PAPILLONS: EARS ABOVE THE REST
Papillon owners quickly get used to the attention that these little dogs attract. At dog shows I am
approached by people who ask if my dog is a long-coated Chihuahua, a Chihuahua or a short-coated Pomeranian. Although some people might say there
is a slight resemblance to either breed, the Canadian Kennel Club breed standard describes the Papillon as "a small, friendly,
elegant toy dog of fine-bone structure; light dainty and lively action; distinguished from other breeds by its beautiful
butterfly-like ears." Most Papillons are between 8 and 11 inches at the shoulder and are predominately white with patches of colour. Their colouring ranges from black to brown to red, and must surround the eyes and cover the ears. Most Papillons have patches of colour, but some are entirely white except for the colour on the head..
A Papillon's coat is silky and of medium length, slightly longer around the ruff and chest. Many breeders call the Papillon coat "wash and wear" because it does not require extensive grooming and does not mat or tangle easily. It does however, require regular baths and combing. The dogs carry their plumed tails over their backs.
But the Papillon's trademark is its ears. Moving constantly to reflect the dog's thoughts and emotions. The ears stand erect, are set at a 45 degree angle on the head and are draped in long fringes, thus creating the image of butterfly wings.
The Papillon is a striking little dog with many good qualities, but the breed's personality is what attracts many people. Papillons are real dogs--big dogs in small packages-- and are not obnoxious little dogs. They are outgoing, friendly and sometimes feisty. Be warned though: Papillons are contagious --you can't own just one!!
A ROYAL HISTORY
The Papillon is one of the oldest breeds of dogs, with a recorded history in Europe going back nearly 700 years. The Papillon was originally called the epagneul nain, or dwarf spaniel, and sported spaniel type drop ears. The dog was later known as the continental toy spaniel, and this tiny breed is recognized in thirteenth through fifteenth century Italian frescoes. It was featured in many painting of the Renaissance period; in fact much of the breed's development is know because of its depiction in paintings.
It was during the Renaissance that the dogs began to be kept solely for the companionship they provided. Of course, few people could afford to keep a dog that didn't earn its own keep; a companion dog was a luxury usually limited to the upper class.
King Louis XIV is probably the most famous owner of the dwarf spaniel, mainly because they were included in most of his family portraits. The portrait "Louis XIV and his Heir" painted by Nicolas de Largilliere included all of Louis' dwarf spaniels.
Madame Pompadour and Marie Antionette also owned dwarf spaniels. According to legend, Marie Antionette even took one of the little dogs to the guillotine with her and just before she was beheaded handed it to her executioner. If poor Marie cared much about her dogs, though, I doubt she would have taken one with her to such an appointment: it would have been torn limb from limb by her enemies.
In fact, it was during Marie Antionette's time--the French Revolution--that the dwarf spaniel's popularity began to drop primarily because it had been so popular with royalty. But the breed survived and its popularity rose again in France, Belgium, and England in the late 1800's and early 1990's.
RECENT DEVELOPMENT
It is unknown where the name Papillon first appeared in print, but in the late 1800's it became acceptable to refer to the erect-eared dog as a Papillon (French for butterfly) because the erect ears resembled the insect's body. The drop-eared type was called "Phalene," or "night-moth."
The Papillon Club was formed in England in 1924. At the time, both the erect-eared and drop-eared breeds were seen, but both were grouped under the name Papillon. The erect-eared carriage eventually became more popular.
The first known Papillons in America were imported by Mrs. William Storr Wells of Massachusetts in 1907. A year later she gave these two dogs to Mrs. de Forest Danielson, who imported several more Papillons. She later bred the dog that was to become the first American champion Papillon. The breed was recognized by the AKC in 1915.
PERSONALITY PLUS
Most breeders would prefer to keep the Papillon's appeal a secret. No breed profits from popularity; indiscriminate breeders taking advantage of popular demand often turn out unhealthy dogs of poor temperament.
The Papillon is classified as a toy dog. Its small size makes it a wonderful city dog, and most will readily take to regular walks on city streets. Not all Papillons make good apartment dogs, however. The dogs have a strong instinct to protect their property and many will bark at nearby noises--not making the distinction between casual noises and those worthy of a real alarm. But with proper training these problems can be minimized.
HEALTH ASPECTS
The Papillon is extremely hardy, but puppies should be closely supervised, because a tumble down a staircase or a jump from a sofa might result in a broken leg. By the time the dog is an adult, though, it is suprisingly resilient.
No matter how resilient, Papillons should always be supervised when playing with larger dogs, even friendly ones because a larger dog can inadvertently hurt of kill a dog the size of a Papillon. Even an aggressive self defence by such a small dog is no match for the response of a large dog.
The Papillon is a healthy breed, living as long as 16 years, but it does have its share of problems. As with many toy breeds, some Papillons have a problem with the patella, or kneecap, on the hind legs (patella luxation or PL). Normally, the patella is attached to ligaments and rides in the groove, but sometimes the patella wobbles in the groove and catches, causing the dog to hop or skip on that hind leg until it resets. Occasionally the patella will completely pop out of the groove, causing the dog pain. A veterinarian can sometimes correct this disorder surgically, but most of the time a dog with a tricky patella learns to live with it. Dogs with patella problems should not be breed.
A condition common to may toy breeds that is sometimes seen in Papillons is called a fontanel: an opening in the top of the skull similar to a human baby's "soft spot." If the opening is less than one-quarter inch wide when the puppy is young, it will probably close with time. If the opening is larger during puppy hood or it you can feel such an opening on an adult dog, it will probably not close naturally. In this case, the dog's head should be protected as
much as possible--a blow to that spot could kill the dog. With proper care, a dog with an open fontanel can live a full life, but again, these dogs should not be bred.
Papillons can also have a difficult time under anaesthesia. There is always a risk involved when using anaesthesia --for a human patient or a canine one--but the Papillon's physiology can complicate things. Most veterinarians know that sight hounds require much less anaesthesia per pound of body weight than most dogs, which is due in part to a difference in bone mass and a lack of body fat. Recent research by veterinarians and Papillon owners has shown that Papillon bones are similar to those of sight hounds: the bones contain more air pockets. With this type of lighter-weight bone, if the Papillon is given an anaesthesia dosage according to weight (as with other breeds), the dosage would be too high. PRA, a disease which causes blindness (usually in the dogs later life often between 7-10 years of age) is also a condition that has been discovered in papillons. It is not that common and no blood test has been developed yet to do genetic testing, however, breeders should have their dogs eyes tested prior to breeding.
IS THIS THE DOG FOR YOU?
The Papillon is not a dog to be chosen simply because you like its looks, no matter how appealing the dog might be. And, although its "wash and wear" coat might be a selling point for some people, that should not be the reason you choose this particular breed. When you decide on a Papillon, you should remember that it was bred to be a companion dog--a dog that would rather be with you than anywhere else in the world. A companion dog is exactly that: a companion. A companion dog that is left alone for long hours is an unhappy dog and may even develop behavioural problems (barking, digging, chewing) out of loneliness and frustration. If you dislike a canine shadow, a Papillon is not for you.
Just because a Papillon is a companion dog doesn't mean it is a coach potato. It's an intelligent little dog, and if you don't provide some mental stimulation, the Papillon will find its own. Because of this attitude and its strong desire to please its human companion, the Papillon is an excellent dog to do things with.
The Papillon is the most popular toy breed in obedience competitions and it's not unusual to hear of a Papillon winning High Scoring Dog in Trial awards. One of the top winning Papillons today is Am/Can Ch. OTCh. Denzel Loteki Top Secret, TDX, Can CDX, TD. "Zipper" has proven that a pretty dog, that can earn breed championships in both the United States and Canada, can also be a successful obedience competitor. Zipper has earned an obedience trial championship and the Canadian companion dog excellent title. The breed can also be a capable tracking dog. In fact, Zipper is the first dog of any toy breed to earn a championship, an obedience trial championship and a tracking dog excellent title.
Papillons can be involved in other dog sports, too. Several Papillons are active in agility, which involves a combination of a jumping course, a playground and an obstacle course. Naturally, the tiny dogs cannot jump high, but with the jumps set low, they seem to fly over many of the obstacles. As evidence by Zipper, Papillons are good tracking dogs, and many have earned the AKC Tracking Dog and Tracking Dog Excellent titles. Many Papillons are also natural retrievers and retrieve balls, toys and miniature 4 inch Frisbees. Papillons have been taught to pull tiny carts, often with another Papillon riding inside. They can also make excellent therapy dogs to take to hospitals, nursing homes and convalescent homes.
One of the drawbacks to doing things with Papillons is that these tiny dogs don't realize that with their size comes limitations. Some will attempt to go over jumps that are much to high or want to pull a wagon that is much too heavy. Sometimes their desire to please is just to strong. Nevertheless, if you like dog activities and you enjoy a dog's companionship, a Papillon might be the dog for you.
WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE A PAPILLON
If you like to play rough-and-tumble games with your dog, don't get a Papillon. If you
are looking for a guard dog, don't get a Papillon. If you want to do protection training,
schutzhund training or field training, don't get a Papillon. If you want a backyard dog, don't get a Papillon. If you want to make money breeding dogs, don't get a Papillon.
These type of dog owners usually steer clear of toy breeds, but unfortunately the desires of another group of potential owners have clashed with the better judgement of reputable breeders, causing hard feelings. But breeders remain firm. Of the many surveyed for this article, all answered unanimously: they would not sell a puppy to a family with very young children.
Although many parents protest angrily, "My children are good with pets," it is too risky to subject the dogs to the unpredictable behaviour of children. Papillons can be hurt or even killed by rough play. A child's undeveloped motor skills can create havoc: if a child slips and falls, the dog can be crushed while trying to get out of the way.
Because most children also go through stages where they will test the rules the parents have established--getting rough with the dog precisely because they know they are not supposed to--many small dogs become nippy. If it has been hurt or frightened enough by young children the dog will instinctively bite in self defence.
FINDING A PAPILLON
Buy a Papillon from a breeder who offers to show you relatives of your prospective puppy. This way, you can be assured of the dog's future health, soundness and temperament. A reputable breeder will ask questions and expect you to do the same. Don't be offended by the questions, however. The breeder just wants to make sure the puppy is going to the best home possible and that you are willing to make a lifelong commitment.
Because finding a Papillon can be a time-consuming project, the first order of business is to be patient. Don't be in a hurry. Papillons usually only have two or three puppies per litter, but its not unusual to have only one puppy. Many breeders maintain waiting lists of prospective owners, and a wait of a year or more is not uncommon. If you have chosen your Papillon puppy with care, your patience will be rewarded. This is a long-lived breed, and the dog will be with you for 14 to 16 years or more. This breed has been a cherished and pampered pet throughout is long and colourful history and is has given much in return.
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