Papillon Pros and Cons

Papillons are fabulous dogs for the right people. Is the Papillon the perfect pet for you?

~PROS~

1.) Papillons are very smart. According to Dr. Stanley Corren, the Papillon is the 8th most intelligent breed. That means that paps understand new commands in fewer than 5 repetitions and they obey the first command 95% of the time or better.

2.) Papillons are a “Velcro” breed. You will never go to the bathroom alone ever again. They love to be right with their people.

3.) Papillons are a relatively healthy and long lived breed. The oldest Papillon on record lived to be 29!

4.) Papillons look very glamorous with their feathered coats and ear fringe. This breed is moderate maintenance as far as coat care goes. No trimming is needed, except for the feet. Just brush, bathe and blow dry. However, paps with longer coats require a bit more care to keep them from getting tangled. Behind the ears and culottes (pants) is especially prone to getting mats.

~CONS~

1.) Papillons do shed. Despite the somewhat easy coat maintenance, expect your pap to shed very small amounts.

2.) Papillons are not good pets for small children and those with large breeds. Paps are a delicate and dainty breed. Their play style is much different than a larger breed.

3.) Papillons love to talk. They are very playful and love to bark at each other when playing. They mostly bark when they are happy and excited about something.

4.) Papillons are a “soft” breed. This means that paps don’t like loud noises and chaotic settings. They are easy going and love being happy.

5.) Papillons are a delicate breed. They are prone to becoming hypoglycemic (low blood sugar). When this happens give your pap a bit of Karo Syrup. Always make sure that your pap’s gums are bright pink. If they are pale and your pap is lethargic then your pap probably needs to eat something.

Once owned by a Papillon you will never want to be without one. They are an amazingly sweet and intelligent breed in a tiny package.