The Phalene a Lap Dog Loved by Kings

By Linda Cole

The early years of the Phalene were spent in the company of kings and queens as lap dogs to help keep their royal masters warm. The dogs were also good at catching rats that dared to wander the great hallways and rooms of these majestic castles.

This small dog breed has also been called Little Squirrel Dog (because of his bushy tail), Continental Toy Spaniel, Belgium Toy Spaniel, Royal Toy Spaniel and Epagneul Dwarf Spaniel. The name most people will recognize, however, is the Papillon. The Phalene and Papillon are considered separate breeds, but both are judged by the Papillon standard by the AKC, even though there is a difference between the two.

The history of the Phalene and Papillon are one and the same, with the Phalene being the older of the two breeds by a couple of centuries. The Phalene was bred as a companion pet, mainly for ladies, and their primary function today remains that of a companion pet. This is a happy dog that gets along well with other pets and wants to be with his human at all times. He is extremely loyal and protective of the one he loves.

No one knows for sure where or when the Phalene roots began, but three countries – Spain, Belgium and France – insist that the breed originated in their country. This little dog was also widely found in Italy. From the 15th to 18th centuries, Italian artists created portraits and tapestries of kings and queens with small dogs at the feet of their royal owners, and the earliest known portrait that included a Phalene is Italian, dating back to the 1400s.

This breed is believed to be a descendant of the Cayenne Dog and the English Toy Spaniels that are commonly seen in centuries old paintings. He is considered among the oldest of the toy spaniels. King Louis XIV, a 1600 French king, was very fond of this dog breed, as was Marie Antoinette. After the French Revolution, the Phalene became more popular in Belgium.

The only difference between the Phalene and Papillon is their ears. The Phalene has what is called “drop ears,” and the Papillon ears stand erect and resemble butterfly wings. The French word for butterfly is Papillon, and Phalene in French means moth. In the early years, drop ears were the only ones found. The first documented evidence of a dog with erect ears was in the 1500s, but the Papillon didnt find a following until the late 1800s. As the Papillon became more popular, the Phalene’s appeal decreased and it became difficult to find a dog with drop ears. Today, the breed is slowly coming back due in part to a renewed interest in this cute little dog.

The American Kennel Club treats the Papillon/Phalene as one breed, with the ears as the only exception. Countries that follow FCI guidelines consider the two dogs as separate breeds. A litter of pups can produce both breeds and only the type of ears will tell you if you have a Phalene or a Papillon. You wont know if a pup will have drop ears or erect ones until hes older, 8 weeks or longer in some pups. Their ears can flop back and forth, and out to the side during teething, before staying one way or the other.

The Phalene may be small and bred as a companion pet, but is an energetic athlete, always ready to play, and requires a certain amount of exercise. If you enjoy doing agility, this is a dog that will surprise you with his speed. Hes very intelligent, outgoing, affectionate, happy, easy to train, and does well in obedience because of his desire to please. Due to their spaniel heritage, Phalenes will gladly take care of any small rodents they find. The dog is too small to kill a rat outright, but he will worry the rodent to exhaustion, and then attack it.

Phalenes have the attitude of being much bigger than they are, and can suffer from Small Dog Syndrome if they feel leaderless. This long lived breed gets along well with people, other dogs in the home and cats, as long as theyve been introduced properly or at a young age. He can be suspicious of strangers, which is why hes a good watch dog. The Phalene/Papillon sits in the number eight spot on the smartest dog list.

The “little moth dog” that was loved by kings and queens almost disappeared into the pages of history because of his drop ears. Even though the Phalene and Papillon are essentially the same breed in the United States, the canine world is enhanced by two cute dogs who share the same history.

Photos by mank0702

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Dogs dont speak English Give it a Name

My name is Not a command.

You can train your dog using the dogs name before a command as in "Joe Come" or even use the dogs name as encouragement after calling him but the dogs name itself should Never be used alone as the command.

Say for instance, you always call your dogs name, "Joe", to get him to come to you. The word "Joe" has now taken on the meaning of the command "Come". Likewise, if you yell the dogs name when hes snooping through the trash can or about to steal your lunch off the kitchen table, the dog learns that his name means 1) hes in trouble or 2) he should get away from something. This can be very confusing for dogs as one command cannot be associated with every action. Dogs become desensitized to their name.

Now imagine how confusing it would for the dog if he learned to come only to his name and now you want him to learn Sit and Stay. As the dog is sitting you must be very careful to not say his name. Even in encouraging ways. "Good boy Joe". To the dog "Joe" means "Come". The dog cannot sit/stay and come at the same time.

The dog needs to learn "Joe" what? "Joe" followed by a command tells the dog what you want him to do. "Joe sit". "Joe come". "Joe out". This way the dog learns each individual command and that his name is to get his attention and get ready to respond.

Give it a name.

Dogs have the ability to learn or recognize hundreds of words. We all use Sit, Down, Come or variations of these and other commands. We do this by associating a word with an action to get across what we want the dog to do. You can do the same with everyday words using consistency, patients and enough practice to build a clear association between the word and the action.

Name it!

"Kennel" as your dog is entering his kennel/crate.
"House" as your dog is on his way into the house.
"Outside" as you open the door for your dog to enter the backyard.
"ByeBye" as you gather the leash for a walk.
"Potty" as the dog is begining to urinate.

The opportunities are endless. Just be sure to use simple commands and use them each time your dog is doing the action you want to name. Use tiny treats to motivate your dog if needed and have fun with word play too. Just because a word means something in English doesnt mean it has to to your dog. It is just as easy to teach a dog to lift his paw and associate the word "Pony" instead of "Paw" as the dog lifts his foot.

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