| Papillon |
Other names: Continental Toy Spaniel
Origin
The Papillon is one of the oldest breeds of dog, with a recorded history in Europe going back nearly 700 years. The breed originally only had dropped years and were called the "epagneul nain" or "dwarf spaniel". Much of the breed's development is known because of its depiction in paintings. This tiny breed is recognizable in 13th through 15th century Italian paintings in the Renaissance period. They were often painted on the laps of French and Spanish noblewomen.
Description
Also called the Continental Toy Spaniel, the Papillon is a small fine-boned little dog. The small head is slightly rounded between the ears with a well defined stop. The muzzle is somewhat short, thin tapering to the nose. The dark, medium sized, round eyes have black rims. The large ears can either be erect or dropped with rounded tips. Papillon with drop ears are called Phalene Papillon (Moth). The hair on the ears is long, and fringed, giving it a butterfly-like look. The teeth meet in a scissors bite. The long tail is set high carried over the body, and covered with long hair. The straight, long, fine, single coat has extra frill on the chest, ears, back of the legs and the tail.
| Size | Toy |
| Colour | Coat colour is white with patches of any color accept for liver. A mask of a color other than white covers both ears and eyes from back to front. |
| Coat Length | Long |
| Weight/Height Range | The average height of Papillons is 25 - 28cms and the weight for dogs is between 4Kg and 5kg and the bitches are 3 to 4Kgs. |
| Ailments | Sometimes prone to problems with the patella in the hind legs, this can sometimes be corrected by surgery. Also fontanel (an opening at the top of the skull similar to a baby human's "soft spot"). It sometimes corrects itself but if it does not, the dog needs to be protected. Some have a difficult time under anesthesia. |
Feeding & Ownership
Papillons cost very little to feed as they are not big eaters, preferring to pick regularly rather than sit down to a set meal.
| Food Cost | Up to $5 |
Personality
The Papillon is a friendly, intelligent dog that is tougher than it looks, and loves outdoor exercise. Do not over-pamper or overprotect these little dogs as they are likely to develop small dog syndrome. Which is a human induced behaviour they can display behaviours such as acting timid, demanding, willfulness and obsessive barking, however puppies should be well-socialised let them meet different people and animals in a positive environment, this way they will be exposure to a variety of situations
| Intelligence | Papillons are very intelligent little dogs, and are easy to train. They are very sensitive for harsh words and should never be trained with a hard approach. |
| Energy | High |
| Suitability for Children | Low |
| Tendency to Bark | Medium |
| Overall Exercise Requirement | Papillon need a daily walk. They will also enjoy a good run and play in a safe open area off lead, such as a large fenced in yard. |
| Suitability as a Guard Dog | Low |
| Ease of Transportation | High |
| Level of Aggression | Medium High |
| Other Animal Compatibility | Medium |
Grooming
Daily combing and brushing of the long, silky, single coat is important and fairly straightforward. These dogs are usually clean and odorless. Bathe or dry shampoo when necessary. Keep the nails clipped and have the teeth cleaned regularly because they tend to accumulate tartar.
| Grooming Requirements | Every Day |
| Amount of Hair Shed | Moderate |
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