Laden im App Store

🐾 Small · France / Belgium

Phalène: Size, Weight & Temperament

A dainty Continental Toy Spaniel with drooping, fringed ears, the moth-eared variant of the Papillon with the same friendly, alert and highly affectionate temperament toward people.

✓ Beginner-friendly
Phalène dog breed portrait
Photo: Pleple2000 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Resized and recompressed
Weight male2,5–4,5 kg
Weight female2,5–4,5 kg
Shoulder height20–28 cm
Size classSmall (under 12 kg)
Fully grownat approx. 10 months
Life expectancy14–16 years
Activity levelModerate
OriginFrance / Belgium
ClassificationFCI Group 9 – Continental Toy Spaniel (Companion and Toy Dogs)

Phalène: temperament & character

Phalènes are alert, affectionate and surprisingly confident for their small size, with a pronounced eagerness to learn. They are considered among the most intelligent toy breeds and bond closely with their family.

How much exercise does a Phalène need?

Despite its small size the Phalène is lively and needs daily walks as well as mental stimulation such as trick training. It adapts, however, to its family's activity level.

Phalène: grooming & shedding

The silky, medium-length coat rarely mats and needs brushing only a few times a week. The drop ears should be checked regularly for cleanliness.

Is the Phalène suitable for beginners?

Well suited for beginners who take into account the fragility of a small breed and supervise interactions with children. Gentle, consistent training is usually entirely sufficient.

Phalène health problems

As with many toy breeds, patellar luxation and a collapsing trachea can occur, and particular attention to dental care is needed. Otherwise the breed is considered comparatively healthy and long-lived.

Is a Phalène right for you?

With childrenYes
SheddingLittle
Grooming effortModerate
BarkingLittle
Home alonePoor
Other petsGood
TrainabilityEasy

The Phalène sheds little and is therefore considered comparatively well tolerated by allergy sufferers. No breed is truly hypoallergenic, though: the allergy is triggered by the protein Can f 1 in saliva and dander, not by the hair itself.

Good with: Families and individuals seeking an alert, adaptable small companion dog

Is your Phalène at a healthy weight? Calculate the ideal weight and the right portion size for free in the Souldog app.

← Back to the full dog-breed overview (281 breeds)

This information is for general guidance and does not replace veterinary or breeder advice. Temperament and health vary individually within every breed.