Cairn Terrier

· Cairn Terrier Pictures

· Share Your Pictures/UPLOAD

History/Origin
The Cairn Terrier has long been known in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and it may have indeed originated on the Isle of Skye, where it used to work. Its name is taken from delineations of Scottish grassland borders and carvings made out of piles of pebbles. In the olden days, this dog was put to work guiding smaller farm animals in their burrows to the farms. Known since the 1500's, it gained recognition by the English Kennel Club under this name in 1910 but only became known after 1930.

Though a worker in fields and farms for centuries, the Cairn Terrier has now become mainly a pet dog. Its most famous representative is named "Toto" who stars in the famous story "The Wizard of Oz."

Description
The Cairn Terrier charms with its fox-like looks. It comes in shades of black, red, gray, and beige. Do not be fooled by its thick rugged outer coat, which makes them look rubbish because underneath its body is a softer, more touchable coat. Regarding colors, the puppy comes with darker points of shading at the tips of its ears, around its eyes, and on its nose These markings are considered signs of a more valuable Cairn Terrier. The resulting coat color of the adult Cairn Terrier is quite difficult to predict since its color often changes while it is growing up. But usually, colors come in gray, brindle, red, sand, and blackish.

Just like other terriers, it possesses a broken coat and small ears. It has the alert posture and it carries its tail proudly. When choosing one as pet, avoid puppies with incomplete teeth, soft hairs, white patches on the body, and pink noses, which may signal that the puppy is prone to disease.

Temperament
This workmanlike breed stands well forward on the forepaws and is deep in rib and free in movement. The Cairn Terrier is spirited, hardy, and restless like a big mammal. It is fearless, bold, and curious, hence, it can be easily trained to perform tricks. It is a bit self-ruling, but friendly, however, It needs firm training otherwise it can become uncontrollable. However, since it is sensitive avoid being too harsh in discipline. It likes to dig and look for small insects so don’t leave it unattended in your garden. Some breeders think that the male is more affectionate, and the female act more independently.