The Papillon (named after the French word for "butterfly" for the shape of their ears and often called the "Butterfly Dog") is a tiny, fun-loving breed that features distinctive ears and a white coat with patches of black, red, brown or several other colours. The breed can be traced back to 13th century France, and they were initially raised for the primary intention of companionship for French royalty.

A number of their more distinguishing attributes are often described as their playful, intelligent and eager-to-please temperament - which in essence make the Papillon a frequent breed for competitive obedience and agility or fun-loving owners looking for a pure companionship dog.

The Papillon is legendary for their happy, obedient and playful disposition. They are generally friendly with guests, which along with their small size can mean they are unsuitable as a guard dog.

The Papillon is also known to be extremely intelligent - placing 8th compared to other dogs in terms of their capacity to be taught obedience directives. They are also recognised to be playful with kids though young children need to be taught to not handle them too roughly - which means they are not the best choice as a family pet. The Papillon is very companionable with other animals such as cats and dogs who they may become very good playmates with once properly socialised.

Grooming the Papillon is a relatively easy job. They need a small amount of brushing twice every week with regular cleaning of their teeth and full grooming every 6 to 8 weeks.

The Papillon loves to have a good yard to run around in, and they are sometimes unsuitable for life in an apartment due to their tendency to bark at almost anything. They prefer warmer weather, and they will be uncomfortable if it gets too cold.

The Papillon gets pleasure from activities including a run around an off-leash dog park, regular play sessions or learning tricks. They have a high degree of energy but only need exercise each day in the form of short walks to inhibit behaviour problems and to keep them calm while inside the home.

The Papillon could be the right dog for active and confident owners with a love for fun or families with older children. They are suitable to anybody that is ready to do a small amount of grooming and take time to give them positive obedient training and ongoing mental challenges in addition to take them for short walks every day and present a good sum of company and attention. Although they could be to some extent inappropriate for a pet for families with young children and apartment dwellers, if you are capable of meeting their need for fun, gentle care and mental challenges then the Papillon may perhaps make the perfect dog for you.