I have been considering getting a papillon for a while now. I am not likely to get one too soon since it would break my devoted cat's heart! But I have been researching the breed and was wondering if anyone here had experience with papillons that they could share.
Specifically I am wondering:
1. Male v. female - one breeder website I found, which seems very good, praises males highly as more affectionate and eager to please their owners while females are more "moody." I want a dog that will be happy to cuddle, but we have a female dog at home already and I had been leaning towards another female. On the other hand, it is likely that I will at some point move out and be living just with my new dog... thoughts?
2. Barking - I would work with any dog I get to train to reduce barking, but I was wondering how papillons rank on a 1-10 scale compared with other dogs. Do you think it is possible to train them to reduce barking or am I hoping for too much?
3. Breeders - I would NEVER buy from a pet store, but I would like a puppy and so would prefer to buy from a breeder rather than adopt an older dog. I have found one or two breeders who I think are very reputable, but does anyone have a recommendation for a breeder they know and love (or one to avoid)?
Thank you for your help! I'm a huge fan of papillons so feel free to post any pictures!
Specifically I am wondering:
1. Male v. female - one breeder website I found, which seems very good, praises males highly as more affectionate and eager to please their owners while females are more "moody." I want a dog that will be happy to cuddle, but we have a female dog at home already and I had been leaning towards another female. On the other hand, it is likely that I will at some point move out and be living just with my new dog... thoughts?
2. Barking - I would work with any dog I get to train to reduce barking, but I was wondering how papillons rank on a 1-10 scale compared with other dogs. Do you think it is possible to train them to reduce barking or am I hoping for too much?
3. Breeders - I would NEVER buy from a pet store, but I would like a puppy and so would prefer to buy from a breeder rather than adopt an older dog. I have found one or two breeders who I think are very reputable, but does anyone have a recommendation for a breeder they know and love (or one to avoid)?
Thank you for your help! I'm a huge fan of papillons so feel free to post any pictures!