Papillon dog
| Papillon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 A lemon and white papillon. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other names | Phalène (drop ear type) Continental Toy Spaniel Epagneul Nain Continental | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Common nicknames | Butterfly Dog Squirrel Dog (due to tail carriage) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Origin | France | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Dog (domestic dog) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Papillon (from the French word for butterfly, pronounced [papiˈjɔ̃]), also called the Continental Toy Spaniel, is a breed of dog of the Spaniel type. One of the oldest of the toy spaniels, it derives its name from its characteristic butterfly-like look of the long and fringed hair on the ears. A papillon with dropped ears is called a Phalène (French for moth). The small head is slightly rounded between the ears with a well defined stop. The muzzle is somewhat short, thin tapering to the nose. The dark, medium sized, round eyes have thin black rims, often extending at the junction of the eyelids towards the ears. The large ears can either be erect or dropped with rounded tips. The teeth meet in a scissors bite. The long tail is set high carried over the body, and covered with long, fine hair. Dewclaws are sometimes removed. The straight, long, fine, single coat has extra frill on the chest, ears, back of the legs and the tail. Coat color is white with patches of any color. A mask of a color other than white covers both ears and eyes from back to front.
Description
Appearance and behavior
The Papillon is a very intelligent dog that has a very easy time learning new tricks. This dog is great with children, strangers, and other pets, but they should not be handled by young children as they are small and fragile and could be seriously injured. However, if a papillon grows up in isolation, it can tend to be slightly aggressive towards other dogs. Papillons are also very playful and affectionate. Widely known as great companion dogs, with the spirit and energy to keep up with active families, but calm enough to be happy with sleeping in the arms of an equally affectionate owner. They have high energy level and require more exercise than the average companion breed. The Papillon can withstand heat but are more sensitive to cold temperatures because of their single-coated fur, and should not be left outside unattended in cold weather.
The most distinct aspect of the Papillon is its ears which are large and well fringed, giving them a butterfly wing-like appearance. Papillons are parti-colored or white with patches of any color. An all-white dog or a dog with no white is disqualified from the conformation show ring. A blaze (area of white extending down between the eyes) and noseband is preferred over a solid-colored head, but not required. Nose, eye-rims, and lips should be black. Paw pads vary in color from black to pink, depending on the coloring of the dog.
Papillons can be registered with the American Kennel Club as the following colors and markings, with types indicated as S-standard or A-alternate for show purposes[1]:
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The American Kennel Club goes on to indicate in the breed standard, the following faults shall be severely penalized: Color other than white not covering both ears, back and front, or not extending from the ears over both eyes. A slight extension of the white collar onto the base of the ears, or a few white hairs interspersed among the color, shall not be penalized, provided the butterfly appearance is not sacrificed.[2]
There are two ear variations of this breed, the completely upright ears of the more common papillon, and the dropped spaniel-like ears of the Phalène. The American Kennel Club and the Fédération Cynologique Internationale consider the Phalène and the papillon the same breed.[3]
The Papillon's coat is abundant, long, fine, silky and flowing. It should also have a resilient quality and be flat on both the back and sides. There is no undercoat. Papillon puppy fur is very long, plush and soft to touch until about three months old. It may take up to two years for a Papillon to develop the long fringes of hair that sprout off of its ears and chest.
The Papillon's ears are well-fringed with the inside covered with silken fur of medium length. Tail is long, well-fringed, set on high, arched over back with fringes falling to side to form plume. The head is slightly rounded between the ears, and the muzzle is fine, tapering, and narrower than the skull with an abrupt stop. Height: from ground to shoulder blade 20–28 centimetres (7.9–11.0 in), over 28 centimetres (11 in) is a fault and over 30.5 centimetres (12.0 in) is a disqualification from the conformation show ring. Weight: 5–10 pounds (2.3–4.5 kg).
Temperament
The temperament of a papillon is a happy, friendly, adventurous dog. They are not shy or aggressive.[4]
Life expectancy
Papillons often live from 13 to 17 years.[5] However, life expectancy highly depends on the exercise and diet of the dog.[citation needed] A 2002 Papillon Club of America survey puts the average age of their members' deceased Papillons at 11.45 years.[6]
Health
Papillons have no major health concerns although patellar luxation, seizures, and dental problems can be issues.[5] Additionally they can be at risk for vWD, PRA, intervertebral disk disease, and allergies.[5][7]
Exercise
Like any other dog, Papillons need a daily walk.[8] Play will take care of a lot of their exercise needs, however, as with all breeds, play will not fulfill their primal instinct to walk. Dogs who do not get to go on daily walks are more likely to display behaviour problems. They will also enjoy a good romp in a safe open area off lead, such as a large fenced in yard. Papillons are a very active breed of dog, so what may be sufficient exercise for a basset is not enough for them. Papillon Breeders also recommend dog agility for papillons because of their playful and energetic attitude.[9]
Nonvisible features and behavior
Papillons have a higher tolerance for heat. Though their coats are full, they tend to get cold faster. This is because Papillons' fur is light. They have thin coats. Papillons are small, so they tend to act tougher than most large dogs. Although they are affectionate and loving, they tend to snap and act Mischievous. They are one of the most intelligent dogs (ranked at no. 8 in "The Intelligence of Dogs" by Stanley Coren), and they are usually bred for agility challenges. Papillons have many nonvisible features due to their behavior. See Dog behavior training for more information. [10]
History
The history of the papillon is traced through works of art. The earliest toy spaniels resembling the papillon are found in Italy. Tiziano Vicelli painted these small dogs in many famous paintings beginning around 1500[11] including the Venus of Urbino (1542). Other well known artists who included them in paintings are Watteau,[12] Gonzalez Coques, Fragonard, Paolo Veronese,[11] and Mignard.[11] In a painting after Largillierre in the Wallace Collection in London, a papillon is clearly shown in a family portrait of Louis XIV. Papillons are also in paintings of royal families around Europe and paintings of merchant class families. The breed was popular in England, France, and Belgium, which are considered countries of origin by the FCI.
The "Titian spaniels" and those portrayed by later artists through Mignard and his contemporaries had the drooping ears characteristic of today's Phalène; it was not until the end of the 19th century that the erect-eared appearance became fashionable[11] and gave the breed's modern name, papillon, French for "butterfly". The Titian spaniels were also exclusively red-and-white in coloration,[11] in contrast to the many recognized colorations of today's papillon.
The papillon's history and long association with royalty have led to many stories about the breed. Marie Antoinette is said to have walked to the guillotine clutching her small dog under her arm,[12] likely an apocryphal tale. However, tradition has it that Marie Antoinette's dog was a small spaniel that had been brought to the French court from Spain on the back of pack mules. According to the story, her pup was spared and cared for in a building in Paris still called the Papillon House. Marie Antoinette's dog was said to have descended from a very old drop-eared breed known as the Epagneul Nain Continental, or Continental Dwarf/Toy Spaniel that appeared in church frescos and paintings as early as the 13th century.
The papillon is still officially referred to as the Epagneul Nain Continental (ENC) in non-English-speaking countries.[9] The name Squirrel Spaniel also has been used, most likely referring to an earlier standard in which the tail set is described as "curling over the back as a squirrel's". One version of the history of the two varieties of ear shape in the ENC ("papillon" to denote the erect ear and "phalène" to denote the dropped ear) is that toward the end of the 19th century, breed fanciers bred a version of the spaniel whose ears stood up. This dog was said to have been nicknamed papillon based on the impressively large, erect ears that resembled the wings of a butterfly. The drop-eared variety of the breed came to be called the Phalène (which means "night moth"). Both types are still bred today and appear in the same litter. The papillon variety is much more common, although recently the Phalène has undergone a resurgence in popularity.
The papillon was first recognized by the AKC in 1935[13] with the formation of the Papillon Club of America.[9] By the end of the war, the club was no longer functioning, but it was reactivated in 1948, with its first post war specialty held in September 1954. In 1999, Ch. Loteki Supernatural Being (call name "Kirby") owned and handled by John Oulton of Norwalk, Connecticut, became the first papillon to win the prestigious "Best in Show" at the annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show.[9][14] Kirby also won international success for the breed by taking the World Dog Show in Helsinki, Finland, and the Royal Invitational in Canada in 1998.[9] Papillons also enjoy success today in competitive fields outside of conformation, including obedience and agility.[9]
See also
References
- ^ AKC Papillon Colors & Markings
- ^ AKC Papillon Breed Standard
- ^ Fédération Cynologique Internationale Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs, Section 9 Continental Toy Spaniel
- ^ Administrator (16 Nov 2009). "The AKC Papillon Standard". Papillon Club of America. Retrieved 2012-09-26.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work= - ^ a b c Zech, Elaine S. (2009). "Health Concerns of the Papillon". Papillon Club of America. Retrieved 2012-09-24.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work= - ^ "SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 2002".
- ^ Coile, Caroline (2005). Encyclopedia of dog breeds second edition. p. 352. ISBN 978-0764157004.
- ^ Housepet magazine, "Three reasons why little dogs need to go on a daily walk". Retrieved 2011-11-27.
- ^ a b c d e f "Papillon FAQ." Papillon Club of America. Updated August 19, 2000. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
- ^ Coile, Caroline (2005). Encyclopedia of dog breeds second edition. p. 352. ISBN 978-0764157004.
- ^ a b c d e "Brief History of the Papillon." Papillon Club of America. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
- ^ a b "Dog or Butterfly? A Breed Profile." Palika, Liz. Papillon Club of America. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
- ^ "Papillon History." American Kennel Club. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
- ^ "Best in Show Winners." The Westminster Kennel Club. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
Links 7 and 8 return 404 errors as of August 13, 2012.
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