Breed Comparison: Coton de Tulear Versus Curly-Coated Retriever

Coton de Tulear versus Curly-Coated Retriever

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Coton de Tulear Versus Curly-Coated Retriever: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever? Well, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will provide you a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever better suits you.

We will provide you a detailed discussion and comparison of dog attributes such as intelligence, price, general health, friendliness, etc, for both the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever is better suited for new dog owners, for owners with kids, for owners that live in apartments, for owners with dog allergies, etc.

Importantly, we did some analysis and calculation and we obtained a number that we call the Better-Pet Score™ for both the Coton de Tulear and for the Curly-Coated Retriever. The dog breed with the higher Better-Pet score is the `better` pet. We hope that these Better-Pet Scores will provide you more insight into deciding which pet to get between the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever.

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the Coton de Tulear or the Curly-Coated Retriever

Coton de Tulear versus Curly-Coated Retriever: Overview

A very important difference between the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Coton de Tulear is a tiny-sized dog while the Curly-Coated Retriever is a medium-sized dog.

Furthermore, the Coton de Tulear belongs to the Companion Dogs group. Companion Dogs were bred to be companions for humans. Their main goal in life is to be with people, and they will be very sad if left to themselves for long hours day after day.

On the other hand, the Curly-Coated Retriever belongs to the Sporting Dogs group. Sporting Dogs were bred to help hunters catch and retrieve feathered game. Some sporting dog breeds such as Retrievers, which were built for swimming, were bred to hunt waterfowl in water. Whereas sporting dog breeds like setters, spaniels, and pointing breeds were bred to hunt quail, pheasant, and other game birds nest on grasslands. Many Sporting Group breeds have thick, water-repellent coats that protect them from harsh hunting conditions.

Coton de Tulear versus Curly-Coated Retriever: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Coton de Tulear to the Curly-Coated Retriever based on different important factors such as Price, Health, Kid-friendliness, etc.

When a dog breed scores higher for a factor than the other dog breed, the box of the breed that scores higher is shaded green and the box of the breed that scores lower is shaded red. When there is no difference between the breeds for a particular factor then the box is shaded gray for both pets. Also, when the factor is not important in picking a pet, or when the factor cannot be compared between two pets, the box for the factor is shaded gray for both pets

Most of the factors in the table for each dog breed are ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. “1” means “worst”, and “5” means “best”.

However, some factors such as “Price”, “Average Lifespan”, etc. cannot be on a scale of 1 to 5, so they are not on a scale of 1 to 5 in the comparison table.

Factor Coton de Tulear Curly-Coated Retriever
Tolerates Being Alone 1/5 3/5
Does NOT Shed 5/5 3/5
Does NOT Drool 5/5 4/5
Low Prey Drive 5/5 1/5
Life Span 14 to 16 years 9 to 12 years
Easy To Groom 2/5 3/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 4/5 3/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 4/5 3/5
Tolerates Cold Weather 3/5 4/5
Tolerates Hot Weather 3/5 4/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 3/5 3/5
Easy To Train 3/5 4/5
Does NOT chew on things 3/5 1/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 3/5 2/5
NOT Rambunctious 3/5 1/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 3/5 2/5
Good For Novice Owners 4/5 3/5
Intelligence 4/5 5/5
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 5/5 1/5
Easygoing 1/5 3/5
Affectionate With Family 5/5 5/5
Kid-Friendly 5/5 5/5
Dog Friendly 5/5 4/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 5/5 3/5
General Health 5/5 2/5
Potential For Playfulness 5/5 5/5
Height 8 to 12 inches tall at the shoulder 1 foot, 11 inches to 2 feet, 3 inches tall at the
Weight 8 to 13 pounds 65 to 100 pounds
Average Lifespan 15.0 years 10.5 years
Average Price $2060 No Data
Price Range $1745 – $2500 No Data
Temperament Score 91.7 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Cardiac Exam
  • Eye Examination
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Cord-1 PRA
  • EIC (Exercise Induced Collapse)
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination
  • GSD IIIa
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds 74 162

    *Data from dogtime.com, OFA.org (The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), petcalculator.com, wikipedia.org, ATTS.org (the American Temperament Test Society)

    Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the Coton de Tulear in the table (that is, `Ease of Grooming` score + `General Health` score + `Calmness` score + …etc) and we compared it to the corresponding total score for the Curly-Coated Retriever. We call these total scores the Better-Pet Scores, as we mentioned earlier. We called this score the Better-Pet score because the better dog breed will have a higher score. This is because the pet will the higher score will have minimal needs and be easier to have as a pet.

    The Better-Pet score for a Coton de Tulear is 94 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for a Curly-Coated Retriever is 77 out of 125.

    Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Coton de Tulear is a better pet than the Curly-Coated Retriever. So, you should get the Coton de Tulear!

    Although we have done our best to analyze these two dog breeds in a very unbiased way, however, we will like to let you know that there are some dog attributes that cannot be assigned a number for comparison. We cannot put a number on how cute a dog breed is, for example. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

    Also, the dog breed that best suits you will depend on your peculiar lifestyle, your taste, and your priorities, which we do not know. So, for you to decide on which breed is right for you, read through the rest of the article to further understand both the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever

    Below is a list of where the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever are most different:

  • Coton de Tulears have a very low prey drive. This means they get along well with other pets. However, Curly-Coated Retrievers have a high prey drive. They do not get along well with other pets.
  • Coton de Tulears adapt well to apartment living. However, Curly-Coated Retrievers do not adapt well to apartment living.
  • Coton de Tulears are very healthy. They do not suffer from a lot of health problems compared to other dog breeds However, Curly-Coated Retrievers have the tendency to develop certain health problems.
  • The Similarities Between the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever

    The Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever are most similar:

  • Both the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever require a lot of grooming and are not very easy to groom.
  • Both the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever are not very vocal. They have very low tendency to bark and howl.
  • Both the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever do the things they do with very low vigor. They are not forceful.
  • Both the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever are good for new dog owners.
  • Both the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever are highly intelligent.
  • Both the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Both the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever get along well with other dogs.
  • Both the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever are very playful.
  • Size (Weight and Height) of Coton de Tulear versus Curly-Coated Retriever

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever.

    Coton de Tulears weigh 8 to 13 pounds when fully grown. Coton de Tulears are 8 to 12 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    On the other hand, Curly-Coated Retrievers weigh 65 to 100 pounds when fully grown. Curly-Coated Retrievers are 1 foot, 11 inches to 2 feet, 3 inches tall at the when fully grown.

    The Popularity of Coton de Tulear versus Popularity of Curly-Coated Retriever

    Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds. The AKC collects this data for purebred dogs only(no mixed or hybrid dogs).

    The graphs and the table below show the popularity of the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Coton de Tulear is more popular with dog owners than the Curly-Coated Retriever. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Coton de Tulear is 74 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Curly-Coated Retriever is 162 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of Coton de Tulear

    Popularity of Coton de Tulear

    Popularity of Curly-Coated Retriever

    Popularity of Curly-Coated Retriever

    Year Coton de Tulear Popularity Rank Curly-Coated Retriever Popularity Rank
    2014 31.0 163
    2015 85.0 151
    2016 80.0 164
    2017 81.0 171
    2018 81.0 162
    2019 81.0 163
    2020 80.0 159
    2013 no data 163

    Health Problems of Coton de Tulear versus Health Problems of Curly-Coated Retriever

    Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it has a tendency to develop. Therefore, there is nothing like a perfect puppy.

    Both the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever are prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is the organization that keeps track of health problems in dogs. Based on the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop. Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening that breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.

    The more health problems a dog breed is prone to develop, the more health tests the OFA will recommend for that dog breed.

    Based on our review of OFA records, we found that the Curly-Coated Retriever is prone to more genetic health problems than the Coton de Tulear.

    This is because the OFA recommends more screening health tests for the Curly-Coated Retriever than for the Coton de Tulear.

    3 health tests are recommended for Coton de Tulear while 7 tests are recommended for the Curly-Coated Retriever.

    Below is a detailed discussion of health problems in Coton de Tulears and in Curly-Coated Retrievers.

    Coton de Tulear Health Problems

    Coton de Tulears are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Coton de Tulear puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Coton de Tulear puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Coton de Tulear breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Coton de Tulears for:

  • Cardiac Exam
  • Eye Examination
  • Patellar Luxation
  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Coton de Tulears here.

    Curly-Coated Retriever Health Problems

    Curly-Coated Retrievers are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Curly-Coated Retriever puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Curly-Coated Retriever puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Curly-Coated Retriever breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Curly-Coated Retrievers for:

  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Cord-1 PRA
  • EIC (Exercise Induced Collapse)
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination
  • GSD IIIa
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Curly-Coated Retrievers here.

    More Discussions on Health Problems in Coton de Tulears and Curly-Coated Retrievers

    Based on our analysis of data from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, of all known genetic health problems in dogs, the health problem that is most commonly seen in the Coton de Tulear Breed is Chondrodysplasia (Cdpa) problems.

    This is because the Coton de Tulear ranks 1 out of 2 dog breeds for Chondrodysplasia (Cdpa) problems. In fact, in a health test conducted on 51 Coton de Tulears, 47 of them had Chondrodysplasia (Cdpa) problems.

    The genetic diseases that were found to commonly occur in Coton de Tulears, and how common these diseases are in Coton de Tulears relative to other dog breeds, are given below:

  • Chondrodysplasia (Cdpa) problems: Rank 1 out of 2 Dog Breeds
  • Chondrodystrophy (Cddy) problems: Rank 2 out of 5 Dog Breeds
  • Patella problems: Rank 36 out of 145 Dog Breeds
  • Thyroid problems: Rank 61 out of 115 Dog Breeds
  • Congenital Cardiac problems: Rank 71 out of 159 Dog Breeds
  • Elbow problems: Rank 103 out of 144 Dog Breeds
  • Hips problems: Rank 121 out of 198 Dog Breeds
  • Eyes problems: Rank 168 out of 182 Dog Breeds
  • Based on our analysis of data from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, of all known genetic health problems in dogs, the health problem that is most commonly seen in the Curly-Coated Retriever Breed is Exercise Induced Collapse problems.

    This is because the Curly-Coated Retriever ranks 1 out of 6 dog breeds for Exercise Induced Collapse problems. In fact, in a health test conducted on 145 Curly-Coated Retrievers, 12 of them had Exercise Induced Collapse problems.

    The genetic diseases that were found to commonly occur in Curly-Coated Retrievers, and how common these diseases are in Curly-Coated Retrievers relative to other dog breeds, are given below:

  • Exercise Induced Collapse problems: Rank 1 out of 6 Dog Breeds
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy problems: Rank 10 out of 32 Dog Breeds
  • Congenital Cardiac problems: Rank 24 out of 159 Dog Breeds
  • Hips problems: Rank 73 out of 198 Dog Breeds
  • Eyes problems: Rank 84 out of 182 Dog Breeds
  • Elbow problems: Rank 136 out of 144 Dog Breeds
  • The table below lists the common health problems in Coton de Tulear and in Curly-Coated Retriever and the rank (prevalence), compared to other dogs, of these health problems in the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever:

    Disease Coton de Tulear Rank Curly-Coated Retriever Rank
    Chondrodysplasia (Cdpa) problems 1 out of 2 dog breeds Not Common
    Chondrodystrophy (Cddy) problems 2 out of 5 dog breeds Not Common
    Patella problems 36 out of 145 dog breeds Not Common
    Thyroid problems 61 out of 115 dog breeds Not Common
    Congenital Cardiac problems 71 out of 159 dog breeds 24 out of 159 dog breeds
    Elbow problems 103 out of 144 dog breeds 136 out of 144 dog breeds
    Hips problems 121 out of 198 dog breeds 73 out of 198 dog breeds
    Eyes problems 168 out of 182 dog breeds 84 out of 182 dog breeds
    Exercise Induced Collapse problems Not Common 1 out of 6 dog breeds
    Progressive Retinal Atrophy problems Not Common 10 out of 32 dog breeds

    *To learn more about each of these diseases, go to OFA.org and search for the disease.

    Again, most of these health problems can be prevented through health screening. Responsible breeders screen male and female dog parents for genetic problems. These breeders will only breed dogs that are free of genetic defects. That way, there is little or no chance that their puppies will grow up to have genetic health problems. Always ask a breeder for the list of health tests the breeder screens their dogs for before buying a puppy from such a breeder.

    Tolerates Being Alone: Coton de Tulear versus Curly-Coated Retriever

    Coton de Tulears do not like to be left alone.

    Curly-Coated Retrievers can be left alone only for a short time.

    Do Coton de Tulears shed more than Curly-Coated Retrievers?

    Coton de Tulears do not shed a lot. They are good for people with dog allergies.

    Curly-Coated Retrievers shed moderately.

    Which one drools more, the Coton de Tulear or the Curly-Coated Retriever

    Coton de Tulears do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Curly-Coated Retrievers do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Does the Coton de Tulear Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Curly-Coated Retriever?

    Coton de Tulears have a very low prey drive. This means they get won`t chase after smaller pets. They tend to get along well with other pets.

    Curly-Coated Retrievers have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Coton de Tulear or the Curly-Coated Retriever?

    Coton de Tulears require a lot of grooming and they are not very easy to groom.

    Curly-Coated Retrievers are moderately easy to groom.

    Do Coton de Tulears Bark and Howl? What about Curly-Coated Retrievers?

    Coton de Tulears are not very vocal. They do not tend to bark and howl.

    Curly-Coated Retrievers bark and howl, but not very much.

    Can Coton de Tulears Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Curly-Coated Retrievers Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Coton de Tulears can moderately tolerate cold weather.

    Curly-Coated Retrievers can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Can Coton de Tulears Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Curly-Coated Retrievers Tolerate Hot Weather?

    Coton de Tulears can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    Curly-Coated Retrievers can tolerate hot weather.

    Is the Coton de Tulear Easier to Train than the Curly-Coated Retriever?

    Coton de Tulears are fairly easy to train.

    Curly-Coated Retrievers are very easy to train.

    Wanderlust Potential: Coton de Tulear vs. Curly-Coated Retriever

    Coton de Tulears have a moderate tendency to wander. This means that they sometimes get distracted by other animals or objects.

    Curly-Coated Retrievers have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Coton de Tulear or the Curly-Coated Retriever?

    Coton de Tulears are very good for new dog owners.

    Curly-Coated Retrievers are OK for new dog owners.

    Is the Coton de Tulear Better for Apartment Owners than the Curly-Coated Retriever?

    Coton de Tulears adapt very well to apartment living.

    Curly-Coated Retrievers do not adapt well to apartment living.

    Are Coton de Tulears good family dogs? What about Curly-Coated Retrievers?

    Coton de Tulears are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Curly-Coated Retrievers are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    How Kid-friendly are Coton de Tulears and Curly-Coated Retrievers?

    Coton de Tulears get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Curly-Coated Retrievers get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Coton de Tulear or the Curly-Coated Retriever?

    Coton de Tulears get along very well with other dogs.

    Curly-Coated Retrievers get along very well with other dogs.

    Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Coton de Tulear

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Coton de Tulear that you can consider on your quest to get the best pet.

    We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds have similar personality and temperament as the Coton de Tulear:

  • Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (78 percent match with Coton de Tulear). Here is our comparison of the Curly-Coated Retriever vs Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
  • Cavachon (78 percent match with Coton de Tulear). Here is our comparison of the Curly-Coated Retriever vs Cavachon.
  • Shichon (78 percent match with Coton de Tulear). Here is our comparison of the Curly-Coated Retriever vs Shichon.
  • Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Curly-Coated Retriever

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Curly-Coated Retriever that you can consider on your quest to get the best pet.

    We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds have similar personality and temperament as the Curly-Coated Retriever:

  • Airedale Terrier (82 percent match with Curly-Coated Retriever). Here is our comparison of the Coton de Tulear vs Airedale Terrier.
  • English Springer Spaniel (79 percent match with Curly-Coated Retriever). Here is our comparison of the Coton de Tulear vs English Springer Spaniel.
  • Irish Setter (82 percent match with Curly-Coated Retriever). Here is our comparison of the Coton de Tulear vs Irish Setter.
  • Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You

    You may also be interested in how the Coton de Tulear and how the Curly-Coated Retriever compares to other breeds. So, see below the comparison of the Coton de Tulear and of the Curly-Coated Retriever to other breeds:

    Coton de Tulear Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Coton de Tulear versus Sussex Spaniel     Coton de Tulear versus Dandie Dinmont Terrier     Coton de Tulear versus German Pinscher     Coton de Tulear versus Rottweiler     Coton de Tulear versus Japanese Spitz     Coton de Tulear versus Saluki     Coton de Tulear versus Treeing Tennessee Brindle     Coton de Tulear versus Bullmastiff     Coton de Tulear versus Carolina Dog     Coton de Tulear versus Whippet     

    Curly-Coated Retriever Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Curly-Coated Retriever versus Goldendoodle     Curly-Coated Retriever versus Beagle     Curly-Coated Retriever versus Glen of Imaal Terrier     Curly-Coated Retriever versus English Toy Spaniel     Curly-Coated Retriever versus Basset Fauve de Bretagne     Curly-Coated Retriever versus Akita     Curly-Coated Retriever versus Bernese Mountain Dog     Curly-Coated Retriever versus Black Russian Terrier     Curly-Coated Retriever versus Sealyham Terrier     Curly-Coated Retriever versus Mudi     

    Conclusion: Coton de Tulear versus Curly-Coated Retriever. Which One is a Better Pet?

    In summary, there is nothing like a better dog breed or a worse dog breed. The important question to ask is which dog breed better matches your interests and lifestyle. We hope our discussion above will help you in deciding which dog breed between the Coton de Tulear and the Curly-Coated Retriever better suits you and your family.