Papillon

THIS WEEK ON MEET THE DOGS WITH DOG GUY DARIN IT’S THE PAPILLON. PAPILLON IS FRENCH FOR BUTTERFLY, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THESE GUYS EARS YOU’LL SEE WHERE THEY GOT THEIR NAME. THE PAPILLON IS A SMALL GRACEFUL DOG, SLIGHTLY LONGER THAN IT IS TALL. AN ADULT IS ABOUT 8 TO 11 INCHES HIGH AND AROUND 5 TO 7 POUNDS. THE COAT IS LONG, SILKY STRAIGHT AND FLOWING, AND COULD USE A BRUSHING AT LEAST TWICE WEEKLY. 

BESIDES THE BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY EARS, THE FRIENDLY TEMPERAMENT AND ALERT EXPRESSIONS ARE HALLMARKS OF THIS BREED. HERE YOU SEE A RED SABLE.

THEY DO COME IN VARIOUS COLORS – WHITE WITH RED SABLE, AND BLACK AND WHITE. THOUGH THE SHADES OF RED AND WHITE CAN DIFFER. THE PAPILLON HAS ITS ROOTS IN THE DWARF SPANIELS THAT WERE POPULAR THROUGHOUT EUROPE FROM AROUND THE 16TH CENTURY. 

THE COURT OF LOUIS THE 14TH OF FRANCE WAS PARTICULARLY FOND OF THESE LITTLE DOGS AND THEY WERE EXTREMELY POPULAR WITH ALL THE NOBILITY. AT ONE TIME THE PAPILLON WAS KNOWN AS THE SQUIRREL SPANIEL BECAUSE OF THE PLUMED TAIL AND THE WAY IT WAS CARRIED OVER THE BACK IN THE SAME WAS AS A SQUIRREL. 

THE EARLY DOGS HAD DROOPING EARS, BUT SOME SPORTED ERECT EARS AND PEOPLE BEGAN TO BREED THEM TO HIGHLIGHT THAT TRAIT. TODAY, BOTH TYPES OF EARS ARE EQUALLY CORRECT, BUT THE ERECT EARED DOGS ARE MORE COMMON, OR AT LEAST MORE WELL KNOWN. IN AMERICA THE DROP EARED PAP IS KNOWN AS THE PHALENE, WHICH IS FRENCH FOR MOTH.

THE PAPILLON HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MORE POPULAR TOY DOGS OVER THE YEARS, FUNCTIONING EQUALLY WELL AS A LOVING PET, BEAUTIFUL SHOW DOG AND AN ADEPT OBEDIENCE AND AGILITY COMPETITOR. IN FACT, DON’T THINK OF THESE GUYS AS LAP DOGS BECAUSE THEY’RE PRETTY ACTIVE AND NEED A LOT OF STIMULATION.  THEY ENJOY A DAILY WALK AS WELL AS CHALLENGING GAMES INDOORS OR OUT. 

IN THE BACKGROUND YOU SEE A JAPANESE CHIN… DON’T WANT TO CONFUSE YOU.. THERE’S THE PAPILLON. 

ONE OF THE MOST OBEDIENT AND RESPONSIVE OF THE TOY BREEDS, THE VIVACIOUS PAPILLON IS ALSO GENTLE, AMIABLE AND PLAYFUL. THE BREED IS FRIENDLY TOWARDS STRANGERS, OTHER DOGS AND PETS, AND THEY’RE VERY GOOD WITH CHILDREN DUE TO THEIR SMALL SIZE, BUT THEY CAN BE INJURED BY ROUGH PLAY SO YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL AND SUPERVISE CHILDREN AROUND SMALL DOGS LIKE THIS. SOME OF THESE DOGS CAN BE A LITTLE TIMID DUE TO THEIR SMALL SIZE.