Coton de Tulear earned its name from its unique, cotton-like hair, and for a port city in Madagascar, Tulear. Its dry, wind-tossed coat is probably the easiest to maintain of any long-haired breed, but it still requires regular grooming. The hair is about four-to-six inches long, dries quickly when wet, and requires relatively little brushing. It sheds very little, and rarely bothers people who suffer from chronic allergies. The coat should NOT be shiny, nor should it touch the ground from the chest or abdominal region.

There are three handsome color varieties: White (often with champagne color patches); Black-and-white; and Tri-color. A Tri-color adult is mostly white with champagne patches and a faint, irregular "dusting" of black hairs.

Probably the most outstanding characteristic of the Coton de Tulear is its behavior. The Coton is a "companion dog," bred for the pure delight of its intelligent, loving attention to its human family. It is very intelligent, and studies its human family with great care. The Coton is an alert, lively companion, but it is slow to anger. Most Cotons bark seldom, although some will act as alarm clocks and guard dogs. A Coton usually snuggles in the lap or rests close-by like a small, elegant, mohair rug.