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Coton de Tulear- pronounced "coe-TAWN-day tool-ee-ear" meaning: "Cotton dog from the Malagasy Port City of Tulear."

Originally developed on the island of Madagascar (off the coast of Africa), their patronage is more recently from France.  The breed is descended from the now extinct "Coton de Reunion", and brought to Mauritius by sailors and pirates during the 16th century.  Dr. R.J. Russell, a biologist, studying Lemurs on Madagascar, exported the first Cotons to North America in 1974. 

The Coton de Tulear is one of the very respected and sought after Rare Breeds residing in the USA today.  They were accepted into the American Kennel Club Foundation Stock Service in January 2004.