Distinctive Traits of the Cairn Terrier Breed

The Cairn Terrier dog breed is most probably the oldest of the Scottish Terriers and the one that has changed appearance the least over the centuries. It is said to be the ancestor of the West Highland White Terrier and the Scottish Terrier; it was born on the Isle of Skye. Its origins are linked to those of the other Scottish terriers. In particular to those of the Skye Terrier. Its name derives from the Celtic word ‘Cairn’, which indicated the typical Scottish rocks.

Already in the 18th century, this breed was well known, but it is said to have appeared in Scotland as early as 1500, in fact some documents of the time mention these dogs, which were also bred by James VI of Scotland. Initially they were used for hunting mice, as this breed is excellent for hunting, with the passing of centuries it became an excellent companion dog. In addition, it is a good guard dog and is good at agility and obedience trials.

Although it was bred for a life in the country, to flush out otters, foxes and badgers and generally to hunt smaller animals, since the beginning of the 20th century it has increasingly become a city and flat dog for those looking for a small, but active and energetic dog breed.

This breed is widespread in England, Canada and the United States, in Italy very little.

Character of the Cairn Terrier dog breed

The Cairn Terrier is a lively, cheerful, playful dog, in short, an excellent companion; it is also agile, alert and a hard worker. He enjoys being in the company of his humans, as he always likes to be the centre of attention and especially to play with them. He is lively, sometimes too much so you always have to have something to propose to him, to do, to share with him. Being alone without stimulation is a source of frustration, stress and boredom for him. And sometimes this can prove quite destructive.

He is a small dog with a great temperament and is also very determined and courageous, but he is never aggressive. Females tend to be more independent than males and according to some breeders, males become more attached to their owners. It has a tendency to bark a lot if it hears an unaccustomed noise, so it is also excellent as a guard dog. And on barking you have to work on it a bit in training, otherwise we can end up with a dog that barks at every slightest noise it hears.

As far as training is concerned, it is very easy with this species; in fact it is a very obedient and patient dog, it is also a sensitive dog and needs firmness but not too hard and harsh training. It gets on very well with children as it would never get tired of playing, and it is a breed that is no problem to live in a flat, although the best thing would be to have access to a garden from the house, so that it can also spend some time outdoors.

He loves the warmth in winter and likes to be in his own special place in the house where he can relax and be on his own for a while. This craving is short-lived, however, and he will soon be back to playing and demanding attention.

If socialisation has been early, he will have no problem living with another dog or cat.

Appearance of the Cairn Terrier dog breed

The Cairn Terrier is a small to medium-sized dog, the height at withers for the male is about 31 centimetres and its weight ranges from 7 to 8 kilograms. It has a slender, agile and flexible constitution capable of moving with a very loose gait; the body is robust and compact. The limbs are of medium length, the front ones not too heavy, the hind ones strong and muscular. The tail is short but well proportioned and well furred.

The head is small but well proportioned, also very hairy, the muzzle has a typical fox expression, intelligent and very friendly, the truffle is black, rather large. The ears are small and pointed, the medium-sized eyes are generally dark with thick eyebrows that give it that funny look.

The coat is semi-long, while the undercoat is short. The upper coat is very abundant and rather hard and may be slightly wavy, while the undercoat is soft and dense.

The coat colours are cream, red, grey or almost black and sometimes grizzled, black tones on the ears and muzzle are very typical. The coat colour can change with increasing age and is water-resistant.

Care and health of the Cairn Terrier dog breed

The Cairn Terrier seems to be a delicate breed, instead it is rather hardy, withstands both heat and cold well, is robust and no major diseases are known. It is allergic to fleas and tends to put on weight, so it should not be overfed.

It has a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years and even more.

With regard to coat care, it must be brushed several times a week as it is delicate and has a downy undercoat. A bath once a month is also recommended. The hair around the eyes and ears must be trimmed regularly. The Cairn Terrier sheds very little hair.