How to Choose the Best Dog Food for the Coton de Tulear
The charming Coton de Tulear originated on the island of Madagascar situated off the southern coast of Africa. This sweet-natured breed belongs to the Bichon family and is believed to have been brought to Madagascar two or three centuries previously. Historians relate the breed’s original role was that of a companion for ladies making long journeys by sea. During their time on these vessels, the Coton de Tulear also helped to provide rodent control, a welcome help.
Other legends indicate that a shipwreck resulted in several of these dogs being stranded on the island. Regardless of which of these breed histories is the truth, the breed quickly gained popularity in Madagascar, becoming the beloved family companions of royalty and the wealthy. However, some did not find homes and simply roamed the land in search of adventure.
During the late 20th century, a gentleman from France visited Madagascar and decided to bring some Coton de Tulears to France where the breed could be further developed with an eye to helping them become recognized as a breed. At this same time, the breed also made its way to North America.
The Coton de Tulear is an exceptionally intelligent dog, excelling at many different activities and enjoying opportunities to learn. Both friendly and sociable, the Coton de Tulear is happiest when in the company of its family members upon whom it lavishes great affection.
This delightful, happy breed’s name was bestowed upon it because of its coat that in texture and appearance is like cotton. In addition to this, Tulear, a city now referred to as Tollara, is an important port on the island of Madagascar and is considered to be the region from which these dogs originated.
The Coton de Tulear is an easy keeper, easily adapting to the schedule and preferences of its family. This dog breed has moderate activity requirements that can easily be satisfied through play, a game of fetch in the backyard, or a daily walk of average length. This makes the Coton de Tulear well-suited to life in an apartment or a home with a fenced yard.
A breed that enjoys learning new skills, the Coton de Tulear is a treat to train. A natural born people pleaser, this dog type does well in many dog sports including obedience, Rally, and even agility.
Though typically a very healthy breed, there are several health conditions the Coton de Tulear can be predisposed to including luxating patellas, hip dysplasia, and progressive retinal atrophy. If not properly exercised and/or overfed, this breed can easily gain weight, putting excess stress on its joints. For this reason, free feeding is discouraged, and experts recommend feeding a diet that includes supplements to support joint and eye health.
The best dog foods for the Coton de Tulear typically contain approximately 18 percent protein and 5 percent fat.
Choosing the Correct Calorie Count for Coton de Tulears
The Coton de Tulear needs a diet that is well-balanced and comprised of top quality ingredients to attain optimal health and wellness. Once the correct diet has been determined, it is then time to discover how much of this food a dog should eat per meal. The best dog foods for Coton de Tulears offer helpful suggestions through servings listed on their packaging. These guidelines are based on a dog’s weight and age and can be adjusted until the right amount for each meal is found.
The Coton de Tulear can easily become overweight. To prevent this from occurring, all meals should be measured and all intake monitored. Since both hip dysplasia and patellar luxation are genetic conditions in this breed, it is especially important that this dog type maintain a healthy body weight. For this reason, free feeding is strongly discouraged.
Dietary Requirements for Coton de Tulear Dog Foods
The Coton de Tulear, like all dog breeds, is a carnivore. The best dog foods for the Coton de Tulear make a meat-based protein the basis of their recipe. Whole meats or meat meals are the preferred option. By-products are most commonly inferior cuts of meat that can be more difficult for dogs to digest, and thus, are best avoided.
Plant-based proteins like soy, corn, and wheat have been linked to allergies in many dogs, and thus, are not of sufficient nutritional quality for the Coton de Tulear. Likewise, many commercially prepared diets include ingredients such as chemicals, additives, fillers, artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives in their formulas. These ingredients are added only to improve a food’s shelf life and appearance. Since these ingredients are not ideal for the Coton de Tulear’s diet, foods containing them are best left on the shelf.
Carbohydrates help the Coton de Tulear to achieve good digestion and a thriving immune system. Since this breed is not typically prone to allergies, the Coton de Tulear can enjoy a grain-inclusive or grain-free diet with no fear of ill effects. Carbohydrates may come from nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables, or whole grains.
From healthy fats, the Coton de Tulear gains fuel for its energy reserves and a boost for its coat and skin health. These fats are best obtained from animal-based foods such as chicken fat and oily fish. Some plant-based oils such as canola and safflower are also excellent contributors of these vital essential fatty acids.
Supplements help a diet to work its most effectively, providing the Coton de Tulear with many important benefits. The ideal supplements to look for in a food for the Coton de Tulear are prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
Things to Look for in the Best Dog Food for the Coton de Tulear
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in the best food for a Coton de Tulear:
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Lean, meat-based proteins heading up the ingredients list
The Coton de Tulear’s ideal diet should list a lean, meat-based protein as its primary ingredient. The recommended foundation is a whole meat or meat meal.
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Prepared without the addition of chemicals, flavorings, fillers, or mystery ingredients
Chemicals, fillers, artificial flavorings and colorings, and mystery ingredients provide no nutritional benefit to the Coton de Tulear’s diet. Many of these items can trigger an allergic reaction in dogs with food sensitivities.
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Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
The most beneficial supplements for the Coton de Tulear are prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
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Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food
All foods appropriate for the Coton de Tulear should bear the AAFCO seal of approval, indicating it meets the standards for a complete and balanced food.