The name Carillon is a combination of the two names of its parent breeds: the Cairn Terrier and the Papillon. The Papillon originated around 700 years ago in France. Italian frescoes and paintings from as far back as the 13th century also depicted this petite canine. A popular companion for European royalty and the elite, this breed originally did not have the "butterfly wings" ears that they are known for today. Papillon is French for butterfly, and once the breed migrated from Europe to North America, its popularity increased. The American Kennel Club added this spunky breed to its roster in 1915. The Carillon’s other parent, the Cairn Terrier, hails from Scotland's Isle of Skye and is the result of a long history of dividing the Terrier breed. There is evidence to suggest early versions of the Cairn Terrier existed in the 15th century and were used to hunt foxes, the badgers, and otters. The name is derived from this breed’s ability to chase otters from cairns – stone piles used as landmarks or memorials at that time. In 1873, the breed was divided into Dandie Dinmont and Skye Terriers based on color. The Cairn Terrier was put in the Skye Terrier category. In 1881, Hard-Haired Terriers were identified as a separate breed from the Skye Terriers – again changing the categorization of the Cairn Terrier. Eventually, Hard-Haired Terriers were separated into Scotch, West Highland White and what we know today as the modern Cairn Terrier. Many of the early Cairns Terriers were white, but many color variations have emerged in this breed since the early 1900s. It was recognized by the AKC in 1913. Famously, Toto from the movie The Wizard of Oz was a Cairn Terrier. The product of these two breeds, the Carillon, is suspected to have originated in the early to mid-1900s when both parent breeds were in North America.
