Papillons are genuinely physically fragile — a toddler's rough handling, an accidental step, or a jump off the couch can cause a serious injury or broken bone, which is why many reputable breeders won't place puppies in homes with very young children.
14.5years, median
2 years above the all-dog median of 12.5.
Measured, not estimated: the middle age at death across 584,734 UK dogs, 284,734 of them deceased. Based on 1,542 dogs of this breed. 95% confidence interval 14.1 to 14.9 years. Half lived longer than this, half did not. UK dogs, so treat it as the best available figure rather than a promise about yours.
In the same study, small breeds as a group had a median of 12.7 years and medium-muzzled breeds 12.8. This breed is small and medium-muzzled.
McMillan et al. 2024, Scientific Reports 14:531 — open access · CC BY 4.0Health tests to ask the breeder for
Papillon Club of America sets the tests a Papillon needs for a CHIC number in the OFA's open database. A CHIC number means the tests were done and the results are public. It does not mean the dog passed them: ask for the results for both parents, or look them up yourself on ofa.org.
- Eye Examination by a boarded ACVO Ophthalmologist
- Patellar Luxation (OFA Evaluation)
- Cardiac Evaluation
When to spay or neuter: the guidelines split at 45 pounds grown, five to six months under it and after growth is complete over it, and the UC Davis study gives a guideline by breed for 35 breeds. The spay and neuter page has both, and the two weeks after.
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA1) DNA test
- Neuroaxonal Dystrophy (NAD) DNA test
Test names as the club lists them; checked September 2026. OFA CHIC breed page. How to use this at the breeder: check a breeder.
Adopt a Papillon near you
Shelters and rescues list Papillons and Papillon mixes on Petfinder. Enter a ZIP code to see who is waiting within 100 miles.
Listings come from Petfinder and open there. Petipedia does not take part in adoptions and earns nothing from them.
Living with a Papillon
Papillons are more active and trainable than most toy breeds — they do genuinely well at agility and trick training and want real mental engagement, not just lap time. The long coat looks high-maintenance but is actually fairly low-effort (a few brushings a week, no clipping), though the delicate bone structure means falls from furniture or rough handling are a real injury risk that owners of larger dogs don't usually have to think about.
Health you should know about
- Luxating patella — a slipping kneecap, one of the most common inherited orthopedic issues in toy breeds.
- Open fontanelle — a soft spot in the skull that fails to fully close, seen in some toy breeds and requiring extra care around the head in puppyhood.
- Progressive retinal atrophy — inherited retinal degeneration that can lead to blindness.
- Dental disease — small, crowded jaws make periodontal disease common without regular brushing and dental care.
Read the full Dog Care Guide first — costs, daily time, and everything a dog needs before you choose a breed.
Naming a Papillon? French dog and cat names, 89 of them, with what they mean.
Sources — 4 references
Last reviewed October 2026. 4 sources listed below. Written and maintained by Petdeals.io. General care information, not veterinary advice — for a sick animal, call a vet.