Feeding Your Coton De Tulear

Puppies are eating their raw food. My puppies will come with raw food starter pack.

There are many different food that you can give your Coton, it is really up to your convenience and the preference of the dog.

My dogs really LOVE their food. They are not fussy in the slightest, but it doesn't mean all Cotons are the same. But I do feed raw (or BARF) with occasional cooked meats like liver, both of which are ranked as high value foods so I never had a dog refuse the food. If they do, then it normally means they are unwell in some way.

What I like about raw feeding is that their poo is smaller, less stinky, teeth are cleaner and the dogs develop a good appetite and that's especially good for training as biddable dogs are much easier to train.

If you decide to feed raw, that doesn't mean giving them just meat, their diet requires bones and innards and some fruit and vegetables. Raw bones are good for exercising their jaws and cleaning the teeth. Make sure you supervise your dog as some can get greedy and swallow the whole bone.

I like to buy prepared meals from companies that use fresh human grade meats with clearly listed ingredients. It's easy to keep those meals in the freezer and just take them out when needed. Those meals should contain ground bones, innards and meat together with some vegetables and oils. I like to feed chicken, rabbit and lamb, pork and beef not so much. I give pork and beef chews but not very often. When I give liver, I give tiny pieces as it's very rich and can give your pup a funky bum!

Most people feed their dogs kibble or wet and canned food. Try and get a good quality kibble that gives your dog firm stools that are not too huge - if they are then that usually means the kibble contains many fillers of no nutritional value. Some people go for high protein kibble, but I think that high protein can be actually bad. Oh on that note, most people think that raw meat is all protein but that's not true! Meat and bones contain protein, but also minerals, vitamins, fats, carbohydrates and water.
I would avoid fillers in kibble, such as maize, but go instead for rice and potatoes.

Remember that kibble is a fairly new invention and a huge money making industry so choose wisely!

If you want to cook for your dog, then opt for meats and vegetables instead of pasta and deep fried foods. Very greasy and fatty foods can give your dog pancreatitis, which in best case can mean the special diet for your dog and in the worst case it can be fatal. Avoid giving your dog cooked chicken bones are they are brittle and can seriously puncture the intestines.

Whatever you feed your dog note the condition of their coat, eyes and poo. Those are usually the best indicator of their health.