History

The origin of the Papillon breed is dated back to the seventeenth century (17th century) in France, where they were precisely bred to serve as companion dogs to famous European royalties such as King Louis XI, Queen Sophie Dorothea and King Henry III.

And with time, the popularity of the breed spread to Italy and Spain, and they became the perfect muses for painters such as Tiziano Vecelli, Watteau and Paolo Veronese, to showcase in their classic paintings. The fame of the Papillon breed journeyed down to America when it was first discovered by the American Kennel Club in the nineteenth (19th) century, particularly in the year 1915.

Temperament

When you think of the Papillon breed, the first thing that comes to mind is that they are dainty and lightweight dogs that can be lively and playful; but needs to be handled with care. Just like chinaware, they are beautiful to look at but can be trampled upon and easily broken by children who don’t know how to handle their type of breed.

Although this breed is known to be a happy and adventurous breed; you should be careful when you let your little kids play around it due to its feisty, aggressive and stubborn nature. This breed has a tendency to exhibit unpleasant behavior if not properly trained and domesticated.

But if it is properly trained, you have the sweetest and friendliest dog on your hands, as this breed exudes affection to everyone around it and also to other animals too.

Environment

Due to its single-layer coat, the Papillon is a breed that thrives well during the warm/hot weather. But they get cold during the cold/wet weather, so you’d need to provide warmth for your Papillon when the temperature drops. Regardless of these, the Papillon can stay either in a city apartment or country home.

Exercise

Without proper and deliberate training and exercise, your Papillon can get agitated, unruly and garrulous to the extent of constituting a nuisance, and what this means is that you have to be deliberate and consistent with training your Papillon.

In order to stop them from tearing your home down with their pent-up energy, you need to engage them in interactive games/exercises such as active walking, running and other dog sports which can hold for 20 to 40 minutes each day.

Aside from the physical exercises, mental exercises are needed for your Papillon too. Bear it in mind that you might not be able to house-train your Papillon, hence it is essential to use your yard or a park.

Grooming

Grooming your Papillon doesn’t require too much work as it is a low maintenance breed. The coat of the Papillon is a long, single-layered, silky and straight one, and it is not susceptible to matting or frequent shedding, hence all you need to do is brush once or twice a week, and wash when you please.

Don’t forget to check the ears for dirt and also clean the ears to avoid ear infections. You need to trim the nails and brush the teeth regularly.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Papillon