Papillon Dog - Interesting Facts and Helpful Information For Pet Owners | by Pets Planet...

Papillon or the Continental Spaniel Dog, as it is alternately called, is one of the oldest toy spaniel breeds, highly famed for its cute and cuddly appearance. The large, wing-like ears of these adorable dogs, earn them the name Papillon, which in French means butterfly. Besides their pleasing outlook and disposition, these are agile dogs, excelling in dog sports and also serving as faithful companions.

Overview

GROUP: Toy

HEIGHT: 8 to 11 inches

WEIGHT: 6 to 10 pounds

COAT AND COLOR: Papillons are white with markings and a mask of color—usually red, sable, black or lemon. They have a straight, long, single-layer coat with frills.

LIFE EXPECTANCY: 14 to 16 years

History

The Papillon originated in France, where it was named for its signature ears. Papillon means butterfly in French. However, not all of them have erect ears: The drop-eared variety is known as the phalene (moth). The breed was once known as a dwarf spaniel and may date back as far as the thirteenth century. Papillons gained popularity in Spain and Italy over time, where they were often depicted in classic paintings. Those were the drop-eared variety; papillons with erect ears didn't appear until the late 1800s. Famous owners include King Louis XIV of France and Marie Antoinette. Papillons were brought to the U.S. during the late 19th century. The breed was first recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1915 and fully represented by their own breed club in 1935. A papillon named Loteki Supernatural Being (Kirby) won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show in 1999. He also won the World Dog Show and the Royal Invitational in Canada.

Temperament

Papillon are lively, friendly, and entertaining little dogs with energy to spare. They're clever and enjoy showing off for anyone in the room. Papillon are intelligent, quick to learn, and eager to perform. They aren't often shy. They may present what is referred to as "small dog syndrome," a combination of dominant behaviors that would be discouraged in a larger dog but are often overlooked in small-breed dogs. Without appropriate correction, these behaviors can lead to undesirable jumping, barking, growling, destructiveness, shyness, or aggression.

Care

Though they do well indoors, these active breeds still need a sufficient amount of exercise to stay healthy and happy. Besides brisk walks, you can also arrange for sufficient playtime in a leashed yard. When at home, arrange for a ball or other retrieving games, in which they interact enthusiastically. Since they are intelligent and have a high level of activity, they are often recommended to be participating in dog sports like rally obedience and dog agility.

Grooming

Papillons have a single coat that consists of long, silky and straight hair with lots of featherings around their ears which adds to their overall charming appeal. However, when it comes to keeping their coats looking tidy it involves quite a bit of work, making the Papillon high maintenance on the grooming front. Their coats need brushing every day to keep it tangle-free and to prevent any knots or matts from forming. A Pap's coat also needs to be professionally groomed and trimmed twice a year which makes it easier to manage things in between visits to a grooming parlour. These little dogs shed all year round, but it's worth noting that females moult when their season has finished and males only shed more than usual once a year when more frequent brushing would be necessary to keep on top of things. It's also worth noting that puppies tend to go through an "ugly" stage when they are around 14 weeks old when their coats look very raggedy.

It's only when a Pap is 5 months old that their adult coats grow through. However, the feathering around their ears only really grows to its full length when a Pap is 3 years old. Their nails should be checked regularly too because if these little dogs don't get to go out as much as they should to wear them down, their nails need to be trimmed paying attention to their dewclaws if a dog has them. It's also important to check a dog's ears on a regular basis and to clean them when necessary. If too much wax builds up in a dog's ears, it can lead to a painful infection which can be hard to clear up. In short, prevention is often easier than cure when it comes to ear infections.

Living With

The papillon is a delightful, easy-to-care-for companion. These dogs need relatively little exercise, although they do enjoy running around. Being small, they require less food than larger dogs. They have no doggy odor. Papillons adapt as well to a city apartment as to a country estate. They also travel well and, because their crates or carriers usually fit under airplane seats, they can travel by air without the risk of being stuck in the cargo hold. As is the case with other small dogs, papillons often appear to have stepped into a fountain of youth until close to the end of their relatively long lives. The average papillon’s life span is 12 to 15 years.

Feeding

If you get a Papillon puppy from a breeder, they would give you a feeding schedule and it's important to stick to the same routine, feeding the same puppy food to avoid any tummy upsets. You can change a puppy's diet, but this needs to be done very gradually always making sure they don't develop any digestive upsets and if they do, it's best to put them back on their original diet and to discuss things with the vet before attempting to change it again.

Older dogs are not known to be fussy or finicky eaters, but this does not mean you can feed them a lower quality diet. It's best to feed a mature Papillon twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening, making sure it's good quality food that meets all their nutritional requirements. It's also important that dogs be given the right amount of exercise so they burn off any excess calories or they might gain too much weight which can lead to all sorts of health issues. Obesity can shorten a dog's life by several years so it's important to keep an eye on their waistline from the word go.

Interesting Facts

• The word papillon means ‘butterfly’, so it’s no wonder where the breed inherits their name from. One look at the breed’s fringed upright ears and you can easily see their resemblance to a butterfly’s outspread wings. In addition to their unique ears, they have a long flowing coat which adds to their elegance and grace.
• The last Queen of France before the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette was a huge dog admirer and she had a lot of different canines at her palace, but the one she loved the most was a Papillon named Coco. It is believed that when Queen Marie was about to be beheaded, she was clutching Coco as she didn’t want to lose her favorite pet. Coco went on to live a pretty long life as she was able to survive the French Revolution. She died at the age of 22.
• Papillons found work as “ratters” or pest control dogs. These adorable pups couldn’t kill the rat directly like stronger or bigger breeds, so they would simple annoy their prey to the point of exhaustion. Only then would they go in for the kill.
• Papillons are loveable, outgoing and energetic. They are fluffy little love bugs and can be just as happy sitting on your lap as they are energetically running around. Papillons are inquisitive and love being around people. Known for giving love and kisses all around, papillons have no problem protecting their companions with their big-dog attitude.
• There are two distinct ear shapes for Papillons: erect ear and drop ear. The drop ear version remains popular in France under the name “phalène.” They remain eligible for competition under the Papillon banner regardless of their ear shape.
• Papillons are very low maintenance dogs. Their hair, if combed once or twice a week isn’t prone to matting. Because of their size, they require less food than larger dogs, and the best part is they have no lingering doggy odor.

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Source

https://www.thesprucepets.com/breed-profile-papillon-1117984

https://www.orvis.com/papillon

https://www.pets4homes.co.uk/dog-breeds/papillon/