Official ICCF Breed Description
Brief Historical Overview
The Papillon is an ancient decorative breed originating in Europe, where the first depictions of small dogs with distinctive ears appear in paintings from the 15th century. These elegant little dogs were favorites at the royal courts of France, Spain, and Belgium, often kept as companions by noble families. The breed gained particular popularity in France, where it received its name, meaning “butterfly,” in reference to its wing-shaped ears. Early Papillons were depicted with drooping ears, but later the type with erect, butterfly-like ears was established. Throughout history, the Papillon has been valued as a companion dog, admired for its liveliness, grace, and affectionate nature — qualities it continues to preserve today.
General Appearance
The Papillon is a graceful, harmoniously built small dog with a light yet sturdy frame. The body is slightly elongated, the muscles are dry and well developed, and the movement is light and effortless. The head is elegant and proportional to the body, with expressive eyes and large ears that give the breed its characteristic appearance. The tail is long, plumed, and arched over the back, adding balance and elegance to the outline. The coat is long, fine, and flowing, with abundant fringing that emphasizes the breed’s refinement. The overall impression is of a lively, delicate, and elegant toy dog — refined but never fragile.
Important Proportions
The body is slightly longer than tall, with the length from withers to tail base exceeding the height at the withers by a small margin. The head is proportionate to the body, with the muzzle forming about one-third of the total head length. The chest is deep, reaching the elbows; the ribs are slightly curved, not flat or barrel-shaped. Limbs are fine but strong, parallel in movement, and in harmony with the body. The tail length is approximately equal to the body length, with its feathering enhancing balance and grace. Males and females share similar proportions; sexual dimorphism is minimal. The proportions should always give an impression of lightness combined with strength and harmony.
Behavior and Temperament
The Papillon is cheerful, sociable, and inquisitive. It is intelligent, active, and quick to learn, enjoys human attention, and loves to play. Despite its small size, it is confident, friendly, and not timid. Deeply devoted to its owner, it gets along well with children, easily coexists with other pets, but may show slight reserve toward strangers while remaining calm and composed. The Papillon is active and requires regular walks and mental stimulation. It adapts well to both urban and home environments. Its temperament combines energy and tenderness, making it an ideal family companion.
Head
The head is elegant, harmonious, and proportional to the light body. The skull is slightly rounded, not domed, and moderately broad between the ears. The stop is well defined but not abrupt. The muzzle is fine, dry, slightly shorter than the skull, with a straight nasal bridge. The nose is small, black, and well pigmented. Cheeks are smooth and flat. Lips are thin, tight, and dry. The overall expression is lively, intelligent, and gentle, without coarseness. The chin is moderate, jaws strong, and lines refined.
Foreface
The foreface is fine and clean. The muzzle is moderately long, wedge-shaped, tapering smoothly toward the nose without being pointed. Lips are thin, tight, and clean at the corners. The nose is small, always black, with wide nostrils. Jaws are strong, with complete dentition preferred and a regular scissor bite. Cheeks are flat; the transition from forehead to muzzle is smooth and well defined. The chin is moderate, and the skin is fine and elastic.
Eyes
Eyes are large, almond-shaped, slightly oblique, neither protruding nor round. The expression is intelligent, alert, and kind, with a bright, lively sparkle. The iris is dark, preferably rich dark brown, harmonizing with pigmentation. Eyelids fit tightly, with well-pigmented rims; eyelashes are long, enhancing expression. Eyes are set moderately apart, without visible white. Tear staining is undesirable. Blue or light eyes, or poor eyelid pigmentation, are disqualifying faults.
Ears
Ears are large, set high and wide, and carried open and spread to the sides like butterfly wings. The outline is well defined with pointed but soft tips. The ear leather is firm and outward-facing, not vertical or pendulous. The hair is long, silky, and forms heavy fringes that accentuate the breed’s characteristic silhouette. Ear set must be symmetrical; low-set, close-together, or semi-erect ears are faults. Correct ears give the Papillon its noble expression.
Neck
The neck is of medium length, elegant, dry, well muscled, and gracefully arched. It blends smoothly into well-laid shoulders, giving a proud yet effortless head carriage. The skin is thin, tight, and elastic, with no dewlap. The neck supports free, balanced movement and emphasizes the breed’s refinement.
Body
The body is slightly elongated, light yet firm. The topline is straight and stable from withers to tail base. The withers are moderate, the back strong and short, the loin tight and muscular, and the croup slightly sloping. The chest is deep, reaching the elbows, with moderately curved ribs providing volume. The underline is gently tucked up. The structure should be dry and well defined, never loose or heavy.
Tail
The tail is long, set high, arched in a graceful curve over the back but not flat or curled. The plume is long, fine, and flowing, forming a beautiful decorative feathering. At rest, the tail may hang gracefully, maintaining the dog’s elegant outline. The base is strong, tapering toward the end. Low-set or tightly curled tails are faults. Docking is prohibited.
Forequarters
The forelegs are fine, straight, and parallel, with strong yet delicate bone. Shoulders are long and sloping, close fitting, forming correct angles for free movement. The upper arms are of good length; muscles are lean. Forearms are straight; elbows point backward, not turning in or out. Pasterns are short, resilient, slightly springy. Feet are compact, slightly elongated, with arched toes and firm pads.
Hindquarters
The hindquarters are muscular, with moderate angulation providing strong propulsion. Thighs are long and broad, stifles well bent, hocks low and firm. Metatarsi are short, vertical, and parallel. Feet compact and well arched, pads thick and strong.
Gait and Movement
Movement is light, springy, and free, with good reach in front and strong drive from the rear. Viewed from any angle, the limbs move straight and parallel; the topline remains level. Steps are medium in length, natural and coordinated. The Papillon moves with elegance and confidence, the head carried high and the tail arched gracefully.
Coat
The coat is long, fine, silky, and flowing, without any woolliness. It lies smoothly in light waves, with no undercoat. Around the neck and chest, the coat forms a rich ruff; on ears and tail, abundant fringes and plume; feathering appears on front and hind legs (“breeches”). Excessively fluffy, curly, or harsh hair is faulty. Trimming is not encouraged, except for neatness on the feet.
Acceptable Colors
The base color must be white, with patches of any color. Preferred are symmetrical facial markings with a white blaze. Accepted colors include all shades of red, sable, black, tricolor (black and white with tan), and white with fawn. White must predominate on body and legs. Pigmentation of nose, lips, and eyelids must be black. The ears must be fully colored. Merle, brindle, solid colors without white, or white heads without colored ears are disqualifications.
Size
The Papillon is a small, fine-boned breed. Height at the withers: 20–28 cm for both sexes. Weight falls into two classes: 1.5–2.5 kg and 2.5–4.5 kg. The build must be firm but not heavy. Males may appear slightly stronger in structure; females finer. Harmony and soundness are more important than precise measurements.
Faults
Faults include any deviation from the standard affecting type, expression, or movement: coarse or overly delicate bone, loose muscles, shallow chest, incorrect proportions, weak topline, soft coat, light eyes, poor ear set, weak movement, or unstable temperament.
Disqualifications
Disqualifying faults include aggression or extreme shyness, incorrect bite (undershot, overshot, jaw asymmetry), missing teeth, blue or parti-colored eyes, depigmented nose or eyelids, drooping or semi-erect ears, spinal deformities, docked tail, merle pattern, absence of white on body, or albinism. Artificial alteration of coat or color is forbidden.
Important Notes
When judging, the Papillon must be assessed as a whole — type, balance, expression, movement, coat quality, and health. Harmony of proportion and natural elegance are priorities. Grooming should remain natural and minimal. Pigmentation must be strong, eyes dark, movement springy and balanced, and temperament friendly and confident.
Conclusion
The Papillon is a miniature yet functional companion breed, combining refined appearance with a lively and well-balanced temperament. The ICCF standard highlights key traits: a light but solid body, high-set plumed tail, large butterfly-like ears, dark expressive eyes, and fine silky coat. Only dogs meeting the ICCF standard and possessing official ICCF documentation confirming their origin and breeding status may participate in shows or breeding. The Papillon remains a symbol of elegance, intelligence, and devotion — a true aristocrat among toy breeds.
