The Cairn Terrier is can be kept in an apartment or home. She can get enough exercise if she is walked regularly but a properly fenced in enclosure is ideal. She likes to bark and dig so beware of your neighbors and landscaping. She needs to be kept on a lead when walking because she may take off on the chase.
*Good With Children? Loves to play with older children but needs supervision.. As a reminder, never leave young children unsupervised with a dog or puppy.
*Good With Other Pets? May fight other dogs. Bred to kill vermin. Will kill cats and other small pets.
*Trainability: Very high. They can be trained to do tricks.
*Approximate Adult Size. The approximate adult size (two years old or older) of the male Cairn Terrier is 10 to 13 inches to the withers (highest point of the shoulder) and 14 to 18 pounds. The female ranges from 9 to 12 inches to the withers and 13 to 17 pounds.
*Special Health Considerations. Most dog breeds have certain inherited health problems associated with that specific breed and the Cairn Terrier is no exception. Be on the look out for dislocated knees, skin allergies especially due to fleas, eye diseases, Von Willebrands disease (a problem with blood clotting), and progressive neurological disorders.
This disease list is an informative guideline only. Other diseases may also be significant threats, please contact your veterinarian for a complete list.
She should visit the veterinarian several times in the first year for shots, boosters and check up. Then, as an adult, she should visit the veterinarian yearly for shots and check up. As she gets older, six years and on, she should visit the veterinarian twice a year for check ups and shots. Remember; avoid feeding your dog sweets.
*Grooming. The Cairn Terrier has a weather resistant hard outer coat with a close, furry soft inner coat. She sheds little but should be brushed regularly. Brushing will help her maintain a clean and healthy coat, avoid mats and help you keep a closer eye on her health and strengthen your emotional bond with her. Bathe monthly.
Her teeth should be brushed at least twice a week with toothpaste and toothbrush designed for dogs. Brushing removes the accumulation of plaque and tartar which can cause cavities (rarely) and periodontal disease. Dog periodontal disease can lead to pain, loss of teeth, bad breath and other serious disease.
Her toenails may need to be examined for growth and clipped regularly. The toenails of the rear feet grow slower than the toenails of the front feet. Generally a guillotine type trimmer is the best for this chore and competent instructions to accomplish this can be found on the net.
*Life Span. The Cairn Terrier can live between 12 and 15 years with proper nutrition, medical care and excellent living conditions.
*History. Believed to be from the Western Highlands of Scotland or the island of Skye, the Cairn Terrier is probably a cross between the black and tan terrier and white terrier. Toto from the Wizard of Oz is perhaps the best known of the breed. They were first registered by the American Kennel Association in 1913.
Some Registries: *Cairn Terrier Club of America *UKC United Kennel Club *NKC National Kennel Club *CKC Continental Kennel Club *APRI Americas Pet Registry Inc. *AKC American Kennel Club *FCI Federation Cynologique Internationale *NZKC New Zealand Kennel Club *KCGB = Kennel Club of Great Britain *ANKC = Australian National Kennel Club *ACR = American Canine Registry
Litter Size: 3 to 5 Cairn Terrier puppies
Category: Terrier
Terms To Describe: Active, hardy, happy, upbeat, feisty, busy
*SPECIAL GOOD POINTS Good watch dog.
*SPECIAL BAD POINTS Poor guard dog. Can tend to bark, she is VERY vocal. May tend to get fat. Can become destructive without attention.
*Other Names Known By: Short-haired Skye Terrier
*Every dog is an individual so not everything in this information may be correct for your dog. This information is meant as a good faith guideline only.
If you are thinking of getting a Cairn terrier pet dog, then you need to know some information about it first. Why? Well, knowing the right information about anything will help you in the long run. This is especially true when we are talking about a pet ownership. Before you get a Cairn terrier pet dog, you need to be sure that you know what you are getting yourself into. You need to know how to take proper care of your cairn terrier pet dog and you also need to know what to expect when you are getting one.
Thankfully, there are a lot of sites on the internet which can provide you the necessary information. To save you some time, however, here are the basics:
Originally bred in the Scottish highlands, the Cairn terrier is the smallest of all terrier breeds. You should not let the size deceive you when you are getting a Cairn terrier pet dog, however. The Cairn terrier was first bred because of its working ability. You know what this means? This means energy.
A Cairn terrier pet dog has a lot of energy to spare. They can gain a lot from taking brisk walks daily. However, you should know that they do best when they have a fenced-in yard to play in. This way, they get more room when they play. Their high energy also means that they aren't really suitable for apartment or condo living. If you live in such places, then having a Cairn terrier pet dog is not for you.
Their energy may also put them in danger. This is the reason why you need to make sure that a Cairn terrier pet dog stays in one area. Their natural instincts tell them to dig and run and these activities may lead to accidents if unsupervised.
There are, however, a lot of positive things that can be said about a Cairn terrier pet dog's energy. For one thing, it makes the dog fun to play with. It can play for hours on end, giving you the companionship that you want. Another positive with this energy is the fact that this energy can be channeled into good purposes. A Cairn terrier pet dog is naturally inquisitive and is always willing to participate in a new adventure. This means that a Cairn terrier pet dog can be easily taught to do tricks. They learn tricks very fast and thrive in obedience training.
You need to make sure that your Cairn terrier pet dog is trained properly since untrained ones have a tendency to be destructive when they are bored.
Let us talk about the proper care for a Cairn terrier pet dog. One thing you do not need to worry about is its coat. The Cairn terrier pet dog was not bred for the beauty of its coat. The coat of a Cairn terrier pet dog is weather resistant and sheds little to no fur. Because of this, it can be a great indoor pet.
Being the smallest of terrier breeds, however, makes Cairn terrier pet dogs especially vulnerable to various health problems. Care must be taken when feeding it as it can gain weight quite rapidly. A Cairn terrier pet dog is also especially sensitive to fleas. However, you can be sure that this is one of the best breeds around.
Both Mitch Endick & Jenny Styles are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Mitch Endick has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home, Puppies Dogs and Education. Mitch Endick is a short article writer, editor and website developer for the popular pet site petpages.com.