Rajapalayam vs Papillon - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

With his eye-catching butterfly-look-alike feathery ears, the Papillon, also called the Continental Toy Spaniel or the Squirrel Spaniel, is one of the oldest of the toy spaniels.

You can see that the history of the Papillon goes very far back as the dog has been depicted in early works of art dating back to the 1500s. They were at first bred for the companions of noblewomen, appearing in many paintings where they are seen in royal courts.

The AKC registered its first Papillon in 1915. It is believed that the dog hails from France and Belguim. The Papillon was first recognized by the AKC in 1935 and the Papillon Club of America was also formed.

The Rajapalayam dog hails from India, from the small town of Rajapalayam in Tamil Nadu.

Known also as the Poligar Hound, this Indian Sighthound has been the companion of royalty in Southern India.

Though the breed dates back a few hundred years, the developers of the breed brought about an albino dog. This Indian breed dog is almost on the verge of extinction. This is a pity as he is a splendid dog. Breeding centers have been set up to prevent the dog disappearing altogether.

Papillon means 'butterfly' which refers to the dog's fringed upright ears. You also get the floppy eared variety which is known as phalene, meaning 'moth'.

The Papillon dog stands at between 20 – 28cm in height and weighs between 3 and 4.5kg. The tail arches over the back in a feathery plume. His coat is thick and silky but he doesn't have an undercoat. The coat is white with tan or white with black.

When you look at his bright little face, you can see that he is an intelligent dog who can be trained and socialized with ease. In fact he loves to be occupied with something challenging, so it will be a good ides to buy him some stimulating toys to play with.

Temperament:

When you first see the Papillon dog you might think he is fragile like a butterfly – a typical lap dog – but this isn't so at all. He is tough, robust, energetic, alert and friendly. Bright and alert, they also make great watchdogs.

He'll be able to adapt to life in the city or the countryside. Even though he is good with children and pets in the home, he'd prefer to live with adults as he couldn't handle undisciplined rough and tumble children who haven't learned how to respect dogs, especially little ones that can get hurt easily.

This is such a sweet-natured little dog that you want to do everything you can to keep him content

This is a large dog, graceful and elegant standing at between 65–75cm and weighing 22 to 25kg.

This is a hound dog, lean and muscular and will rely on good exercise to keep him in tip top working condition.

He is somewhat heavier than other sighthounds with a deep chest and long straight legs. He is a low maintenance dog with the white coat being short and fine. The ears are floppy ad the tail is slim and long and sometimes held up and curved.

Temperament:

The Rajapalayam has always been used for hunting wild boar, and today he makes a good guard- and watchdog. He needs a lot of space and exercise and isn’t suited to living in small spaces in the city.

He is a loving dog and becomes loyal and devoted towards his owner, being essentially a one-person dog. They tend to be aggressive and aloof with strangers.

Training and socialization will be important for this intelligent dog if you want him to behave around people. He doesn’t particularly get on well with other pets in the home, but training and socialization can change this.

The Papillon is a bright, intelligent and energetic little dog. When you bring him into your home you must remember that small though he is, he will require lots of mental and physical exercise.

You're going to love having the Papillon in your home as he is guaranteed to make the sweetest, most loving pet and companion.

A Rajapalayam dog has always been a hunter and this makes him an excellent watchdog, always on the look out for intruders.

The Rajapalyam has always been a dog deeply attached and loyal to his owners.They are good family companions and pets and with so many good characteristics, one hopes that this dog will still be around for a long time.

As a responsible dog owner you want to make sure that your pet has the best chance to reach the age of 14, 15 or 16. Unfortunately, there are always some common dog illnesses that you need to be aware of -

Patellar Luxation:

This condition occurs when the dog's patella or kneecap is dislocated and then it can only be returned to its normal position once the quadriceps in the hind legs of the dog relax and lengthen. You’ll see dogs with this condition holding up a hind leg. This joint abnormality is more common in toy breeds like this.

Collapsing Trachea:

The windpipe of a dog is made out of tissue membranes and when the dog breathes, air quickly moves through the trachea, causing the pressure inside of it to go down. A weak cartilage in the windpipe causes a collapsed trachea in dogs, and occurs almost exclusively in small dogs such as the Papillon.

Many small dogs are born with cartilage that is strong enough to hold the trachea open. As cartilage ages though, it weakens. You’ll notice your dog has a rasping cough when he is excited. Sometimes it is mistaken for kennel cough which can be remedied fairly quickly while a collapsed trachea in dogs is a lifelong syndrome.

The Rajapalayam isn’t a fragile dog, and he can live to 10, 11 or 12 years of age. There are always a few things to look out for with him. With white dogs, there is always a high incidence of deafness. Puppies born with blue eyes are often deaf.

Deafness:

White coated dogs, because of the piebald gene, are often affected by deafness. The piebald gene is because of an absence of melanocytes. These are cells which create pigment. When a dog is born without the genes to create melanocyte cells, a white hair coat and sometimes blue eyes are the result.

There are also skin problems associated with these all white dog breeds such as mange and dermatitis. Check him over for ticks and fleas.

Grooming:

Papillons are average shedders so they will require brushing at least twice a week. Certainly the long ear fringes will need to be washed and brushed, after all this is this little dog’s trademark.

Diet:

You’ve got to be careful with a small dog like the Papillon as it can easily become overweight and that in itself can bring on health problems. There are excellent commercially manufactured dog foods for small breed dogs that have the right amount of minerals and vitamins in them. Choose the best quality ones.

Home-made food such as chopped-up boiled chicken, some brown rice or pasta and cooked vegetables such as carrots, spinach and sweet potatoes can keep your little dog healthy and fit. Dogs just want simple, nutritious meals which aren’t changed often as it could upset their digestive system.

Keep things consistent and avoid human foods such as chips, chocolates, coffee and spices Never leave your pet without a steady supply of fresh, cool water.

General Care:

Provide your pet with a nice warm, dry bed.

If you bring a puppy into the home, check on puppy vaccines to avoid some deadly diseases.

Get your dog neutered or spayed if you don’t want it to become a parent.

Exercise your pet and provide him with love and attention.

General Grooming:

The short coat does shed so he will need to be brushed once or twice a week.

You will also need to follow a regular grooming program with this dog, checking inside his ears for infection, checking his eyes for discharge and checking inside his mouth for bad, rotting teeth. Teeth- and gum disease aren’t just about losing a tooth - bad teeth and gums can cause a host of health issues for other body parts like the heart and kidneys.

His toe nails too wll require clipping to prevent splitting and chipping.

Exercise:

Provide your pet with lots of exercise – a walk every day, a run in the park off his leash as well as ball and frisbee games.

Diet:

You can’t ever become lax with giving your pet good food. Good, wholesome food promotes health and longevity.

There are some good commercially manufactured dog foods which are wonderfully convenient – you just want to be sure its the high quality ones full of vitamins and minerals.

Also, provide him with uncomplicated, home-made dog food too. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach, all chopped up and mixed in twice a week with the dry kibble will ensue health and contentment.

Try and add some raw meat in as well. This simple diet plan will be gentle on your pet’s digestive system.

Make sure he always has a bowl of fresh, cool water available to him.