The Papillon Breed

IS THIS THE RIGHT BREED FOR YOU?

The Papillons are small, friendly,elegant Toy dogs of fine-boned structure, light,dainty and of lively action. Their beautiful butterfly-like ears distinguished them from otherbreeds. Papillons are devoted to their masters, and show hearty spirit making them desirable for show or companionship. Papillons are hardy and usually long lived. They adapt to almost any climate and are comfortable in an apartment as well as the country.They are good travelers. Papillons love to be with their family. They are friendly, happy and eager to please.They rank the number one Toy Dog in obedience.

PAPILLONS AND CHILDREN.

Papillons are generally good with children, but they have a delicate,fragile structure; and that makes them un-suitable for living with small children.Rough and wild activities and Paps do not mix well; they can easily suffer a broken limb if dropped, or have a spinal cord injury.There are a lot of somewhat bigger Papillons out there; around the 8-12 LBS range. Choose a puppy with that expected weight range, if you really want a Pap and you do have smaller children.

Papillon Pros & Cons:

No dog odor:

No prof. Dog groomer needed (no trimming required)

Intelligent, easy to train commands

Playful and active

Good with most other house pets

Very people oriented, will follow you every where

Good watch dog, he will bark when strangers are coming

Loves to travel , drive some place

Will adopt easily to a variety of life styles, from Farm, Boat to APT. Living

Good for the young and older folks.

Activities for Papillons (and You)

Here are some suggestions of what to do with you Papillon:(Other than showing your dog)Exercise with your Pap.

Take your Pap on a bike ride. Products are available that allow you to attach a leash to the bicycle. This keeps the dog away from the wheels and helps prevent accidents caused by holding the dog's leash in your hand on the handlebars.

Jogging: for your and your Paps best health Some owners take their Papss jogging with them, which offers great exercise when done safely. Before you start running with your Papillon, take it to the veterinarian for a complete checkup. Even dogs that appear healthy may have a physical problem, such as elbow or hip dysplasia, that could worsen with strenuous exercise. If you have a very young or older Papillon, make sure running won't hurt it.

Hiking/ WalkingTake you Pap on a walk, or hike. A healthy Papillon can easily walk with you a 4-5 mile hike.

Walking speedy for 30 minutes 4-5 times / week will keep your Pap in good balance, out of trouble at home, more relaxed and, of course, very happy and ,not to forget.... It will shed pounds off you if needed and keep you in a all over good shape!!

Big Dogs vs Little Dogs

Big dogs carry more fat reserves and have a greater heat storage ability than little dogs (surface to volume -ratio)Puppies for instance do not have the body mass to be able to survive rapid dehydration, and adult, or big, dogs tolerate better low temperatures.Small dogs have low body mass that make them lose heat easier. Even the long haired doggies can adjust their body heat as well as larger breeds.Dress your small dog when you take him outside on cold days. Small dog breeds are prone to chills because they have no winter undercoat to keep them warm. Clean the snow and ice from his feet when he comes in, especially if he is a long-hair breed. Ice balls can form on the hair in between his toes and can be quite painfulSmall dogs have smaller stomachs and small appetites. You will need to make sure your dog gets the proper nutrition in his small meals. Feed more often (3x per day) and provide high- calorie,with sufficient nutrition.Small dogs need more calories to maintain their body heat: they produce less heat than big dogs, and radiate more of their surface (skin).Watch out: small dogs tend to be more pampered and some of them are less active than big dogs. Therefor they can be overfed easily and hence; will gain too much weight.