Tell me about your Cairn Terrier/Update page 2

[bellanotte10]

Howdy neighbor!

I have a 5 year old cairn terrier right now! His name is duncan and he is a little bundle of energy. he loves to give kisses, and loves to play and go for walks. He is both really smart and really stupid at the same time. He knows how to open the doors to the house, but we have one of those fabric crates, and if you fold down the door and don't even zip it up, he can't figure out how to get out.
He does have some issues that when he has something he wants, like for instance, five minutes ago he stole my shoe, he'll run off with it and growl at you if you try to get it back. He doesn't bite though, and its mostly for show. He is actually really submissive.

He's a little neruotic and afraid of everything, but i don't blame him. When he was a puppy he'd knock things over onto himself, and jumped off my large antique bed and landed himself in the emergency room.

He also is VERY protective of his lawn and barks and barks and barks at people walking by with other dogs. But if he were to pass by those same dogs somewhere else, he'd be so scared. He doesn't like meeting other dogs on leash

We do take him up to Singing Beach in Manchester by the Sea, or Good Harbor in Gloucester, which turn into huge dog parks in the winter. He loves it, but is TERRIFIED of the waves. but he gets along with all the dogs. Sometimes a little too much. He thinks everyone and every dog wants to be his friend when he's off leash. its a little much for people who aren't dog people.

He's my little boy though and I love him so much. I do wish he was a little more cuddly, but i wouldn't trade him in for the world. He is most definitely my fur baby and I threatened my mom with a mug that said "let me get this straight, my grandson is a DOG?" she did not find it as funny as I did.

 

[Maridw]

We had one when I was a kid, and he was a great dog.

He was kind of a small dog who didn't know he was small. He had a bit of a "big dog" personality in that he'd take on anything, knew no fear.

They're a nice size -- not too big to be house dogs, not so small as to be wimpy little nothings. Easy to transport in the car, don't eat as much as massive dogs. My latest dog was 80 lbs, and although I loved her, I don't think I want another that size. The size (and cost) of the dog house, the bed, etc. is big.

Ours was a healthy little fellow. I don't remember whatever became of him -- he "disappeared" while I was away at college, but I believe he lived to a ripe old age.

They enjoy being indoor or outdoor dogs.

They are high-energy dogs and love to run with kids. They'd be a poor choice for an elderly person who couldn't walk them (or turn them out into a fenced yard) on a regular basis. Ours had a tremendous love for those "pull toys" -- that's a poor description, but I mean the twisted rope things that the dog bites into while the person pulls back the other way. Oh, did he love to play that way. He was a rough-and-tumble kind of dog.

Lots of personality. We all absolutely adored him.

They love to bark and are fairly noisy critters. No one will ever sneak into your house without your knowledge.

"Cairn" means rock. These dogs are diggers (i.e., digging under the rocks) and will attempt to dig out of any fence -- not because they want to leave you, but because digging is just soooo muccch fuuuuun.

They're hunters. I've had cats bring me "gifts" of small dead animals, but our Cairn Terrier was the only dog who ever gave me such a gift.

Ours was a smart little pup, though he clearly recognized that we were the humans and he was the dog.

I do remember dog hair being an issue. If you plan this to be an indoor dog, assume you'll need regular grooming. Plan for this to be an expense -- either in terms of money or time.

This sounds a lot like our Cairn. She was so energetic. My dad taught her to roll over, sit and beg. While he trained her he used hand signals too, so you could do the hand signal and she would do her trick. She loved to run. She would play with our collie, Joe and our Boston Terrier, Bourbon. I think they kept her spirit young. She also picked strawberries off my dad's strawberry plants. When we lived in Nebraska, she made a friend of the dog a couple doors down. Some times she would wander down to visit him and come back with a long raw hide chew. She looked funny with the almost foot long chew sticking out of her mouth. She never went far from our house. We had a cookie barrel that we would bang the lid and she would come home and she would get a treat. She also brought us "gifts".

Near the end she became deaf and developed cataracts. She didn't go upstairs and would sleep at the end of my bed. She loved when my grandmother came to visit. She would sit at her feet and my grandmother would rub her head.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Awesome testimonials and pictures! Thank you for sharing.

Dogs are so great, aren't they?

They sound like they really have great personalities - with maybe a few little quirks thrown in.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We finally have our own little Cairn now!

Meet Duffy - named after the family who inspired us to get one. (And an appropriate time of year for the name!)

Re-reading the thread, I see many of the character traits you've described here, in him.

My German Shepherd likes him, is fascinated with his every move. He runs to her for assurance and when he comes out of his crate. She crawls over to his crate at night to sleep next to him.

He's a great addition to our family and we're looking forward to many happy years with him!

 

[powellrj]

What a sweetie!

 

[rodeo65]

Awwwww - Duffy is so sweet!! We don't have a Cairn, but do have a Morkie who definitely has more Terrier than Maltese in her personality.

We also have a little / big combination and she definitely has brought more spunk to our 9 yr old Doodle. They love to mouth wrestle and play with tug toys together. Have fun with your new family addition!

 

[snappy]

Great thread! Love all of these stories, especially keener cam's about her cairn being her daughter's little sister, and most especially how how her cairn locked her face to make sure she was ok during her prolonged illness

Reminds me of the way my sweetie takes care of us in sickness and health.

 

[Tozzie]

We finally have our own little Cairn now!

Meet Duffy - named after the family who inspired us to get one. (And an appropriate time of year for the name!)

Re-reading the thread, I see many of the character traits you've described here, in him.

My German Shepherd likes him, is fascinated with his every move. He runs to her for assurance and when he comes out of his crate. She crawls over to his crate at night to sleep next to him.

He's a great addition to our family and we're looking forward to many happy years with him!

Great Dog, but what happened to the shepherds?

Good Luck!!

 

[nomie74]

He's cute!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thank you!

Rodeo, we have a Morkie in the family and they've been playing together.

Tozzie, I still love my Shepherds! I've always wanted one of these, too, and hope to do therapy work with him. My Shepherd now has myelopathy and can't walk. We're giving her her time and we'll take it from there.

 

[Tozzie]

Thank you!

Rodeo, we have a Morkie in the family and they've been playing together.

Tozzie, I still love my Shepherds! I've always wanted one of these, too, and hope to do therapy work with him. My Shepherd now has myelopathy and can't walk. We're giving her her time and we'll take it from there.

I am so sorry about your Shepherd, that is what my dog had. I wish you the best

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I am so sorry about your Shepherd, that is what my dog had. I wish you the best

I know you lost one of yours recently to it. She's holding her own right now. Thanks.

 

[jaminmd]

Welcome on your new addition. What an adorable pup! Also, I'm so sorry to hear about your pretty girls myelopathy. It is so hard to see them decline when we love them so much.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Welcome on your new addition. What an adorable pup! Also, I'm so sorry to hear about your pretty girls myelopathy. It is so hard to see them decline when we love them so much.

Thanks, jamin. We have a good German Shepherd group here. Kind of funny on a Cairn Terrier thread.

I would like to hear more stories about Cairns (or any dogs or puppies) if anyone has more.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I have a question and a couple of pictures.

Question is about grooming. I've looked at some video of hand stripping. Do any of you do this? What else do you do for grooming?

A couple more of my little guy.

I have to say, he has been one of the best, if not the best, puppy I have ever had as far as picking up the routine and behaving himself in his crate, etc.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Can anyone talk to me about grooming the Cairn?

Did you have to find a groomer who knew how to do a "Cairn cut" (differentiated from a "Westie cut")?

Anyone here who did hand stripping themselves?

 

[cbg1027]

I hand-stripped my terrier mix. It's easy and you don't need any special tools. It's great for maintaining a wire textured coat and removing dead undercoat.

Your new baby is adorable!!! I love terriers, even though I sometimes call them terrors!!