QU'EST CE QU'UN PAPILLON ?
Texte et commentaires d'un très grand éleveur de la race Vesa Toivanen ( Connection Papillons)
This is my article about the type. Hope you enjoy it.
Vesa / Connection & Siljans
THE PAPILLON TYPE AS I SEE IT
Took me some time to think how would i explain the word “type” as i see it. I understood that as a longtime breeder I tend to use the word “type” quite often and noticed that if I was talking with another longtime breeder it was more easily understood than perhaps with the newcomer who might look the “type” from a different point of view or focus only for one or two things.
Despite that papillon breed standard around world has some small differences, for.ex about the size, we still have to remember that small in size, elegance, style and daintyness are the the keen words to describe this unique toy breed and despite of the country or current fashions created by breeders or judges, these words and qualities we must always remember and respect. When using the word TYPE I feel it is a strong and meaningful word. For me type in papillons is a combination of SIZE, ELEGANCE, HEAD, TAIL, PROPORTIONS and TEMPERAMENT.
The SIZE has been an issue in Scandinavia and some parts of the eastern Europe and Russia already quite a long time and I really can not understand what has happened. When we look time back about 30-40 yrs when Sweden had the most famous papillons in the world and swedish dogs were exported around the globe. That time the breed was really small and pretty headed and even only looking by old photos you could not see heavy bones or strong heads. And small I mean correct size around 24-27 cm if I must use some measurement.
Size is not only the height. For me I am very worried about the growing bone structure too. This is so against the breed standard and makes papillon look heavy and clumsy. Papillons with heavy bones and with big wooly coats are so admired in the show rings nowadays, even its stated in the standard so strongly very negative thing. It is interesting to see how fanatic USA and UK breeders have been about the size and overall despite different fashions coming and going they have managed to keep this wonderful breed small and dainty as it should be.
ELEGANCE is the word I personally love most in this breed . It describes perfectly the true meaning how papillon should look. It is closely related with size of course and daintyness and style as well. For me papillon without elegance is not a papillon even it has lots of fringes and coat and can move. Elegance is an attitude as they say!
Papillon HEAD is so easy to understand, or is it after all? Again we must remember that this is a toydog wich means again that also head is rather small and elegant. Ears are large and shaped like butterfly wings in 45 degrees angle. Increased bone structure is related to the big and coarse heads of course. Any kind of coarseness and heaviness is forbidden by the standard but why we see it so often today? Usually dogs with fabulous fringes and coat have this problem, at least here in Scandinavia. We need to put the attention of size of the ears urgently. Have you ever thought how easy it is to “test” if the head and ears are correct. Put the papillon ears down while judging and see if “the look” is still the same as a phalene? You will be supriced in big time. Interesting indeed. People talk about the fringes so much but looks like we have truly forgot the ear size. Small well fringed ears might be cute but not that "butterflyish" after all.
Papillon is a breed with a special silhouette. TAIL is giving that final look and is such an important thing to give the typical papillon look. Again the standard describes the tail very precisely. Well set over the back with nice plyme. There should be enough space between the tail and back (we all remember the “toilet roll”). Personally I feel that slightly flat tail is not end of the world IF there is the size and propotions and elegance. But we see way too much really flat “dead” tails nowadays. Also papillons should use and wag their tail while talking to them, both home and show ring. Such an important breed character indeed.
Low legs are the big problem in the breed worldwide. Without the correct body PROPORTIONS we loose the true type. Papillon must have enough legs to look correct and elegant and compact. Again the breed standard says very excat about the body proportions, just slightly longer than higher. Being small sized is not the same as low legged.
Another very special thing in papillons is the TEMPERAMENT. This breed is outgoing lively, happy and always friendly. This makes this breed so wonderful and special indeed. I see that worldwide we do have some problems with temperaments. We are slightly loosing the happy and energetic little butterfly dog. Handlers holding the tail and trying to be “professional” is so much in fashion now. Temperament plays so big role in the type. Think about for example the smallest breed in the world, Chihuahua who supposed to be confident and even a bit cocky little napoleon. Chihuahua without that temperament is not a true Chihuahua. Same goes with papillons.