AKC and UKC Breed Standards
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AKC Papillon Breed Standard
Toy Group
General Appearance
The Papillon is a small, friendly, elegant toy dog of fine-boned structure, light, dainty and of lively action; distinguished from other breeds by its beautiful butterfly-like ears.
Size, Proportion, Substance
Size - Height at withers, 8 to 11 inches. Fault - Over 11 inches. Disqualification - Over 12 inches. Proportion - Body must be slightly longer than the height at withers. It is not a
cobby dog. Weight is in proportion to height. Substance - Of fine-boned structure.
Head
Eyes dark, round, not bulging, of medium size and alert in expression. The inner corners of the eyes are on line with the stop. Eye rims black. Ears - The ears of either the erect
or drop type should be large with rounded tips, and set on the sides and toward the back of the head. (1) Ears of the erect type 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. The leather should be of sufficient strength to maintain the erect position. (2)
Ears of the drop type, known as the Phalene, are similar to the erect type, but are carried drooping and must be completely down. Faults - Ears small, pointed, set too high;
one ear up, or ears partly down.
Skull - The head is small. The skull is of medium width and slightly rounded between the ears. A well-defined stop is formed where the muzzle joins the skull. Muzzle - The
muzzle is fine, abruptly thinner than the head, tapering to the nose. The length of the muzzle from the tip of the nose to stop is approximately one-third the length of the head
from tip of nose to occiput. Nose black, small, rounded and slightly flat on top. The following fault shall be severely penalized - Nose not black. Lips tight, thin and black.
Tongue must not be visible when jaws are closed. Bite - Teeth must meet in a scissors bite. Faults - Overshot or undershot.
Neck, Topline, Body
Neck of medium length. Topline - The backline is straight and level. Body - The chest is of medium depth with ribs well sprung. The belly is tucked up. Tail long, set high and
carried well arched over the body. The tail is covered with a long, flowing plume. The plume may hang to either side of the body. Faults - Low-set tail; one not arched over the
back, or too short.
Forequarters
Shoulders well developed and laid back to allow freedom of movement. Forelegs slender, fine-boned and must be straight. Removal of dewclaws on forelegs optional. Front
feet thin and elongated (hare-like), pointing neither in nor out.
Hindquarters
Well developed and well angulated. The hind legs are slender, fine-boned, and parallel when viewed from behind. Hocks inclined neither in nor out. Dewclaws, if any, must be
removed from hind legs. Hind feet thin and elongated (hare-like), pointing neither in nor out.
Coat
Abundant, long, fine, silky, flowing, straight with resilient quality, flat on back and sides of body. A profuse frill on chest. There is no undercoat. Hair short and close on skull,
muzzle, front of forelegs, and from hind feet to hocks. Ears well fringed, with the inside covered with silken hair of medium length. Backs of the forelegs are covered with
feathers diminishing to the pasterns. Hind legs are covered to the hocks with abundant breeches (culottes). Tail is covered with a long, flowing plume. Hair on feet is short, but
fine tufts may appear over toes and grow beyond them, forming a point.
Color
Always parti-color or white with patches of any color(s). On the head, color(s) other than white must cover both ears, back and front, and extend without interruption from
the ears over both eyes. A clearly defined white blaze and noseband are preferred to a solidly marked head. Symmetry of facial markings is desirable. The size, shape,
placement, and presence or absence of patches of color on the body are without importance. Among the colors there is no preference, provided nose, eye rims and lips are
well pigmented black.
The following faults shall be severely penalized - Color other than white not covering both ears, back and front, or not extending from the ears over both eyes. A slight
extension of the white collar onto the base of the ears, or a few white hairs interspersed among the color, shall not be penalized, provided the butterfly appearance is not
sacrificed. Disqualifications - An all white dog or a dog with no white.
Gait
Free, quick, easy, graceful, not paddlefooted, or stiff in hip movements.
Temperament Happy, alert and friendly. Neither shy nor aggressive.
Disqualifications
Height over 12 inches.
An all white dog or a dog with no white.
Toy Group
General Appearance
The Papillon is a small, friendly, elegant toy dog of fine-boned structure, light, dainty and of lively action; distinguished from other breeds by its beautiful butterfly-like ears.
Size, Proportion, Substance
Size - Height at withers, 8 to 11 inches. Fault - Over 11 inches. Disqualification - Over 12 inches. Proportion - Body must be slightly longer than the height at withers. It is not a
cobby dog. Weight is in proportion to height. Substance - Of fine-boned structure.
Head
Eyes dark, round, not bulging, of medium size and alert in expression. The inner corners of the eyes are on line with the stop. Eye rims black. Ears - The ears of either the erect
or drop type should be large with rounded tips, and set on the sides and toward the back of the head. (1) Ears of the erect type 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. The leather should be of sufficient strength to maintain the erect position. (2)
Ears of the drop type, known as the Phalene, are similar to the erect type, but are carried drooping and must be completely down. Faults - Ears small, pointed, set too high;
one ear up, or ears partly down.
Skull - The head is small. The skull is of medium width and slightly rounded between the ears. A well-defined stop is formed where the muzzle joins the skull. Muzzle - The
muzzle is fine, abruptly thinner than the head, tapering to the nose. The length of the muzzle from the tip of the nose to stop is approximately one-third the length of the head
from tip of nose to occiput. Nose black, small, rounded and slightly flat on top. The following fault shall be severely penalized - Nose not black. Lips tight, thin and black.
Tongue must not be visible when jaws are closed. Bite - Teeth must meet in a scissors bite. Faults - Overshot or undershot.
Neck, Topline, Body
Neck of medium length. Topline - The backline is straight and level. Body - The chest is of medium depth with ribs well sprung. The belly is tucked up. Tail long, set high and
carried well arched over the body. The tail is covered with a long, flowing plume. The plume may hang to either side of the body. Faults - Low-set tail; one not arched over the
back, or too short.
Forequarters
Shoulders well developed and laid back to allow freedom of movement. Forelegs slender, fine-boned and must be straight. Removal of dewclaws on forelegs optional. Front
feet thin and elongated (hare-like), pointing neither in nor out.
Hindquarters
Well developed and well angulated. The hind legs are slender, fine-boned, and parallel when viewed from behind. Hocks inclined neither in nor out. Dewclaws, if any, must be
removed from hind legs. Hind feet thin and elongated (hare-like), pointing neither in nor out.
Coat
Abundant, long, fine, silky, flowing, straight with resilient quality, flat on back and sides of body. A profuse frill on chest. There is no undercoat. Hair short and close on skull,
muzzle, front of forelegs, and from hind feet to hocks. Ears well fringed, with the inside covered with silken hair of medium length. Backs of the forelegs are covered with
feathers diminishing to the pasterns. Hind legs are covered to the hocks with abundant breeches (culottes). Tail is covered with a long, flowing plume. Hair on feet is short, but
fine tufts may appear over toes and grow beyond them, forming a point.
Color
Always parti-color or white with patches of any color(s). On the head, color(s) other than white must cover both ears, back and front, and extend without interruption from
the ears over both eyes. A clearly defined white blaze and noseband are preferred to a solidly marked head. Symmetry of facial markings is desirable. The size, shape,
placement, and presence or absence of patches of color on the body are without importance. Among the colors there is no preference, provided nose, eye rims and lips are
well pigmented black.
The following faults shall be severely penalized - Color other than white not covering both ears, back and front, or not extending from the ears over both eyes. A slight
extension of the white collar onto the base of the ears, or a few white hairs interspersed among the color, shall not be penalized, provided the butterfly appearance is not
sacrificed. Disqualifications - An all white dog or a dog with no white.
Gait
Free, quick, easy, graceful, not paddlefooted, or stiff in hip movements.
Temperament Happy, alert and friendly. Neither shy nor aggressive.
Disqualifications
Height over 12 inches.
An all white dog or a dog with no white.
PAPILLON
Companion Dog Group
Official U.K.C. Breed Standard
Copyright 1992, United Kennel Club, Inc.
Revised August 1, 2007
HISTORY
The Papillon (pronounced "Pappy-yon") may have had its origin in Spain or Italy, but both France and Belgium claim the breed today. The breed is believed to have been
pure for at least 700 years, since at least the time of the Renaissance.
The Papillon was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1950.
GENERAL APPEARANCE
The Papillon is a small, friendly, elegant Toy-type breed. It has a fine-boned structure, is light and dainty, and has a lively action. Its distinguishing characteristic is its beautiful
butterfly-like ears.
CHARACTERISTICS
The Papillon has a happy, alert temperament. The breed is intelligent and trainable, and should never be shy or aggressive.
HEAD
The head is small.
SKULL - The skull is of medium width and is slightly rounded between the ears. There is a well-defined stop, formed where the muzzle joins the skull.
MUZZLE - The fine muzzle, which is abruptly thinner than the head, tapers to the nose. The length of the muzzle, measured from the stop to the tip of the nose, is
approximately one-third the length of the head, measured from the occiput to the nose. Lip pigment is black.
TEETH - A full complement of strong, white teeth meet in a scissors bite.
Faults: Overshot or undershot bites.
EYES - The dark, round eyes are of medium size and are alert in expression. The eyes are not bulging. The inner corner of the eye is on a line with the stop. Eyelid rims are
black.
NOSE - The small, black, rounded nose is slightly flat on top.
Very Serious Fault: Nose not black.
EARS - Ears may be either erect or drop. Regardless of the type, they are large, have rounded tips and are set on the sides and toward the back of the head.
ERECT EARS - The erect-type ears are carried obliquely, moving like the spread wings of a butterfly. When the dog is alert, each ear forms an angle of approximately 45
degrees to the head. The leather is sufficient length to maintain the erect position.
DROP EARS - Also known as the “Phalene” type, the Drop ears are similar to the Erect ears, except that they are carried drooping and must be completely down.
Faults: Small ears. Pointed ears. Ears set too high. Only one ear up. Ears partly down.
NECK-The neck is of medium length.
FOREQUARTERS-The well-developed shoulders are laid back to allow freedom of movement.
FORELEGS - The slender forelegs are fine-boned and are always straight. Dewclaws on the forelegs may be removed.
BODY
The Papillon is not a cobby dog; the body is slightly longer than the height, measured at the withers. The back line is straight and level. The chest is of medium depth. The ribs
are well-sprung. The belly is tucked up.
HINDQUARTERS-The hindquarters are well-developed and well-angulated.
HIND LEGS - The slender, fine-boned hind legs are parallel when viewed from behind. Any dewclaws present on the hind legs must be removed. The hocks incline neither
in nor out.
FEET-The feet are hare-like in shape, thin and elongated. They point neither in nor out.
TAIL-The long tail is set high and carried well-arched over the body, with the plume hanging to either side of the body.
Faults: Low-set tail. Tail too short. Tail not arched over the back.
COAT
The breed is single-coated; there is no undercoat. The long, abundant, fine, silky, coat is straight and flowing. It has a resilient quality and lies flat on the back and sides of the
body There is a profuse frill on the chest. The hair is short and close on the skull, muzzle, the front of the forelegs and from the hocks down to the hind feet. The ears are
well-fringed, with their inside being covered with medium length, silken hair.
The backs of the forelegs are covered with feathers that diminish gradually down to the pasterns. Down to the hocks, the hind legs are covered with abundant breeches
(culottes). The tail is covered with a long, flowing plume. The hair on the feet is short, but fine tufts may appear over the toes, growing beyond them to form points.
COLOR
The Papillon is always parti-colored - white with patches of any color. They may be any parti-color, as long as the nose, eye rim and lip pigment is black. Head color, other
than white, must cover both ears, on the back and the front, and extend without interruption from the ears over both eyes. A clearly defined white blaze and noseband are
preferred over a solidly marked head. Facial-marking symmetry is desirable. The size, shape, placement, or absence, of body patches are without importance. No color is
preferred over any other.
A slight extension of the white collar onto the base of the ears, or a few white hairs interspersed on the color, are not to be penalized provided they do not detract from, or
sacrifice, the butterfly appearance.
Very Serious Faults: Other than white color on the head that does not cover both of the ears, back and front, and/or does not extend from the ears over both the eyes.
Disqualification: Albinism. An all white dog. A dog with no white.
HEIGHT & WEIGHT
The height is measured at the highest point of the shoulder blades. Height range is from eight (8) to eleven (11) inches. Weight is in proportion to the height of the individual
dog.
Fault: Dogs over eleven (11) inches in height.
Disqualification: Any dog over twelve 12 inches in height.
GAIT
Movement is free, quick, easy and graceful.
Faults: Paddle-footed. Stiff in hip movements.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. Extreme viciousness or shyness. Any dog over twelve (12) inches in height. An all-white dog. A dog with no white. Albinism.
Companion Dog Group
Official U.K.C. Breed Standard
Copyright 1992, United Kennel Club, Inc.
Revised August 1, 2007
HISTORY
The Papillon (pronounced "Pappy-yon") may have had its origin in Spain or Italy, but both France and Belgium claim the breed today. The breed is believed to have been
pure for at least 700 years, since at least the time of the Renaissance.
The Papillon was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1950.
GENERAL APPEARANCE
The Papillon is a small, friendly, elegant Toy-type breed. It has a fine-boned structure, is light and dainty, and has a lively action. Its distinguishing characteristic is its beautiful
butterfly-like ears.
CHARACTERISTICS
The Papillon has a happy, alert temperament. The breed is intelligent and trainable, and should never be shy or aggressive.
HEAD
The head is small.
SKULL - The skull is of medium width and is slightly rounded between the ears. There is a well-defined stop, formed where the muzzle joins the skull.
MUZZLE - The fine muzzle, which is abruptly thinner than the head, tapers to the nose. The length of the muzzle, measured from the stop to the tip of the nose, is
approximately one-third the length of the head, measured from the occiput to the nose. Lip pigment is black.
TEETH - A full complement of strong, white teeth meet in a scissors bite.
Faults: Overshot or undershot bites.
EYES - The dark, round eyes are of medium size and are alert in expression. The eyes are not bulging. The inner corner of the eye is on a line with the stop. Eyelid rims are
black.
NOSE - The small, black, rounded nose is slightly flat on top.
Very Serious Fault: Nose not black.
EARS - Ears may be either erect or drop. Regardless of the type, they are large, have rounded tips and are set on the sides and toward the back of the head.
ERECT EARS - The erect-type ears are carried obliquely, moving like the spread wings of a butterfly. When the dog is alert, each ear forms an angle of approximately 45
degrees to the head. The leather is sufficient length to maintain the erect position.
DROP EARS - Also known as the “Phalene” type, the Drop ears are similar to the Erect ears, except that they are carried drooping and must be completely down.
Faults: Small ears. Pointed ears. Ears set too high. Only one ear up. Ears partly down.
NECK-The neck is of medium length.
FOREQUARTERS-The well-developed shoulders are laid back to allow freedom of movement.
FORELEGS - The slender forelegs are fine-boned and are always straight. Dewclaws on the forelegs may be removed.
BODY
The Papillon is not a cobby dog; the body is slightly longer than the height, measured at the withers. The back line is straight and level. The chest is of medium depth. The ribs
are well-sprung. The belly is tucked up.
HINDQUARTERS-The hindquarters are well-developed and well-angulated.
HIND LEGS - The slender, fine-boned hind legs are parallel when viewed from behind. Any dewclaws present on the hind legs must be removed. The hocks incline neither
in nor out.
FEET-The feet are hare-like in shape, thin and elongated. They point neither in nor out.
TAIL-The long tail is set high and carried well-arched over the body, with the plume hanging to either side of the body.
Faults: Low-set tail. Tail too short. Tail not arched over the back.
COAT
The breed is single-coated; there is no undercoat. The long, abundant, fine, silky, coat is straight and flowing. It has a resilient quality and lies flat on the back and sides of the
body There is a profuse frill on the chest. The hair is short and close on the skull, muzzle, the front of the forelegs and from the hocks down to the hind feet. The ears are
well-fringed, with their inside being covered with medium length, silken hair.
The backs of the forelegs are covered with feathers that diminish gradually down to the pasterns. Down to the hocks, the hind legs are covered with abundant breeches
(culottes). The tail is covered with a long, flowing plume. The hair on the feet is short, but fine tufts may appear over the toes, growing beyond them to form points.
COLOR
The Papillon is always parti-colored - white with patches of any color. They may be any parti-color, as long as the nose, eye rim and lip pigment is black. Head color, other
than white, must cover both ears, on the back and the front, and extend without interruption from the ears over both eyes. A clearly defined white blaze and noseband are
preferred over a solidly marked head. Facial-marking symmetry is desirable. The size, shape, placement, or absence, of body patches are without importance. No color is
preferred over any other.
A slight extension of the white collar onto the base of the ears, or a few white hairs interspersed on the color, are not to be penalized provided they do not detract from, or
sacrifice, the butterfly appearance.
Very Serious Faults: Other than white color on the head that does not cover both of the ears, back and front, and/or does not extend from the ears over both the eyes.
Disqualification: Albinism. An all white dog. A dog with no white.
HEIGHT & WEIGHT
The height is measured at the highest point of the shoulder blades. Height range is from eight (8) to eleven (11) inches. Weight is in proportion to the height of the individual
dog.
Fault: Dogs over eleven (11) inches in height.
Disqualification: Any dog over twelve 12 inches in height.
GAIT
Movement is free, quick, easy and graceful.
Faults: Paddle-footed. Stiff in hip movements.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. Extreme viciousness or shyness. Any dog over twelve (12) inches in height. An all-white dog. A dog with no white. Albinism.
