How Long Do Papillons Live?

No one ever really wants to think about their beloved pet passing away.  Yet, when thinking about adding a new breed of dog to your family, a very popular question is “how long does this breed typically live?”.  Small dogs, like papillons, in general live longer than larger breeds of dogs.  For most papillon owners, no matter how long our little ones live, it will never feel like it was long enough!  But dogs are a lifetime commitment, and knowing how long of a commitment you’re signing up for ahead of time can be useful information.  If you’re anything like me, you may be specifically looking for dog breeds who enjoy longer lifespans.  Longer lives is one of the many, many reasons why I love small dogs so much.  So, if you’re thinking of adding an adorable papillon to your pack, what can you expect their lifespan to be?

Lots of Different Factors Contribute to Lifespan

The answer is it depends, of course.  There’s no way to predict with 100% accuracy how long an individual dog will live.  Things like genetics, lifestyle, vet care, diet, luck, etc. will all come into play when it comes to determining how long your papillon’s lifespan will be.

The Average Lifespan of a Papillon

On average, papillons live from between 12 and 16 years of age.  This is a very generalized range, though!  Not all beloved papillons make it into old age for a variety of reasons.  I’ve also met papillons who happily lived into their 20s!

Tips for Helping your Papillon to Live a Long, Happy Life

• If you decide to get your papillon from a breeder rather than a rescue, choose your breeder carefully!  Genetics really do matter, and can make the difference between a dog that dies young and one that lives well into old age.  The Papillon Club of America’s breeder directory can be a great place to start your search.  Look for breeders who conduct genetic testing on all of their breeding animals.  Only dogs who are free of genetic diseases should be bred.
• Find the food that works best for your furry friend.  This will differ from dog to dog, based on individual needs.  Don’t be afraid to ask your vet, or better yet, a veterinary nutritionist, for advice!
• Speaking of food – Keep your papillon at a healthy weight!  I know how hard it can be to resist those puppy dog eyes, but there are SO many diseases/health conditions that overweight dogs are more prone too.
• Don’t skip those annual vet visits!  I know they can get expensive, and aren’t always convenient, but they are super important!  Your vet may notice a health condition that you overlooked, and often times the earlier a health issue is treated the better the outcome.  Your vet can also help you make important health decisions, like what vaccines and preventatives are important for where you live.
• Training is important too.  How does training relate to lifespan?  Training can help keep your furry friend safe by avoiding accidents.
• Don’t skip out on mental, and physical, exercise.  Give your dog something to live for!  Most dogs love age/ability appropriate levels of exercise.  Mental stimulation is important too!  Exercise those amazing little doggy brains as often as possible.  Papillons are the 8th smartest dog breed, after all!
• Good luck!  Unfortunately, sometimes how long an individual dog lives just comes down to luck.  There’s not really much you can do to improve your luck, just love your dog everyday you have them.

Other Papillon Posts to Check Out…

• List of US Based Papillon Rescues
• Are Papillons Hypoallergenic?
• Are Papillons Cuddly?
• Do Papillons Shed?
• Papillons have Single Coats!
• Do Papillons make Good Apartment Pets?
• The Pros and Cons of Owning a Papillon
• Papillon Breed Profile

My Own Experience…

This was somewhat of a hard post for me to write.  My own papillon, Kitsune, will be 14 in a few months.  He’s about right in the middle of the average lifespan range for his breed.  To top if off, we’ve been dealing with some health issues with him lately.  It’s hard to watch a beloved dog grow old.  Current issues aside, though, Kit has been a very healthy, happy go lucky dog throughout his life.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed that his current health issues are just a little blip, and that he’ll be back to his cheerful, healthy self soon.  I so very much hope that he’ll still have lots of happy years ahead of him.

I’ve been part of papillon groups since I got Kitsune, 13+ years ago now.  Talking to real owners, I’ve heard everything from pups dying early in accidents or due to health issues/illness, to senior papillons living happy lives into their 20s!  I know we all want to be that owner with the 20 year old papillon.  I know I do!  Unfortunately we can’t always control all the factors that help determine how long our beloved dogs live.  All we can do is to do our best with the factors we can control, and love our dogs everyday we have them here with us.

Comment below!  Are you thinking of getting a papillon?  If you’ve had a papillon in the past, how long did he/she live?