What is the origin of the Papillon?
Although it may well be that the Papillon originally comes from China, many sources indicate that its origins lie mostly in France, Spain and Belgium. There are already paintings showing the Papillon as a lapdog, which date back to the 12th century. At that time, it was a popular dog for accompanying the noble ladies at the Spanish court. Also in Great Britain the dog had a very respectable status. In 1905, a first standard could be established and on 17.09.1990 the Papillon was officially recognised as a dog breed. Together with the related Phalène it belongs to the group of Continental Dwarf Spaniels.
What are the typical characteristics and breed features of the Papillon?
As the Papillon is a very clever, playful and loyal animal, the breed has been kept as a companion, family and lap dog for more than a thousand years.
The Papillon is a friendly, enthusiastic, happy and eager to learn breed of dog. It specifically likes to be in contact with other dogs. The Papillon's hunting instinct is hardly developed, so that they can be let off the leash without any problem. The Papillon does not like to be alone, on the contrary, it likes to spend time with sociable people and children.
Systematics of the Papillon dog
The Papillon is listed in the FCI's classification system. He is in group 9, i.e. among the companion dogs. In this group, the Papillon is in section 9 as a subspecies of the breed Continental Dwarf Spaniel. The standard number is 77, the Papillon is not a working dog.