Today's quick bio is on the Phaléne, the original Papillon.
The Papillon, or Butterly in French, derives its name from its ears; the Phaléne, meaning Moth, for its drop ears.
This breed is a descendant of the 'dwarf spaniels', these were commonly seen in the royal courts of Europe. You may have seen this breed painted in portraits of Madam de Pompadour or Marie Antoinette!
As with the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the Phaléne and Papillon were lap dogs of the royal elite. Only the finest examples were bred and kept by these royal houses. Fast forward 500 years, and these dogs are commonly seen in our houses due to their gentle and kind nature. I personally am thankful that these dogs are available for the general public - I'm no royal!
As with many lap dogs, the Phaléne kept their masters warm. Interestingly, both the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Phaléne/Papillon were commonly used by women of the Royal Court to reduce pain in their 'unspeakable' area every month. Dogs are 1 - 2 degrees (celsius) higher than humans and this was capitalised by these women - loveable water bottles!
The popularity of this breed continued into the 1800's with the Papillon being the most popular. In both the UK and US according to their associations, the two derivatives are considered the same breed. Peculiarly though, the Phaléne and the Papillon can occur in the same litter.
Below is a painting of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Phaléne by Adriaen De Gryef, 1657 - 1722. You will note the variation in the breed name.
The Phaléne is not exclusively French. The breed is thought to have originated from Italy, France, Belgium, Spain and even Mexico! Unfortunately for the breed, there may never be a conclusive 'the Phaléne originated here'. In saying this, more often than not, history is decided and handed down to the following generations through a 'who won what' situation.
As this breed is thought to be a descendant of the Spaniel line, paintings with credits like the above are common.
This breed can be described along with the Toy Poodle as a one of the top breeds to train. As such, they are commonly seen in agility and breed competitions, regularly placing high (or top) in their class. They are a high energy breed, unlike some of their toy cousins, so understand that if you were to adopt one into your family, you need the energy and stamina to keep up with them; both indoors and out.
The Papillon/Phaléne respond well to positive reinforcement and are fast learners. Keeping them active and intellectually stimulated is a must.
If you have been looking for a Papillon or Phaléne as a new member of your family, click the link here.
Remember (it should be the other way around), in the infamous words of Bubbles: AbFab 1992 - 2012: 'Oh! But I've grown so fond! And it's SO cute. And... it's not just for life! It's for Christmas!'.
Credits:
Any and all use of photographs and text used in accordance with Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), section 200B.
http://www.artwarefineart.com/archive/gallery/portrait-cavalier-king-charles-spaniel-phalene
http://www.phalenes.com/history.htm
The Dog Encyclopedia, The Definitive Visual Guide, DK, 2013
https://au.pinterest.com/pin/462463455456786210/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105929/quotes
http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/papillons.html
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