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Cairn Terrier Dog Breed
 | The Cairn Terrier is a breed of dog of the terrier
category. It is one of the oldest terriers, originating in the Scottish
Highlands and recognized as one of Scotland's earliest working dogs, used for
hunting burrowing prey among the cairns. |
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Photo of
Cairn Terrier Dog Breed
Two Cairn Terriers showing variations in coat
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Information about
Cairn Terrier Dog Breed
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Appearance
The breed standard can be found on the Cairn Terrier Club of America website.
The current standard was approved on May 10, 1938 and it was adopted from the
The Kennel Club of Great Britain. According to the American standard, dogs
should weigh 14 pounds and stand 10" at the withers. Bitches should weigh 13
pounds and stand 9.5" at the withers. A Cairn's appearance may vary from this
standard. It is common for a Cairn to stand between 9 and 13 inches (23-33 cm)
at the withers and weigh 13 to 18 pounds (6 to 8 kg). European Cairns tend to be
larger than American Cairns. Due to irresponsible breeding, many Cairns
available today are much smaller or much larger than the breed standard. Cairns
that have had puppy mill backgrounds can weigh as little as 7 pounds or as much
as 27 pounds.
A 5-year-old cairn terrier happily awaits to play The Cairn Terrier has a
harsh, weather-resistant outer coat that can be cream, wheaten, red, sandy,
gray, or brindled in any of these colors. Pure black, black and tan, and white
are not permitted by many kennel clubs. While registration of white Cairns was
once permitted, after 1917 the American Kennel Club required them to be
registered as West Highland White Terriers. A notable characteristic of Cairns
is that brindled Cairns frequently change color throughout their lifetime. It is
not uncommon for a brindled Cairn to become progressively more black or silver
as it ages. The Cairn is double-coated, with a soft, dense undercoat and a harsh
outer coat. A well-groomed Cairn has a rough-and-ready appearance, free of
artifice or exaggeration.
Temperament
Cairn Terriers are intelligent, strong, and loyal. Like most terriers, they are
stubborn and strong-willed, and love to dig after real or imagined prey. Cairn
Terriers have a strong prey instinct and will need comprehensive training.
However, they are highly intelligent and, although very willful, can be trained.
Although it is often said that they are disobedient, this is not the case
provided correct training is applied. They are excellent with children and make
wonderful family dogs. These are working dogs and are still used as such in
parts of Scotland. Like most terriers, they require large amounts of exercise.
Cairn Terriers are very independent and do not make good "lap dogs". The image
of Cairn Terriers being like "Toto" from the Wizard of Oz is a partial
misconception. In reality, these dogs do not always like to snuggle and would
heartily object to being kept in a basket. They like to do what they want, and
will not make good pets for someone looking for a dog to cuddle with. However,
they are extremely loyal, playful and very amiable.
Health
These dogs are generally healthy and live on average about 15 years. Yet,
breeders, owners and veterinarians have identified several health problems that
are significant for Cairns. Some of these dieases are hereditary while others
occur as a result of nonspecific factors (i.e. infections, toxins, injuries, or
advanced age). Some of the more common hereditary health problems found in the
Cairn are:
Cataracts
Ocular Melanosis
Progressive retinal atrophy
Corneal dystrophy
Krabbe disease (Globoid cell leukodystrophy)
Hip dysplasia
Legg-Calvé-Perthes syndrome
Craniomandibular osteopathy (Lion Jaw)
Von Willebrand disease
Hypothyroidism
Portosystemic shunt
Luxating patella
Entropion
Currently, the Cairn Terrier Club of America along with the
Institute for Genetic Disease Control in Animals maintain an open registry for
Cairn Terriers in hopes of reducing the occurrence of hereditary diseases within
the breed. Breeders voluntarily submit their dogs' test results for research
purpose, as well as for use by individuals who seek to make sound breeding
decisions.
Famous Cairns
Terry, the dog who played Toto in the 1939 screen adaptation of The Wizard of
Oz, was a Cairn Terrier. Due to the identification of the State of Kansas with
the original story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, a resident of Wichita, Kansas has
begun a drive to make the Cairn Terrier the official dog of the State of Kansas.
[1] In addition to the Wizard of Oz, Cairn terriers have also appeared in these
movies:
Bright Eyes, 1934
Calling Philo Vance 1940 (Terry)
Reap the Wild Wind, 1942
George Washington Slept Here, 1942 (Terry)
The Uninvited, 1944
Without Love, 1945
The Valley of Decision, 1945
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, 1947
Saturn 3, 1980
Hocus Pocus, 1993
Twister, 1996
Dunston Checks In, 1996
Portrait of a Lady, 1996
My Summer Vacation, 1996
Lost and Found, 1999
~From
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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