Continental Toy Spaniel

Did You Know?

• The Papillon was first recognized by the AKC in 1935, the same year the Papillon Club of America formed.
• In 1999, Ch. Loteki Supernatural Being (Kirby) became the first Papillon to win Best in Show at Westminster.
• In 2019, Planet Waves Forever Young Daydream Believers (Dylan) became the first Papillon to win Best in Show at Crufts.
• A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 14.5 years for the breed, above the average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.

History

Tiny spaniel-type lapdogs have been captured in art since the 1500s, appearing in paintings by masters like Titian, Veronese, and Watteau. The Papillon breed gained AKC recognition in 1935, the same year its American club formed. After a wartime hiatus, the club revived in 1948 and held its first postwar specialty in 1954. In 1999, a Papillon named Kirby, owned by John Oulton, made history as the breed’s first Westminster Best in Show winner; he had already claimed the World Dog Show and Canada’s Royal Invitational in 1998. Two decades later, in 2019, Dylan became the first Papillon to win Best in Show at Crufts. Today, Papillons also excel in obedience and agility.

Characteristics

The Continental Toy Spaniel comes in two ear types: the upright ears of the more common Papillon, and the dropped ears of the Phalène, which likely recall spaniel ancestors. Its coat is mostly white with patches of any color, except on the head where the color dominates. The American Kennel Club and Fédération Cynologique Internationale treat both ear variations as one breed.