Jameson Bernard: “My Dog Breed Is Called the ‘Avion de Papier…'”

Writes Jameson Bernard (’21) for Dogs and Their Humans:

My dog breed is called the Avion de Papier, French for “paper airplane”, because they are very light in weight and are good at weaving around obstacles, turning like a paper plane in the wind.

Characteristics:

Slower gait (shorter legs)
Liftable by myself (15-20 lbs)
Less activity needed, lower energy
Suited for a dorm or smaller apartment (smaller size)
Less of a chase and kill response (avoiding terrier similarities, not needed)
Less shedding (I often have either wet paint or projects on the floor)
Confident, friendly demeanor (helping me feel more capable walking out in public)

Greatest strength: weaving between obstacles (the various detritus I leave on my floor), requiring clear eyesight and a thinner build.

Avion de Papier are part of the hound class, with the general build and size of a dachshund. Their fur texture and coloring is like that of a Shih Tzu: creams and neutral greys. Their hair only falls out when brushed, making them hypoallergenic.

The Avion de Papier has the strong eyesight of a greyhound, with more frontal-facing socket placement. They look down longer snouts as well, making breathing issues uncommon.

Their general personality tends to be a mix between the dachshund’s more forward nature and the Cavalier King Charles spaniel’s low energy and friendliness, making them good therapy dogs that need less exercise.

Due to their size and general demeanor, the Avion de Papier is perfectly suited for my lazy dorm life, while still being properly trainable to avoid stepping on/bumping into my art projects, or anything else for that matter. I feel that their friendliness and courage would inspire me to feel more motivated when I’m in a rut.