The Papillon is a small dog breed with distinctive large, fringed ears that earned it its name, the French word for butterfly. The Papillon is believed to be one of the oldest of the toy breeds. Though known to be reserved with strangers, these dogs can also be protective of a human family member, and are good alarm dogs while still affectionate to those they know. Papillons are very athletic, enjoying running or chasing, but usually enjoy staying indoors.
Appearance
Papillons are white with markings of any color. However, the most distinctive aspect of the Papillon is its large ears, which are well fringed with colored (not white) silky hair. The color covers both eyes and the front and back of the ears to give the proper butterfly look. A white blaze and noseband on the face is preferred.
There are two ear variations of this breed, the completely upright ears of the more common Papillon, and the dropped spaniel-like ears of the Phalène. The AKC considers the Phalène and the Papillon the same breed. Countries whose breed clubs follow the FCI standard consider Papillons and Phalènes two separate breeds.
The Papillon has an abundant, flowing coat, short on the head but with a profuse frill on the chest. The Papillon has no undercoat. The tail is a plume of long hair. The head is slightly rounded between the ears, and the muzzle is fine, tapering, and narrower than the skull with an abrupt stop.
The ideal size varies slightly among different organizations' breed standards, but it generally ranges from 8 inches (20 cm) to 11 inches (28 cm) at the withers.
Temperament
The breed has the connotation of a dainty toy breed, but many owners will claim that they act like big dogs in small dogs' bodies. There are several possible reasons for this. First, the Papillion is hardy; some people find that their Papillon is very capable of handling a good five-mile walk. Some owners believe the reality is that they will resist such an outing if the grass is somewhat damp or if there are two clouds in the sky that might lead to rain, but others have experienced them as very versatile in almost all conditions, although not necessarily with prolonged exposure. Perhaps they seem to be larger dogs because to many people Papillons appear not to be prone to small dog quaking when confronted with new situations. In fact, some Papillon owners believe that their dogs interpret any new event as having been put on for their benefit, and that the dogs do their best to be attentive hosts or hostesses. Another aspect of the Papillon that has led many to believe the "big dog" assertion is this breed's surprising athletic ability. Perhaps people are surprised that in contrast to its staid and stately representation in the Old Master portraits, the Papillon is highly energetic and intelligent (Stanley Coren, in The Intelligence of Dogs, rates the Papillon eighth among all breeds). Provided their genetic structure is sound and they are healthy, Papillons are built for movement, and most do not need any encouragement to apply their energy to athletic activities. In order to make a Papillon coat really shine to its fullest, it should be brushed once or twice a day, and the dog bathed at least every two weeks. As puppies, papillons have silky, medium length fur. They go through an "Ugly Baby stage," in which they lose much of their baby fur and grow in their adult fur. They will love every person in your family, but they will still attach themselves to one particular person, possibly the one that feeds it, also a very good guard dog. Highly recommended for first-time dog owners.