Step one: search at Coton height, indoors and out
Search at floor level first when a Coton de Tulear goes missing, because a dog this small can be inside the house while everyone assumes he is outside. Look under beds, behind sofas, inside wardrobes left ajar, under kitchen units, and in the warm spaces behind appliances, using a torch and calling softly. Cotons bond tightly to their people and a frightened one often wedges into the smallest dark gap and freezes silently. Outdoors, repeat the same low search under decking, sheds, cars, and dense shrubs before anyone walks the street.
Step two: set a scent anchor at the exact door he used
Set his anchor at the exact exit a missing Coton de Tulear used, because a disoriented small dog navigates home by smell more than by sight. Place his bed or blanket, a piece of your worn clothing, and a small dish of strong-smelling food and water just inside the open door or gate, and keep that opening watched so he can slip back without facing a closed barrier. Keep the house calm and normally lit rather than full of calling strangers, and have one familiar person sit quietly near the anchor reading or talking softly, since a Coton is far more likely to approach a settled owner than a searching crowd.
Step three: expand the search slowly and quietly
Expand the search gently when a Coton de Tulear has not appeared close to home. Walk the immediate streets and gardens slowly, crouching to peer under every hedge, parked car, and porch, and ask each neighbour to check their own sheds, garages, and greenhouses while you wait, because small dogs get shut in silently during a single afternoon of gardening. Carry treats, his favourite squeaky toy used sparingly, and a photograph, and brief helpers to crouch and let him approach rather than reaching over him, which looms huge from his height. Avoid large noisy search parties and other dogs rushing up to greet him, both of which push a timid Coton further into hiding.
Step four: report him with details that separate him from lookalikes
Report a missing Coton de Tulear the same day with details that distinguish one white fluffy dog from another. Phone the microchip registry to flag him missing and confirm your number, then local shelters, rescues, and veterinary practices, describing his size, coat length and condition, any clipped style he currently wears, collar colour, and distinguishing marks under the coat such as pigmented patches. Share a recent photograph that shows his current haircut rather than a show-style full coat if he is trimmed short, since a finder will describe the dog in front of them. Post in neighbourhood groups with the street and time, and ask people to check before assuming a sighting of any small white dog is definitely yours.
Step five: think like a sheltered dog as hours pass
Think about shelter and warmth if your Coton de Tulear is still missing into the evening, because a small companion breed feels cold, rain, and hunger quickly and will seek covered, dry spots. Recheck under vehicles, inside open outbuildings, behind bins, and in any covered side passage near home at dusk, refresh the food at his anchor, and leave a low light on beside it. Log every sighting with time and place, follow up the most recent first, and re-call practices and shelters the next morning with the same clear description. If he is unwell, injured, or the weather turns severe, widen the alert urgently and ask helpers to prioritise covered hiding places. For that wider, careful neighbourhood effort, KinsLe via its Lost Pet Alert System tells nearby pet lovers he is missing, and whoever lifts him gently from under a hedge can message you in seconds.