Dog Breeds A-Z: Cairn Terrier
It’s hard to think of the Cairn Terrier without mentioning Toto, Dorothy’s dog from The Wizard of Oz. Like Toto, Cairns are feisty, intelligent and loyal little dogs who may be small, but are not lacking in bravery.
The Cairn is a native of Scotland and has been around since the 1500’s. They were originally bred for fox hunting and rodent control. The name "Cairn" refers to narrow gaps between rocks, and the breed was particularly adept at squeezing through these gaps to kill rats. These days Cairns are more commonly seen as companion dogs.
Standing just 10 to 13 inches at the withers, and weighing just 18 pounds, the Cairn Terrier is a strong, compact little dog. The face is sharp and fox-like, and the ears small an erect. The coat can be brindle, cream, gray, red, sandy, or wheaten, and is rough and shaggy.
These alert, clever and mischievous dogs have bags of character. They are confident, affectionate and friendly and ideally suited to the role of companion dog. They do well with children, although are not best suited to young kids. You'll also have to supervise them around non-canine pets, particularly rodents, as they still possess a strong prey drive.
Training a Cairn is usually easy. They are eager to please and keen to learn, with a special talent for learning tricks. Males tend to be easier to train than females, but both genders respond well to positive training methods. Shouting or any form of punishment will be ineffective, because they are quite sensitive.
They are also very quick and agile, meaning that they are keen competitors in various canine sports. Cairns do exceptionally well at flyball, agility and obedience trials.
With an average lifespan of between 12 and 15 years, the Cairn is a healthy, robust dog. However, they are not immune to genetic diseases and are known to suffer from progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, hypothyroidism, and entropion. These dogs are also very sensitive to flea bites, so you'll need to take steps to control these pests.
Grooming a Cairn Terrier is fairly easy. They shed very little and require only a good brush down every other day to keep the coat looking its best. The undercoat tends to be quite sensitive so be careful to brush gently. The dog can be bathed monthly and you should also take care to trim the hair around the eyes.
Because of their small size, Cairns can live most anywhere and do well in an apartment. They are however, highly active dogs requiring daily exercise. This should include a walk plus games, as Cairns love to play and are particularly fond of chasing a ball.
Finding good puppy names, for a Cairn Terrier can be a challenge. Your best bet is to use an online dog names database like Puppy Names HQ, which has literally thousands of excellent dog names, including a mega-list of cool dog names.
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