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| #1 is from Michelle, who learned about not letting a Cairn off lead the hard way: |
While enjoying every word of your story, and about peeing my pants laughing, I can relate to every word. Our dog Buddy also loves balls, pulls on his leash and will do a "basic" command of sit (ONLY if I have a treat ready). I've tried taking him outside without his leash and using a treat to keep him close and it worked the first couple of times. The last time I found myself running the neighborhood in my husbands thermal underwear (which I had been lounging around the house in) on a bitter cold night. I had taken him out for a quick "pee" and put on my winter coat which is hip length. I had three successes earlier in the day using treats and no leash so I wasn't worried. WRONG! To my humiliation, he took off. Our local police were driving down the street, they were kind enough to stop and let me cross. I had to follow him, there was no time to put on jeans. I had given him a bath an hour before and hadn't put his collar back on with his name tag so I couldn't let embarrassment hold me back. My husband joined me in the chase. After calling him and chasing him in 6 inches of snow through all the neighbors yards, we finally cornered him. When we got home my husband said I can't believe you were running around the neighborhood in my thermals. I said what's the big deal?? He said "nothing if you had them on right". I didn't realize it but they were on backwards and the gap for male parts was wide open, leaving my butt in full view. OMG! And to think the police stopped and let me run past! Would I do it all again?? He has chewed up three throw rugs, chewed the cord off my curling iron, torn apart two pairs of shoes, and eaten more paper and toilet paper than we probably actually use. Oh yes, let's not forget "potty training". He's peed on my new carpeting at least 100 times before he finally got the outside thing down pat. But yes, through all the learning experiences that we've shared I couldn't love him more. When I walk in I am greeted by Buddy and his step sister Sophie (a 2 yr. old Westie). The excitement on their faces, the kisses they give me, the fun and love that we share, I wouldn't change a thing. Comment: Michelle, that was one of the most amusing renditions I've read.. Thanks for sharing. |
| #2 is from Monica, who is deciding exactly how much spice she really wishes to add to her life: |
| Dan….just wanted to tell you
that we are considering a Cairn and I read your narrative. After I finished wiping the tears from my eyes and laughing hysterically for 20 minutes, I decided that I NEED that kind of craziness….plus, if owning a Cairn allows me to drink more wine…I’m in! Thanks for the best laugh I’ve had in WEEKS! Monica. PS. After having labs (who love everyone too but are literally pieces of furniture) and a Maltese (who hated everyone except me as his mother and whose mission in life was to single-handedly urinate on every dust ruffle and curtain bottom in the house) a Cairn sounds like a piece of cake….did you ever try holding an open pizza box out for the dog and have it run away? Worked like a charm for the Maltese, he never ran out the door when a delivery man came, EVER AGAIN!!! LOL…have a good one. M. Comment: Monica, beware of ancient Chinese saying (or curse,) "May you live in interesting times." |
| #3 is from Caitlynn, who has the worst of both worlds - a Cairn with intelligence (a bit of Jack Russel in the mix) |
| I just read the page on your terrier
Rufus. It made me laugh, partly because I could relate! We have a dog who's partly Cairn, part Jack Russel, and he was a nightmare as well as a puppy. He nearly got eaten by a Great Dane the first time we took him for a walk. He chewed up every toy we ever bought to try and entertain him, and he was the only reason our neighbors knew who we were. We moved three times since we got him while he was still a baby. Every time we got to know our new neighbors by him ducking under the fence and disappearing, and them returning him an hour later. Once we got a phone call from the police station where he was playing football with their Alsatians. Another time he came to school and punctured the football there - Frankie definitely has the ball obsession! Since my dad remarried and we've had a Shetland Sheepdog move in, his blatant disinterest in obedience shows up ever more as we repeatedly yell 'Sit' at him to no avail, and Pepper sits good as gold and does everything he's asked. Personally I'd never have another breed Comment: Caitlynn, my sympathies. I went to a friend's house last summer. They had a Jack Russel and we were having a barbecue. We were in the kitchen having a couple beers and looked out to see the Jack Russel pulling a plastic chair over to the barbecue. We watched in amazement as he actually got the chair up close enough to grab a steak. He hopped up on the chair and couldn't quite get past the heat. I was astonished. I do not need a dog that smart. A Cairn / Jack Russel cross is a proposition I would not have have cajones to consider. |
| #4 is from Terri, who decided to give a dog a break and opted for adoption. |
| Hello! I found your web page about your Cairn today and it was sooooo much like my own! I just got my dog from a rescue on Sunday this week and was ready to send him back on Monday this week, lol! I was also yelling "the damn thing's going back! I can't take this!" Gosh, I was almost in tears over failing at this dog! I thought he totally hated me! Two more days passed and now it is Thursday, he has done an almost U turn in his actions and I am feeling better about him and know that I wont return him after all, lol! I don't know what breed he is but according to pictures and personality I am almost positive we have some Cairn here! His prior owners about butchered his hair so it is a mess and too short for me to fix so I'm letting it grow a bit before trying to shape it up, he's just so ugly he is cute! He is in grieving right now as his friend dog was killed in traffic while he managed to get rescued, this while they were homeless and it was just this past week. I imagine this has caused him to act even more distracted. Anyway, thank you for the web page! And the reason I am writing also is to ask you this, what does your dog eat? Have you had any similar problems with the food and potty part? Please take a look at my web page and you will understand more of what I am talking about! Thanks for your time! Terri Comment: Terri, best wishes to you and your adoptee. Adopting an adult is a challenge , but it has its own rewards. As to the potty part, think crate training. |
| #4 is from James, who got Barney from a Cairn Rescue Organization |
| Hi
Dan, I enjoyed your Cairn web page and videos very much. Everything you said about Rufus could apply to our Cairn rescue Barney. He has a preference for soccer balls. I have no idea how such a small dog is able to hold such a large ball in his mouth and walk around with it. Yet he does. In spite of all the "problems" of Cairns - I would never trade Barney or change breeds. Some things in life are just worth the trouble. All the best, James Comment: James, - so appropriate: " Some things in life are just worth the trouble." Still would like to see a photo though........ |
| #5 is from Mike, who sent me this rather odd clip: |
| May
2007 - Kathy Identified the source of the strange cairn clip.: The "odd clip" of which you speak of in letter #5 of page 2 of your site is of Ann Priddy and her Cairn Polly doing Canine Freestyle Dancing. Ann is a self representing artist who has loved Cairns for years: If you want to see the most amazing Canine Freestyle demonstration watch Carolyn Scott and Rookie here: No matter how many times I watch that, I still get an ear to ear smile. Rookie is currently 13 and going strong. Could a Cairn do that? Absolutely. But would a Cairn do that? Absolutely not. There isn't enough motivation in the world to get them to move like that <hahahahahahaha>. Kathie - Long Island, NY |
| #6 is from Kathy - "Cairns don't think, they plot and scheme." | |||
| Hi
Dan, Cairns are a challenge to be sure. But so worth it. I always tell people that if you live with a Cairn and don't laugh every single day it is not the Cairn's fault. As far as the intelligence is concerned, they are WAY above a 37. It is just that they are little snots and will rarely perform what we ask just because we asked. <sigh>. So they seem not quite as intelligent. But inside those little minds they don't just think, they plot and scheme <VBG>. If you have a rescued Cairn, or are interested in rescue, join CairnRescueMentoring at Yahoo Groups (CRM). Beware though, because this is a VERY active list with sometimes as many as 1000 messages a week. Most recommend getting a separate GMail account for CRM because it is replete with pictures, etc. and can fill up a normal mail box really quickly. But the people and support offered on CRM is incomparable. CRM is an offshoot of Col. Potter Cairn Rescue Network (CPCRN) It is populated with people who know the Cairn in all of its glory as well as in all of its problems. Since Cairns are unlike most other dogs, normal training stuff often just does not work with them. CRM people know how to train and tame a Cairn. Even housebreaking these little terrors has become easy once you know how to deal with them according to the personality. Since CPCRN has now rescued, rehabilitated and re-homed over 2000 dogs, we have a pretty good idea of just how to deal with most any problem, from behavior to health issues. One thing I will mention is to NEVER feed a Cairn a food with corn in it. Cairns are notoriously allergic to corn and it can cause some nasty skin problems. And even if your Cairn does well on a corn based food now, the allergy can develop quite quickly and wreak havoc with his skin, his personality and his behavior and/or so many other things. There are so many wonderful foods out there that have no corn in them at all (try to go for whole grains, not just grain fractions), that switching to a food without corn is usually not a problem. People might also be interested in reading Toto:The Other Side of the Story : It pretty much describes our little snots to a tee. I have attached a picture of my current Cairn, Spanky (aka CH Garele n Serenade Otay Spanky) as well as 2 of my late Cairn, The D. The D also had her very own web page
I hope you enjoy seeing my sweeties and maybe others can get some help from the Yahoo lists I mentioned. And if anyone is interested in adopting a rescued Cairn, CPCRN usually has almost 100 Cairns, at any give time, in foster care, all over North America. (Yes Canada too). We have puppies, young dogs, adults and seniors in all colors and temperaments. We have a team of MatchMakers who will help an approved applicant find just the right Cairn from them. (Kind of like e-harmony for dogs). Best, Kathie Kathy, thanks for taking the time and providing these useful links and information. Great Pictures! I must however respectfully disagree with the IQ statement. I think 37 or maybe 35 is just about right. Simple IQ Test: Take dog's favorite ball and bounce back an forth in your hands, getting the dog's attention. Use slight of hand, hide the ball behind your back and show the dog empty hands. What does the dog do? Jack Russels and Poodles - you can't fool them for very long. A minute, maybe. Catahoulas stare for a short time and then you can see their brains thinking, "Now wait a minute, something is not right here..... got to be here somewhere...." and they find the ball. Cairns look puzzled for a bit and then come to the conclusion that they must have imagined the whole thing and the ball was never there in the first place. |
| #7 is from Spring - "It gets better every day..." |
| June 2007
- " Love Cairns! " What an adorable story about Rufus! And I thought my cairn, Maddie (the Mad Hatter), was alone in her idiosyncrasies! I found your link on Wikipedia (under Cairns)... a REALLY funny and well-written look into the Cairn World. Thought you might like to see my Maddie, now 5 months old (with her "sister," Alice in Wonderland, the Westie). It gets better every day...  Comment: 'It gets better every day' - Just wait until the terrible twos.. Then I imagine it will be 'Oh God, not another day!'. Now that is an awfully familiar looking pup. She's a cutie. Nice graphics. How you make those photos appear raised with shadows has me stumped. Very nice! Spring's site: |
| #13 is from Bree hailing from Melbourne, AU - A Cat Lover? | |||
| I
thought I would send you over some pictures of my Cairn Terrier Mr
“Rabbit” Lincoln. His official name is Mr Lincoln but due to his rather large ears he now answers to Rabbit. He is not obsessed with balls (surprise, surprise) but he LOVES cats. He thinks they are the best thing in the whole world. His fur is actually silver and gold. Every time I take him for a walk, people wish to pat him or say that he is such a cute dog. The charm of the Cairn! Nice website, you made me laugh at how similar they are. Kind regards, Bree |
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| Comment:
I wouldn't have believed this if I hadn't seen it myself.
That is an amusing picture. Our dog loves cats too - loves barking at them. Annoying cat bark: "Yap", pause two seconds, "Yap Yap", pause 10 seconds and repeat for several hours. The coat color in the third picture is quite interesting. This was a picture at a different age? Ours looked briefly sort of like that at about 8 months when the outer coat started growing out and bristling through the under coat. Nice photos and thanks for taking the time! Free Plug:  |
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| #14 is from James - the Journey is just Beginning..... | |||
| I
stumbled onto your page and story about Rufus trying to find training
aides to assist me in Training my Cairn "Grunt" (named that cause he low-crawls under things more than some of my soldiers do). We've had him for a little over 2 months now, and we still cannot potty train him. He understands the concept, buuuuuut if he goes to the door, and you don't see him in 60 seconds or less, he pees right there and walks off. My wife cannot stand him anymore, and I just find it so amusing. He is only 15 weeks old and still has that I got to explore everything puppy phase, but after reading your story, I worry that he'll never get out of that stage. The Obedience problems (nipping, barking, not coming when called) I can deal with, but this potty training needs to happen soon. I have a feeling my wife is going to punt him through the window. I will have to disagree with the loyalty thing though, he has loyalty to my wife...but only at night. I am the disciplinary in the house, so when the dog poops or pee's in the house, I'm the one who shows him what he did wrong, swats him and takes him out and "attempts" to show him the right thing to do. Well at night, we bring him into bed with us (he is royally spoiled I know), but he won't get near me. Instead, he will climb onto my wife's pillow and sleep on that, using the top of her head as a solid object to prop up against. If she even attempts to move or roll over, Grunt paws at her face til she stops moving and goes back to sleep. Thank you for the stories about Rufus, I think that is the funniest thing I've read in a long time. Hope things get easier for you. James
Comment: Well James, I would say hang in there - things will get better....but they won't. At least not for a while anyway. Crate training can work wonders for messing in the house problem. We don't even bother locking the crate door anymore. If Rufus has to go in the middle of the night, he will come up to the door and softly growl until you get up and let him out. Of course the problem then is getting him back in. Charges out the door and leaps off the deck like a man on a mission , and then conveniently doesn't hear you when he's called back inside. The never ending thrill of it all........ |
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| #15 is from David - Magic Squirrels! | |||
| Hi,
Dan! I
got a real kick out of reading your stories, exploring your website,
and hearing about other people's experiences with their Cairn Terriers. I retired in 2005 and my wife is still working. Our daughter is grown and has left home now, and my wife decided that we "needed" another dog. Over the years (30+) we have had a German Shepherd and a yellow Lab, as well as several cats. We got Ruby last October when she was 8 weeks old. She is now almost a year-and-a-half and does all the stuff you and the others talk about. I took her to training classes at a local vet's office, only to be told -- "good luck with that". Still -- I thought she did rather well, and I was truly proud of her when she "graduated". We live in the suburbs and have a large fenced back yard, as well as a kennel inside the yard. Ruby won't be confined to the kennel without constant yapping, however. For small dogs they certainly have big mouths! She loves to chase squirrels. It took her an entire year to figure out, however, that they weren't "disappearing". Yes -- an entire year, just to learn to "look up!!". Now she follows them all over the yard, from tree to tree, fussing all the way. She has yet to catch one, however, nor a chipmunk either. My wife thinks we should enter her in one of those obstacle competitions, and she would probably do quite well. I try to walk her often, and we play "fetch" with the ball every day in the back yard. My biggest fear is that she will escape out the front door, or the garage door opening unexpectedly when I am taking her out through there. She has escaped twice in the past year, and we live near very busy roads and she has no knowledge or fear of traffic. Fortunately both times she went towards the rear of our subdivision, as that is the direction we go on walks. Both times she went right into people's open garages -- total strangers -- and new "best friends!!" I work hard to keep a nice home with a green yard. I hope someday Ruby, like Dorothy, will discover there's really no better place to be. Thanks. David |
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Comment: Magic Squirrels - that is quite funny. Around the house we have magic balls - and after four years they are still magical. Ruby is a fine looking dog - I wonder what possibly could have inspired her name. Thanks for the nice letter and photos. |
