Our Puppies

THIS IS THE JUNE 2010 LITTER FROM YUKI & ZACK. THEY ARE FIVE WEEKS OLD IN THESE PHOTOS. All three boys left for their new Forever Families by the time they were 12 weeks old, and the girl, Honey is staying here with us at Ardsley Cotons.

I have human children and grandchildren, and my Cotons are my "four legged children" albeit with hair, and tails, and not needing college educations. :-) An Ardsley Coton pup is born in our home, in the "nursery room" just off my bedroom. That is where they live for the first weeks of their life surrounded by soft blankets and where toys of all make and manner are there to play with day and night. They are exposed to, and get used to, all the sounds and sights of a busy house filled with dogs, people and birds! They are handled and kissed and loved ..... a LOT! My four grandchildren make frequent appearances so they get used to being around little people.

Our puppies only go to approved homes. And the first step in reaching that approval is to contact me via phone or email. I will be happy to send you out my puppy application/questionnaire after we have talked and/or corresponded, and decided to move forward. I only have two litters a year so there is always a waiting list for my pups. If I cannot supply you with a pup then I would be happy to recommend to you a CoE breeder who might be able to fulfill your dream of getting a Coton pup.

The second step in the process is visiting my home so we can meet and you can get to know my dogs. We welcome visitors anytime except when we have pups on the ground that are younger than five weeks old. And we welcome visitors anytime to come meet our gang even if we don't have pups. It is a great way for you to decide whether the Coton breed is right for you. After all, a cute little ball of fluff is only like that for a very short period of time. But for the next 16 years after that you have an adult Coton in your lives. And believe me, it is truly a joy.

I do not let my babies leave my home till they are at least ten weeks of age. Preferably longer. And it will be longer than that if there is ever a time when I have a litter that reaches that age at Christmas/New Years. That is because I believe a pup's first days in his/her new home must be a time where they are the focus of all the attention. He needs constant watching, so the new owners must be vigilant, and about a week of quiet days are needed so that they can all bond as a family. The Holidays are the total opposite of what is needed, so pups don't go to their homes the last two weeks of December/first week of Jan.

Socializing your pup is of vital importance. So we urge the new owners to have visitors come by to meet and interact with the newest member of your family -- friends and family, children of all ages. Since the pup will have only had one shot at that time, it is not recommended that it be allowed to walk around outside off your property. But getting a carrier (I will provide recommendations) to take your new little one out and about without his paws touching the ground is something you should do.

Before my Coton pups have left my home, they will have visited my holistic vet for their first "well baby" check up and first vaccination for Parvo. The paperwork from that visit is included in my Puppy Packet and it will include her schedule for getting the series of follow up vaccinations. After the puppy goes home to his/her Forever Family I require (stated in my contract) that you take it to your own vet within four days of arriving home to verify that this pup is healthy. If this is not done, then that makes the Health Guarantee in my contract null and void. It is imperative that all my new owners find a vet long before they bring their pup home. Think of it as something akin to shopping around for a pediatrician for your children. You wouldn't do it after you give birth, right? Well the same applies here. Call around to vets. Find out if they have ever had a Coton as a patient. Make sure they do not give combinations shots. If you need guidance on what to look for in a vet, let me know and I am here to advise you.

I do not microchip my pups before they leave as my vet feels that the pup is too young to receive the chip. It has a greater chance of migrating, which is not good. So I require (again, in my contract) that the pup be microchipped when it goes in for the spay/neuter surgery at six months of age or later, if that is when deemed appropriate by your vet.

Now, you may ask, how do I know which pup will be right for which family? Well, we watch each pup grow and develop from the moment of birth, and we can see each one's personality and temperament as it develops over the next ten weeks. Some are more suited to an active home with children and other pets, and others are clearly destined to be "Only Prince or Princess", preferring a home where there is a one-on-one relationship with the Forever Parents. I look to see their degree of independence, or shyness; who is the leader and who the follower; which one can self-play, and which prefers to interact with it's siblings. We want to ensure that we make the right match right from the start.

I do not keep my puppies confined in small spaces. They have the run of their nursery room (my spare bedroom), and at the age of four weeks, move down the hall to my kitchen to hang out for a few hours a day, to the ex-pen set up there. If weather permits, depending on time of year,they get to play outside on my fenced in deck, and then finally, when they are big enough, get to run around and play in my large, fenced in yard.

Even though this is the "Our Puppies" page, I must devote a paragraph about their mothers. After all, where would the puppies be without them? You can read all about them and see their photos on my "Cotons" page, but I think they deserve a mention here as well. Both Yuki and Amelie are very good mothers. They take to it naturally and are very attentive to the needs of their babies. I am very proud of them. I encourage them to nurse their offspring for as long as they want, because after all, mother, and Mother Nature, knows best! The longer their babies nurse on Mom, for as long as they want, and as many times a day as the mom wants, the better for their natural immunity.

Our pups are gradually weaned, and put on only the very best food. They are also taught to go on wee-wee pads. By the age of five weeks they know where the pads are in the Nursery and go there. Once they have free reign of my house, they go to the pads I have set up for my adult Cotons. They also quickly learn that they can go outside in the grass. We devote a lot of time to their training and socialization, and they get lots of love and attention. Kisses and tummy rubs abound!

And finally, when that special day arrives, the one you have been waiting for--- for what seems like forever --- the day you get to take your Coton pup home from my house, we don't just leave it at that. First of all, you go home with a New Puppy Package that includes their food, sleeping crate, brush and my "instruction booklet". I also send my baby home to you wearing a step-in harness and leash. You pick the color, and I place the order. And in the weeks before the pups leave me to go to their new homes I will provide a Coton Pup Shopping List to the new families so they know what to get and where to get it.

One final point: We are in this together and for the long run. I will be there for you for the life of your Coton. You might be the Forever Parents, but I will always be First Mama. When you get a Coton de Tulear pup from me, you are entering into a relationship with me as well. One that I relish and welcome wholeheartedly.