Working dog originally from Scotland - Cairn Terrier

History of the origin of the breed

The breed originates from Great Britain, from the Isle of Skye. They were bred, as well as Skye Terriers, by Captain Martin McLoyd. The breeds differed only in the length of their coat. The Cairn is the oldest breed, from which all Scottish terriers descend.

Until 1910, when the breed was officially recognized, Cairns were often called “Short-haired Skye Terriers” and were confused with White Highland Terriers. They all look alike, as they often crossed with each other and even ended up in the same litter.

Working dogs

Initially there were no special requirements for beauty; dogs were used to hunt badgers, foxes, otters, wild cats, and martens, which caused damage to herds of small livestock.

Wild animals hid in the rocks, and dogs pulled them out of shelters inaccessible to humans, which is why they got their name “cairn” (from the English “cairn” - “pyramid of stones”). In addition to hunting, Cairn Terriers performed the functions of our domestic cat - they protected houses and fields from synanthropic rodents.

Breed recognition

The first representative of the breed was exhibited in 1860 as a “short-haired straight-eared Skye terrier”, in 1909 - already under the current name.

Dogs began to be entered into the book of breeding animals in 1912 in England, and in America a year later. In 1928, France was conquered by Cairn Terriers, followed by the whole of Europe.

History of the development of the Cairn Terrier

This breed of dog is considered an ancient representative of hunting terriers that first appeared in Scotland. These pets were bred to hunt rabbits and foxes that live in packs in the mountains of the country. Later, the puppies began to be used for mining among piles of stones called cores. In ancient times, only this breed had hunting skills, so it was widespread in Scotland.

At first, these dogs were called Skye Terriers, but this caused serious dissatisfaction among lovers of “Skyes”, whose fur is more flowing. Therefore, the discoverers of this breed had to rename it in 1910 - as a result, it received the official name “Cairn Terrier”.

The main founder of the breed is Alistair Campbell.

Already in 1912, the dogs were recognized in the Kennel Club, after which they gained a certain popularity not only in their country, but throughout the world.

Since this dog breed was discovered in harsh climates, it has a fairly hard coat that repels water. Dogs also have a warm undercoat - because of this, it does not shed, which negatively affects the appearance of the pet if it is not properly cared for (this can be seen in the photo).

Terriers, which were bred in Scotland, are characterized by large and erect ears, since in the mountains dogs necessarily require acute hearing. Also, reviews of the Cairn Terrier indicate that purebred dogs should have a short tail, since docking it is prohibited.

Description of the breed

Cairn terriers are medium-sized, active dogs suitable for a home or apartment, but active walking is required. Males are almost no different in physical parameters from females: their weight is in the range of 6-8 kg and 6-7 kg, height at the withers is 25-33 and 23-30 cm, respectively.

Kern's strong hips, deep chest, confidence and swiftness of movements reveal his high performance; a light step, a large reach of the front limbs, a powerful push from the strong hind limbs - the ability to develop decent speed.

Breed standard

Head:

• proportional, small;
• hairiness is abundant, there is a small “beard” and “mustache”;
• the forehead meets the muzzle smoothly but noticeably;
• slightly narrowed muzzle, strong but not heavy jaws, scissor bite (upper incisors partially overlap the lower ones);
• the forehead is wide, there is a small pit between the eyes;
• the ears are erect, small, triangular, covered with short hair, set apart;
• black nose, small, spaced eyes, dark iris;
• The neck is strong, the head set is high.

Torso:

• medium in length, straight back;
• flexible, strong loin, powerful croup;
• chest deep;
• the tail is short, densely covered with hair, almost vertical.

Wool:

• thick, hard, maybe a little wavy;
• the undercoat is quite thick and short;
• colors: cream, wheaten, red, gray (black and white colors are not acceptable);
• brindle markings can go with any color.

Legs:

• shoulders sloping, forearms parallel to each other, relatively long;
• strong thighs, short metatarsals;
• The paws are rounded, the front paws are larger than the hind paws, slight size is acceptable.

pros

• Cheerful character . An active dog is always ready to play and run, loves people of any age, keeping company with active children who cannot sit for long. Loves to crawl and chase the ball.
• Friendliness . Not only does he listen to his owner, but he also enjoys communicating with other family members. Makes many different sounds: purrs, mutters, growls and lightly howls in a fit of emotion. Will keep you company while watching TV shows and videos with animals.
• Courage . The dog is not aggressive and rarely starts a fight. But if you touch her, she bravely rushes at the offender, regardless of his size. Therefore, the owner has to make sure that someone else’s large dog does not harm the pet. He has excellent hearing and sense of smell and can become a good guard.
• Learning ability . She learns quickly and is ready to follow commands without feeding. This can be used to prepare for and participate in agility competitions.
• Features of wool . The coat is straight and harsh, but due to the soft undercoat it does not freeze and it is pleasant to stroke the dog. Near the nose, the relief of hairiness resembles a mustache. Breed standards do not allow achromatic black and white colors. The paws, muzzle and ears should be darker than the rest of the body. The ability to change coat color throughout life is another nice feature for owners who like to change their environment and interior. Brindle colors look great, as well as red, black and gray with light stripes and dark brown.
• Dimensions . Thanks to its modest size, it will fit even into a small apartment. It is convenient to transport it in transport as hand luggage.
• Long-lived . On average they live 13-15 years, but with proper care they can live up to 20, remaining full of energy and active.
• An excellent companion for an active owner . The breed is oriented toward living together with humans, but its stubbornness and independence require a course of obedience training. Thanks to its courageous character, it can accompany its owner on mountain hikes and kayaking. He knows how to catch fish and birds, loves to swim, if you carefully accustom him to the water.
• Not a sickly breed . Rarely gets sick. But vaccinations and treatment against worms and fleas are required.
• Not allergenic . Almost odorless, does not shed.
• Doesn't cause problems . Unlike other small dogs, it does not like to bark in vain and does this only when it is very indignant or really wants to attract the attention of its owner. Calmly waits for the return of family members, without bothering the howling of neighbors. When meeting strangers on the stairs or in other public places, he does not rush at them or bark at them.

Characteristics and behavioral features

The Cairn Terrier's character is characterized by activity and devotion. The breed is characterized by intelligence and intelligence, but dogs are often unable to correctly assess their size in comparison with the growth of other animals.

They attack their opponent without fear, especially if they decide that he is threatening their owner. They will protect your house too, without thinking about themselves.

Keep a close eye on your little bodyguard so that he doesn't get hit back by the larger dog!

Cairn Terriers are also hunters. Due to the instinct of search and pursuit, he can get lost on the street.

Energetic and lively, this dog is great for equally active families, preferably with children.

Cairn terriers are not at all adapted to do without company for a long time. Keeping them alone spoils their character and they develop bad habits: barking for no reason or digging holes in inappropriate places.

Education and training

The Cairn Terrier's guarding instincts are very strong and need to be mitigated. This is the main task of raising these dogs - so that an adult dog does not show aggression towards strangers.

Before starting a general training course (up to 7 months of age), teach the dog to respond to a name, approach a hand, fetch things on command, go to a place, sit down, eat on a schedule, not beg, and not accept affection and food from strangers.

Remember, they are interested in everything at once, they like to be distracted. Like any child, the little cairn plays more than he works, so base his training on play and always let him win to maintain interest.

Dogs can only be trained well with positive reinforcement. Screaming and mistreatment will only lead to withdrawal of a far from timid dog.

Advantages

The advantages of the breed include:

1. Mobility, energy, perky disposition;
2. Good hunting and protective qualities;
3. Devotion, love;
4. Friendliness towards people, love for children;
5. High intelligence, learning ability.

Flaws

Depending on the quality of upbringing and the specific individual, the character and shortcomings of temperament depend, but many Cairn Terriers exhibit the following traits:

1. Excessive emotionality, touchiness;
2. Need for constant attention;
3. Tendency to escape;
4. Dislike of cats and small rodents;
5. Cockiness;
6. Arrogance.

Diseases

Cairn terriers live for about 12-15 years, and live up to 18.

With proper care and nutrition, they rarely get sick. The breed is most susceptible to: von Willibrand's disease, necrosis of the femoral head, luxation of the patella, liver shunt, cataracts and the “breed” disease Ocular Melanosis glaucoma.

Some are hereditary, but the breeding work of the English and American Kennel Clubs helps identify them through genetic testing and prevent the spread. Unsuitable food or excess food often leads to allergies, poisoning or excess weight, especially in older animals.

Care and maintenance

It is advisable to own a Cairn Terrier in rural areas. This will enable the dog to realize its hunting instinct, which will have a positive effect on the pet’s psyche. At the same time, she feels good even in a small apartment. However, in this case, it should be taken outside every day to play.

Regular physical activity is a prerequisite for keeping the breed.

Nutrition

The question of what to feed the Cairn Terrier is not a problem for owners, since dogs are omnivores and happily eat vegetables, raw meat, oatmeal, and cereals. However, you should not overfeed the animal, as the breed is prone to obesity. In order to understand when to reduce or increase the serving size, you need to feel the ribs. If they cannot be felt, it means that the dog is overfed, they are sticking out - the amount of food needs to be increased.

Representatives of the breed can be fed dry food. In this case, it is necessary to choose food with the least amount of chemical additives and the right amount of vitamins and minerals.

One of the most important indicators of the quality of artificial food is its protein content - it should not be less than 25%.

The most favorable feeding regimen is twice a day (morning and evening).

Grooming

Cairn Terriers have powerful and sharp claws, which is why it is important to trim them regularly. The optimal frequency of the procedure is once every 15–20 days.

Caring for your ears and eyes involves checking them daily. In the absence of diseases, it is enough to clean several times a week. You should use cotton pads (for eyes) or cotton swabs (for ears) moistened with warm boiled water or chamomile decoction.

Coat care involves regular brushing (2-3 times a week) with a stiff brush. To maintain the pedigree, neat appearance of the Cairn Terrier, it must be trimmed regularly - plucking out mature hair. The frequency of the procedure is once every 3–4 months. If the dog does not participate in competitions, it is recommended to refuse grooming.

It is not necessary to wash your Cairn Terrier completely. The exception is washing paws after street walks.

Education and training

Raising puppies of this breed must be carried out to develop in the dog skills and reflexes that will be useful for the owner and useful for further training. At the age of 1 to 4 months, the pet must understand who is the leader in the apartment, get used to the feeding regime, its place, brushing, walks, a collar and leash, and be able to respond to its name.

You can punish a puppy during training only at the moment of committing an offense (jumping on the table, turning over a flower pot, etc.). The punishment should consist of changing the intonation to a more strict one - the dog must understand that the owner is dissatisfied by his voice. You should not beat an animal for educational purposes.

Training a dog consists of teaching it commands: “Come”, “Walk”, “Stand”, “No”, “Sit”, “Fu”. It is best to instill skills in your pet in a playful way during walks. The main means of training should be rewarding with treats, changing the timbre of the voice, stroking, and hand gestures.

Diseases and treatment

The cores have good health and longevity.

The most common diseases of the breed are:

• Perthes disease. A genetic disease that causes poor circulation in the extremities, leading to degeneration of cartilage and bone tissue.
• Obesity. It develops most often in “apartment” dogs that have a lack of physical activity and excess food. Excess body weight can lead to diseases of the animal’s heart, liver and blood vessels, and cause endocrine disorders.
• Von Willebrand's disease. A genetic blood disorder that causes sudden bleeding that is very difficult to stop.
• Cataract. Often caused by lack of eye care and unfavorable living conditions.
• Allergy. In most cases it is caused by plant pollen, food or house dust.
• Dislocation of the kneecap. It is a genetically determined disorder of Cairn Terriers.

The effectiveness of treatment for your pet depends on timely contact with the veterinarian. For this reason, if symptoms of any disease appear, you should not treat your dog on your own, but immediately take it to a specialist.

Representatives of the breed are sensitive to the development of many infectious diseases, so the dog must be vaccinated against hepatitis, plague, rabies, parainfluenza, and parvovirus infection. The age at which veterinarians vaccinate puppies varies, but typically the first injection is given at 8 weeks and the second at 12 weeks.

Caring for a Cairn Terrier

The coat of the Cairn Terrier requires the most attention and care. If you get such a pet, you will have to brush it every two days, carefully combing the undercoat, as it easily tangles. For home grooming, a stiff brush is suitable.

In dogs with coarse hair, including terriers, the guard hair does not fall out on its own, even when it dies. These dogs do not shed, making them suitable for allergy sufferers. Trimming - plucking dead hairs in the direction of their growth - will help keep the coat beautiful and tough.

In Cairn Terriers, this procedure is carried out around the eyes and on the inside of the ear, and two to three times a year throughout the body. Be careful to avoid injury and skin irritation!

But the haircut of the Cairn Terrier is undesirable. Coarse hair, thin at the base and thick at the end, weakens when cut, and the coat degenerates. Trim only around the paw pads, anus and genitals. When a bitch leaks, it needs to be washed.

When preparing for an exhibition, professional, rather labor-intensive grooming is required.

It is not necessary to bathe your dog often - you can wash off the protective fat coating from the fur, which gives the skin water-repellent properties. For the same reason, do not get carried away with dog shampoos, and exclude human shampoos altogether, so as not to damage the coat.

But brushing your teeth and the inner corners of your eyes are necessary daily rituals.

Difference from Norwich Terrier

Yes, these breeds are very similar, but there are still some differences. First of all, this is, of course, the size of both dog breeds.

Size and weight

The Cairn Terrier is significantly taller. Its height at the withers ranges from 28 to 31 cm and its weight is approximately 7 kg. While his fellow Norwich Terrier weighs no more than 5 kg, and the height at the withers is 26 cm.

Character

Their characters are extremely similar. Both are active, friendly, charming. Both are brave enough to stand up for themselves and at the same time are not quarrelsome, avoid fights, that is, they are completely peaceful. The main difference is that the Norwich is more balanced and easier to train.

Color

The core most often has a color of all shades of brown and gray. In his case, brindle is acceptable. Dark spots on the head, especially on the ears, are quite common.

The Norwich Terrier has approximately the same shades of brown and gray, but in its case brindle is not allowed. If his coat has several colors, they are always clearly defined and do not intersect.

Wool

The Cairn Terrier's coat is softer than that of the Norwich Terrier. That is why from the outside it resembles a thoroughly tousled fur hat. because hair grows in different directions.

The Norwich Terrier's coat is coarser, and since hair growth is orderly, it produces a neater appearance. Since it fits tightly to the body, it gives the impression of a kind of shell.

Body type

Both of them have a good, strong physique. However, the Cairn Terrier has longer legs and gives the impression of being a lighter dog.

Feeding

The puppy needs to be fed five times a day. The serving size is determined by the puppy’s weight and increases as it grows. Put enough food in the bowl so that the dog eats quickly and licks the dishes afterwards.

If your dog eats slowly or there is food left over, remove it and give less next time. If your dog has eaten everything, do not rush to give him more - you will increase the risk of obesity, softening of the bones, sagging back, or simply spoil his appetite in the future.

Feeding adult dogs is not difficult. Reviews from the owners confirm that two feedings a day are enough for the dog. Determine the serving size following the same recommendations.

Breed characteristics

Price and where to buy a puppy

Choose a purebred Cairn Terrier puppy of any class from a kennel in Russia, Ukraine or abroad. For example, nurseries registered in the RKF and FCI “Iz Doma ElivS”, “Fritsvit RKF”, “Bai Romanse”, “Iz Lunnoy Sad”; abroad - Glenmore's nursery.

Kerns are not elite dogs, so you can buy a puppy even for $50 US. But professional breeders around the world are working on the breed, so the price of show-promising puppies from champion parents rises to $1200-1700.

Choosing a Cairn Terrier puppy

When choosing a Cairn Terrier puppy, follow the standard recommendations. Finding a baby in large cities of Russia and the CIS countries is not difficult. With the growing popularity of small dogs, the number of nurseries that breed this breed is also growing. It is better for the future owner to decide in advance on the gender, desired color, temperament and class of the puppy.

If you need a friend for a child, you can take a pet-class baby. Sometimes it is possible to find a puppy with disqualifying defects that will not allow him to participate in exhibitions and breeding in the future, but do not threaten the quality of life (kinked tail, malocclusion, cryptorchidism). Such dogs are much cheaper than their counterparts with the correct exterior. Puppies classified as show class can build a show career and, with high scores, participate in breeding. These cost the maximum, and you can only buy them in a good nursery. If high demands are placed on the dog, it is better to choose a puppy at the age of 6-7 months, when you can draw conclusions about its appearance, correct bite, and temperament. The older the core, the more accurate the forecast. It is almost impossible to see a future champion in a 2-month-old puppy, even for an experienced person.

Some people sell mixed breeds. Some immediately indicate this in advertisements, while others hide this fact so as not to reduce the cost. Therefore, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the standard in advance. Even a small puppy must largely meet the requirements described in the document. If he is a mestizo, there will definitely be inconsistencies.

It is important to make sure the parents are healthy. It is advisable that they undergo tests for at least the most common diseases: hip dysplasia, blood clotting disease, progressive retinal atrophy. Buying a puppy from lovers who bred their dogs for the sake of “health” or profit increases the risk of getting a baby with hereditary diseases or mental disorders.

Price

The price of a Cairn Terrier puppy varies over a very wide range. It is influenced by the geography of the nursery, its status, the level of the breeding stock and the estimated prospects of the puppies from the litter. Dogs for the sofa cost 25,000-30,000 rubles. Promising babies for show and breeding from 45,000 rubles. Cairn Terrier puppies without documents usually cost no more than 10,000 rubles.

Photo