Cairn Terriers Today
Today the Cairn Terrier is a sensible, confident little dog, independent but friendly with everyone he meets. Alert, intelligent and long-lived, the Cairn tends to remain active and playful well into his teen year, endearing him to children.
True to his heritage, the breed still has very large teeth, large feet with thick pads and strong nails (the better to dig with!), strong, muscular shoulders and rears, and a fearless tenacity that will lead him into trouble if his owners are irresponsible.
The Cairn comes in a variety of colours. All are attractive, and you will love your Cairn whatever colour he turns out to be. It can be difficult if not impossible to predict adult colour based on the puppy coat. Colour changes in many Cairns continue for years, sometimes changing up to five or six times in their lifetime. Most brindles eventually becoming very dark, bordering on black. Some wheatens and reds also darken while others may remain light. Part of the fun of the breed is guessing what colour a puppy may eventually become.
Temperament and Training
No two Cairns are truly alike; each has distinct personality and character differences. As a rule, though, Cairns are somewhat independent. A typical puppy may sit on your lap for a few moments, but will resist being held for long, wriggling impatiently to get down and explore. Their intelligence makes them curious and extremely quick to learn. They are surprisingly sensitive, and harsh punishment is not necessary or desirable. However, a Cairn can be wilful and must know from the outset that someone else is in charge. If he has any question about that, hell do his best to run the house himself. Firm, loving and consistent discipline is the key to a good relationship with your Cairn Terrier.
Due to his sometimes gamey and independent nature, it is recommended owners take steps to train their Cairn using positive, reward based training methods from an early age, possibly engaging in training classes but taking time to train in ways that both you and he will enjoy, find fun will be the most rewarding.
Grooming
Maintaining the Cairns shaggy appearance is not difficult. An hour or so of grooming each week will keep his coat in good condition. As many Cairns are allergic to flea bites, it is important to keep him free of fleas.
The Cairn is different from many dogs by having a “double coat”, an undercoat covered by a coarse outer coat, bred to withstand harsh Highland weather. One advantage of owning a Cairn over some other breeds is moulting is minimal if the dog is brushed and combed weekly and infrequently bathed. If possible, a Cairn’s coat is better “hand stripped” to remove old and dead hair, and if this is done properly his coarse coat will be maintained, whereas if he is clipped the coat is more likely to lose its coarse thickness and go silky.
Pet owners may not wish to have him hand stripped, but for the show world, this is a must. Cairn Terrier exhibitors take pride in the grooming of their dogs to keep the natural coat & maintain the look of this gamey and spirited little Highland dog.
Whether the Cairn becomes a champion at show, or remains a pet, he is primarily known as a loyal, brave little dog who will return great enjoyment and reward to any good, caring owner who has faith in him. With time and a little love he may well become “the best little pal in the world”.
