If you've ever seen papillon dogs in a flyball or agility contest, you know why I say they can fly. These lively little dogs are great for anyone looking for a cute little dog that has enough energy to go on walks or compete in a dog sport.

Papillon is French for butterfly. This name is given because of their ears. They stand up high on their head covered in relatively long hair, looking just like the wings of a butterfly.

It's an intelligent breed. A lot of small dog breeds have trouble with housetraining, not so with the papillon. They are smart enough to learn a new trick in a matter of minutes, so something as natural as housetraining will cause you no problems. Of course, consistency is the key as with any kind of training.

Papillons are very sociable dogs. They love to be around people. In other words, if you know in advance you'll have to leave your puppy alone for any length of time, train it as soon as possible to stay home alone. They are very good with other dogs and pets. Children are no problem either, as long as you teach the children to treat the papillon respectfully; it's a small dog with fragile bones.

It can be rather loud, meaning it has a tendency to bark a lot, especially when it hears a noise. If you live in an apartment or close to your neighbours, you might want to spend some extra time training on controlling your papillon's barking.