No Nipping Please !

Alert ! Ferocious Coton on the loose ! Once Bebe felt safe and secure in her new home, my sweet puppy began nipping at our pant legs ! Even though she was just a few pounds, it totally freaked me out ! I immediately began to research nipping, and learned about Grannicks Bitter Apple Spray for Dogs.

When she started nipping, I would get out the bottle, show it to her, and spray a bit on her tongue, and loudly say NO ! She would stop immediately, and after a couple times, all I had to do was just show her the bottle and she would run the other way :) Don't let your baby fool you ! They are VERY SMART and learn quickly !!

"Grannicks Bitter Apple Original Spray for Dogs is a non-toxic, safe and effective chew deterrent. Has a bitter taste to discourage pets from licking, gnawing and chewing on surfaces where applied. Stops pets from biting and chewing fur, wounds and bandages. "

Interesting...Click here: The history of Grannick's Bitter Apple®

LUPINE COLLAR & BOOMERANG PET ID TAGS

I really like Bebe's collar. It's by LUPINE PET, and comes with a LIFETIME GUARANTEE even if CHEWED ! Bebe' still looks brand new, however I really want to get her this pink one for her birthday. Bebe wears the 1/2 " collar for small dogs. The Noble Beast is cute for boys...it's royal blue with crowns on it. Afterall, the Coton de Tulear is THE ROYAL DOG :)
http://lupinepet.com/

For her DOG ID TAG, I use Boomerang Tags. http://www.boomerangtags.com/ Bebe wears the SMALL ROUND tag. It still looks great. When she was a tiny pup, it dragged on the floor, so I had to wait until she was a bit taller to put it on her collar ! The ID tag does NOT stain her hair.

Here is an example of her tag

RING THE BELL !!

MY PERSONAL FAVORITE !

If you don't want to hear your dog barking to go outside to potty, then you MUST get Poochie Bells ! They are so cute, and your coton will ring the bells within days !!All you have to do is hang them on your door ! Jingle them everytime you let your dog out, and pretty soon they will be doing it themselves ! I never have to hear a barking dog in the background when I'm cooking dinner and she needs to go out. All I hear is the sound of jingle bells ! Less noise in my house is a good thing !

Watch the video here-Click here: Welcome To Poochie Bells

see also: video

It's bath time ! - Grooming Products I use

Bebe loves her bath. Right now I'm using Bio-Groom shampoo & conditioner. It has worked great, but since I have heard great things about Chris Christensen Day to Day Shampoo, I'm going to try that next. I'll let you know how I like it.

• Comb- Master Grooming Tools Steel Greyhound Comb # TP906
• Bio Groom Shampoo & Bio Groom Silk Cream Rinse Conditioner- all available at Petedge.com
• Chris Christensen - ICE ON ICE DETANGLER AND FINISHING SPRAY
• Ice On Ice is a leave in coat conditioner and finishing spray. Similar to but unlike the old silicon products Ice On Ice is water soluble. Ice On Ice puts a protective barrier on the outside of the hair strand and locks in moisture, it is not oily and Ice On Ice repels dirt, dust, rain, urine from soaking into the coat. Ice On Ice also contains sunscreen.
• Great Pin Brushes- http://www.chrissystems.com/ Do not use pin brushes with balls at the ends of the pins... It can damage the hair.

Favorite treats

• Bil-Jac Liver treats
• Hartz Chicken Chews- these are long" jerky- like" strips, and I cut them with scissors in small bites and put them in her treat jar. I made the mistake of giving her a whole one and she choked, so be careful. She loves these, but in small bites.
• Charlee Bear Liver Dog treats ( great for your pocket when training outside ! )
• Hartz Dentist's Best twists for dogs
• Cheese ! Tiny bits of American Cheese every now and then.

Food- What I feed my Coton de Tulear

I currently feed Bebe Innova EVO small bites in the yellow bag. She has never had anything else. I have heard that this can be a little rich and some Coton's have runny stools when they eat this, but Bebe has never had a problem. I agree that they have sensitive stomachs, so you have to be careful when switching foods. For now, I'm not going to change it since it works so great for her. I order it here, and it comes right to my doorstep, which is so nice !! www.petfooddirect.com
"Low Carb, Hi-Protein and Grain Free.At Natura, we understand that it isn't always possible to feed your pet a raw diet. This is until now. EVO is also a convenient, complete and balanced supplement to a raw feeding program. EVO Dog Small Bites Dry Dog Food...What to feed when you can't feed raw. "

I know many Coton owners who feed "CANIDAE " and I may try that as well. I'll let you know when I do, and if it agrees with Bebe.

Princess on a Pillow

Bebe loves this so much, that I had to order another one for upstairs ! After one year, it still looks new ! You can zip off the fleece cover and wash it.

LLBean dog bed. FABULOUS ! Click here: L.L.Bean -

Comfort for your new puppy

Her first night with her Snuggle Puppie !

I must say, this is worth EVERY penny ! It's a SNUGGLE PUPPIE and I brought it with me when I picked up Bebe at our breeders. When I got home, I placed the snuggle puppie in the crate when Bebe went to bed. It comes with hand warmers to keep your puppy warm at night, and also a heart beat so it reminds them of their litter mates. It comforted Bebe like you cannot believe ! She slept through the night from day 1 !! Thank You SNUGGLE PUPPIE PEOPLE !! She STILL sleeps with it on her pillow at night, now that she is a big girl ! She sleeps with her chin on it every night. It's hilarious. You can get them at various dog sites, but this is who makes them. http://www.snugglepuppie.com/ or www.choicepetproducts.com

Small Dog, GREAT with kids...and does not shed !!

I should have named her "Google", because that is exactly what I typed in when I found the Coton de Tulear breed in the search !! I waited 15 years ...looking for the PERFECT dog, that was small, AND good with children, and didn't shed.

I'm so glad I waited for the right dog. She is true to her breed. She is not yappy at all, but will alert me if someone is at the door. She quiets down immediatley when I tell her it's ok.
She is very playful with my children - ALWAYS willing to play, and just as willing to snuggle on the couch and watch tv with you ! She adapts to whatever it is you are doing. It's true, they ARE companion dogs.... they love to be near their families. It's TRUE , our Coton does NOT shed !
However, puppies will be puppies, no matter the breed, so be sure to read up on those puppy books, because you just need to be prepared for everything. But since the Coton de Tulear is so smart and willing to please, it sure has been easy to train her into good behavior !

Crate Training

Crate Training-
Bebe loves this crate- It's a Pet Mate Vari Kennel. She still uses it when I run errands. I got mine on sale for $29.79. It is awesome. Couldn't live without it. I had a potty trained puppy in weeks !!

I put a fleece 'throw' blanket I found at Target inside (just folded it until it fit) to make her feel cozy. It's great....I just take it out and wash it when it gets dirty.

Meet Bebe Darling our Coton de Tulear

"Bebe Darling" is our Coton de Tulear. She will be celebrating her first Birthday on September 13, 2008 !
I often get emails from future Coton owners wanting to know what Bebe likes to eat, etc... so I thought this would be the best way to share all of Bebe's favorite things and mine ! Everything from food, treats, grooming products, toys, crates, housetraining, and books that were so helpful.
This is 2 years in the making....One year of research before Bebe, and this past year living with our Coton de Tulear. I will share it all....the things that worked, and the things that didn't work ! I hope with all my help, it will save time for YOU !! And your Coton will thank you !! Please know that I'm NOT a dog expert...Bebe is our first family dog, and I'm learning as I go, and hopefully passing along information that really should be shared !!