Overview
The Phalène is the Papillon with its ears down; the name is French for moth, after the hanging ears. It is a small continental toy spaniel with a fine silky coat, a plumed tail and a lively, alert manner.
Walkers tend to underestimate them. A Phalène is quick, clever and happy to trot for an hour. The management problem is the opposite of a big dog's: keeping a three kilo animal safe around traffic, boisterous dogs and open country.
Exercise and walking needs
Around forty five minutes a day suits most adults, in one walk or two. They enjoy a decent pace and a bit of variety, and a few minutes of simple training games on the walk goes down well.
Cold and wet bother them more than distance does. The coat is single layered and thin on the belly, so in winter rain a coat is sensible and a shorter route is often kinder.
On the walk
- Recall: Often very good for a toy breed, but a small dog in long grass vanishes quickly. Light long line until you know the dog, clipped on near roads.
- Other dogs: Friendly and confident, sometimes too confident for its own good. A Phalène will stand its ground with a Labrador. Step in early and keep greetings calm.
- Lead and harness: Use a soft harness rather than a collar. The neck is slender and a sudden lunge on a collar does more harm to a dog this size.
- Underfoot: Broken glass, winter salt and hot summer pavements all hurt small feet. Check the pads at the end.
Tips for professional walkers
- Pair a Phalène with calm, small or medium dogs on group walks, never with the rough-and-tumble crowd.
- Carry a towel and a small coat in the van from autumn onwards.
- Give the brain something to do: a few sits, spins and finds on a walk tire this breed as well as distance.
- Pick the dog up only when you have to; most prefer to walk.
What to ask the owner
- Does the dog have any history of knee problems, and is jumping on and off things allowed?
- Is the dog used to a harness, and which one do they want you to use?
- How does it cope in rain and cold, and does it wear a coat?