Ears:
Papillon ears are this breed's stand-out feature. Set high on the head, sticking out prominently on each side and fringed with long, silky hair, they look and move like butterfly wings. There is a second type of Papillon, called the Phalene. Phalenes are born in the same litters as Papillons but have ears that drop down and fold forward. This pup's name is derived from the French word for "moth."
Eyes:
The sweet, brown Papillon eyes resemble shiny buttons. Small and round, they convey the alert expression of a pup who's always on the lookout for adventure.
Nose:
The nose is a small, black oval perched at the end of a delicate muzzle that tapers slightly from skull to tip.
Coat Length:
The single coat is usually long, silky and abundant—although you can find a few naturally short-haired Papillon dogs. Typically, the hair grows shorter on the head and face, as well as on the front of the forelegs and feet, while hanging long and straight on the rest of the body. From behind, the fluffy hair covering the hind legs looks like a pair of culottes, and a similar patch of fluff covers the chest.
Coat Color:
The Papillon coat is either parti-colored (white base with irregular patches of color) or tri-colored, with white as the main color and contrasting color on the ears as well as the face and other parts of the body. Contrasting Papillon colors can include any color in the dog family. Standard color combos include: white and black; white and lemon; white and red; white and sable; and white, black and tan.
Tail:
The tail is a long, silky plume of flowing hair that is carried high and lays along the back. When properly groomed, the hair from the plumed tail hangs long and blends in with the long hair covering the sides.