The little pet dog was the best asset in portraits and genre scenes at the end of the 18th century. In the heart of salons or in the intimacy of a bedroom, the pet dog, a symbol of luxury, was an integral part of the daily life of an aristocracy eager to show off the signs of its wealth. This little dog, miniaturized like a fashion accessory, is closely shorn, its ears clipped (we say "écouées"), its claws manicured and its teeth perhaps even cut, according to the customs of the time. A "bichon dog" or a "muff dog", generic terms for miniature dogs under the Ancien Régime, this little dog is probably a kind of miniature spaniel (or papillon) in vogue at the time of the painting but here rendered unrecognizable because it is completely shorn.