The Coton de Tulear, ‘Royal Dog of Madagascar,’ is a bright, happy-go-lucky companion dog whose favorite activities include clowning, cavorting, and following their special human around the house.

The Coton is small but robustly sturdy. The Coton de Tulear (KO-Tone Dih TOO-Lay-ARE) is a small, immensely charming dog standing between 9 and 11 inches high and weighing anywhere from 8 to 13 pounds. Cotons are known for a profuse white coat that is as soft as cotton (or, as the French say, ‘coton’).