With a history dating as far back as the late 1600s, it comes as no surprise that Papillons come from one of the oldest dog breeds. Papillons originally came from France. Back then, the breed was referred to as the Dwarf Spaniel. These dogs had quite petite builds and sported long and silky hair. Nevertheless, perhaps the distinguishing characteristics of Papillons are their butterfly-like ears–thus the name since papillon is the French word for butterfly.

Papillons were not only known for their appearance, their owners took pride in the fact that they were extremely intelligent and lively dogs as well. They truly were the cream of the crop of all toy dogs. This is one of the main reasons why Papillons grew particularly popular with the European Aristocracy. History dictates that King of France, Louis XIV took a particular interest in these dogs and imported quite a number of them to join him in his court. Stories have been told that Queen of France, Marie Antoinette had a very distinct bond with her Pappilon to the extent that she walked to the guillotine clutching her beloved companion under her arm.

The truth is that Papillons grew so popular that its history could even be traced through numerous works of art. Many Renaissance painters chose to include these dogs in their paintings. Italy’s Tiziano Vicelli included a picture of the Papillon in his painting entitled the Venus of Urbino. Artists such as Flemish Baroque painter Gonzales Coques, Italian Renaissance painter Paolo Veronese, French painters Jean-Antoine Watteau, Pierre Mignard, and Alexandre-Évariste Fragonard also featured Papillons in their work. Moreover, royal families such as that of Louis XIV included Papillons in their family portraits. This became so in fashion that even merchant class families in France considered Papillons "staple pieces" in their family portraits.

Two general classifications of this dog breed are generally based on the appearance of their ears. Common Papillons have upright or erect ears while some, referred to as Phalenes, the French word for moth, have ears that droop down. Over time, those with upright ears grew more prevalent and popular among the public.

In the year 1935, the American Kennel Club finally recognized the Papillon as a breed. The Papillon Club of America was formed which only proves that the Papillon has not only captured the hearts of the French, but those of people all over the world as well.