The Papillon is a breed of dog with a petite appearance, with an extremely affectionate personality, so many people love it. This is one of the earliest dog species discovered in Europe.
This dog has such a lovely name because its ears are shaped like a butterfly’s wings. Please follow the article below to learn more about the Papillon dog breed!
The origin of the Papillon dog
The Papillon is known by the close and familiar name of the butterfly dog. In addition, these dogs also own many special names, such as Continental Toy Spaniel and Epagneul Nain Continental.
The Papillon is one of those dogs that appeared a long time ago, about 700 years ago. Since the 13th century, Butterfly dogs have appeared in many Italian works during the Renaissance period.
Later, the male Papillon, professional breeders in France, bred and formed a more complete breed named the Butterfly dog. Since ancient times, Papillon has been raised to guard the house, participating in performances that require intelligence and flexibility.
By the 1500s, Papillon dogs were becoming more and more popular. In particular, the royal family and aristocrats were extremely fond of them. Among them, it is possible to mention King Louis XIV of France, King Henry III, and Marie Antoinette, who are very fond of these lovely and lovely puppies. In addition, Papillon is also close friends with European women. If one day you have the opportunity to travel to European countries, you will surely see pictures of butterfly ears appearing in the baskets of many women.
In 1935, AKC officially recognized this lovely dog of ours. Besides, Papillon is also honored to rank 35th out of 135 recognized dog species in the world. In 1999, a Papillon named Kirby was the first breed in the breed to proudly receive the prestigious title of “Best in Show” in a competition organized by the Westminster Kennel Club. Since then, the reputation of this “small but mighty” dog has been rumored and loved by everyone.
The special brother of the Papillon dog
You may not know this Papillon dog also has another brother, which is Palene, with the characteristic of drooping ears. With his erect ears, Papillon is still appreciated by people more than his brother. However, in recent years, Palene dogs have been born and raised more and more popular.
Appearance characteristics of the Papillon dog
Possessing a compact, lovely appearance, the Papillon breed can make you fall right from the first meeting. Known as a small dog with short stature, Papillon is about 23cm tall, about 35cm long. The maximum weight of an adult dog usually falls between 5 and 5.5 kg. For male dogs, the size will be slightly larger than that of female dogs; the height ranges from 20 to 28 cm, and the weight from 4 to 5 kg. Female dogs are about the same height as male dogs but are lighter in weight.
Butterfly dogs are one of the cutest and cutest dogs on the planet. This special name given to this dog also comes from their appearance. Papillon has large ears and closed feathers, erect and spread like lovely butterfly wings.
This dog breed is characterized by a small, slightly rounded head. The Papillon’s mouth is short, wide, and mostly attached to the nasal passage. The nose is black with a high nose bridge; especially Papillon always has a white feather to separate the cheeks and nose. Their eyes are black or dark, convex, and quite large, but generally still quite harmonious with the face.
Characterized as a compact dog, the Papillon has small, short, muscular legs that are not as developed as other large dogs. Papillon has paw pads in different colors; depending on the dog’s size, their coat color will be pink or black.
Papillon owns a long tail, set slightly higher than the body. The Papillon’s tail is covered with a long coat of hair. In areas of the body such as the chest, ears, and tail, the coat in these parts is usually longer than in other areas.
Although Papillon has a long, ruffled coat, it is shiny and untangled. The most common coat colors in Papillons are usually black, red, tricolor, or chestnut. These colors all have a common background color of white.
Personality traits of the Papillon dog
The Papillon is an intelligent, agile dog that is very obedient to its owner. Papillon is extremely active with his overflowing energy when participating in exercise and movement exercises. Don’t think that the Papillon has a modest appearance that can only go a short distance. In fact, Papillon’s health is very supple and capable of going for very long distances.
Papillon is also a dog with agility and alertness, so it can sense external threats from strangers or larger dogs. Since then, butterfly dogs rarely show fear in any dangerous situation.
Papillon is always lovable and rarely aggressive. However, you should not take that dog to a place where there are many strangers because somewhere in Papillon, there is still the blood of protection. Until then, they will do everything to warn and help owners avoid dangers. However, sometimes this action is excessive and can cause problems for you.
Papillon has an unstable temperament; it is often affected by many factors such as genetics, training from the owner, growing environment, etc. Most Papillons are generally very happy with a gentle temperament, ready to integrate, and friendly with everyone.
In addition, Papillons are affectionate and loyal to their family members, but they are often wary of strangers. Papillon often appears very nervous and scared when meeting someone he has never met. However, inheriting the protective instinct from his ancestors, Papillon has a very high ability to guard and protect the home. Butterfly dogs often warn their owners of something wrong by constantly barking.
Therefore, despite its compact size, Papillon is very suitable for raising in urban environments, but with its ability to protect its territory, it is difficult to keep Papillon in apartments and condominiums. Besides, Papillon is also a naughty dog and loves to play, so keeping them in a narrow space for too long will become disruptive and cause a great deal of trouble to its owner.
If you are a fan of the Papillon dog breed, you would love to adopt that puppy, but your family has young children. Then don’t worry; Papillon is always friendly, gentle, and condescending and loves to play with children. However, when letting Papillon play with children, owners must carefully supervise to avoid unnecessary accidents.
The Butterfly Dog is also very sociable and friendly with other pets living in the same house. The owner can let the Butterfly dog get acquainted and play with other pet dogs in a safe range from a young age.
Papillon lifespan
A Papillon can live a full life with its owner for 12 to 15 years.
Common Papillon diseases
Papillon’s health is also appreciated by everyone. However, like other dog breeds, the Papillon is also prone to common health problems. Therefore, the owner should also pay attention to helping the Papillon develop healthier and more comprehensively.
Curved knee disease
In pet dogs of small size, crooked knee disease is a very common disease. This condition occurs because the femur and tibia do not line up, resulting in gait deviation. Papillon, with this disease, often has a difficult and unattractive gait. From birth, newborn Papillon is also susceptible to this disease, but it only lasts for a short time and will go away on its own.
However, there are also a number of Papillons that face danger due to this disease. The sequelae that follow are degenerative joint diseases, arthritis, and injection arrhythmias that need the help of a doctor to heal.
Hypoglycemia disease
This is a disease that most pet dog breeds have; of course, Papillon is no exception. This is a phenomenon where blood sugar is low, causing hypoglycemia. Farmers can completely control this disease in the beginning, but if left for a long time, it is very dangerous to the life of your Papillon.
Common symptoms that help owners know that their home is having low blood sugar are:
At first, Papillon will appear absent-minded, slower than usual. Then the whole body will tremble.
If you do not promptly add sugar to your dog, they will very quickly convulse, become depressed, fall into a coma, and die.
In an emergency, Papillon will turn pale, and tongue and gums will turn bluish-gray.
Hypoglycemia can be common in dog breeds that do not store enough fat to provide glucose when they are hungry or under stress.
Symptoms of atelectasis
Currently, doctors are not able to determine what the specific cause of this disease is, but it may be because Papillon’s rapid inhalation causes the trachea to collapse, and it is difficult to get air into the lungs.
Atrophic retinal disease
This disease occurs when Papillon has a degenerative eye, after a period of time, easily leads to blindness due to the loss of receptors at the back of the eye.
Although not clearly seen, Papillon can still enjoy a happy, full life because other organs are still functioning healthy. Papillon, when suffering from this disease, Butterfly dogs just need to get used to familiar positions in the house to be able to live as usual.
Breathing fontanelle is open
When born, Papillon brought with it a weakness: the software on the top of the head. Normally, this soft spot is closed after a while but may not close completely. This is extremely dangerous for Papillon puppies. Because if Papillon’s head collides with anything in the house, they will likely die.
Some other diseases
Papillon’s digestive system is inefficient and very susceptible to intestinal diseases.
In addition, Papillon often encounters allergies, blood clots, and dental diseases. In addition, anesthetics are Papillon’s number one enemy.
How to take care of a Papillon dog
Papillon dog food
Compared to other dog breeds of the same size, the Papillon is a dog with an unhealthy digestive system. Therefore, farmers should establish suitable nutrition for Papillon.
Besides, owners must remember when giving Papillon to provide the dogs with sufficient food but must ensure nutritional composition. When entering adulthood, a sedentary Papillon needs to consume 200 calories per day. Meanwhile, Papillon moves, exercises a lot, and needs to be supplemented with twice as many calories as 400 calories per day.
Papillon needs to be supplemented with a suitable diet at different developmental ages.
With Papillon puppies from 1 to 2 months old
Breeders should feed Papillon soft foods such as soups and porridge at this age. In the meals should add more vegetables and tubers to supplement fiber.
If you want to feed the Papillon at this age with ready-to-eat food, the farmer must soak the dry food in water for about 10 minutes until it is very soft before they can eat it. Owners should not let Papillon puppies eat too much in one meal; instead, divide the food into several meals and feed Papillon gradually.
With Papillon puppies from 3 to 6 months old
Entering this stage, Papillon begins to develop more completely in shape and physicality. Therefore, Papillon needs to consume a lot of food with diverse and necessary nutritional components during this time.
Farmers should add more nutritious foods in daily meals, such as vegetables, meat, shrimp, eggs, cereals, etc. Besides, owners should not give them nibbles on bones and hard, indigestible foods during this time. Papillon’s digestive system is not as good as other pet dogs; consuming these foods will cause indigestion, diarrhea, etc.
With Papillon dogs 6 months and older
Once you reach 6 months of age, you can reduce Papillon’s meals to 2 meals and increase the volume of food. In addition, this is the period when Papillon grows most strongly, so you need to add more foods high in protein, minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. Specifically minced meat, squash, and green vegetables. Every week, Papillon dog owners eat 2 soft-boiled eggs, which is also very healthy.
Notes when taking care of Papillon dogs
Owners should monitor and supervise Papillon; when they see that their pet is sleeping more, or absent-minded and often hungry, they should increase the amount of food. In addition, should limit foods that contain too much fat. Because Papillon’s knees are extremely sensitive, limiting fat is better for their health.
Like other small-sized dogs, the Papillon needs to be provided with various meals full of vitamins, protein, and minerals for good health. Especially for young Papillon puppies, it is very important to consume chondroitin, glucosamine, and vitamins C and E for their joints to work more effectively.
Omega 3 is also a beneficial nutrient for Butterfly dogs. This substance positively affects the Papillon’s coat, making the coat shiny, smooth, and beautiful. In addition, Omega 3 also helps Papillon avoid lung and bronchial diseases.
Papillon dog hair care
Papillon is endowed with a long, soft, silky coat and especially does not cause odors. The hair is longer in the ears than in the other parts, flowing straight down beautifully like butterflies. Although the hair in the ears is very little shedding, the breeder must also care for and clean it carefully so that Papillon does not encounter unnecessary diseases.
With the long coat of Papillon tubers, breeders should take care of and groom them regularly, from 1 to 3 times per week. In a month, Papillon should be bathed 1 to 2 times. This helps the Papillon’s fur become cleaner, shinier, and smoother. In addition, to avoid wet conditions that lead to skin diseases, you must dry Papillon fur after bathing.
When you see Papillon’s nails are too long, you should cut them. Besides, periodontal disease is also a common disease that this breed often encounters. Therefore, you should brush your Papillon dog’s teeth regularly and not let leftover food stick to cause dental diseases.
Exercises for dogs Papillon
Compared to other dog breeds, the Papillon requires a higher exercise frequency. However, due to possessing a small and modest body, the owner needs to set up a suitable exercise mode for Papillon to avoid letting the dog lose strength.
A suitable and very good exercise for Papillon’s health is walking. You can spend half an hour walking in the park with Papillon daily. This not only makes the Papillon healthier but also helps the owner’s friendship and makes his dog closer and closer.
Papillon needs to be exercised for at least 20 minutes every day. During the first time of practice, the owner should only let them practice for 15 to 20 minutes to avoid losing strength. After getting used to the old mode, you can increase the number of training minutes for that pet.
Papillon hates to run and jump when tied up in a chain. Therefore, breeders should choose a safe area for Papillon and remove the leash so they can comfortably run, jump and exercise.
Although Papillon loves to play and run, outdoor space is unsuitable for that dog. Therefore, you should let Papillon live in a comfortable, clean place in the house. It is better when your home has a spacious garden so that they can play, run and jump excitedly and happily.
Experience choosing to buy a Papillon dog
Before buying a Papillon dog, owners need to consider a few things. Are your conditions suitable for picking up a Butterfly dog? It is more suitable to raise a newborn dog or an adult dog. In addition, the owner must have a lot of time to take care of the Papillon because the diet and care for Papillon are also complicated. However, when Papillon is an adult, your dog will become very close and loyal friends to his owner.
The adult Papillon will have a simpler and easier care and maintenance regime than small dog breeds. However, breeders should also regularly monitor the health and personality of Papillon so that Papillon’s health is always in the best condition.
Ideally, when you intend to bring a Papillon to your home, you should ask experienced professionals. In addition, looking for information on websites or pet stores is also a good option. You can ask the seller the following questions to make the best decision:
Has Papillon ever had any health problems?
Has a dog ever bitten or hurt anyone?
Will Papillon become sociable when kept with other animals?
How old is the dog?
What is the dog’s personality?
