resilient quality, flat on back and sides of body. A profuse frill on chest. There is no undercoat. Flat tails affect the profile. Standard: tail long, set high and carried well arched over the body. Cat feet and exhibitors trimming to be cat footed. Per the standard: front and hind feet thin and elongated (hare-like). SW: I think we are losing our heads and the daintiness that the standard is so specific in its description. The dogs are coarser but perhaps a bit sounder and more glamorous. 4. Do you think the dogs you see in this breed are better now than they were when you first started judging? Why or why not? JH: The breed seems to remain relatively consistent. There are a large number of dedicated preservation breeders who strive to keep the breed consistent and strong. AC: The dogs now are better on the whole. Many have bred out poor movement, bad proportions and generally adhering to the standard. One thing the breeders are not following closely is the pure dark color on the ear. The standard says some white may appear on the ear as long as it does not destroy the butterfly appearance. I am see- ing champions in the ring with white on the top of the ear, in the middle, etc. This is a no-no. OG: I think the breed is better now than when I started judging. I see many more specimens that have better structure and are sound in movement. It seemed before that breeding was all about the head. Now, we have beau- tiful dogs with great heads and good movement. MH: Breeders have done a great job in producing more consistency in general style and size as well as an overall improvement in construction and gait. Papillons of today tend to have more coat and fringing than 30 or 40 years ago, which is a good attribute; however, today there seem to be more exhibits with a double coat. JN: The Papillons today that have been bred by master breeders (there are several) are far superior to when I first began in 1978. A better coat has been introduced and better fringes and type. Although there were some good specimens in the late seventies, most came from Europe, England and Sweden. Before these beautiful imports arrived, the American Papillons were sparse in coat and temperament. So yes, they have improved by far in these respects. AP: I have just started judging; however, I think the breed is moving forward. You can see that breeders are working hard to breed typey, sound Papillons. JS: I have not been judging long enough to answer that correctly. Although, exhibiting over the past 20 years, I honestly feel some breeders struggle with staying on course with fine-boned and dainty dogs. There is a chal- lenge with the clearly defined white blazes, nose band and symmetry today. The AKC Standard defines these
as preferred and desirable traits, and honestly, I would rather see preferred traits than not. SW: I think they are bigger, more glamorous and perhaps more generic, but when a good one appears, it is wonder- ful to behold. 5. What do you think new judges misunderstand about the breed? JH: Body markings are not to be a consideration, only those that are required on the head (ears and eyes) as outlined in the standard (color other than white must cover both ears, back and front, and extend to cover around both eyes). It was a challenge to finish a black/tan/white bitch from my last litter as she had a tan front leg. Far too many judges faulted her for that, even though the standard clearly states that anything to do with body markings is without importance. This is a single-coated breed--there is never an undercoat. We also have a size DQ, so please measure if you question height to be over 12 inches. The Phalene (drop ear) is judged exactly like the Papillon (butterfly ear), except for ear carriage. AC: Most judges are impressed with cuteness! They pay no attention to the structure or soundness. OG: I think they misunderstand the fine-boned structure as it relates to the range in size allowed in the breed. There is a vast size range, but no matter what size, the Papillon must be light, dainty, elegant and have a fine- boned structure. Also, judges are rewarding dogs with too much coat. A straight, single coat with resilient quality will lie smoother on the body, not obscuring the outline of the dog. MH: Proportion of the head and that it should be small. A Papillon must have a single coat. The quantity of ear fringing (whilst attractive) is not paramount JN: I know for a fact new judges misunderstand the breed because they tell me so in discussion. They think the Papillon is either too small or too large. They need to read the standard as it states 8-12 inches. Anything in that range that is fine-boned and light and dainty is correct. Their biggest downfall is not understanding what coarse means—with size often there comes coarse and clumpy. AP: A Papillon is not just a pretty head! Along with the fine points of the breed, they need to be able to move properly with laid back shoulders and well angulated rears. A beautiful Papillon with fluid movement it is breathtaking! They are happy, alert and friendly dogs! A Papillon that shies away or has the tail down does not exhibit proper Papillon temperament and should not be rewarded when judging. JS: New and old judges get fixated on choosing a small or a large Papillon. Judges can have a large dog and a small dog in their winners line up. Please do not be a judge who is focused on putting up one size. The size is 8-11
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