Papillon Or Cavalier?
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
We’re getting a puppy, but we’re not sure what breed to get. We’re tied between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Papillon (Butterfly Dog).
We want a lively, but calm dog, a dog that is easy to train, a dog that doesn’t have a huge amount of health problems, a dog which I can groom every day, a dog that is quiet or can be very easily trained to be quiet and a dog which we can take on long walks.
We don’t know what breed to get. My parents want a Cavalier, but I would prefer a Papillon. Plus, I want a light, easy to control dog.
Related Papillon Training & Care posts:
Cavalier’s are ADORABLE little dogs.. you will fall in love with him the first time your eyes meet i promise
Papillon pros:
small
less health problems than spaniels
easy to train
loves car rides
Cons:
theyre small and probably wouldn’t opt for a really long walk, though a walk around town is good for every dog.
they are yappy
because of their small size, probably not a good dog to be around small children
can get real hyper
need a lot of grooming because of their long hair.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel pros:
a bit larger, good for going on walks
easy to train
usually really good with kids of all ages
likes to swim
willing to do anything
pretty mellow dog.
Cons:
all spaniels can get eye problems. if his eyes start weeping take him to the vet. if it’s left untreated he can go blind.
they also shed, probably more than the papillon.
both dogs are great.
from what you’ve said, i think the Cavalier would be a better choice
whichever dog you chose, remember to start training it as soon as you get it. and give it expirence with small children, other dogs, animals, ect so you wont have to worry about him not being used to things as he gets older.
good luck
Remember small dogs are incrediable fragile and can easily be killed by being dropped on the patio. Small dogs aren’t generally recommended for small children because many small breed will snap at a small child, who does typically behaviours such as pulling, poking and proding. Small dogs were bred for adult companions.
Retriever such as Labrador, Golden Retriever, Newfoundlands and scotch collies are much more tolerant and are bred for family and to tolerate little kids as well
Cvalier King Charles
The Cavalier is a gentle, even-tempered, happy and playful small dog. Cavaliers make excellent family dogs who even like to play with small children (always under supervision of course). The Cavalier finds all humans delightful and loves to cuddle in their laps and snuggle in their beds. However, these comfort-loving Spaniels retain some of the characteristics of the sporting dog breeds. They love to run in the yard and chase chipmunks, squirrels, and birds. Cavaliers are easy to train but require early socialization as a puppy to overcome its natural timidity. Cavaliers make great family dogs. This breed also seems to do fine with first-time or novice dog owners.http://www.dog-breed-facts.com/Breeds/ca…
Papillion
The Papillon is a friendly, affectionate and intelligent dog that is much more robust than it appears. The Pap is definitely not a lap dog and is high spirited, active and loves to play outside and go for walks. This breed is very smart and can be trained to be a good agility and obedience dog for competitions. If the Pap is socialized early and trained properly, and not pampered and spoiled, it becomes a confident and outgoing companion who gets along well with older children and pets. Paps are somewhat wary of strangers and make good watch dogs. Paps are suitable for novice or first-time dog owners.http://www.dog-breed-facts.com/Breeds/pa…
Too many people acquire a toy breed puppy without understanding how incredibly fragile a toy breed is. You can seriously injure or kill a Papillon by stepping on him or by sitting on him when he’s curled under a blanket or pillow, where he frequently likes to sleep. And Papillons can seriously injure or kill THEMSELVES by leaping from your arms or off the back of your sofa. A larger dog can grab a Papillon and break his neck with one quick shake. Owning a toy breed means constant supervision and surveillance of what’s going on around your tiny dog. Papillons must always be kept indoors, in a safely fenced yard, or on-leash — they are just too easy to injure when not under your complete control.
Papillons are NOT suited to children, no matter how well-meaning the child. Children cannot help being clumsy, and that a child meant well is little solace to a Papillon who has been accidentally stepped on, sat on, rolled on, squeezed, or dropped onto the patio. Most Papillons feel overwhelmed by the loud voices and quick movements that children can’t help making — and stress and fearfulness (even defensive biting) may be the result.
Papillons need extensive exposure to people and to unusual sights and sounds. Otherwise their natural caution can become shyness or suspiciousness, which are difficult to live with.
Papillons are often too quick to sound the alarm at every new sight and sound. You have to be equally quick to stop them.
Toy breeds are almost always difficult to housebreak. It is so easy for them to sneak behind a chair or under a small table, and it takes only a few seconds for the deed to be done. The results can be hard to see. When you don’t see it, you don’t correct it — and so the bad habit becomes established. If you hope to housebreak a toy breed, consistent crate training is mandatory. Papillons should not be loosed in the house for many months, until their small internal organs become strong enough for reliable control. http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews…
From your description, I’d say a Cavalier is better for you. Papillons are NOT calm or quiet. They are extremely high energy and tend to be vocal. They require a great deal of exercise and stimulation to keep them from being hyperactive or destructive. Cavaliers are more laid back and while playful, tend to be calmer and quieter. There’s not a huge difference in size between the two.
hi,
to know what type of dog will suit you, you can use this dog finder match up http://tinyurl.com/6gkcok
the goal here is to help you figure out what type of dog best suits your personality and lifestyle. The results of the match up will suggest certain breeds.
hope this helps
I ve had Cavaliers all my life and not one of them have been out of control.They re gorgeous and pretty easy to train.I dont ever recall having any major health problems, only having to put our Millie down because she was ill but old too.
Cavalier!!!
I wish I had a a papillon.
How old is the youngest person in your home? I would not recommend a small dog (Papillon) to a family with a child younger than 5-8 years.
Do you plan on keeping this dog inside most of the time? Papillons make great snacks for larger animals, so you don’t want to leave them where they can get hurt. You will need to treat her like a baby.
Most of the Papillons I have seen require little brushing. They are nice dogs, but don’t do well with shock. (My aunt had one that had a heart attack when a goose attacked it. No worries my uncle revived it.)
Cavalier requires some attention to the fir, and if it is not brushed or if they get grass seeds or weeds in their fur it gets really matted and causes the dog a lot of discomfort. Cavalier may also have problems with fur in their eyes if it is not trimmed.
Both are good dogs. I would talk to a rescue for each breed to see what they suggest for your family.
You have many good answers already. I have to respond to Tulip’s answer though. In the Source section Tulip writes: ” hope it’s clear that when you buy one of those cute puppies in the pet shop window, you buy more than the puppy. You buy the budding physical and behavioral problems created by the bad genes passed on by untested parents whom you never get to see and evaluate.
Worse than that, you buy into a profit-hungry industry that is hurting innocent animals. Simply out of good conscience, a pet shop should not be anyone’s choice as a source for a puppy.http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/buying/…
Please DO NOT buy from a pet shop. Start looking for a breeder at http://www.akc.org
When you want to buy a pure breed dog, you should get it a person that put their dogs through conformation. Purebreed dogs that are bred without conformation trials are not always what you hoped or expected. Even if you don’t want a show dog, you want your dog to look like it’s breed, right?