Papillon
Papillon is French for butterfly, and the ears are the reason. One of the brightest toy breeds, and a regular winner in agility against far larger dogs.
Overview
The Papillon is named for its ears, which are fringed and set like a butterfly's wings. There is a drop eared variety called the Phalene, meaning moth, and both occur in the same litters.
It has been a European court dog for five centuries, appearing in Renaissance paintings, and despite the delicate look it is one of the most trainable dogs there is, consistently ranked among the top breeds for working intelligence.
Temperament
Bright, confident and busy. Papillons are affectionate with their families, sociable with strangers, and they are not timid, which distinguishes them from many toy breeds.
They are outstanding at training and they excel at agility and obedience at a competitive level against dogs many times their size. They can be barky and they need mental work, and a bored Papillon becomes a noisy one.
Care and grooming
The long single silky coat has no undercoat, so it rarely mats and needs brushing twice a week. Moderate shedding and low maintenance for the length.
Patellar luxation is the main concern, along with progressive retinal atrophy, which has a DNA test, and dental disease, which is severe in toy breeds and worth brushing against daily. Fourteen to sixteen years.
Living and exercise
Forty five minutes a day plus training games, and the training is what they actually want.
They suit flats and they suit anyone who enjoys teaching a dog things. They are one of the longest lived and most capable small breeds available.
Something here wrong or out of date?