Naming & Placing Dottie's Pups

One of the many fun things about raising a litter of Coton puppies is thinking up preliminary puppy names for them. At Alika Cotons we pick a litter theme, then name all the pups appropriately. This helps us relate to them and helps others relate to them as we take them many places to meet people during their intense socializing process beginning at week 6 (after they receive their first set of vaccinations). It also lets you follow their development on this web site.

Of course a pup's new, forever owner can and sometimes does pick another, permanent official name for their puppy. At the time of delivery (about 10 weeks of age), an owner will tell us their new, chosen name and we make sure that the pup is registered appropriately with the Coton de Tulear Club of America. If you are fortunate enough to be naming a new puppy (of any breed), please remember that dogs generally respond quite positively to names that end in an up-beat, higher tone, such as "Dott-EE" and "Jo-ZEE" and "Har-REE." Names such as "HAR-old" are less easily picked up by a puppy (but Coton pups are smart; they will learn just about any verbal name, including yours).

Dottie's seven puppies had their first set of vaccinations and their first written veterinary examinations at 6 weeks of age; their second set of written exams and vaccinations at ten weeks of age. They began socialization; in car trips and outings their 6th week. We estimate that well over 100-150 people have handled each of them the first weeks alone. But for now, the matter at hand: names and an introduction to their new owners and new forever homes.

We chose the theme of the Pirates of Madagascar for both Dottie's and Sally's litters. We based the names on my research in Madagascar, the CTCA's extensive library of pirate literature and the CTCA series on "The Pirates of Madagascar" in the Coton de Tulear News. By happy coincidence, Disney's fantasy cartoon-like movie about pirates, "Pirates of the Caribbean," was popular at the time.

Dottie's pups take on the names of important places (and tribes) in the history of these settlers. Sally's litter takes on the name of important pirates and their ships. So join us now for a walk through some of the most colorful history of the Coton de Tulear's native home. Heave to! Avast mates! Ahoy!...

Libertalia of Alika Cotons, aka "Libby" as we call her, was the first of Dot's pups born. She is a Tall Black & White Coton de Tulear puppy. She is very engaging and would rather be with people than her fellow pups.

Libby is named after the pirate dream of utopia known as "Libertalia." Long before the concept of freedom from slavery and a voting democracy flourished in North America, the pirates actually established such rule aboard their vessels. Indeed, in the Madagascar pirate trade in the Indian Ocean, most pirate vessels were manned by Europeans and ex-slaves--sometimes more than 60% of the crew was black, and all shared equally in the booty and the governance (as well as the vices, of course!). All that remained for the pirates was to settle a place that they could call home, a place where men were governed by a voting consent and were free to live without prejudice. They established such a place in the homeland of our breed, on the Malagasy Saint Mary's Island (Isle Sainte Marie) just a few miles off the east of coast of Madagascar. Many married Malagasy wives and settled on Saint Mary's to form a unique population of "Saint Marians." You can still see the pirate in some of the people to this day!

I took Libby to meet her new forever home on September 5th. Libby now lives happily in New Jersey with the Barbara & Rich Gebbia Family (see above). The Gebbias also own Chippewa of Alika Cotons, who was fittingly born on September 5th of last year (2002). Good natured Chip, with his cute "puppy cut," is in Barbara's arms to the right. If Libby passes her first year mandatory CTCA Health Examinations, the Gebbias may choose to become CTCA Code of Ethics Breeders. We will, of course, help them in every way we possibly can. The Gebbias renamed Libby a new official CTCA name: Brandy of Alika Cotons.

Click on the icon below to continue the tour of Dottie's fabulous little puppy pirates...