Papillon

The Papillon is a toy breed, weighing about 5 to 10 pounds and standing 8 to 11 inches at the shoulder. Its name comes from the French word for butterfly, a nod to the large, fringed ears that flare out on each side of the head. A drop-eared version of the breed also exists, known as the Phalene, French for moth.

For such a dainty little dog, the Papillon is remarkably capable. It picks up new skills fast, trains well, and holds its own at a high level in agility and obedience competition. Watch one move around a room and you notice the alert, lively carriage and the way it tracks whatever its family is up to.

The coat is long, fine and single layered, with feathering on the ears, chest, legs and tail. Colouring is white with patches of a second colour. Papillons are also long lived for a dog, commonly reaching 14 to 16 years.

Who it suits

The Papillon suits owners after a small dog with a busy mind. It's a good match for people who enjoy training games, agility, or other daily mental work with their dog. The breed copes well in a flat or a house with a garden, as long as it gets exercise and company. In households with very young children, keep an eye on handling, since the small frame can be hurt by rough play.

The Papillon belongs to a family of small companion spaniels sometimes called dwarf spaniels or continental toy spaniels. Dogs of this type turn up in European paintings from the 16th century onward, often on the laps of nobles or tucked in the arms of court ladies. Portrait painters in Italy, Spain and France recorded these small dogs again and again.

The earliest form had drop ears, the type known today as the Phalene. The erect, fringed ear that gave the modern Papillon its name developed later, and for a long stretch both ear types turned up in the same litters. France and Belgium are the countries most closely tied to refining the breed into its present form.

The dogs were fashionable among the French aristocracy, and popular accounts often link the breed to royal households of the 17th and 18th centuries. Whatever the exact court connections, these small spaniels were well established companions of wealthy European families long before formal breed clubs existed.

Organised breeding and written standards followed the rise of kennel clubs in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Most registries, including Dogs New Zealand (formerly the New Zealand Kennel Club), recognise the Papillon and the drop-eared Phalene as a single breed, judged together with ear carriage treated as a point of variation rather than a separate breed. Anyone bringing a Papillon into New Zealand from overseas has to work through the country's strict biosecurity and quarantine requirements before the dog can be imported.

The Papillon is light and elegant in build, with fine bone and a level topline. The head is small, with a defined stop and a muzzle that tapers and is shorter than the skull. The standout feature is the ears. In the erect form they are large, set towards the back of the head and carried out at an angle, with long fringing that suggests open butterfly wings. On the Phalene, the same ears hang down instead.

The tail is set high and carried arched over the back, draped with a long plume of hair. Movement is light and free, and the dog covers ground easily for its size.

Coat and colours

The coat is always parti-coloured: white with patches of a second colour. Common combinations include white with black, white with red or sable, and white with brown. Tricolour dogs carry black and white with tan markings above the eyes and inside the ears. A symmetrical mask of colour across the face and ears is preferred, often with a white blaze running down the centre of the head. The single coat has no woolly undercoat, which keeps grooming more manageable than the length suggests.

The Papillon is an outgoing, curious dog that likes to stay involved in whatever the household is doing. It bonds closely with its people and would rather be underfoot than left alone for long stretches. With family it is affectionate and playful, and it usually greets familiar visitors with interest rather than nerves.

Around strangers the breed tends to be alert and may bark to announce someone at the door, though it is not typically aggressive. Early socialisation helps it stay confident around new people and new places. With other dogs the Papillon is generally sociable, and many settle in well with cats they are raised alongside. Given its small size, playtime with larger dogs is worth supervising.

This is a thinking dog. It picks up commands fast, enjoys working things out, and can turn bored or yappy without enough to occupy it. Owners who build in training games and daily activity tend to get the calmer, steadier side of the breed. The Papillon reads its owner's mood closely and responds best to patient, consistent handling.

Grooming

• Brush the coat two or three times a week to stop tangles forming in the feathering on the ears, legs and tail
• Check and gently clean the ears, since the long fringing traps debris easily
• Trim the hair between the paw pads and keep nails short
• Bathe every few weeks, or when the coat needs it; the single coat dries quickly
• Brush the teeth several times a week, as small breeds are prone to a build-up of tartar

Exercise

• Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of activity a day, split between walks and play
• Add training games or puzzle feeders to keep that quick mind occupied
• Consider agility or obedience classes, disciplines the breed excels at
• Supervise play with larger dogs to protect the small frame

Environment

The Papillon adapts to flats or houses with equal ease. Its single coat means it feels the cold more than larger breeds, so a dog coat and a warm spot indoors matter through a New Zealand winter, particularly in the cooler parts of the South Island and central North Island. Secure fencing and supervision outdoors are worth the effort too, since a dog this small can slip through gaps and, in some areas, is vulnerable to birds of prey.

Feed a complete, balanced food formulated for small or toy breeds. Small kibble suits the small mouth and helps with dental health. Because the breed is tiny, portions are small and easy to overdo, so measure meals out rather than leaving food down all day. Keep an eye on body condition: you should be able to feel the ribs without a layer of fat over them.

Toy puppies can develop low blood sugar, known as hypoglycaemia, if meals are spaced too far apart. Young puppies need several small meals a day to keep their energy steady. Fresh water should always be available.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to around 10 percent of daily calories, since it doesn't take much to tip a dog this small into weight gain. Small training treats or bits of the regular kibble work well for reward-based sessions. A dog on a complete commercial diet usually needs no supplements; check with a vet before adding any, as toy breeds are sensitive to dosing.

The Papillon is one of the longer lived dog breeds, commonly reaching 14 to 16 years. It is a generally robust little dog, but like many toy breeds it carries a handful of conditions worth keeping an eye on. Buying from a breeder who health tests their dogs, and staying on top of veterinary care, lowers the risk of both inherited and age related problems.

Preventive care

• Keep core vaccinations and parasite prevention up to date
• Brush the teeth and book regular dental checks
• Keep the dog lean to protect the joints
• Use a harness rather than a collar to spare the trachea
• Ask about knee and eye screening when choosing a puppy

The Papillon ranks among the brightest of the toy breeds and picks up new commands with very little repetition. It enjoys the mental workout of training and does well at obedience, agility and trick work. The breed responds to gentle, consistent methods and can turn anxious or stubborn if handled harshly. Short, frequent sessions hold its attention far better than one long drill.

House training takes the most patience. Like a lot of small dogs, the Papillon has a small bladder and does best with a steady routine and frequent trips outside. Early socialisation to people, sounds and other animals helps head off the nervy barking that toy breeds can develop.

Basics

1. Start socialisation early, exposing the puppy to a range of people, places and gentle handling
2. Set a consistent house training routine, with frequent trips outside and praise for success
3. Teach sit, down, come and stay in short daily sessions
4. Introduce a harness early and practise loose-lead walking
5. Add games, tricks or agility once the basics are solid, to give that energy somewhere to go

Papillons reach sexual maturity at around 6 to 12 months, though responsible breeders wait until a bitch is physically mature, usually closer to two years, before her first litter. Health testing of both parents for knee, eye and heart conditions is standard practice before mating, and breeders working with Dogs New Zealand can register litters through the club's recognised system.

Gestation runs about 63 days. Litters are small, often just two to four puppies, in keeping with the breed's size. Because the puppies are tiny and toy bitches can struggle with whelping, breeders keep a close watch on the birth and have a vet on call. A caesarean is sometimes needed.

Newborn puppies are fragile and need a warm, quiet whelping area. Keeping them at a steady temperature and watching for low blood sugar are priorities in the first few weeks. Puppies usually stay with the dam until at least 8 to 12 weeks, giving them time for early socialisation before they head to new homes.

Papillon registration and microchip registration in New Zealand

Keeping a Papillon findable is mostly paperwork: a profile carrying your phone number, a photo, and the dog's details, sitting where a scan can reach it. Registering your dog with United Pet Club sets that up free, and the record never lapses or bills you.

A scanned chip is only ever as useful as its record. Pop your Papillon's fifteen digit number into a free United Pet Club account and the record does the rest: free updates after every move, every brand accepted, searchable day and night. Microchip registration first, account alongside.