Just Cairn Terriers 2009 Calendar
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Your Online Guide To Everything Cairn Terriers
Breed Brief -
History - Appearance -
Temperament - Exercise -
Grooming - Training - Health
Is Breed Right For Me? -
Breeders/Puppies For Sale - Dog Names -
Pictures - Further Info -
Clubs/Rescues
Example of a handsome
Cairn Terrier dog.
Common Misspellings for Cairn Terriers
Cairnterriers,
Karin Terriers,
Cairn-Terriers,
Karin Terriers,
Cairn Terriors,
Cairn Teriers,
Karinterriers,
Karinterriors
Alternate Names For Cairn Terriers
Origin: Scotland
Height: 9-10 inches is
average
Weight: 12-15 pounds
Exercise Needs: Moderate
Grooming Needs: Moderate
Life Expectancy: 13-15
years
Good With Kids: Yes
Trainability: Easy
For many years, the Scottish Terrier dogs were simply known as “Scotch Terriers.” All developing from the same bloodlines, these Scotch Terriers originated in the various islands and the highlands of western Scotland, where they were used to flush out foxes, otter, rats and other vermin. Renowned for their courage and spunk, these little dogs could keep a farm relatively rat-free, with very little effort.
In 1873, the Scotch Terrier was divided into two separate classifications - the Skye Terrier and the Dandie Dinmont Terrier. Included in the Skye Terrier dog classifications were the same dogs who would later go on to be known as the Cairn Terrier, the Scottish Terrier, and the West Highland White Terrier. In fact, more often than not, the three different classifications could be found in the same litter, with only the coloration of the dog being used to distinguish it, one from the other. Later, a club for the Hard-haired Scotch Terrier would be formed in 1881 and would include all three varieties. Interesting to note is that, when the breed standard was approved in 1882, it accepted pure white dogs, but the presence of any white markings on these dogs would be considered a fault.
Near the turn of the century, the breeders of the Scottish Terrier began to separate from the main club and breed along their own lines. Shortly thereafter, the White Scottish Terrier Club was requesting separate classes fro the white terriers and the West Highland White Terrier would become its own breed. The remaining dogs, however, would face their own troubles.
The Inverness show of 1909 listed classes for what were known as Short-haired Skyes and this caused much debate over how confusing the name could be. Further proof of this was made evident in 1910, at the Crufts dog show, when a judge refused to judge the Short-haired Skye Terriers because she felt them to be in the wrong classes. It was then suggested that the Short-haired Skye instead be known as the Cairn Terrier of Skye, since the rock cairns were a common hiding place for the mammals which this spunky little dog would be set after. By 1912, the name would be shortened simply to the Cairn Terrier and, as they say, the rest is history.
The Cairn Terrier is a very small,
short-legged dog of the terrier type and is
well-known for his game attitude and appearance.
Solidly-built, without appearing bulky, these
wonderful little dogs are broad in the chest and
ribs, as well as having powerful hindquarters.
Their heads are known to be both shorter and
wider than other terriers, giving them an
adorably sweet appearance and somewhat foxy
expression. The tail of these scruffy little
dogs is commonly held aloft, but tends to be
very straight and should not bend over the back.
These sweet little half-pints of energy can
be found in any color except for white, though
it is preferred that the Cairn Terrier have a
dark muzzle, ears, and the tip of his tail
should also be dark. Their coat is very hard and
scruffy to the touch and is very
weather-resistant. With a double-coat, they have
a short and soft undercoat and a longer, harsh
outer coat. It’s not uncommon for this adorable
fellow to look like he has bed head, even after
a brushing, but that’s all a part of his charm.
The Cairn is a terrier, through and through;
he may only stand a little over a foot high, but
he’s not afraid to take on things much larger
and much meaner than himself, often getting
himself into a world of trouble. This is a
spunky, determined and active individual who
strongly seems to believe that the Devil makes
use of idle hands (or paws, as the case may be).
Rough and rowdy, they have a strong tendency to
chase other animals and some individuals can be
very stubborn and difficult to housebreak. For
best results, get them involved in obedience
courses at a young age and, if your dog is
overly active, perhaps contact local breeders to
learn more about Earthdog competitions.
This spunky little terrier is bred to lead an
active lifestyle and he truly does enjoy it.
Always on the go, they seem to be positively
filled with energy, whether it’s bolting prey
from the cairns of his namesake or tearing
around the living room, these little guys love
to move. If you’re thinking about a Cairn
Terrier, you had best be prepared to spend a
fair amount of time with your little guy, taking
him for a couple of daily walks per day (don’t
worry, they don’t have to be far though). Be
wary leaving these little impish canines alone
in the fenced-in yard, however. One thing that a
Cairn certainly loves to do is dig and many are
escape artists.
One look at the Cairn Terrier and you
basically know that this is not a dog that’s
going to stand still long enough to let you do
some sort of fancy-shmancy poodle type of
haircut on him. No pompons or doohickeys,
thanks! No, the Cairn Terrier has a very simple
style and that’s the classic bed-head do. A
weekly brushing and a chance to run the comb
through his coat, ensuring there are no mats,
and “scruffy” is good to go. If you simply must
do something creative, a pair of scissors,
gently applied, may be used to trim the
occasional trouble spot on family pets.
In addition to brushing, you will want to
give your Cairn Terrier baths as needed.
Generally, this only means about once a month,
but if you have a Cairn who likes to dig in the
dirt and then roll around in the worms, it may
be beneficial to bathe him a bit more often,
particularly if you have white carpeting. Don’t
forget to trim his toenails when you do so.
Training the Cairn Terrier takes patience and
understanding. A naturally busy and energetic
dog, they can be somewhat difficult to keep
focused, so obedience training is highly
recommended. Clicker-training success has been
noted with some, as it keeps the dog more
focused upon their owner, waiting to hear the
sound. Either way, Cairn Terriers work very well
with the positive reinforcement method of
training - don’t ever try to physically
discipline your Cairn, however, as this can make
them shy, sneaky, and nippish.
Like any breed of dog, the purebred Cairn
Terrier is subject to a variety of health
concerns. For this reason, when deciding to
choose a new Cairn Terrier puppy, check around
with several breeders and ask about the various
health issues that can affect these beautiful
little dogs. A good breeder should be
well-versed in the health concerns and should be
able to give you more details, as well as
showing you the sire and dam of your potential
puppy. Some of the health problems that can
affect Cairn Terriers include:
- Allergies
- Cataracts
- Craniomandibular osteopathy
- Globoid cell leukodystrophy
- Heart defects
- Hypothyroidism
- Legg-Perethes syndrome
- Luxated patella
- Ocular melanosis
- Portal shunt
- Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
- Epilepsy
- Von Willebrands disease
The Cairn Terrier is a wonderful family pet
in the right home, but he is a pet that takes a
fair amount of attention in order to keep him
happy and healthy. Requiring regular exercise
and his tendency to harass the cat may be too
bothersome for some would-be owners. Likewise,
his love of digging and causing mischief may
also weigh heavily. If you can get past those
small hurdles and still want one of these sweet
and loving dogs, a Cairn Terrier may very well
be the right dog for you. Be sure to check out
several breeders and get to know some of them in
person before you make any final decisions but,
for the right family, the Cairn Terrier is the
perfect little scruffy dog.
Now that you have decided that the Cairn Terrier is the right breed
for you, it's time to start the process of finding a responsible
Cairn Terrier breeder from which to buy a healthy,
well-socialized puppy. Not all breeders are alike; there are good
breeders - and bad breeders. Don't be in a hurry to buy the first
Cairn Terrier puppy you find at the cheapest price available! To
buy a puppy from a responsible Cairn Terrier breeder, you may
need to pay more and wait longer. The additional money and waiting
time will be well worth it. Buy a puppy in haste from a newspaper
ad, pet store or "backyard breeder", and you'll likely also purchase
a great deal of additional expense and heartache, since you will
likely end up falling in love with a puppy with health and
behavioral problems that will likely need special care, plenty of
veterinary visits, regular medication - or even euthanasia. But do
your homework and find a responsible, caring Cairn Terrier
breeder who home-raises their puppies with love, screens their
breeding dogs for health problems, offers a health guarantee and
post sale support, and who genuinely loves the Cairn Terrier
breed and is in it for the love of the breed, rather than profit,
and you can be fairly well assured of getting a healthy, happy, long
lived and affectionate family companion that will provide you and
your family with many years of joy, laughter and companionship.
Further information about choosing a responsible breeder...
Here are a few breeder directory sites that we recommend. These
sites attempt to screen advertisers to ensure that the breeders
listed are responsible and sell healthy, home-raised Cairn
Terrier puppies to carefully screened buyers. There are many, many
sites now online that advertise dog breeders - many are a Mecca for
puppy mills and backyard breeders. We recommend that you steer clear
of these resources in favor of sites that are more selective in the
breeders whom they allow to advertise.
We Highly Recommend:
Choosing a name for your Cairn Terrier puppy can be a daunting
task! There are so many names to choose from that it can take a lot
of thought and research to find just the right name for your
Cairn Terrier. Usually, it's best to get to know your puppy for a
few days or weeks. Often your puppy's personality will help you
decide on just the right name to choose. Does he have a sense of
humor? A serious side? A goofy way of cocking his head to one side?
A strange love of cantaloupe? By observing your new Cairn Terrier
puppy over the first days or weeks, you should at least have a clue
about what type of name you want to give. There are a ton of dog
names and pet names web sites on the internet. Some are wonderful
information resources, while others, unfortunately, are just
"garbage" sites set up with the sole purpose of cashing in on
visitor hits for this popular subject.
We recommend the following sites to assist you in choosing a name
for your new Cairn Terrier puppy. These sites offer inventive,
unique, original and creative pet names suggestions that have helped
thousands of new puppy owners in selecting just the right name for
their new baby!
Cairn Terriers are a very photogenic dog breed. By looking at
Cairn Terrier pictures, you can usually gain more insight into
what these dogs and puppies are like as a breed, and this can help
you decide if you really want to become an Cairn Terrier owner.
The following sites below offer pictures of Cairn Terrier dogs,
Cairn Terrier puppy photos, funny Cairn Terrier photos and
more. Enjoy!
There are a wealth of resources online that can help you learn
more about the Cairn Terrier dog breed. We've compiled a list of
Cairn Terrier information sites to assist you in quickly locating
quality information about the Cairn Terrier dog breed, while
avoiding the "garbage" sites that are nothing more than poor
attempts to capitalize on the popularity of dog breeds in general.
If you know of an Cairn Terrier information site that offers
unique, quality information and photos of the Cairn Terrier
breed, please contact us with the URL and a brief description so
that our editors can consider it for inclusion in our list below.
Cairn Terrier clubs and rescues web sites can help you learn
even more about the Cairn Terrier dog breed, help you locate a
responsible Cairn Terrier breeder, or help you find an Cairn
Terrier dog or puppy in need of a second chance for a loving,
forever home. We've compiled the following list of Cairn Terrier
clubs and Cairn Terrier rescues web sites for your convenience:
Is the Cairn Terrier Dog Breed Right For
You?
