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Papillon
The Papillon, French for "butterfly", is a small, friendly, elegant breed of dog of the Spaniel type, distinguished from other breeds by its large butterfly-like ears. The Papillon is one of the oldest of the toy Spaniels and was bred for companionship. Papillon make excellent watch dogs.
The Papillon has the appearance of a dainty toy breed, but many owners will claim that their dogs are "big dogs in little dog suits". Some people find that their Papillon is very capable of handling a good five-mile walk. One aspect of the Papillon that has led many to believe the "big dog" assertion is this breed's surprising athletic ability. In contrast to its staid and stately representation in the Old Master portraits, the Papillon is highly energetic and intelligent. A Papillon are known to be able to sense the emotional needs of its owner and to respond. Provided their genetic structure is sound, and they are not the product of "puppy mill" inbreeding, they are generally healthy animals. Papillons are built for movement, and most do not need any encouragement to apply their energy to athletic activities.
The Papillon has become a small dog star in the sport of dog agility trials, competing at the national and international levels. The sport consists of an obstacle course with tunnels, jumps, A-frames, and narrow bridges that a dog completes at top speed aided only by verbal and body-language commands from a handler. Agility requires the dog to spring, scramble, weave, and turn on a dime. Because many Papillons have intense drive and natural speed, their tiny turning radius gives them an edge over larger dogs, and some Papillons have beaten Border Collie speeds on some courses.
Some of the content on this page was originally published on Wikipedia
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