have been judging since 2012. I still love to exhibit because it keeps me sharp and understanding the pressures of the ring. SA NDY WA LKER
the Phalene. Other must haves are fine bone, silky coat, level top line, proper outline and a well-arched tail. Those are points that help to define a Papillon and distin- guish them from other Toy breeds. Papillons also must have a happy, alert and friendly temperament as outlined in the standard. They should not be wallflowers! I also look for a sound moving Papillon. JS: An elegant profile should lure you to the Papillon. A small, beautiful head with large ears that have rounded tips; Papillon in French means “Butterfly”. Fine-boned structure, light, dainty and of lively action; distinguished from other breeds by its beautiful butterfly-like ears. Bal- anced and moves. SW: The breed must have a silky coat, proper slightly longer than tall proportion, daintiness and a correct, abruptly thinner muzzle where it attaches to the head. Large, well-rounded ears are a breed characteristic and sound movement completes the picture. 3. Are there any traits in this breed you fear are becoming exaggerated? JH: Long and low dogs, as well as heavily boned dogs, are seen too frequently. I see too many crooked legs and east- west fronts. Backs should be straight and level--too many dogs with high hipbones. AC: Overdone emphasis on ears and fringing. A real butterfly could never fly with overburdened wings. Lack of leg length. OG: The standard reads ears are to be well fringed with hair of medium length, but I’m seeing some ears that are so heavily fringed, with hair so long, that the ears overpow- er the total look of the dog. People are getting obsessed with long, heavy hair on the ears. MH: Although I’d not call them exaggerations as such, how- ever there seems to be an increasing number of Papillons with heavier than ideal bone, we also see heads larger than called for and the correct head proportions are not seen as often as we should like. Heavier bone, a larger headpiece without the correct proportion makes for an atypical, and not very appealing, exhibit. JN: I see far too many large Papillons today that are being shown. Inexperienced breeders keep them and build their breeding program from them and they are coarse in bone and head. They need to refresh the breed standard often, and breed bone of light and dainty. Breed heads that are small and not large, very simple if they are dedicated. AP: The standard states that the breed should be “slightly longer than tall”. Slightly does not mean a train! Long and low has been a problem in Papillons for quite some time. JS: Large heads, ugh! Per the standard, the head is small. Incorrect coats and lack of coats. The standard states: abundant, long, fine, silky, flowing, straight with
I live in Stow, MA and spent my career as a Biologist first in Allergy and Immu- nology and later making drugs (notably Factor 9 Fc for Hemophilia). I also make hand-dipped chocolates. I grew up in dogs. My parents started in Bedlington Terriers and moved to Min Pins. I started judging obedience in the 80s and began with Papillons in breed in 1990.
1. Describe the breed in three words. JH: Elegant, fine-boned and lively. AC: Elegant in motion, intelligent in performance, attentive and affectionate. OG: Papillons are friendly, lively and active. They have the mind of a big breed! MH: Elegant, dainty and lively. JN: To describe the Papillon in 3 words is of “fine-boned, light and dainty.” AP: Fine-boned, dainty and elegant! Also important are hap- py, alert and friendly. Those few words are of the utmost importance when understanding the Papillon. JS: Fine-boned and dainty! SW: Fine-boned, dainty and elegant. 2. What are your “must have” traits in this breed? JH: Fine-boned is stated in the standard many times. I think we mean it! Proper size, elegance, beautiful butterfly or Phalene ears. Ears should have rounded tips, not pointed and should be at 45 degrees to the head. A Papillon should never be cobby or square, the body is slightly longer than tall. OG: I like to see a correct coat, beautiful and flowing, and of course, single. The ears should be large with nice fringing. I like a well-proportioned head with a pleasing expression and a happy, animated attitude showing easy and sound movement. MH: Head proportion and size, ear set and size, eye and expression. JN: The traits they must have are the hallmark of the breed—big, rounded, beautiful ears with fringes. This gives the visual of the butterfly. AP: It is a must for a Papillon to have large, round, well- fringed ears. Ears are the hallmark of the breed whether it is the erect ear of the Papillon or the drop ear of
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