How to Groom Papillons

The papillon is sometimes called the "butterfly dog" due to the shape of its ears.

The papillon is an affectionate and gentle toy dog that's usually between 8 to 11 inches tall; it weighs between 8 to 10 pounds. A papillon typically has long, silky hair that can become tangled or matted if not properly groomed. Although it's usually very clean and odorless, the long hair around the chest and ears can get quite dirty if the dog spends time outdoors. With a few basic supplies, you can keep your papillon's hair smooth, silky and tangle-free.

Things You'll Need

• Dog shampoo
• Dog conditioner
• Clean towels
• Hair dryer
• Soft pin brush
• Comb
• Scissors
• Thinning shears
• Dog toothbrush
• Dog toothpaste
• Nail clippers
• Styptic pencil

Instructions

1. Brush the papillon's hair before bathing to remove any tangles. Separate matted hair into smaller sections; gently brush the sections with a pin brush. Trim the nails with nail clippers; trim the hair between the foot pads with the scissors. Only trim the ends of the nails if they are black. This will prevent you from accidentally cutting them too short.

2. Bathe the papillon with dog shampoo and conditioner. Clean the hair thoroughly. Rinse the shampoo and conditioner out with warm water. Dry the dog with clean, soft towels.

3. Blow dry the papillon's hair with a hair dryer on a low setting. Dry the hair in the direction of the growth, using a soft brush to smooth the hair down as your go. Gently brush and dry the hair around the ears. Smooth the short hairs on top of the ears with your fingers and blow them dry with the hair dryer.

4. Trim the hair with scissors, beginning with the feet and legs. Do not cut any significant length from the hair unless you want a shorter look. The hair on the feet should have a slight point, resembling a rabbit's foot.

5. Comb the hair around the muzzle and carefully trim it with the scissors. Use the thinning shears on overly thick hair around the back legs or rear area. Brush the papillon once more all over.

6. Brush the teeth in a circular motion with a dog tooth brush and toothpaste. Brushing the teeth should be done regularly to prevent gum disease and cavities. Use a tooth scraper between brushings if necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a shampoo and conditioner without lanolin; lanolin tends to build up in the hair shafts and weigh the hair down. Bad breath can be a sign of gum disease.

• If you cut the nail too short, apply the styptic pencil to stop the bleeding. You can also apply ice to the paw with a rag or paper towels to help stop the bleeding and assist with pain management.

• Be very careful when brushing through tangles, particularly around the head and ears.

• Never use human toothpaste to brush your dog's teeth.

References

• Forever Papillons: Grooming the show Papillon
• Dog Behavior Training: Papillon grooming
• Dog Breed Info Center: Papillon
• The Daily Puppy: How to deal with a bleeding dog nail

Resources

• American Kennel Club: Papillon