Papillon Dog Picture Page

Welcome to the Papillon Dog Picture Page.

The name Papillon is French which means “butterfly”. It was given to these dogs because of the resemblance to a butterfly shape that their face and ears make.

Papillon dogs are ancestors of the Dwarf Spaniels that were extremely popular throughout Europe as early as the 16th century.

There was a time when the Papillon was called the Squirrel Spaniel because of the resemblance it had to a squirrel as it carried its tail over the back when it walked, just like a squirrel does. Papillon dogs of these early times had ears that drooped, but somehow in time the ears started to erect themselves.

Today you can find both types of Papillon dogs, some with droopy ears and others with stiff, upright ears. This mix can even be found in the same litter, although today the erect ear style is more popular with Papillon dog owners. Droopy-eared Papillon dogs in the United States are known as a “Phalene” which is a French word meaning moth. In Europe they are referred to as the Continental Toy Spaniel or the Epagneul Nain.

Soon after the start of the 1900s, Papillon dogs were represented almost exclusively by the French at French dog shows. Eventually they were shown in England and then in America. The dogs during these times were a bit larger than today's Papillons and were mostly of solid color. Through selective breeding the dogs became smaller and most often noticed by their striking colors that are separated by patches of white.

See our Papillon Care & Training Guide for more breed specific information.

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