We have a special guest this weekend, Baxter. He's a Coton de Tulear, the royal dog of Madagascar. We're tickled to be dogsitting for a co-worker of my wife's. Bax is a very engaging little guy, and his breed has quite a story.

The Coton de Tulear....originates from Madagascar, the world’s fourth largest island off the southeast coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.....Tulear is a small sea port city at the southern tip of the island....Historically, the Coton’s arrival to Madagascar dates to approximately to the 15th century. Ships frequently sailed to the West Indies around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope into the Mozambique Channel to the Indian Ocean.

Sea voyages were often long and boring and sailors’ quality of life was very poor. To offset these hardships and the loneliness of the ladies also traveling on these ships, little spirited white dogs accompanied them. The same little dogs were also used to rid the ships of unwanted mice and rats. They could be trained and were more companionable than cats, and many ocean going people found small white dogs excellent seafaring companions.

There is a common story that during a violent storm, a shipwreck occurred in the proximity of Tulear, Madagascar. No one knows the name of the ship or its flag but all versions of the story tell that all the sailors perished. Some of the little white dogs from this ship swam ashore near Tulear, and it is assumed that they are the ancestors of the Coton de Tulear.....Whatever the ancestory the Coton de Tulear is as unique as many animals found on the wild and isolated island of Madagascar, and people who live with them can attest to their not being quite like other dogs in their intelligence, happy temperment, and unique vocalizations, just a few of the many excellent traits of the rare Coton de Tulear.

Bax has made himself right at home, curling up on this or that bed with the occupant(s), curling up on the couch, investigating the premises at length, and licking everyone's hands and ears profusely. He's just the right size, too, and Cotons are hypo-allergenic, to boot. For some reason, he seems to take to me. I'm told he likes males. I've always been a cat person, but I have to say dogs like Bax could make me reconsider. The only thing: we've walked him six times since yesterday afternoon, and he still hasn't "produced."

(UPDATE: I came home from the health club, and by the double-wrapped bag waiting right outside the garage to be put in the garbage, I could tell that Bax had, in fact, finally "produced." I'm sure you were awaiting news about that quite breathlessly!).

Of course there are people who have whole sites devoted to their Cotons. You knew that was coming, right? Here's one.

TECHNORATI TAGS: COTON DE TULEAR, DOGSITTING

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Posted by Matt Rosenberg at November 5, 2005 02:26 PM