Mary Allen
One of the most beautiful decorative dogs is the dwarf continental toy spaniel. There is another, the better-known name for the breed – papillon or papillon. Popularly, a dog with an extraordinary appearance is affectionately called an elegant French flower, butterfly, or moth.
All due to the fact that the representatives of the breed have ears that resemble the spread wings of a butterfly. They are the main decoration and distinctive feature of the papillons. Surprisingly, these fragile creatures are endowed with not only beautiful appearance but also unsurpassed intelligence. Such a pet can beautify the life of all family members.
#1 The Papillon is named for its most distinctive feature: its large, fringed, butterfly-like ears.
#2 According to the American Kennel Club’s Papillon breed standard, its ears are “carried obliquely and move like the spread wings of a butterfly. When alert, each ear forms an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the head.”
#3 There are two kinds of Papillon, and once again their unique ears are the defining characteristic of each type. When a Papillon has “dropped” ears, it is not called a Papillon at all, but a Phalene.
Despite the distinction, Papillons and Phalenes are judged as one breed.