Papillon Dog Breed

Please consider adopting a dog, cat or any other animal from one of the hundreds of rescue and humane societies available.  I know you will find your pet and give it a second chance at life in a happy home. They give back so much more than they need or take. I mention only 2 of the trusted sites for your convenience. Please search your local shelters as part of your smart research in pet adoption. “RED” stands for rescue every dog and can be found by clicking:  http://www.rescueeverydog.org   another trusted site is:  http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com My special thanks to wikipedia, The American Kennel Club and http://www.dogbreedinfo.comfor assisting me in show casing the  Papillon Dog Breed.

Riley, Papillon Dog photo is courtesy wikipedia

Papillon Dog breed originated in France.  Known by such names as:  Pap, Phalene, Continental Toy Spaniel, Epangneul Nain Continental, Butterfly dog and  Squirrel Dog.  This  is one of the oldest Toy Spaniel type dog breeds dating back 700 years.

Weight ranges from 7 to 16 pounds with a height of 8 to 11 inches tall.

Colors of the Papillon dog are abundant, while every one of these are not accepted in the conformation ring by The American Kennel Club. You will see White and black, white and lemon, white and liver, white with silver, white, red, white and red, black , white black and tan, sable, red white and sable, brown and white,  fawn and white.

Two variations of Papillons are comprised of the erect and dropped ears.

In spite of the dainty looking body, this breed is athletic, sturdy and quite capable of lengthy long walks since they are built for ease of movement. They excel in dog agility, obstacle and tunnel commands, jumping, springing and expert turning  and speed abilities in the show ring.  At times outperforming competitors in tasks, they are full of ambition and sincerity to conquer their pet owner commands.  Their awards have also included lap dog sweepstakes since they take that very seriously.  They are extremely obedient dogs so therefore need gentle, sensitive handling during training and lessons being taught by pet owners even if the show ring is not in the future goals.

Agility Papillon performer photo courtesy wikipedia

Look at the enthusiasm, drive and lift of this adult Papillon.

Physical characteristics of the Papillon dog are remarkable at first glance. The most noticeable large, butterfly like ears  immediately catch your attention with the fringe-like silky fur that flow all along the entire surface draping down to the neck.  There is a definite, fringe on the chest area.   The eye lids, nose  and lips are black while the paw pads might be pink or black. Tails are long with lots of fringe creating a plume-like look while they carry the tail over the back. Heads are barely rounded with a tapering of the snout forming a fox like view from the side and front. Round, dark colored eyes create an expressive look while they gracefully step.

Temperament of the Papillons have an inbred companionship and guard dog trait built in to every small, elegant package.  Friendly and always wanting to please the pet owner, this dog is highly energetic and intelligent wanting to accomplish tricks by body language commands from trainers. Easily trained, when offered socialization, they intermingle well with children of all ages and other pets too when proper teaching of the pup is initiated early.  Papillons are Playful, amusing, cuddling, lively, calm and  trustworthy.

Grooming is easy for this breed, not needing excessive attention other than daily brushing. This could possibly be why so many celebrities own Papillons and take their companions along with them whenever they travel.  The Papillon Dog is an average shedding dog. Some nail clipping and teeth cleaning will maintain wellness for your pet.

Lifespans tend to be as long as 16 years.