A Papillon dog won both the Best of Show and Toy Dog Breed category at Crufts in 2019. Crufts is the world’s largest dog show and it’s no coincidence that it’s in the UK, as it’s estimated that there are nearly 9 million pet dogs here!
Papillon dogs are descended from the toy spaniels that are often seen in Old Masters paintings in art galleries across Europe, dating from the 15th Century onwards. Their name comes from the French word for butterfly, and they do seem to flit about! The Papillon (Butterfly Dog) Club can provide more information if you’re interested in owning one of these lively and friendly little dogs.
I was lucky enough to look after the Papillon dog shown at the top of this page for a few days – he loved finding a lap to sit on and he was great fun to have around. Naturally I took photos of him, and sketched him whenever he sat still for long enough! Do you love Papillon dogs? You can find a painting and prints as well as homeware gifts of this gorgeous toy breed dog on my website.
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