The temperament of Papillons is that of a happy, friendly, adventurous dog. They are not shy or aggressive. Papillons make excellent family dogs, but should be watched around little children, as should any dog, due to a small child's lack of understanding of a dog's behavior and the likelihood that they will do something to upset the dog. Given the intelligence of Papillons, they should also be given rigorous training and mental stimulation to prevent behavioral issues arising from boredom. According to Dr Stanley Coren, an expert on animal intelligence, Papillons are among the top ten brightest dogs, ranking 8th out of 138 breeds tested.