Feeding Your Coton de Tulear Puppy

We do not believe in skimping when it comes to our dogs’ health. We buy only the highest quality dog food and supplements. We have tried several brands over the years. In July 2016 we were introduced to a relative newcomer to the dog food industry - a company called pawTree. After hearing their Mission and Vision Statements, we decided to hop on a plane and visit the company during their annual convention - Yes, that's how serious we are about what we feed our dogs. After meeting the founder of pawTree and talking with the product developer, we made the decision to switch our dogs to pawTree. We are convinced that their products are superior to anything else on the market. It was something that the Product Developer said to me. She said, "It's all about the sourcing of the ingredients". That's something you cannot tell from reading the ingredients list on a bag. pawTree uses only non-GMO food ingredients, their meats are raised without hormones and antibiotics and all fish is wild caught - not farmed. That's how we eat and I wanted the same for my Coton babies.

We are feeding our puppies the Grain Free Chicken and Sweet Potato recipe. (For informaton of how much to when and how often, check out the Feeding Schedule page) We are asking all our puppy buyers to keep their new puppy on pawTree.  Many veterinarians still think there is a link between grain free food and a heart condition called DCM. None of the research has proven this is be true. I've even discussed this with our veterinary cardiologist and he agrees that it is probably more about the amount and quality of the "pulses" in the food than the actual "pulses" themselves. Cheaper brands try to increase the protein in their food with these pulses. pawTree has real meat as it's predominant source of protein. We've used this food with our dogs since 2016 with no issues. We've tried the healthy grains version of pawTree and find that our Cotons simply do better on the grain free varieties. That said, if you prefer a formula with grains, we recommend pawTree's Chicken & Oatmeal formula during your puppy's growth phase. We just suggest that you transition appropriately so as not to upset your puppy's digestion. PLEASE don't let your vet talk you into one of the brands they sell from their office! Those brands typically contain ingredients such as corn, wheat, soy, and by-products. If you would like more information on this subject, feel free to reach out to Cathy.

pawTree offers a variety of formulas with various protein sources.  Your Coton might enjoy a change of pace now and then so after the first year, feel free to try on of the other formulas that pawTree offers.  We rotate our adults between the various grain free recipes.  It's thought that rotating can help to prevent food allerrgies. In July 2023, pawTree introduced a new line of Freeze-Dried Raw food. We love the idea of freeze-dried raw. It offers the benefits of raw without the danger of pathogens. It is a completely appropriate choice for your puppy should you want to go that route. It is significantly more expensive than kibble so some people like to feed a combination of both. It's up to you!

As your Coton becomes an adult dog, s/he might have different dietary needs. pawTree offers formulas for older dogs and overweight dogs. Please feel free to reach out to us with any question you might have concerning your Coton's diet. We have studied canine nutrition and are a more reliable source of information than a vet since they do not study canine nutrition.

We are confident that you will find that the benefits that pawTree affords will convince you to stay with pawTree for the life of your dog. pawTree is only available through an affilate of the company.  Each of the breeders in our program have their own affiliate link. To order pawTree food for your new puppy, visit your breeder's pawTree website by clicking their link above. Your order will be drop shipped right to your door. Typically Cathy will create an account for each Cathy's Coton Cuties buyer under the appropriate breeder and email them details on ordering. Regardless if you are creating an account on your own or using an account created by Cathy, be sure that your breeder's name and picture is in the upper left corner after you login. 

All new customers receive a "Welcom to pawTree" discount of 10-20%. If you order is under $100, use coupon code INTRO4U10 to receive 10% off your first order. If your order is $100+ use coupon code INTRO4U20 to receive 20% off your first order.

Be sure to put your order on EZ Ship and set it for every 8 weeks. This will give you 25% off shipping OR FREE shipping if you add at least 3 items other than food to your order. It's super easy to move an EZ Ship order forward or backward, change the items in your order, skip a shipment for a particular order, etc. On EZ Ship you receive pawPoints for every order that you can use to order products for FREE. After your 3rd EZ Ship, your points double. You never want to cancel your EZ Ship - just postpone it if you're not ready. When in doubt, give Cathy a call. She'll steer you in the right direction. For your first order we suggest the following:

*1 bag of Real Chicken & Sweet Potato food

*8 oz. bottle of Wild Alaskan Salmon & Pollock Oil (Just 1/2 pump of this liquid gold gives your puppy a daily dose of Omega 3s that not only boost the immune system but is beneficial for the development of bones, joints, skin, coat, brain, eyes & more!)

*30 count box of Gastro Pro Plus - This is a combination of prebiotics, probiotics & digestive enzymes. We know that 80% of our immune system is housed in the gut. By sprinkling 1/2 of a capsule over your puppy's food every day, you are support his/her gut health. 

*1 bag of pawTreat - These make great training treats. They are human grade freeze dried raw and break easily into smaller servings. 

*1 Treatster bone from the Toys sections. Your puppy will be teething for the better part of the first year of life. Give him something appropriate to chew on!

*1 bottle of 2-in-1 shampoo. We've heard groomers rave about this shampoo so if you're planning to save money by bathing your dog at home from time to time, grab a bottle of this shampoo while you can get it at a discount. It's very concentrated so if you dilute if appropriately it will last a long time.

When you enter the site, you will click on "Sign In" in the upper right corner. That will take you to a page where you will register with pawTree. Be sure you write down the password you create for your account. You will need it to make future changes to your order.

If you have happened onto this page and are not purchasing a puppy from us but want to give pawTree a try, you will want to create a Pet Profile for your dog. The algorithm will recommend the perfect food and supplements for your pet's needs.  We have created a couple of recommendation pages to help you get started as well.  When you click the My Recommendations link you will see the Coton Puppy Starter Kit and Ultimate Starter Kit for Cotons.  Even if your dog is not a Coton, these are sold recommendations for any dog. You can choose from within those recommendations for ease of ordering.  Our dogs get a squirt of Wild Alaskan Salmon and Pollack Oil every day and half a capsule of Gastro Pro Plus sprinkled over their food.  It has SO many health benefits.  They also go crazy for the treats.  When in doubt give Cathy a call. She's very knowledgable on canine nutrition and is always willing to help. You can reach her at 480-628-1851.

pawTree has a very customer friendly EZShip program. They will email you 7 days before you next order is due to process, giving you plenty of time to go into your EZShip manager and make changes. Plus they give you pawPoints that you can use to purchase any item on the website. (After your 3rd EZShip, they double your pawPoints as a way of saying "thank you".) As your puppy grows and begins to eat more, you can login anytime to change your order and/or your EZ ship date. Be sure to give pawTree a week to process and ship your food. If you find that your order is processing too soon, be sure you go in and just change the date rather than deleting your EZ ship. When you delete your EZShip you lose all your paw points.

​ How to change an EZShip

Once you login you will see your name in the upper right corner with a little down arrow next to it. Click that arrow and a menu will appear. Click on EZShip. On the next page you will click the Edit button and your EZShip will appear. From there you can remove items by clicking on the trash can or add items by scrolling down to Quick Add, choose the items you wish to add and clicking Add Items". Should you see that you are running low on food before your process date, simply login to your EZ Ship and click "Process Now". If you ever wish to go off EZShip, you click the three dots in the upper right corner then choose "Delete EZShip" button and it's done! No phone call to make. Just remember that when you delete an EZ Ship you will lose your pawPoints so spend those points first or move your EZ Ship date up rather than deleting it.

​Dry Recipes

Customized nutrition plans that are natural and holistic for your pet's optimal nutrition. Learn about the features and benefits of pawTree dry recipes by clicking on the image of the bag of food. pawTree comes in 10.3 lb. bags. To save a little money, you can order in quantity. When you order a Large you will receive 2 bags and save 15%. When you order an XLarge you will receive 3 bags and save 30%.

Gastro Pro Plus

Gastro Pro Plus is a complete combination of probiotics, prebiotics, digestive enzymes and herbs that support proper digestion and bowel health. GI issues are one of the most common reasons people see their vets. Supporting proper digestion and bowel health, Gastro Pro Plus is a natural and complete combination of probiotics, prebiotics, digestive enzymes and soothing herbs that help your dogs and cats maintain a healthy, active lifestyle with good gastrointestinal health. ALL dogs and cats, any size, any breed, can benefit from Gastro Pro Plus to help keep their GI tracts healthy.

Wild Alaskan Salmon  & Pollock Oil

My dogs absolutely love this oil. They get one pump of it every day. I love that it's made from Wild Alaskan Salmon. This oil promotes a strong immune system, healthy skin, coat, joints and more. It's in my order every month!

pawTreats

Natural, wholesome and holistic high protein treats that your Coton will LOVE. pawTreats are made with (human grade freeze-dried raw) real meat and complimentary fruits and vegetables that are considered to be "superfoods" - absolutely no fillers! Learn about the features and benefits of pawTreats by clicking on the image of the treat bag.

pawPairings

Add variety to your dog's food without gastic upset or the need for transitioning with pawPairings. Available in 10 flavors that will keep your dog coming back for more. That little shaker bottle contains a human grade freeze-dried raw meat source and is packed with 4 lbs. of fruits and veggies! A little goes a long way. Learn about the features and benefits of pawPairings by clicking on the image of the pawPairings shaker bottle.