i wont answer all the questions, pappylove did a pretty good job of that
1.What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc)
owned for about 4 years, yep im only new to paps, this is my first year as a breeder of papillons , i have owned and bred other breeds over the years
3. How common is it in Australia?
not very common in my neck of the woods, i only know of one other person in my area with them, im sure there are more hidden away, most people dont know what they are, having said that very few people only ever have one , they are addictive
5. What is the general temperament/personality?
i find them to be loving, loyal and generally outgoing, however like all breeds they can differ, i have one who was very timid as a pup, and i thought perhaps she hadnt been handled much, but she has never grown out of it
6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult?
i dont "exercise" mine mainly due to the amount of unfenced dogs in my area, mine just have free run of the yard and i find this is enough for them,
7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with?
yes
8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods?
yes, my boy was solo for the first 2 years and i didnt get the girls for him i got them for me
9. How much grooming is required?
i bath them maybe once every month or 2 and a brush once a week , they hardly ever knot or matt
10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)?
most people say they shouldnt be for small children , my kids are 4yo and 7yo and i find them fine however they have grown up with dogs, i wouldnt recommend them for children as a first time dog unless theyd have full supervision , and my only concern with the elderly is they tend to be under foot more often than not which can cause you to trip on them but no more or less than other breeds
i think the nsw councils rule of not selling unmicrochipped puppies is bloody stupid, i dont think paps or any other small breed should have to go through that at around 6-8 weeks, id prefer they were done at 6 months when they are a bit bigger