The Enjoyable Cairn Terrier

That is right the Cairn terrier is truly an enjoyable dog to own. This little sturdy-built dog even looks mischievous! It can look at you like it is just about to say something to you. It has ears the point and stand up. It comes in a variety of colors from wheaten to black and all are acceptable but white.

A Bit of History

The Cairn terrier is a descendant of the group known as the Skye Terriers. This group included the Scottish, West Highland White and the Cairn Terriers. The breeds were then separated during the 1900s and from then on were thought of under the names you know them as today. They used to be used to flush rats out along with other small game.

The breed grew in popularity after that. People living in the cities wanted a smaller dog with energy to easily fit into the city conditions. Today the Cairn makes a wonderful pet along with being good in the agility trials and show rings.

Personality of the Cairn

The Cairn has a happy energetic personality. It is also very intelligent and loyal, making it great for families. It will bond with everyone in the family but especially with the one who feeds it. They are protective and will bark when someone comes to the door. Once the person is let into the house though, they may warm up to them.

It can be aggressive to other animals though, when not properly socialized. So watch them around other pets until they get used to them. Also the hunting extinct is strong in these dogs so always either have them on a dog collar & leash or in a fenced in yard. Otherwise they may bolt after a squirrel, bird, rabbit or the neighbor's pet that is lose.

These dogs love to be play with by children. They are quite durable to excess chasing and even a bit of rough play like children do. You do have to make sure that the Cairns know not to snap with their mouth while playing though. The Cairns will snap not meaning to bite but could accidentally do so if not trained right.

They love to chase tennis balls and sticks. Cairns love to be with their owner and families. These dogs will follow their family members from room to room to be with them sleeping nearby.

They can be a bit hard headed when it comes to housebreaking. But once housebroke they seldom have accidents. It just takes a bit of patience training them. They definitely know their own minds and love their little dog beds.

Health Conditions

As a breed the Cairns are fairly healthy. They could suffer some skin rashes due to being allergic to fleas. So watch for excessive scratching or licking. Cataracts could become a problem as the dogs grow older and can cause problems with vision. Some genetic disorders the breed suffers are Legg Calve Perthes or von Willebrands disease. Patellar luxation can happen in the breed too.

Grooming

This dog is easy to groom just brush regularly to remove any dead hairs and to prevent matting since this breed sheds very little. It has two coats the inner coat is soft and is prone to getting matted. The outer coat is coarser. Bath the dog only once to twice a month to retain the natural oils in the dog's coat.