How a Coton Puppy Comes Into the World — From Pregnancy to Going Home 🍼

Hello, we're Coton Kennel BONCO, breeders specializing in the Coton de Tulear 😊

This past April, four Coton puppies were born at our kennel.

They used to fit in the palm of a hand. Now an armful is a stretch. We documented every step from the day they were born, in photos and video.

Today we'll walk through that record and cover how long a Coton pregnancy lasts, how many puppies are in a typical litter, and what happens week by week between birth and going home 🐾

1. How long is a Coton pregnancy?

Gestation is similar across breeds: 63 days on average, typically between 58 and 65 days. That's about nine weeks — just over two months.

Shorter than most people expect, which is exactly why those two months matter so much.

• Weeks 1–4 — almost nothing shows outwardly. Avoiding strenuous activity and stress is the priority.
• Weeks 4–5 — ultrasound can confirm the pregnancy.
• Week 6 onward — the belly becomes visible and food intake increases.
• Near whelping — body temperature drops and the mother becomes restless. From here we stay with her.

Whelping is not easy for a small breed. As the due date approaches we don't leave the mother's side, including overnight. A Coton puppy's story really begins two months before it is born.

2. How many puppies are in a litter?

A Coton de Tulear typically has 2 to 6 puppies per litter, with an average of 3 to 4. Litters as small as one and as large as seven do happen.

Being a small breed, you won't see ten puppies at once the way you might with a large breed. That scarcity is part of why waiting lists form for this breed.

Our April litter was four — exactly one armful.

The video gives a better sense of it. Four puppies, one armful.

Four puppies, one armful

3. From birth to going home — a week-by-week record

🍼 Weeks 0–2: born with eyes and ears sealed shut

Puppies are born unable to see or hear — both eyes and ear canals are closed. At this stage they do exactly two things: nurse and sleep.

They can't regulate their own body temperature yet either, so they sleep pressed together for warmth — which is why newborns are always in a pile.

Eyes open around days 10–14. Ears follow a little later, in weeks 2–3. The mother handles everything during this period; our job is holding temperature and humidity steady and confirming that every puppy gains weight daily.

🌸 Weeks 3–4: eyes open, and the walking starts

Once their eyes open, things move fast. Puppies that were dragging themselves along on their bellies begin standing and walking on all four legs. They start noticing each other and inviting play.

In late April, with the azaleas in full bloom, they saw outside air for the first time.

Their first spring

This is also when the milk teeth come in — which leads naturally to the next stage.

🥣 Weeks 4–5: weaning begins

Weaning typically starts around four weeks. We soften kibble with water into a porridge and let them taste a little at a time. At first far more of it gets stepped in than eaten 😅

Their faces change daily at this age. A week can be enough to make the same puppy look like a different dog.

🐾 Weeks 6–8: the socialization window

This is the most important section of this article.

The stretch from 3 to 12 weeks is the critical socialization period, when a dog's temperament is formed. What a puppy experiences here shapes it for life. Cotons are naturally people-loving and unshy — but how these weeks are spent matters just as much as breeding.

What we focus on during this window:

• Plenty of play with littermates. Bite inhibition is learned from siblings, not from people.
• Exposure to household noise — vacuum, doorbell, conversation — so none of it is alarming later.
• Handling by many different people, so being picked up and touched is remembered as a good thing.
• Different floor surfaces and spaces, which builds a confident, unflappable adult.

Here they are in May, when the white azaleas came out. Color was just starting to come into their faces.

🏡 Week 10 onward: meeting their families

Here is where we do things differently.

Puppies are normally placed from eight weeks — legally and by common practice. We wait until after ten.

The reason is simple: to give them more time with their mother.

Two weeks sounds like nothing, but at this age it isn't. There is still learning left to do from the mother, and still lessons to pick up from tumbling around with littermates. A puppy that got those two weeks settles into a new home differently from one that didn't.

That pushes back the handover too. Puppies go home after their second vaccination and a health check. It means a slightly longer wait for you — and a noticeably easier time once they're home.

🌳 And now

The April puppies have come through the summer looking like this. These are the same dogs that fit in a palm.

In the play pen

The switch from puppy coat to adult coat is coming for them soon. We covered that in detail in our previous article, if you'd like to read on 😊

Frequently asked questions

Q1. Are first litters smaller than later ones?
A. Generally yes — first litters tend to be smaller. The mother's age and condition also factor in.

Q2. Can you tell the adult coat color at birth?
A. Not reliably. Cotons often lighten as they grow, and strong facial markings at birth can fade toward cream or white in the adult coat.

Q3. Do littermates differ in temperament?
A. Distinctly. Even in one litter, some puppies come to you first and others watch a while before approaching. That's why we ask about your household during a consultation.

Q4. When can we come see a new litter?
A. The mother's and puppies' stability comes first, so visits are arranged after a certain point. Until then we keep families updated with photos and video.

In closing

A Coton pregnancy runs about 63 days, and a litter is usually 2 to 6 puppies. They are born unable to see or hear, open their eyes around two weeks, begin weaning at four, and pass through the 3–12 week socialization window. We send ours home after ten weeks, once the second vaccination is done.

It takes a few lines to write and a great many sleepless nights and daily weight logs to live. This stretch is where we put the most care in our breeding program.

Coton Kennel BONCO

As breeders working exclusively with the Coton de Tulear, we place puppies born to healthy, well-cared-for parent dogs.

• We record and share the whole journey from birth to pickup, in photos and video
• Puppies stay with their mother until after ten weeks and their second vaccination
• A breeding program dedicated to the Coton de Tulear alone

If you'd like to know about puppies currently available, the reservation schedule, parent dog information, or pricing, please reach out any time.

👉 Meet our Coton puppies on Instagram (@cotonkennel_bonco)

Thanks for reading — Coton Kennel BONCO 🐾