What are the opening hours?

Monday 7:30am - 9am 3:30pm - 5:30pm Tuesday 7:30am - 9am 3:30pm - 5:30pm Wednesday 7:30am - 9am 3:30pm - 5:30pm Thursday 7:30am - 9am 3:30pm - 5:30pm Friday 7:30am - 9am 3:30pm - 5:30pm Saturday 7:30am - 9am 3:30pm - 5:30pm Sunday 7:30am - 9am 3:30pm - 5:30pm

Cotten's Sunset Kennels

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United States
Ludington, MI
Cotten's Sunset Kennels

Cotten's Sunset Kennel's offers safe, trustworthy and fun dog and cat boarding, allowing their owner

Proof of the following vaccinations required to board your dog/s with us: Rabies, DHLP-PV, Bordatella, and Canine Influenza

Cats are required to have proof of vaccination for: Rabies, Distemper

11/23/2025

I may be tiny but I’m certainly not timid! I’m just the smallest of the litter and so far I haven’t found my furever home! If you are looking for a smaller Coton then I’m your guy!

11/19/2025

WEDNESDAY WISDOM:
The Joys of Owning A Small Business

A dear friend recommended that I write an article about the trials and tribulations of owning a small business. For a week I have gone back and forth on whether or not I should take her advice. By writing this article I'm hoping that it helps educate people on how their actions can impact a small business. And hopefully it will help other small businesses in our area by making people more aware of how their actions can impact these businesses.

Owning a small business is not easy; especially if you are a business that relies on you to work 365 days a year. Yes, we are working at our business 365 days a year to take very good care of your dogs and cats. We don't get a day off. We can't decide to call in sick when we aren't feeling well. Those animals depend on us and we are committed to taking very good care of them.

So when someone makes a reservation to board their dog/s with us we expect that they will show up. And if their plans change we expect that they call or text or even email us to let us know. Sadly that is not always the case. To put it bluntly, they simply no show. And when we call or text them they ghost us.

Why is this an issue? Because it costs all of us money. If we are turning people away because we think our kennel is full it costs us money when you don't let us know you need to cancel. In order for us to stay in business we may need to increase our rates, which gets passed on to our good and loyal clients. We try not to do that, and I am sure that other small businesses feel the same way. But businesses can't operate in the negative.

The same goes for our dog training. If you sign up to attend our Basic Obedience Class we expect you to show up for it. We typically have a waiting list of people wanting to get their dogs into our classes. You have reserved a spot that someone else is waiting for. Just this month we had three clients not show up for dog training. We didn't take a deposit from them because we thought they were loyal clients as they had boarded their dog with us in the past.

In all honesty, we would prefer to never have to take a deposit. It's more work for us. It takes time away from us concentrating on taking care of your pet. Sadly our world has become far too self-centered and not caring of how their actions can impact a business. We need to go back to being able to put ourself in someone else's shoes and see how we might feel if roles were reversed. Or we simply just need to DO THE RIGHT THING! If you committed to something and plans change just call and let us know!

We really don't want to become like the hotel business where you need to reserve a spot using your credit card. We started this business because there was a high need in our area for a dependable place to board your dogs and cats. And from that we stumbled on to a very high need for dog training. For years people were asking us to help train their dogs. We started doing just that in our backyard but we couldn't keep up with the demand. That's when our group lessons were developed.

In addition to the dog/cat boarding and dog training many of you also know that we breed Coton de Tulear puppies. The number of hours we have spent taking photos and videos to send to prospective buyers is crazy. But we are happy to do that to find the best homes for our puppies. We love the puppies and are committed to finding them forever and loving homes. But I can't even begin to tell you how many potential buyers have ghosted us. They take the time to fill out the application and ask for photos/videos and more information and then once it's been sent we can see that they never go back to even view it! So people complain about the costs of pure bred dogs and I can assure you that some of those costs are due to this bad behavior. Time is money for all businesses. Raising a litter of puppies is expensive. I don't believe most people even understand how much money is invested into breeding quality dogs. That's an article on all its own!

So my article today is simply to ask everyone to please think about how your actions can impact a small business. We aren't making a lot of money boarding and training animals. We do this because we love animals and we feel there is a need in our community to provide this service. We put a TON of hours into it, 365 days a year! Please think about other businesses in our area that offer a service and how your actions may impact them as well. With the holidays right around the corner for many of us it's the busiest time of the year.

Tonight is already week three of our Basic Obedience Training. Last week we were very excited to see how much progress has been made with each dog and how excited their dogs were to learn new commands. Dogs love to learn new things! We are looking forward to training tonight to build on what has been taught so far.

And just a reminder that if you are traveling over the holidays and need to board your dog or cat be sure and call and get that reservation made. We are always full during this time. And if plans change call or text and let us know! We appreciate it. Next week we will get back to writing an article more focused on dog training! If you made it this far thanks for reading!

11/16/2025

This is the best money I have ever spent at Aldi’s! Boots, blankets and pillow all from there. Puppies sold separately! 😂🐶😍

11/12/2025

WEDNESDAY WISDOM:
Why Do We Breed Coton de Tulear Puppies?

As many of you know, we are a very small breeder of Coton de Tulear puppies. We own two females and a male and we have two litters of puppies a year. In breeding terms, we are very small. Our dogs are our pets and live indoors with us. All puppies are whelped right in our home so they get a ton of interaction with us and our guests.

So how did we get into breeding Cotons? The answer is quite simple - after years of John training dogs for people we realized that most people aren't aware of the Coton de Tulear breed and how outstanding it truly is. We feel that the Coton is the perfect family pet. While they may be a smaller dog, they are very hardy and athletic. Too many times we have had dogs come to us for training that aren't really a good fit as a family pet. Don't get us wrong, we love all dogs. But when getting a puppy we hope people really put some thought into what is the right breed for them and their lifestyle.

Never heard of the Coton before? Most people haven't. The Coton de Tulear comes from Madagascar, being known as the Royal Dog of Madagascar, thus being their national dog. It is believed that ancestors of the Coton’s were brought to Madagasar in the 16th and 17th centuries on pirate ships. Madagascar was a haven for pirates. It is unknown if the dogs were brought along to control rats on the ships or if they were companion dogs for the long voyages or if they were confiscated from other ships as b***y. Tulear is a port that is also known today as Toliara. The Coton de Tulear was only allowed to be owned by royalty on Madagascar. No one else was allowed to own one until Dr. Robert Jay Russell discovered the breed in 1973. That is when he coined the dog as the Royal Dog of Madagascar and brought the first dogs to America. They had also been imported into France occasionally by French colonists. However they were not officially imported into Europe until the 1970’s as well. The American Kennel Club first added the Coton de Tulear as a Foundation Stock Service dog in 1996. They did not become a fully recognized breed until July 1, 2014. The AKC Parent Club is the America Coton de Tulear Club.

The name of the Coton de Tulear comes from it’s coat, which is very soft and feels much like a ball of cotton. However, the coat is very supple and dense. It is never rough but can be slightly wavy. The long showy coat on these dogs is hypoallergenic, which is great for anyone with allergies. Daily grooming is recommended to keep Cotons looking good. They are considered to have a “dry” coat, meaning no danger and no odor.

Coton de Tulear coat color is white. There can be a few slight shadings of light tan or grey on their ears. These shadings are tolerated but are not desirable. On the body light tan shadings are permitted on only 5 percent of the body on an adult Coton, over 12 months of age. The light tan shadings can be in one area or scattered throughout the coat. The breed standard is that these color variations would never be so intense in color to alter the overall appearance of a white coat. Any coloring on the ears is not considered when applying the excess of 5 percent color to the body as a serious fault. Many puppies are born with spots but these will fade as the pup matures due to a unique gene of the Coton. The eyes, lips and nose should be black. The AKC does not recognize dogs with black coloring in them; although you will find some breeders breeding this into the Coton. My guess is that somewhere in their bloodlines they have bred in a Havanese.

And the biggest reason why we decided to start breeding this wonderful dogs is their personality! The Coton de Tulear is known for their happy and entertaining personality. They truly love being a lap dog. They are also known as the clown of the dog world. These bright, happy-go-lucky companion dogs are small but very sturdy. They love to clown around and also follow their human around the house. They love people and get along with almost anyone, including kids and other dogs, as well as cats. While they have a lively and playful temperament they do not tend to bark a lot. They are certainly an eager-to-please breed who loves affection and attention. The Coton excels at sports and as a therapy dog. They are very trainable. And this is why we choose this breed. They don't have any aggressive behaviors, they love to make their humans happy and they are not a sporting dog; meaning they don't need a ton of exercise to keep them happy and inline. And the best part -- most people don't own one!

If you have any questions about the Coton be sure and let us know. We would love to help more people understand the breed and why we feel it's the perfect family dog.

Tonight is week two of our Basic Obedience Training. We are looking forward to seeing the progress that both the handlers and dogs have made this last week. We are currently taking reservations for our December class.

And with Thanksgiving right around the corner, we may have a few openings left at our boarding facility but those will fill up quickly if they haven't already. So if you are traveling or need to board your dog give us a call at 231-845-0550.

*Photos of puppies we currently have or have bred in the past

11/11/2025

Happy Veteran’s Day to this guy, John Cotten. And to all those who have served and sacrificed for our country. Did you know we offer a discount to all veterans, active military, law enforcement and emergency medical personnel?

11/09/2025

The look of “I’m super cute and I know it!” It’s fun to watch their personalities come out as they grow. Coton de Tulear puppies!

11/05/2025

WEDNESDAY WISDOM:
All About That Sense Of Smell From Puppy to Old Age

As most of you know, we have Coton de Tulear puppies right now. It is always so interesting and rewarding to watch them develop over the weeks. But what is truly amazing is watching them be able to find their mommas since they are born both blind and deaf until about week two of their lives.

Did you know that as soon as a puppy is born they are able to start using their noses to find their mother's milk. While they are born blind, and unable to walk, their incredible noses start out as sophisticated radar systems designed to locate their mom

Puppies rely on their sense of smell to locate their mom and start nursing. From there, their sense of smell only gets better. Puppies are naturally curious and love to explore the world around them. They use their nose to sniff out new smells, both good and bad. This is also the time when puppies are known for putting everything in their mouths and this includes things they've sniffed out with their nose. Our litter of puppies is just starting to get their teeth so just about anything goes into their mouths, especially human fingers!

As puppies grow into adolescence, their sense of smell becomes even more powerful. This is because their nose is developing more receptors, which allows them to detect even the slightest scents. Adolescent dogs are known for being more adventurous, and their nose is a key tool in their exploration. They are also more likely to get into trouble, as their sense of smell leads them to things that we would prefer they ignored. It’s incredible that our young dogs seem able to focus on the only the worst of the worst of poo that might be found on our acreage.

By the time a dog reaches adulthood, their sense of smell is truly incredible! They are able to detect scents that are beyond human comprehension, making them valuable assets in many fields such as search and rescue, law enforcement, and even medical diagnosis. They can use their nose to detect changes in a person's body odor that can indicate a medical condition, such as cancer or diabetes. The accuracy of our medically trained dogs never fails to amaze me. And I am sure that as time goes on more dogs will be trained to detect additional medical conditions.

As dogs age, their sense of smell can start to decline. This is because their nose is no longer able to regenerate cells as quickly, which can lead to a loss of receptors. This can make it more difficult for them to detect certain scents, and they may become less interested in using their nose to explore. However, even in old age, a dog's nose is still far superior to ours. They are still able to detect scents that are undetectable to us, so while everything else might be slowing down for the older dog, it is important to recognize that they will still enjoy a slow, leisurely sniffy walk, and will be able to appreciate the scents around them in a way we can only imagine.

Tonight we begin the first week of our November Basic Obedience Classes. We are looking forward to meeting all two-legged and four-legged clients. And those noses will be going all night as the dogs explore a new facility and new humans and other dogs.

Just a quick reminder that if you are traveling over the holidays and need to board your dog/cat be sure to make a reservation. It's a very busy time of the year for us so we want to be sure and accommodate as many dogs as necessary.

And if you know of anyone thinking about a new puppy be sure and keep us in mind. We still have some availability with our Coton litter.

10/31/2025

Happy Halloween from our litter of Coton de Tulear puppies! We hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween!

10/28/2025

“Please pick me up, please pick me up!”
Coton de Tulear puppies are so precious!

10/12/2025

Our litter of Coton de Tulear puppies are growing like crazy! And they are starting to move around on all fours! These puppies are very chill, just like their momma Autumn!

10/08/2025

WEDNESDAY WISDOM:
Green Eggs And Ham

Remember the Dr Seuss book Green Eggs and Ham? It's about a defiance of norms—in this case, the persistence of Sam-I-am after his offer of green eggs and ham is rejected. Well, I somewhat had a Green Eggs and Ham moment on Monday afternoon.

It all started when John and I were scrambling to get our house looking like no one lives here; for those who don't know we have our house on the market. And every time there is a showing we have to try and make it look like no one actually lives in our home. Don't get me started on that. It's been a long summer of house showings.

Anyway, as I was cleaning I could see that our dog Maddie looked like she may be going into labor. She actually wasn't due for a few days but out of caution I put her in the whelping box and talked calmly to her, telling her if she was going to be having puppies she better get the show on the road as people were coming to look at the house!

When she pushed out the first puppy I noticed an odd tinge to it but got it dried off and back to momma quickly, making sure all was good with it. First puppy was a boy. Second puppy came out and I for sure noticed a GREEN tinge to this female puppy! And of course that's when my heart rate went up and I started to wonder if there might be something wrong with these puppies. But she quickly followed with the third puppy, which was certainly GREEN!

A quick Google search told me something I did not know. Puppies can be born GREEN! It's a rare phenomenon where light-colored puppies are stained by biliverdin, a green pigment found in bile and the placenta. The same pigment is responsible for the green color of healing bruises. This condition is temporary, and the puppy's fur will typically lose its green tint and fade over time.

When my heart rate settled back down and Maddie popped out the fourth puppy, which was the most green of them all, I was fascinated by this! I had no idea that puppies can be born green. And because the house showing was coming up quickly I was very busy wiping off as much of the green color as I could! I now wish I had left more of it on the puppies and taken more photos! But I was worried what people would think if they saw green puppies!

Anyway, it's been over 24 hours and all puppies and momma are doing great! They have all gained weight and are starting to look more like normal color puppies. She had four puppies; two females and two males. If you aren't familiar with the breed Coton de Tulear look them up. They are a fun and family perfect dog to own!

We are getting a ton of training requests lately so it sounds like we will be back to doing Basic Obedience Training in November. If you have a dog that could use some training or even some time being around other dogs/humans give us a call at 231-845-0550. And now that October is here don't forget to make your boarding requests for the holidays! We fill up quickly!

Address

2750 N. Stiles Road
Ludington, MI

Opening Hours

Monday	7:30am - 9am
	3:30pm - 5:30pm
Tuesday	7:30am - 9am
	3:30pm - 5:30pm
Wednesday	7:30am - 9am
	3:30pm - 5:30pm
Thursday	7:30am - 9am
	3:30pm - 5:30pm
Friday	7:30am - 9am
	3:30pm - 5:30pm
Saturday	7:30am - 9am
	3:30pm - 5:30pm
Sunday	7:30am - 9am
	3:30pm - 5:30pm

Website

https://www.sunset-kennels.com/

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