Origins

As in many breeds, the origin of the Papillon is subject to many theories, however it is generally accepted that the breed is descended from the European Toy Spaniels that feature in many of the Court Paintings from the 15^th Century onwards. These Toy Spaniels were firm favourites with the ladies of the Court and indeed it is rumoured that Marie Antoinette's own Toy Spaniel accompanied her to the guillotine. It is also generally accepted that the breed evolved in France or Belgium.

Known for its large erect ears, it is perhaps surprising to learn that the forerunner of the modern day papillon was the drop eared Toy Spaniel. It was not until perhaps the turn of the 20^th Century that the erect eared papillon came to prominence. There would appear to be no firm evidence to confirm how the erect ears came about however they became a dominant feature of the breed.