Papillon

Origin

Belgium

Attractive to:

Elegant owners with royal aspirations. The Papillon was a favourite of Madame de Pompadour and Queen Marie Antoinette.

Not the best for:

Anyone looking for a tough, hardy companion. The Papillon is rather delicate so care should be taken if playing with bigger dogs.

Aliases:

Pap, Butterfly Dog, Plalene

Cross between:

None

Size:

Tiny-Small
Similar size and weight to your average cat.

Exercise Needs:

Low (Under 30 minutes)
A walk and a good sniff can be like reading a novel while doing a marathon for a little dog.

Coat:

Long almost human hair
Luscious long outer locks that need lots of attention and a soft undercoat that will get knotty if not combed out.

Shedding:

Doesn't moult much
But all dogs shed dander so if you're allergic, make sure you'll be ok

Life expectancy:

13 years

Good first dog?:

Yes