Alice White
A tenacious hunter and active companion – the Cairn Terrier, this little dog has won the hearts of many dog lovers. When traveling and hiking, walking, and playing, the dog will always support his man. He responds to kindness and affection with boundless loyalty and love.
Character and intelligence
Animals have character traits:
- A pet of the Cairn Terrier breed is very brave and hardy.
- He is a hunter, therefore he has a lightning-fast reaction.
- The Terrier is not picky about the type of entertainment. He is ready to play one game for a long time.
- Sometimes the dog can entertain itself on its own. However, she soon gets bored of human attention and begins to destroy the surrounding things.
Attitude towards children and others
The Cairn Terrier is considered a friendly dog. The pet will happily greet all the people he meets on the walk. The dog is friendly to the guests. He willingly allows himself to be stroked and has a positive attitude towards games.
The attitude towards children is the same as towards all people. However, leaving the animal alone with the baby is not worth it. The dog may react aggressively to a sudden movement of the child or a rude attitude.
When acquainting children with a dog, the rules of behavior with each other should be explained to both parties. This will avoid conflict and adverse consequences of the game.
Due to the manifestation of innate hunting qualities, the dog has a negative attitude towards other animals. A pet can set off in pursuit of an animal, which is several times larger than it, both in height and in weight.
5 facts about the breed
- Cairn Terriers can change their coat color during their life – a puppy with a wheat-colored coat, when matured, turns into a dog with a brindle color, which after a couple of years can acquire a “pepper and salt” shade. Cairn Terriers are generally left-handed.
- Cairn Terriers are generally left-handed.
- The forepaws of the Cairn Terriers are more developed than the hind ones, due to the need to widen the holes in the burrows in order to pull out the prey.
- The tenacity of the Cairn Terrier became a legend – once the Cairn Terrier grabbed an otter, which was much larger than him. The captured animal plunged into the lake and dragged the dog away with it. The owner had to dive after his pet and he found a terrier that did not let the otter out of its teeth even underwater.
- In canistherapy, the Cairn Terrier is often used as a “psychotherapist” dog – they participate in medical and social rehabilitation programs for seriously ill people.
Pros
- Cheerful character. An agile dog is always ready to play and run, loves people of any age, keeping company with active children who cannot sit for a long time. Likes to crawl and play ball.
- Friendliness. He listens not only to the owner but also enjoys communicating with family members. He makes many different sounds: mooing, mumbling, panting, and slight whining in a fit of emotion. Accompanies you while watching TV shows and videos with animals.
- Bravery. The dog is not aggressive and rarely gets into a fight. But if she is hurt, then she courageously rushes at the offender, regardless of his size. Therefore, the owner needs to make sure that someone else’s big dog does not harm the pet. Has excellent hearing and sense of smell, can become a good guard.
- Learnability. She learns quickly, is ready to carry out commands without sweets. This can be used to prepare and compete.
- Features of wool. The coat is straight and harsh, but because of the soft undercoat it does not freeze and it is pleasant to stroke the dog. Near the nose, the relief of hairiness resembles a mustache. The ability to change the color of the coat throughout life is another pleasant feature for owners who like to change their environment and interior.
- Dimensions. Due to its modest size, it will fit even into a small apartment. It is convenient to carry it in transport as carry-on luggage.
- Long-liver. On average, they live 13-15 years.
- An excellent companion for an active owner. The breed is focused on living together with a person, but stubbornness and independence require a course of obedience training. Due to its brave character, accompany the owner on mountain hikes. He knows how to catch fish and birds, loves to swim if carefully accustomed to the water.
- Not a painful breed. It rarely gets sick. But you definitely need vaccinations and treatment against worms and fleas.
- Not allergenic. Virtually odorless, does not molt.
- Doesn’t cause problems. Unlike other small dogs, he does not like to bark in vain and does this only when she is outraged or really wants to attract the attention of the owner. Quietly waiting for the return of family members, without bothering the howling of neighbors.
Cons
- Not suitable for melancholic people. An energetic animal will annoy a calm person who does not like unnecessary fuss.
- The need for physical activity. With a dog, you need not just walk at a calm pace, but you need to make it move actively. At home, you also need to do something so that the animal does not gnaw furniture or shoes.
- Attention is needed. Representatives of the breed are affectionate and intelligent but do not like loneliness. With prolonged neglect, develop the habit of barking for no reason and being disobedient.
- They love to dig the ground. This disadvantage can be localized by finding a specific place where it will not cause inconvenience. For example, a slide of sand in a vacant lot.
- Stubbornness. On walks, natural-born hunters are difficult to manage. Therefore, you have to keep on the leash or spend time training and constantly monitor the pet.
