ticking, a flat coat and small (8 lbs.). I would have thought that the woman just got confused and thought she bought a Coton when she really bought a Havanese, but I saw the papers she brought for the dog and it really was listed as a Coton! I've read that Cotons used to have color and now they are white, but does anyone know if they do come in colors? Her dog is a Havanese to me. Either that or the breeder crossed a Coton and a Havanese.
> 
> FYI the dog was matted everywhere, typical owner that doesn't bring their dog to the groomer until they are a year old and matted. I did demat the entire dog (mats were not tight and to the skin so I determined she was demattable as long as she didn't show signs of stress), gave her my little grooming schpeal, charged her more than the cost of a regular bath and groom (and I didn't even bathe the dog, just dematted it, but it did take me a solid 3 hours), and sent her on her merry way. Any other groomer would have shaved the dog down but I wouldn't have blamed them. I will only do this kind of dematting once for an owner and then the next time your dog is matted everywhere you are out of luck.


Was the owner planning on giving the dog a bath when he/she got the dog home? Or was the dog going to be brought back to be bathed? If it isn't clean, and it was matted that badly, won't it just mat right back up?

I am going to have to bathe Finn again. He had been treated for 14 days with those greasy drops for ear infection. His hair was a MESS around the affected ear. It is still somewhat greasy after a bath, and he had a huge mat behind his ear. I feel like I get it combed out, and it seems within minutes, it has just re-formed there. :frusty: I need to try a different shampoo/conditioner combo on him too. I do not like the way this last one has made his hair feel.


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## Tessa's Mommy (May 20, 2011)

We have a year and half old male Coton living next door to us. He is completely pure white but is actually smaller than Cooper who is around 14 lbs. I would say this Coton isn't much bigger than 10 pounds and is also shorter than Cooper. His owner keeps him in full coat and I've never seen him when he wasn't beautifully groomed. He is wild little devil though. My guys don't want to play with him.


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## atsilvers27 (Jul 5, 2011)

She is coming in for a bath and groom this week, I instructed the owner on how to properly brush her out every day until her grooming appointment. If she follows my instructions the dog should be returned to me in the same condition it left.


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## Kirby (Mar 7, 2011)

He's a cutie but doesn't look like a Havanese to me...can't pin down why I think that....he just doesn't have the same "look".


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

I just met someone with a coton' , he came to quote us on fixing a window in our house and he brought his precious little dog "Ruby" with him and Gucci and her hit it off right away, I thought she looked a lot like a Havanese, very similar features and almond shaped eyes, but bigger . It was nice to see Gucci be sweet to a girl dog, she's normally so bitchy with other girls right off the bat until her alpha princess status is established, lol

Cute dog!
Kara


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