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The Cairn Terrier is a breed of dog of the terrier category. It is one of the oldest terriers, originating in the Scottish Highlands, used for hunting burrowing prey among the cairns.
Appearance: Cairns 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.
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,
loyal and have some fears. 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, if one wants a true
best friend, Cairn Terriers are the choice for them. They are
extremely loyal and very amiable.
Health: These dogs are generally healthy but many
have allergies. Often the allergies take the form of skin
conditions. Corn is often the culprit, so an owner of a Cairn
Terrier should routinely try to avoid feeding foods and treats
that contain corn. Even if the Cairn does not show symptoms of
corn allergy, because corn allergies are so prevalent and can
show up at any time in the life of the dog, it is recommended
to avoid corn even with a healthy dog.
This breed also suffers more frequently than usual from
dislocated kneecaps and inherited eye diseases. Ocular
Melanosis (OM) is an eye disease that is found almost
exclusively in Cairns.
Miscellaneous: The dog named Toto in the 1939 screen
adaptation of The Wizard of Oz is a Cairn Terrier. Due in part
to this, and 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.
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