Learn about the Papillon
Butterfly ears, boundless spirit
The Papillon is the butterfly-eared cousin of the little toy spaniels that appear in centuries of European royal paintings. Papillon is French for butterfly. In our family tree, it comes from those royal toy spaniels. It is one of the cleverest toy breeds today. Tap a circle inside to keep digging.
Likely life span
Learn more about the dogs that went into making the Papillon
c. 3000 BCAncient eastern sighthounds
c. 700 BCOld trail dogs of the East
c. 500 BCOld hunting dogs of the Celts
c. 400 BCLaconian tracking Hounds
c. 100 BCSegusian tracking Hounds
Corded herding dogs
Ancient Melitaean dogs
AncientCeltic Scent Hound
MedievalRache
MedievalTalbot
c. 1300Chien-gris
MedievalLand Spaniels
c. 1500Papillon