Why a Coton de Tulear?

Words that come to mind to describe the Coton De Tulear dog:

Happy, Sturdy, Hardy, Active, Game, Portable, Friendly, Charming, Non Aggressive, Devoted, Clownish, Adaptable, People oriented, Hypo-Allergenic, Beautiful, Fun, Laid Back, Mischievous, Determined, Trainable, Easy going, Outgoing, Good-natured, Non-shedding

When is a Coton a good choice? If:

• you are looking for a dog that is good natured, happy, loves people, children and other animals.
• you have allergies to dogs and/or don't want a dog that sheds.
• you are a first time dog owner and are looking for a breed that is not as challenging to raise, train and manage.
• you are active, travel, boat, camp, cottage and are looking for a dog that is game for adventure, adaptable to various situations and does not take up a lot of space.
• you want a dog that is still willing to go for a walk even if it is in the rain or the snow.
• you are looking for a dog to compete in agility, obedience, flyball or other dog sports or perhaps to use for pet therapy.
• you are looking for a breed that becomes very attached to its family, but is not a one person dog.
• you want a dog that can adjusts well to the hustle and bustle of a busy household, children and visitors.
• you want to attract a lot of attention at the park and on the streets and don't mind explaining, many times over, what breed of dog you are walking.

When is a Coton not a good choice? If:

• you are looking for a guard dog - although they are keen and will alert you to strangers, they are naturally suspect.
• you prefer a dog that is more independent and standoffish - although they are not generally needy, the Coton is more the type of dog that wants to come in the bathroom too.
• you are considering a dog that is to be kept in a kennel or any situation where they are not in the house and part of the family - Coton's thrive on human companionship and do not make a good candidate for kennel situations.
• you are planning to leave the dog for long periods of time - again, the Coton thrives on companionship and does not do well to be left for extended periods of time. In fact, most dogs do not do well in those circumstances. If your lifestyle is such that you rush out the door in the morning, do not necessarily come straight home from work, are often out in the evenings and during weekends, consider getting a cat.
• you are not interested in dealing with a heavily coated dog, either by combing the coat out yourself or paying to have the dog professionally groomed and clipped in a puppy cut on a regular basis, consider a different breed. As much as the Coton's coat is something to be managed, the upside is that it does not shed.

The small dog

Many people do not want a small dog, just because they are small. I perhaps felt that way to some extent myself at some point. But, it is only people that think small dogs are small, the small dog does not regard him/herself as small! I once had a Yorkshire Terrier that was just a much dog as a male St. Bernard. The biggest difference between them was the 120 lbs and the size of the bag you needed to carry while out on a walk.