Doug and I began sharing our lives with a Cairn Terrier in 1992. I've been mainly a big dog person all my life...I just seem to prefer the big dog mentality. We were sharing our home with a Rottweiler and a terrier/Sheltie mix at the time. Barkley (Rottie) and Frannie (mix) were pretty much inseparable and Frannie was really getting on in years. We knew that Barkley would be terribly lonely when Frannie left us, so we started looking around for another dog. We had a friend who showed Cairns and had met one of hers at a show in the area. Boomer stood on his hind feet and started "Boxing" with Barkley, no fear whatsoever. Doug became interested that day...and as they say, the rest is history.

Our friend had a show quality Cairn bitch, five months old, that was returned later that year. She asked us to take her and show her, knowing we would give her a good home. That is how Karen's Sassy Texas Jezabel aka Jessie came to live with us. It wasn't long before she took over, deferring only to Frannie in the early days. She was often seen chasing the Rottie around the yard, grabbing him by the cheek in order to give him kisses.

We soon started referring to Jessie as a Cairn Terrorist, as she had true Terrier personality when coming upon anything that was in her way. She has been known to "kill" several pairs of socks or pieces of paper that were in her path. Since those early days, she has brought us a couple of birds (gone to their great reward) and mice have learned to steer clear of our house. Since that time, we have added three more of the little beasts - all Jessie's children. Each of them has a very different personality, but all share similar traits.

Activity Levels -

Having always loved a dog who thinks, the Cairn terrier fits right in with our lifestyle. They are curious, energetic and independent. They are always looking to see what adventure they can find, and lacking that will often create their own.

Cairns have two speeds, a million miles an hour - or stop. The fact that they chose a Cairn for a movie dealing with tornadoes is appropriate, as when they are racing through the house, you would swear there is a tornado going through. And like a tornado, they fear nothing. Jessie has been known to actually turn up her nose at any dog smaller than a whippet, the only exception being another Cairn.

I often refer to the breed as engineers, as their ability to figure out how to get a prized toy from atop my desk, or where to bury their milkbones so they will be safe until they want them is quite a sight to see. Cairns often prefer a treat after it has been hidden for awhile, unless they are worried about one of the others finding their hiding place. I often find "cookies" under my pillow, or the pile of laundry waiting for the wash, or in the cushions of the sofa.

Noise Levels -

Cairns can be barky....although it is not an all the time thing. But they do make good watch dogs, because they will alert you to people coming by. When they do bark, it sounds as though they are giving the intruder a piece of their mind. When Jessie is really irritated, she will bark just once, with such authority in her voice that all around take notice.

Grooming Requirements -

Cairns do require grooming to keep their coats in tidy shape. A Cairn's coat should be harsh on the outer coat with a softer undercoat. This coat serves to keep them cleaner, without constant bathing (which is bad for their skin and coat).

Cairns do require some specialized grooming, although it is not excessive. A good groomer who knows how Cairns should look can usually do the work once every month to 6 weeks. Those that are to be shown should be groomed weekly, rolling the coat by hand. They don't require a lot of bathing, just brushing a few times a week to keep the tangles (in our case, burrs) out of their hair. Although most pet owners have their Cairns clippered, I prefer to have them hand-stripped, keeping the harshness in the coat that protects it from dirt.The harsh coat also keeps shedding to a minimum. Stripping is merely pulling dead coat off the dog, either with your fingers or by using a stripping knife. Although some dogs will wriggle and squirm, giving a performance deserving of an OSCAR, it really isn't painful, as long as you are only pulling dead hair. To see how it feels, simply run your fingers through your hair and pull out any dead hairs that are there.

Training Your Cairn -

Cairns do require a firm hand in training, but I've found that rarely do negative methods work. Cairns are very much a "What's in it for me?" breed - always having some task in mind or something that had to be guarded against. So, you really need to let them think training is in their best interest. Cairns can be obedience trained, but you will require lots of patience. Their little brains are always working, even in their sleep. They are very head-strong and COME is probably their least favorite command. I would, therefore, recommend not allowing them off-lead outdoors, except in an enclosed area.

Housetraining Your Cairn -

Housetraining a Cairn can be relatively easy, especially with the use of a crate or kennel. This allows you to keep a puppy on a tight schedule. Schedules are the key to easy housetraining. A puppy should always be taken out as soon as they awake, after every meal and after a rousing play session.

Cairns on Loving -

Although Cairns can be a very loving dog, they are not a lap-dog by any means. They love and cuddle on their terms, with some dogs being more independent than others. Although they may follow you from room to room, it is usually just to see if you are having some fun that they might miss out on. They are quite capable of making their own fun...even when they are 6 or 7 years old (I suspect this trait may last for life). Often times, this fun may not be to your liking, as it will involve shredding of papers, getting up on the kitchen table to see if you left any goodies there for them. Whatever it is...it often will involve cleaning up on your part, so I recommend being a good housekeeper in the first place.

Multiple Cairns in the House -

Some Cairns do very well in packs, even two or more males - or two or more females.I have two of each, all in tact - as they are show dogs. I've had no problems with fighting, although it has been known to happen. Terriers should be able to get along with other dogs, but that is not always the case. I have one little guy who thinks he can take any dog, regardless of size. He is usually the most cuddly, loving dog in our pack and this behavior often puzzles me. It goes without saying that Cairns need lots of socialization with other dogs and even then, you might have some problems to look out for. A firm hand and establishing yourself as "top dog" helps tremendously in these situations. If you are going to keep two cairns together - I would recommend a male and a female, with both of them spayed or neutered, unless you are going to show or breed.

Cairns and Cats -

Cats are another subject altogether. Jessie absolutely HATES cats, thinking their only purpose on earth is her entertainment in running them off. Some of my others could care less about them one way or the other. I have friends who have raised both together with no problems...others whose animals tolerate each other, but no more than that. So, in finding a Cairn - if you already have cats, be sure to check on their temperament in this regard.

Summary -

Cairns are independent little dogs, loving - but on their terms. If you want a lapdog, the Cairn is not for you. They do like to keep an eye on things though...so expect them to be underfoot or curled up with you most of the time.

They are agile little dogs who play hard, love hard and sleep hard. To them, this is all in a day's work. They will not back down from a fight, but a well-bred Cairn should never initiate one. They should have a pleasant, spunky temperament.

Cairns DO dig, so if you don't want your yard to look like the surface of the moon, you will have to give them specific places to dig and train them for these areas. It is just Terrier nature to dig...it is what they were originally bred to do.

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