Included in my contract: The Coton de Tulear is a long-coated dog that requires regular bathing and brushing. No representation has been made by TiaCotons that the Coton de Tulear breed in general or a TiaCotons puppy, in particular, is a low-maintenance dog. The purchaser of a TiaCotons puppy agrees to devote time and effort to the grooming of the Coton de Tulear.

Bathing and Grooming Tips:
Before I give my Cotons a bath I make sure that I comb through their hair and that there are no mats.  When bathing my Coton de Tulear dogs I take great care to massage the shampoo gently into their hair.  Then I rinse, rinse and rinse some more with tepid water to make sure all the shampoo is removed from the hair. After lots of rinsing I put conditioner on them and rinse again with tepid water.  I gently towel dry the hair and massage a very small amount of Vellus Satin Cream into their hair.  I air dry them for about fifteen minutes and then use warm heat when blow drying the hair of my Cotons.  When combing or brushing my Cotons I either hold them in my lap or lay them on their sides, mist with Vellus Static Stabilizer, distilled water mixed with Coat Handler Leave-In Conditioner or Buddy Wash Splash and brush the hair in layers, misting as I go with each layer. I brush from the skin out past the end of the hair keeping the brush straight for less breakage. For tangles and mats I use Vellus Tangle Out.   My favorite shampoos and conditioners, depending on the weather and time of the year are: Vellus Shampoo and Conditioner, South Bark Blueberry Facial Shampoo and Conditioner and Buddy Wash Shampoo and Buddy Rinse Conditioner and Plush Puppy Products.  The links for these products are listed below.

Buddy Shampoo/Conditioner and Splash can be found at http://www.kvvet.com    

South Bark Blueberry Facial Shampoo and Conditioner -    http://www.shopsouthbark.com/      

Vellus Products - http://www.vellus.com/ 

Plush Puppy -  http://www.showdogstore.com

Hair brighteners I like to use are Pooch Bright Shampoo, Crystal White Shampoo by E-Z Groom  and the Chris Christensen Whitening System.  I purchase the Crystal White Shampoo at http://www.showdogstore.com ,  the Pooch Bright Shampoo at http://www.lespooches.com and the Chris Christensen Whitening System at http://www.chrissystems.com

The Chris Christiansen Fusion Brushes are wonderful, I like the 27 mm oblong or pocket brush, Buttercombs - Coarse/Fine, Face Comb and #005 Buttercomb 7 1/2" Long Tooth Comb can be found at -

http://www.chrissystems.com/  or  http:// www.cherrybrook.com

Teeth and Gum Care
I use "Petz Life" Oral Spray or Gel in our Cotons mouths to help with tartar and plaque build up on our Cotons teeth.   http://www.petzlife.com/  or you might like to try Leba lll http://www.fubaohealthstore.com/LebaIII.html

I also sprinkle Wysong Denta Treat powder on our Cotons food to help with tartar and plaque build up on our Cotons teeth.
http://www.wysong.net/products/dentatreat-dog-cat-supplement.php

Note -  I tried a product called "Maxi/Guard" Oral Cleansing Gel on my Cotons teeth.  One of my Cotons, Heiki, had an allergic reaction to this product so I will not use this product.  Heiki's lips swelled and got crusty.  She lost some of the pigment around her mouth. There are a few ingredients in this product that may have caused a problem for Heiki. I have listed them below:

From the book "A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients" by Ruth Winter, M.S.

Methylparaben -   Can cause allergic reaction
Propylparaben -   Can cause contact dermatitis
F,D and C. Blue #1 - May cause allergic reations.  On the FDA permanent list of color additives.  Rated 1A, that is, completely acceptable for nonfood use, by the Worrld Health Organization.  However, it produced malignant tumors at the site of injection and by ingestion in rats.

Heiki's mouth after two applications of Maxi-Guard Oral Gel.

Tear Staining 

A product that seems to work well for tear stain removal is called "Eye Envy".  http://www.eyeenvy.com

 
For topknots I use latex bands in the hair and cut the bands out with scissors being careful not to cut the hair. Here is a web site for purchasing the latex hair bands and bows.  http://www.laineltd.com

How often do I give my Cotons a bath?

It depends on the different seasons as to how often I give my Coton's a bath. I usually give my Coton's a bath every two weeks.  If I notice more matting in my Cotons hair when I am combing them then that is a good clue that they need a bath.  

Grooming Equipment 

The grooming equipment I use is from Hanvey Specialty Engineering.  Below is a picture of Joey standing on my standard grooming table from Hanvey Specialty Engineering.  Here is the link for the grooming table - http://www.hairvac.com/standardtable.htm
 
I have the Hanvey LIPSystem Stainless Steel bars on my grooming table to hold my Cotons in place while I groom them.  There are many accessories that can be ordered for the LIPSystem.  I like the plastic table divider.  The table divider keeps my Cotons from trying to move away from me.  The table divider is in the picture behind Joey.  Here is the link for the LIPSystem - http://www.hairvac.com/lipsystem_four_page_index.htm

I also have the Hanvey Hi "V" Gold Dryer.  This dryer is very powerful and only has one speed.  A speed control unit can be ordered along with the dryer.  I like having the speed control unit so I can set the speed of the airflow to whatever I want as I am drying my Cotons.  The dryer can be seen in the picture of Joey on the grooming table.  The dryer is hanging on the wall.  Here is the link for the Hanvey Hi "V" Gold Dryer - http://www.hairvac.com/dryershse.htm

The Hanvey Bathing Beauty Professional Dog Wash/Power Bathing System is on my wish list.