Portraits of popular breeds at home and abroad: Cairn Terrier
Until recently, Cairn terriers were the most popular terriers in Great Britain (until they were overtaken by Westies). It comes from Scottish island Skye and it used to hunt foxes and otters here already in the times of Mary, Queen of Scots. That’s also where its name comes from – foxes hid in piles of stones (stone in Latin is cairns).
Until recently, Cairn terriers were the most popular terriers in Great Britain (until they were overtaken by Westies). It comes from Scottish island Skye and it used to hunt foxes and otters here already in the times of Mary, Queen of Scots. That’s also where its name comes from – foxes hid in piles of stones (stone in Latin is cairns).
Nowadays, it is a typical, assertive terrier, very joyful, playful and frisky. It likes to have company and it is full of energy. It is a very good dog as it is vigilant and self-confident. It can also bark very loudly and uses its whole heart for watching, it will defend its master with all its energy. Among other terrier breeds, this breed belongs to those who are more obedient, less stubborn and easier to train. But it can’t deny its hunting instincts and even the most obedient cairn terrier can start chasing game during a walk. Some dominant individuals might also have problems getting on well with other dogs and very often, cairn terriers can’t stand cats, they tend to hunt them.
It is a very adaptable dog with regard to environment. It will be happy in a flat, on a farm and in the country as well. Its company and a lot of activities are much more important to it; without them, this dog suffers. It is crucial to let him do a lot of physical activities. It might appreciate agility or frisbee for example but playing with older children helps as well (and you’ll kill two birds with one stone and tire both the dog and the children). If you don’t care about it enough and it doesn’t have enough physical activity, it can start to take its frustration out on your furniture, for example.
Even though it is one of the less stubborn breeds, it is still a terrier and can grow way over your head especially in puberty. You have to arm yourself with patience during its upbringing and it will also thoroughly test your determination. Everything will be much easier if you set up clear and constant rules related to its territory, feeding time and walks as well as other aspects of living together. While well-chosen rewards can motivate it greatly, punishments might have a negative impact on its psyche.
It looks very similar to a west highland white terrier. Tiny body of a cairn terrier is covered by typical dizzy thick fur which does not require much care. Trimming three times a year is usually enough. Gross guard hair are pulled out and only an undercoat stays from which a new gross fur grows.
Do you have a cairn terrier at home? Is its upbringing more difficult than that of a human teenager or it isn’t so bad with its stubbornness and wilfulness?
This summer, same as last year, favoured domestic travels thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. And while for holidays abroad pet owners arranged dog sitting, here in Czech they learnt to take them along. This group of dog owners was targeted by...
Crates or transport boxes provide your pet with safety and comfort not only during car journeys. You can see them more and more often in households with dogs. What can be the reasons for buying a crate for a dog living in a flat? What doesn't belong...
Recent estimates indicate that every third dog in the world is homeless. Some estimates go even further and state that it's half of all dogs. It is a relatively high number but the situation varies in different continents. This is one of the reasons...
Many of us are under the influence of the need to fulfill a dream of getting an unconventional pet, which the minipig certainly is. This trend has been present in the Czech Republic for about ten years. But don’t be fooled by those cute snouts, taking...
Pseudogravidity, also known as false pregnancy. The condition in which the female dog’s body is preparing for giving birth, even though the dog is not pregnant. False pregnancy occurs after heat and can last up to several months. What causes it, how...
Summer is a time of joy. The warm weather encourages trips and having fun in the water. However, summer may not be as great for our dogs as it may seem. We fur may sometimes do more harm than good. How to take care of wet fur and how to prevent any...
Cats scratch, everybody knows that. But have you ever wondered why that is? If you have a feline companion at home, you might have thought it would be a good idea to break her habit of scratching. Especially if your cat has ruined your furniture with...
Some love it, some hardly tolerate it. We are, of course, talking about summer and the hot weather that comes with it. Hot weather can become rather unpleasant for our canine companions. While cats usually tolerate heat without any major problems,...
Pet owners know that summer doesn't only bring warmth, sunshine and late sunsets. It's also the time of ticks, who know how to torment our four-legged friends. Unfortunately, it's very difficult, or even almost impossible, to prevent our pet from...
The summer season calls for hair cuts. And not only yours but also your pets'. But a shorter coat doesn't always mean lower body temperature. On the contrary, sometimes it could be the other way round. How and when to clip our four-legged friends'...
The fact that our mental well-being benefits from the presence of animals - namely dogs - has been mentioned here several times. Canis therapy is a highly effective therapeutic process where, to a certain degree, a dog interacts with a patient or...