The Papillon is a friendly, playful, intelligent and obedient breed of dog. They can also be calm, patient and gentle. The Papillon has a moderate activity level. They are nervous with loud noises and will respond by barking vigorously. This breeds talents include watchdogging, agility, competitive obedience and performing tricks.

The Papillon has no major health concerns but can occasionally be affected by PRA (a hereditary eye problem that can cause dogs to go blind), and patellar luxation (the dislocating or slipping of the kneecap). Interesting Fact: The Papillion is a spaniel type of dog and one of the oldest toy spaniels.

The Papillon is an intelligent and self-assured dog that has a very easy time learning new tricks. This dog can be sociable with children and strangers, but is usually reserved around new people. They can also be socialized to get along well with other pets, but care should be taken with extrovert pets or cats with claws as they may injure it. If not properly socialized, Papillons can exhibit aggressive beahviour toward other dogs and people. Papillons may also be very lovely and playful and affectionate. Well  known as great companion dogs, they have the spirit and energy to keep up with active families, but can also be calm enough to be happy with sleeping in the arms of an equally affectionate more relaxed owner. Due to their high energy levels, they do demand a lot of exercise, relative to the average companion type of breed. Papillons are known as very good watchdogs as they will alert their owner to any changes in the home. They may be considered garrulous like many other toy dogs. The Papillon can withstand heat but is quite sensitive to the cold due to their single-coated fur, and should not be left outside unattended in cold weather.

The most iconic aspect of the Papillon is its ears which are large and well fringed, giving them a butterfly wing-like appearance. Papillons also have quite a long life span, of up to 17 years so they make a very good companion for a longer term.

Read up on other dog breeds and our tests




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