Cairn terrier dog. Description, features, care and price of the 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.

Breed characteristics and character

The Cairn Terrier is considered a descendant of ancient hunting terriers originally from Scotland. Britain is considered the historical homeland of the breed. The original functions were limited to hunting small forest game such as foxes and badgers. The first mentions of cores date back to the end of the 18th century. In the manuscripts they are listed as Skye terriers, long in the back and having short legs. The ancestors of modern dogs weighed no more than 6.5 kilograms. The coat was rough and the color varied from black to white.

The dog received its official name at the beginning of the last century. Kern translated from Celtic means “heap, pile of stones.” The obelisks on the graves of local leaders have the same name. The name partly influenced the character and appearance. Dogs practically blend into stone surfaces, but camouflage allows them to hunt. And his character is as solid as stone. In general, the animal is distinguished by increased energy and activity, endurance, as well as courage, characteristic of almost all small dogs.

The dog is devoted to its owners, with whom it is affectionate and kind. At any moment you can go to the other side of the world to find the owner. Respects other pets in the family and gets along with children. However, it is still better not to leave the dog alone with the kids. Small children are not very knowledgeable about the dos and don'ts, and terriers tend to snap if physical force is used on them.

Despite vigilance, the core will not “strum” for a trifle reason. He is more likely to be wary, and rush into battle not so much because of aggression, but because of courage and fearlessness.

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.

Breed standard

The Cairn Terrier in the photo appears as a small, miniature, short-legged dog with coarse hair. In fact, this is a typical representative of its class - a little cocky, strong and active. However, compared to other varieties of terriers, it has a wider and shorter head. With a height at the withers of up to 25 cm, males weigh up to 7.4 kilograms.

The weight of females is similar, and their height does not exceed 24 cm. Older individuals, both males and females, can reach 8 and even 9 kilograms. However, we are talking about dogs that have reached the age of two years. The dog looks at the world with wide-set brown eyes, which can be hidden behind shaggy bushy eyebrows. Small ears set wide apart.

The Cairn Terrier has a black nose. In addition, dogs have a strong jaw with large teeth. The dog carries its tail cheerfully, it is not too long, but fluffy. Despite the high waist, it does not bend over the back. The description of the Cairn Terrier requires separate mention of the type of coat. The coat is rough to the touch, and the undercoat is short, soft and close to the body. Together, the fur coat protects the wearer from bad weather, water and dirt. Colors vary and may change throughout life. For example, brindle dogs turn black or become covered with silver hair in old age.

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.

Breed traits

Breed traits (on a 5-point scale)

This breed is often compared to the following dog breeds: West Highland White Terrier, Norwich Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer (Dwarf Schnauzer), Scotch Terrier (Scottish Terrier).

The photo shows what Cairn Terriers look like:

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.

Physical development

Slow walks are not for cores. They need to race for the ball, catch up, search for objects, and overcome various obstacles. Only a well-trained dog should be let off the leash, otherwise you will have to run after the pet through the bushes.

Mining should be allowed where it does not cause harm to anyone. It is impossible to prohibit digging - this is a vital instinct for the core.

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.

Health issues

As a rule, cores have iron health and amazing stamina.

But the manifestation of some hereditary ailments is possible, for example:

• Lameness resulting from Perthes disease;
• Poor blood clotting;
• Dislocation in the kneecap.

In addition, allergies, obesity and cataracts may occur.

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.

Maintenance and care

Cairn terriers are unpretentious and live quietly in a city apartment or in a private house. The main thing is to give the dog enough attention and provide physical exercise. You need to give your pet a comfortable place in the house. A closed house is better - cairns love to hide and hide toys and bones. A dog should have a lot of toys, not only as a puppy, but also as an adult. Then she won't be too bored alone.

If the core lives in a private house with a plot, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of behavior. These terriers love to dig in the ground. The dog can easily dig under the fence and run away. You shouldn’t scold him for his desire to dig - it’s an instinct. It is better to allocate a place on the site where the pet can safely dig.

With any method of keeping an adult Cairn Terrier, it is necessary to walk it 2 times a day for 1.5-2 hours. When walking, it is important to give your dog the opportunity to run around. You need to play outdoor games with your pet, let him run after a ball, a stick, look for hidden objects, and learn agility techniques. It is recommended to let this dog off the leash only if it obeys unquestioningly and immediately comes to the command, otherwise it may run away. It is recommended to take your pet out into nature several times a week and take it to dog parks.

Grooming

The Cairn Terrier's hard coat requires special care. Even though she doesn't shed, she still needs to be brushed. The undercoat often falls off and tangles form. Therefore, it needs to be combed several times a week with a stiff brush. It is better to untangle the tangles, but you can trim them.

Due to the fact that the outer hair does not fall out on its own, it needs to be plucked. Cairn terriers need to be trimmed regularly. For dogs that do not participate in exhibitions, it is enough to trim them 3-4 times a year. Exhibition animals have their fur plucked using a special technique every 2 weeks. It is recommended to regularly visit a grooming salon, where your pet will be professionally prepared for the exhibition.

Haircuts for wire-haired dogs are not recommended. This changes the structure of the coat, making it softer. But sometimes the cores are still cut. For exhibition animals, the fur on the belly, limbs, and face is trimmed, giving a more beautiful silhouette. You can also do a hygienic haircut by shortening the hair on the paws, under the tail, and on the face. This will make it easier to keep clean.

Bathing your dog is often not recommended. The coat of the cores does not emit any odor and has the ability to self-clean. Therefore, even show dogs are bathed no more often than once every 2-3 months. You need to use a special shampoo for wire-haired breeds.

Otherwise, caring for Cairn Terriers is simple. Grooming includes standard procedures:

• clean your ears once a week, you can use a special veterinary lotion or chlorhexidine;
• examine your eyes every day and, if necessary, remove discharge with a soft cloth moistened with boiled water;
• Brush your teeth with veterinary paste 2-3 times a week;
• wash paws after walks, lubricate pads with oil or cream in winter;
• Trim the nails as they grow;
• Every 3 months, treat for external and internal parasites.

Nutrition

These dogs love to eat and always seem hungry. Therefore, it is important to control the amount of food and not give in to your pet’s pleading looks. Otherwise, the core will quickly gain weight. Already at the age of six months he can be transferred to 2 meals a day.

You can feed your pet natural food or dry food. In the second case, it is easier to determine the norm; quantity recommendations are usually given on the packaging. But you need to choose only super-premium or holistic food, preferably with a minimum carbohydrate content. They should not contain artificial additives or allergens. Dry food can be supplemented with wet food: canned food, pates, but better from the same manufacturer.

Many breeders recommend feeding not dry food, but natural food; it is cheaper. You just need to make the right diet. It should include:

• 40% lean meat, offal;
• 30% porridge - rice, buckwheat, oatmeal;
• 20% fermented milk products;
• 10% vegetables and fruits.

Additionally, vitamin and mineral complexes should be added to food. Vegetable oil, herbs, fish oil, bone meal are useful. It is forbidden to give food from your table, fatty and spicy foods, flour products, sausages, and sweets.

Health

These terriers have good health, good immunity, and have almost no genetic pathologies. Life expectancy is on average 13-15 years. If the dog is properly cared for and fed, it will live up to 16-18 years. Representatives of this breed have few specific diseases. There are these:

• Perthes disease;
• blood clotting disorder;
• predisposition to luxation of the kneecap;
• obesity;
• allergy;
• dermatitis;
• cataract, glaucoma.

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.

Choosing a puppy

To purchase, it is better to choose a monobreed nursery. As a rule, this is a breeder who has extensive knowledge and puts his heart and soul into the dogs. You should put several business cards on your future pet in order to better learn about its character, habits, and characteristics.

You should not “cling” to the hanging ears - they will rise no earlier than in five weeks, or even in a few months.

The final color is formed only by the twelfth week, so if this is a fundamental issue, you should wait a little. With age, the coat may darken or lighten - this is normal.

• Of course, all documents, including pedigree and veterinary passport indicating vaccinations, must be thoroughly studied.
• Among Russian owners there are many owners of Cairn Terriers, but there are not so many professional kennels.

Therefore, the cost of puppies cannot be called modest: pet class averages 40,000 rubles, top show – 60,000 and above. At the same time, the price of a girl’s Cairn Terrier is much higher than the cost of a boy’s.

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.

Price

How to buy a Cairn Terrier and not make a mistake in choosing? Many future breeders want to know the answer to this question. As a rule, they are not very experienced and do not know what to look for before purchasing. There are several parameters that allow you to get a puppy that is not only purebred and with a good pedigree, but also healthy. First, you need to decide on the place of purchase.

Cairn Terrier puppy

So, an animal purchased secondhand will most likely not be very healthy. You may have to spend your whole life dragging around veterinary clinics and pet pharmacies. Or this puppy will grow up not to be a terrier, but a shepherd, and with a rather aggressive disposition. To avoid any incidents in the future, you should not rely on advertisements on the Internet from unknown breeders. An attractive price is not synonymous with a quality purchase.

It is better to add funds and go to the kennel for the puppy. There the price of a Cairn Terrier will be from 250 to 600 dollars and more. It all depends on the purpose of the purchase. It is unlikely that you will be able to meet the puppy’s parents at the nursery. But if such an opportunity arises, you definitely shouldn’t refuse it. It wouldn't hurt to check mom and dad's pedigree.

If the parents are show champions, the price for their offspring will be higher. The cost will also be higher for representatives of the show class. They are allowed for exhibition events and further reproduction. A pet-class pet will cost less, although it cannot be bred and accepted for exhibitions. However, for many, just a peaceful companion for walks is enough.

Photo