The Smelly Cairn Terrier Gas
problem - Revised and Expanded
I can now answer this in five words but that doesn't make for
interesting reading so I will tell a little story.
We
generally board our dogs, two Catahoulas and a Cairn 2-3 times a year
for a week or so at a time. Each time we came back to
retrieve
the dogs, the two catahoulas looked skinnier and healthier, and the
Cairn actually looked like he had the beginnings of a waist.
The
last time we got the dogs, they looked really good so I had to ask what
what the boarder was feeding them and how.
I should preface
this with what I was feeding them and how:
All
the dogs got fed in the evening. For the large dogs it was
about
3-4 cups of dried, mixed with one can wet each. For the
Cairn, it
was about 1 cup dry with a tablespoon or two of wet. Worked
out
well enough and the Cairn smell was considerably reduced with just a
taste of wet.
What the boarder
was feeding them and how:
The
boarder fed the dogs in
the morning, not in the evening. The big
dogs got 2-3 cups of a custom, concentrated mix of dry only.
The
Cairn got a little more than a cup of dry. No wet.
He
then opened up the big male's mouth and showed me all the
tartar of which wet food he said was a contributing factor.
He went on to say that wet food is only required by those who
have been conditioned by advertising and bad advice.
I
mentioned that if I put dry only out, the dogs would go a day or more
without eating. The boarder went on to say that that was
correct
however.......in nature dogs would only eat every other day anyway
and............in his 60 some odd years, he never saw a starving dog
with a bowl of food in front of his face.
So I asked for
some detail on the food, which he happened to have brochures for.
As of this writing, the dogs have been on a diet of dry only
for
6 months, once in the morning with no wet food other than the
occasional treat.
How has this worked
out?
1.
The dogs look great. The two catahoulas are lean, mean,
geriatric
fighting machines. The Cairn looks like he had a tummy tuck.
2. We no longer have to purge the back
yard of licked empty dog food cans.
3.
The dog food is delivered to the house and the cost is
actually
less than the dried we used + the cans. They also eat less.
4. There is less doggie doo to clean up. Much less.
Last but not least
and the reason for this Opinion Piece:
5.
The Rank, Odiforous, Foul, Smelly Cairn problem has all but
been
eliminated! The Cairn that eats in the morning has all day to digest,
pass gas etc. outside and not inside at around say, 8:00 pm in the
evening on.
Free Plug - A link to the dog food - a franchise - Paul's
Petfood Express.
Free Plug - If you live in Northern Nevada need a boarder,
try Cold Nose Kennels.
Comment on Biting
The
answer to this question depends on getting more specific about the type
of biting and also is one area which is often owner self-inflicted.
If
the Cairn is a pup, is playing too hard and that is when the biting
happens, stop the play immediately, point your index finger right at
the
dog's nose so you have his full attention and issue a very stern, loud
'NO!'. Repeat as many times as necessary. Unfortunately,
remember this is a Cairn Terrier you are dealing with and they aren't
the brightest bulbs in the room so get used to lots of repetition.
If
the dog is biting because you are smacking him when he does something
wrong, stop hitting him and he will stop biting.
What I
mean is, remember what Cairn terriers are bred for. They are
verminators. If you smack a Cairn
and the Cairn thinks the smacking is unjustified or over the top,
he is likely to regard you as not his owner, but
one
large vermin and he will respond in kind.
Can't say I would
entirely
blame him either.
In
all seriousness though, if you have a vicious, mean Cairn and
it
is through no fault of your own, contact the breeder and do
what
you
can to get a replacement. This is a trait occasionally found
in
the breed and it is a defect. Don't waste your time trying to
deal with a vicious
animal.
Get rid of it.
If that breeder is responsible,
you will be compensated either through
another
pup or a refund.
Comment
on Intelligence
For this I refer to prior commentary:
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
Russells 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.
New Commentary:
Cairn Intelligence
vs Standard Poodle Intelligence - A Comparative Study
We have a six month old standard poodle pup.
The
other day my wife was out vacuuming off the mat on the deck under the
watchful eye of the poodle with one of those cannister cleaners that
has foot switches for turning on and off the vacuum and
retracting
the cord.
When she got done she retracted the cord and set the
vacuum off to the side, putting everything else out of reach of the
poodle and went inside.
Several minutes later there was
a tremendous thump outside and my wife rushed out to see what
happened. What happened was the poodle managed to grab hold
of
the retracted power cord, pulled it out and around a couple flower pots
on stands, bringing a bunch of them crashing to the deck.
She chewed out the dog, righted the flower pots and hooked up the
vacuum again to clean up the mess.
A
minute or two later in the middle of vacuuming, the vacuum stopped. My
wife started to look around and then the vacuum started
again.
And then it stopped. And then it started again. She figured
the
poodle must have chewed into the cord, shorting out the power supply.
The vacuum stopped again.
She
turned around to ensure the vacuum was in fact turned off only to see
the poodle pressing down with his paw on the power switch and
turning the vacuum on. The poodle's head popped slightly
back,
looking around like he was kind of proud of himself and then he
proceeded to
press down on the power switch several times until the vacuum turned
off.
That kind of intelligence and power of observation in a poodle
pup only 6 months old is almost scary.
What was the Cairn
doing while all this was going on?
Chasing lizards.
Comment on Housebroken
Cairns
Peeing in House Again
In
my view if the dog doesn't have a medical problem, the cause of this
problem is once again usually owner
self-inflicted and the answer can be found in asking yourself one
simple question: "What
Changed in my Home Recently?"
Common Answers:
1. I brought a new pet into the home.
2. I brought a new child into the home.
3. I changed my daily routine in a significant way.
4. I did some remodeling
5. I bought new furniture.
6. I altered my dog's comfort zone in some manner - moved his
crate, restricted or opened up new space for him.
How to Rectify the
Problem
If you had enough forethought
to crate train your Cairn at the outset, this is a no-brainer.
Let's
say your Cairn is the only dog in the house. He was crate
trained
but you got tired of having the crate in the house. The dog
is
house broken and likes the couch anyway.
Let's also say you have
another dog who is an outside dog but due to illness is now spending
nights inside on his blanket. What can happen? What
was
exclusively the Cairn's territory is now a territory shared
with
another dog. What does the Cairn do? He starts marking his
territory - the other dog's blanket, the other dog, the couch the Cairn
sleeps on and
other choice places in the house.
You unknowingly injected a
major problem into the environment and the best way to deal with it is
by getting back to the basics - the crate. The Cairn goes
back
into the crate every night his routine is disrupted. Odds are
he
will also be quite relieved. He knows he is not supposed to
pee
in the house and probably feels a measure of guilt about doing so but
can't help himself.
Remember: DOGS
ARE CREATURES OF HABIT AND DO NOT RESPOND WELL TO CHANGE
A dog suddenly
starts doing something different, figure out
what changed and go from there.
Cairns and Balls and
Obsessive
Behavior or, Who is Training Who?
This
almost always starts out innocently enough. You start
teaching
your Cairn to fetch a ball or some other toy, praise him for his
efforts and are generally quite pleased with yourself for teaching the
dog his first trick.
Pretty soon every time you let your
Cairn inside, he dashes happily over to his favorite toy and brings it
to you to throw for him.
After ten or twenty times in the
space of half an hour, this starts getting rather annoying and you
start ignoring the dog.
Cairns are a stubborn breed and they can get persistent if they feel
they are being ignored.
Your
Cairn's new trick is turning into one annoying nightmare because if you
don't throw the ball, your little gem will grunt at you,
nudge
you with his nose and be a general pain until you throw his toy which
you do so you can gain some temporary peace.
Congratulations!
Your Cairn has successfully
trained you to play with him whenever he wants!
Wait a minute..............wasn't it supposed to be the other way
around?
The Fix
Put the toys away until you feel like playing.
Put the toys away after you
are done playing. Playtime is your choice, not his.
This applies to most obsessive behaviors.
Helpful hint:
DO NOT Teach Your
Dog to Shake Hands and DO NOT Teach Your Dog to Speak.
Some learned behaviors while originally seeming quite cute are
not............after 10,000 or so repetitions.
A
Question of Maturity
You've heard about the terrible two's?
That is about right for a Cairn Terrier and it can be a long haul.
What
generally happens in my experience is that after one year of age the
newbie Cairn Terrier owner either makes his bones or finally decides
that the joys of Cairn Terrier ownership is not for him and opts for
something a bit simpler like a golden retriever or a bowl of goldfish.
Cairn
Terriers as I have said before, are not the brightest bulbs in the lot
and that can be trying to say the least. However, if you are
looking for a dog with spunk and attitude, and you have the
patience of a saint............. it just might be worth the effort.
Two stories kind of
make the point:
This story has some of
the
most well written, poignant writing I have ever received and
it deals with Cairn personality
and maturity.
This story
serves as a reminder that some traits no
matter the age, don't change.....
Clinginess?
If
you have a clingy Cairn and you are normal, your family is normal and
your living environment is normal, then I would say you have
a
defective Cairn Terrier. Clinginess is not a Cairn trait
under
normal circumstances. However, there are some abnormal ones
that
I will mention:
The Dog is in Pain
If
a dog is hurting, he will stay close to you. The hurt may not
be
obvious. If you live in an area where Foxtails are prolific,
get
a couple of them in between the toes and other soft areas and the dog
will cling - something is hurting and it is a good idea to take him to
the vet.
Something Changed
Something
in the dog's environment has changed and it is something he doesn't
know how to deal with. An obvious example would be having the
home invaded with several more adults and their progeny over a holiday
season. For a canine, this can be a major disruption and he
flees
to something he knows, and that would be you.
Less obvious might
be something going on in the household like some slowly escalating
marital tension, a problem teenager, something or someone inducing
stress that previously was not there.
Dogs have acute radar when
it comes to anything that is out of the norm. They are
creatures
of habit. They expect you to be the same day after
day. They
expect their environment to be the same day after day.
My
Dog Peed in My Bed...or...Whose Home is it Anyway?
This
issue is unfortunately for you, more than likely another owner
generated problem and its genesis is in your failure to
maintain
Alpha Male or Alpha Female status, whichever the case may be.
Your
house is your house and you need to keep it that way. If you
and
the dog are outside, dog sees you going to the door and races ahead of
you, head jammed in the door so he ends up being first in the
house, he is assuming the dominant position in
doggydom and has usurped your authority. Same thing going
outside.
You lead, the dog
follows. Not the other way around.
If
a dog is peeing in your bed, my first question is why in the world
would you share your private space with your dog. There are
places for dogs and there are places for people. There needs
to
be a clear delineation as to whose turf belongs to who. Don't
go
blurring the lines and expect not to have problems.
Your house
is your home,
not your dog's.
Think
of your dog as a guest. Would you yourself prefer an invited
guest in your home or an uninvited one? If a dog races in
ahead
of you in or out of the house, he is not the guest, you are.
You facilitated
his desires by opening the door and letting him in first.
Cairns
as you may have figured out by now, are a stubborn breed and not all
that bright. They are smart enough however to know or sense
when
they can move further on up the pecking order, which they think is to
their advantage. You provide them with that opportunity and
all
sorts of hell is likely to break loose.
You the owner are
in charge. Keep it that way.
My
Cairn Chases Rabbits - Oh my, Oh my.........What
can I do?
Lets
see..........Cairns are bred for what? And someone has a
problem
with Cairns going after vermin?
Reminds
me of a story out of California some years ago where there was a
concerted effort in a K-6 school to feminize little boys - get rid of
that aggressive masculine behavior by having them play 'house' with
little girls. That worked fabulously for about 2 minutes
until
one little boy found that ironing boards when balanced on top of
a play house made excellent catapults for tables and chairs
and.........if you loaded it up with forks, spoons and
tea cups......you had shrapnel!
My Advice:
1. Research the Cairn before you buy the
Cairn.
2. If chasing is rabbits is a problem, consider a Basset
Hound.
Do
Cairns have Hair or Fur?
Cairns are furry, low
shedding dogs. They do have an undercoat but are low in
dander.
A
general rule of thumb is if you are looking for a non or low shedding,
hypo-allergenic type dog, look at breeds which require
grooming
because their hair keeps growing and go from there.
How do I tell the
Sex of my
Cairn Terrier?
Ummm,
I
would guess you have led a life way too sheltered.
If
you have kids in school, I would ask one of them.
They could probably also educate you on global warming,
Obama,
alternate lifestyles; not to mention who the hottest American
Idol star
is and who has the nicest crib on MTV - you know.......all the
important stuff.
Barring that, why not lift your dog up and have
a look. If you still can't figure it out then this world was
not
meant for you.
When
should Cairn Terrier Dogs Teeth be Taken Out?
When
I saw this one, my first thought was 'What kind of
moron
would write a question like this?'......and then I got to thinking
about it because it did kind of ring a bell.
And then I figured
it out.
Toy
and Teacup canines are notorious for having bad teeth which can end up
causing nothing but headaches and lots of expensive trips to the vet.
Standard operating procedure for some of these breeds is to
pull their teeth when they get into adulthood and begin
exhibiting rotten teeth problems.
Believe it or not, dogs with no teeth do just fine digesting dried dog
food and this is what happens with some toy breeds.
So to answer the
question:
Cairn
terriers are small but they are not a Toy, Teacup or other Mini Breed.
They are a short, stubby hunk of salami bred to go
after
vermin and for that THEY NEED THEIR TEETH!
A
Happy Cairn
An
Unhappy Cairn - Probably Ball or Poodle Puppy Related
Question: Are Cairns
good lap
dogs?
Answer: No
Question: Do Cairn
terriers
settle down after the first year?
Answer: No
Cairn Terriers and
Thunderstorms
This
one has been batted around many times with the hunting breeds
in
particular and it hearkens back to an article I read many moons ago
about training gun-dogs not to be afraid of the sounds of gunfire.
In the ideal world, pups are introduced to these
sounds
at an early age out in the field and they are not all that much
different from the crack of lightning.
This method of
introduction to startling sounds works well.
What if you're not
a hunter and your dog is frightened of storms?
One
of the best things I have seen are recordings of thunderstorms
which you can
buy and play in the privacy of your own home. I have used
them
myself in the past. Pop in a thunderstorm cd and play it
initially at a very low volume with the dog present. As he
gets
used to the sounds, crank it up over the course of a couple
weeks. If you have a decent stereo with a really good
sub woofer,
you
can even vibrate the windows. If you're older, consider
ACDC's
'Shake the Foundations' or perhaps 'Thunderstruck.'
That is the route I
would go.
I
might add that if you are new to the Midwest and are in the
middle of a severe thunderstorm, looking around and wondering
what
all the fuss is about and you see your dog bolting for shelter - it
would be a good idea to follow.
Do
Cairn Terriers Grunt? Tell Me!!
Yep! Loosely
translated, grunting means "I want Attention!"
Question:
How did Cairn Terriers come to the USA?
Answer: Probably the same
way Norway Rats did.
Cairn
Terriers Running Marathons
Sigh............
Size
of Crate for a Cairn Terrier
Try an entrance of @ 12"
wide, 13" tall and about 24" in length for an
average sized Cairn. The dog should be able to go in the
crate
and have enough room to turn around. Anything smaller is too
small. Anything larger can hinder potty training.
If the Cairn is peeing or pooping in the crate, the crate is more than
likely too large.
Should
I Shave my Dead Cairn Terrier?
Sigh............
Cairn
Terrier Longevity
Meet Meggie
or
A Strange Day
or
14
- 18 years is not unheard of.
Question:
Can
I Shave my Cairn Terrier?
(Bear in mind that this
answer is specific to the question asked. You might also want to look here).
Answer: Sure.
Summer Doo
Winter Doo
Ears and Ear Infections
I would say Cairn Terriers are not anymore prone to ear infections than
other breeds and I think ear infections are more a result of geography
than anything else.
I do a lot of traveling and can say that humid climates facilitate ear
infections much more readily than arid regions.
If I had a Cairn in a humid climate I would be for keeping the head and
ears trimmed down so as to circulate as much air as possible into the
ear and ear canal.
The Cairn does have an advantage in that the ears stand which in itself
reduces the chances of ear infection.
Ear infections can be a pain to eliminate so it is best to catch them
early if you can.
Symptoms are universal - the dog persistently rubbing the head and ears
on anything handy, including you.
If
you are a newbie, you might construe this as affection.
Don't
feel bad though............ as nice a thought as that is,
best
to
check with the vet.
My
Cairn Terrier is 24 lbs. Is that Normal?
If your Cairn is from Swedish
stock, that might be considered normal. Faith
talks about size @ half way down the page and be sure
to check out the photo of Douglas.
In the US from what I've seen, there does appear to be two generally
different sizes / body styles that Cairns come in:
12-16 pounds, give or take.
16-20 pounds, give or take.
The
difference is in the stockiness in that some Cairns are quite wiry -
feel like they are constructed of skin, hair, bone and not much else.
Others (ours would be in this category) have considerably more meat
attached to their ribs.
If
you talk to enough breeders and ask them about the expected size of
their pups when grown, most fall in that 12-16 pound category
which just happens to be the breed standard (imagine that). If you have a look
at
the AKC size limits:
"....Weight for bitches, 13 pounds; for
dogs, 14 pounds.....Weight and measurements are for matured dogs at two
years of age. Older dogs may weigh slightly in excess and growing dogs
may be under these weights and measurements."
Regarding Size: If
you are going for show quality, I would hold the breeders
feet to
the fire. If not, reasonably close to the standard
is good enough for me.
What
Colors do Cairn Terriers Come In?
A better question would be
'What colors do Cairn terriers NOT
come in?' Breeding for specific coat colors has been best
described as the outcome you'd typically expect from trying to herd
cats. Any color other than white is acceptable for Cairn
terriers. About the only other criteria insofar as colors go is that it
is nice if the Cairn has a dark muzzle and ear tips.
Give
yourself some latitude if you are looking for a Cairn pup with a
specific coat color. Don't be disappointed if as an adult,
that
expected color morphs into something entirely different. By
then,
coat color won't matter anyway.
Here are few Examples:
Dexter - Gray to Red
Jack -
Gray to Silver/White
Max - Koala to Silver / Dark
Axie - Wheaton as a Pup /
Wheaton at One Year
Maggie - Wheaton as a Pup / Wheaton @ 2 years
My Cairn Terrier won't Come
when Called.
Short Answer:
One
day you will have an epiphany when you go out to grab the
little
hairball who won't recall and the little hairball looks at you
with that perfect expression which says it all:
"Don't you get it
by now? I am a Cairn Terrier. This is what I do.
I am a hairball and I don't recall."
Long Answer:
Relax.
Unlike other commentary, this is one instance in which it is not entirely your
fault.
There are three
possible issues we are dealing with here:
1. The dog is
a Cairn Terrier.
2. The dog is
a Cairn Terrier.
3. The dog is
a Cairn Terrier.
Given these
obstacles, how does one obtain at least marginal success in getting a
Cairn to when called?
You have to
keep it very simple, with special emphasis on 'very simple'.
Use
one distinctive word to persuade the Cairn to stop whatever he is doing
to come to you because he knows he is going to be bribed beyond belief
with something special.
Instructions:
1.
Figure out what specific treat will cause your Cairn to gorge himself
into oblivion if allowed to do so and then chop that treat up
into tiny pieces.
2. Fill your
pocket with those bits of food.
3. Choose your
magic word. The word used in this example is 'Rufus.'
4.
Pick a day when you are apparently the most interesting thing around to
your Cairn and call him using the magic word, 'Rufus!'
5. If on
the off-chance he actually comes, feed him a choice bit and praise the
hell
out of him.
Note:
Praise doesn't have much effect on a Cairn, but it could make you feel
better in that you might think you are
actually accomplishing something.
6.
Repeat the process several hundred times to where the Cairn knows that
if he hears the magic word and comes to you, he is always going to get
a bit of his favorite treat.
If
you are consistent in using the magic word for one use only - to bribe
the hell out of the Cairn, you might
achieve a 75% or slightly better
recall rate on a good day.
You see in the
Cairn's world, there are many things infinitely more
important and
exciting than you, the magic word or
bribery.
Hunting lizards for example.......
an expedition fraught with its own peculiar perils.
Cairns
and Ferrets (4 searches to date? - Strange
Times We are
Living In)
I can provide an educated guess as to what would happen if you
introduced a Cairn to a ferret, but first I will tell you a true story
about what did happen when a cat
was introduced to a ferret.
Back in the 70's I came home from work one day to find what I thought
was a large, golden weasel bouncing around on the door step.
I had no idea what it was but it certainly seemed friendly enough.
I walked to the car, donned a pair of welding gloves with gauntlets and
approached the weasel. The thing was big - about the size of
a cat. It let me pick it up and in the process of doing so I
kind of lost my grip and it climbed up my shirt and draped itself
around my neck - a live weasel stole. I was a little worried about that.
Fortunately a neighbor drove up, got out of the car and said, 'Nice
Ferret!'
He knew quite a bit about ferrets and said what was draped around my
neck was a large, nice looking adult male. He said they were quite
friendly, could be litter box trained (it was) and would eat cat food
and any rodents that happened to be around the house.
I had a cat at the time and asked him if he knew how a cat might get
along with a ferret. He said he didn't know but if I felt like finding
out, he'd stick around.
I was curious so we went inside and I set the ferret on the
floor. It immediately started exploring, investigating
everything, found the cat food and started chowing down. That
was
one hungry ferret. The cat came walking down the stairs, took
one look at the visitor in the food bowl and attacked.
It was quite a sight.
Cat fur went flying and at some point the cat disengaged and flew up
the stairs. The ferret, other than being very excited, was a
little scratched up but no worse for the wear.
For the next several months, the cat never touched the ground. It got
where it wanted to go by jumping on chairs, tables, the
piano....anything to stay off the ground.
One day I got home from work early, walked up to the door and heard
noises in the living room. I thought there was a burglar in
the house.
I went over to a window and looked inside. Inside was the
cat on the floor, ferret bouncing around it, cat playfully swatting at
the ferret and then jumping on the couch with the ferret in hot
pursuit. They were having a grand old time.
I walked to the door, made some noise and went inside. Inside
was the ferret on the floor looking at me, the cat nowhere in
sight.
For the next year or so I never saw the cat and the ferret in the same
room at the same time unless I peeked in a window. More often than
not, the cat and ferret were playing in the living room.
Then one day the inevitable happened. The ferret got out of the house
and was never seen again. The cat stopped eating and within
several weeks died from what I imagined was a broken heart.
Last cat I ever owned. Last ferret too.
Back to the
question at hand:
What do I think
would happen if you introduced a Cairn to a Ferret?
I think unless the two were introduced at a very early age, you would
end up with a bloody mess - an injured dog and a dead ferret.
The Cairn would win out but pay a heavy price in the form of nasty
battle scars and puncture wounds, particularly if the ferret was a
mature adult male.
If you actually decide to go ahead and give it a try, have fun
explaining the results of your cross-cultural experiment to the Vet
and/or significant other.
I think that could get pretty bloody too.
Why Cairn Terriers won't Eat
It is not that
Cairn terriers won't eat, it is that they don't eat.... much.
If
you confuse the two and end up giving your Cairn food that he will
gorge on, you will end up with one fat Cairn whose teeth are loaded up
with tartar.
Basic
Feeding Instructions
Start
out with somewhere around one cup of a good quality dried dog food in
the morning. If it is still there at night, do
nothing. If
it is still there the following day, do nothing. The Cairn
will
more than likely start eating after the second day.
If
after the third day the bowl is still full of food then odds are the
Cairn is getting food somewhere else - a sympathetic family
member perhaps.
They can look reeaallly pathetic
when they want to. Don't be fooled.
He may also
have his own private tunnel leading to another yard where the food is
more to his liking.
Limit the
Cairn's access to the food in his bowl.
Do
not place more food in the Cairn's food bowl until the bowl is empty
and then only fill it in the morning. You may need to adjust to a
little more food or a little less. The idea is to have an
empty
food bowl at the end of the day.
By
the way if you have a foul smelling, gassy Cairn and want to minimize
the odor coming from same, feed him in the morning using dried food
only for a couple weeks and see if you don't notice a significant
decrease in smelly, canine flatulence in the evening.
Cairn
Terrier Brain
They
say a picture is worth a thousand words and in terms of discussing the
Cairn Terrier's cranial capacity, that ability to make astounding leaps
of logic into realms few of us mere mortals dare
tread.......... a picture is indeed worth a thousand words.
Question:
My Cairn terrier keeps peeing on guests feet right in front of me! What
do I do?
Answer: Entertain a better class of guests.
If it's your feet the dog is
peeing on, you might look here.
Cairn Terrier Hairballs
This is rather interesting
and it does involve some conjecture on my part.
Yes,
it is true that most Cairn Terriers can easily be termed hairballs
and I believe the Brits use the word to assist in providing a
graphical
description of an offensive act committed by a Cairn Terrier:
"That bloody little hairball
did wot?"
This
may also be a reference to Cairn Terriers upchucking hairballs.
If this is the case, take a photo of your animal and compare
the image to that of a gray, long haired cat. If the
similarities are striking, then that should answer your
question.
Might answer a few
others as well.
Does Cairn dog dander make
you feel like
something is biting you?
Answer: No.
If I felt like that I would be for getting myself to a doctor
to find out what the problem is.
Why does
my Cairn Terrier Eat Grass?
Short Answer: Because that is what dogs do.
This
is a $64.00 question that has to my knowledge no definitive answer.
My theory is that there are at least three distinct
reasons
for eating grass and these are based on personal observation over the
years:
1. The Special Treat
In this instance the Cairn picks through
the grass, chewing carefully selected
blades. This can go on for 10-15 minutes. It seems
as
though the Cairn is eating
grass because he
enjoys it. Perhaps he does.
2.
Something's
Missing
You know this one when you see it.....the Cairn
acts like
a miniature lawnmower, virtually chowing down on grass. I
think
this is the Cairn's way of making up for a
deficiency in
the diet due to something lacking in the dog food. I have
noticed
that with some brands of food, I see the Cairn eating more
grass.
With the latest dog food we are using, the dog rarely eats
grass and when he
does, it is more regarded as a special treat.
3. Sour Stomach
This
is unmistakable as well. The Cairn finds a a patch of grass,
long
bladed grass in particular and doesn't chew it but wolfs it down
and promptly throws it all up a minute later. I
think it
is a dog's method of purging his stomach of something that
didn't
sit well.
Question: How
much do Cairn Terriers Cost?
Short Answer: As much as you want to spend on one.
Personal Answer: $300 - $500
Long Answer (and I could easily turn this into a diatribe but I'll keep
it short): It depends on why you want one.
You want to
rescue a Cairn Terrier.
I wouldn't think this option would cost much, other
than spay/neuter + a donation, and maybe shipping. Price - $0.00 - $150.00,
shipping excluded would be my guess.
You want a Pet
(Pet Quality).
$0.00 - $250.00 is a range I would be looking for and I
would not pay more for registration papers.
Why no
registration?
Because if you are looking for pet quality then you are looking for a
dog unsuitable for breeding by AKC standards.
That makes sense,
so why am I bringing up registration papers?
Because there is this thing called
Limited Registration
which means you can register your Cairn Terrier with the AKC, but any
pups produced by this dog cannot be registered. Doesn't make
much
sense to me.
I think this is a way for breeders producing substandard pups to try to
squeeze a few more dollars out of you and a way for the AKC to generate
additional revenue at no extra cost to them.
In my view this is analogous to the gold plated turd question:
What's the
difference between a turd and a gold plated turd? - The gold
plate.
Some might point out that a Cairn Terrier with limited registration can
compete in sporting trials and events, and win titles which are
recognized by the AKC. Imagine what you might do by
spending a few extra bucks on a pedigreed dog.
You want Show
Quality because You want to Show Cairn Terriers.
Show quality is an AKC registered pup with all the
bells
and whistles. It has the possibility of being a true asset to
the
gene pool and breeders can be quite selective as to who they will
sell a show quality pup to. They often limit their sales to
people who wish to show Cairn Terriers themselves, which
thereby hopefully enhances the value and affirms the quality
of
the breeder's stock.
I would guess, and this is purely a guess because I
am really not that interested; somewhere in the range of $800 - $1200 for a
Cairn Terrier whose background pedigree contains an excellent lineage
with a number of championships.
I have actually seen Cairns for sale at starting
prices of
$1000.00 and these were in no way show quality so you have to use some
caution.
If you are going to shell out the big bucks for a show quality animal,
I would ask for copies of the pedigrees from both sides as a starting
point and go from there.
You want Show
Quality but at a Discount Price, and maybe do some Showing Yourself.
This is fertile ground if you have patience and do
some research.
I'll put a
$400 - $800 price tag on this one.
I'd be willing to bet there are far more breeders
who
bought high quality dogs with the intent of breeding, showing and
establishing their own line, than ones that did the same and actually
followed through.
Lets say some of those breeders paid astronomical dollars for their
animals which were never shown. They tend to think because
they
paid the big bucks for their dogs, any pups produced should be worth
that amount as well.
When you buy a pup, you are buying potential. If you don't make use of
that potential by showing the animal, what potential do you have?
Not much, other than the pedigrees of your dog's
sire and
dam.
Quality was
proved out by the breeder you got your dog from, but it was not proved out
by you.
That leaves a question mark as to the quality of any
pups you yourself as a new breeder may produce.
People may have serious reservations about paying large sums from a new
kennel whose sires and dams have not been proved out in the
ring.
This often leaves such a breeder with excess pups.
Some of these breeders may also live in a
geographical location not conducive to selling animals. This
in conjunction with people who have major issues with having a dog
shipped, can leave a breeder with a number of pups that would
due to circumstance be difficult to place..
Third in this area are breeders who have quality, do
show
but limit themselves in some way. An example would be a
breeder
who insists on hand delivering the pup to the prospective owner and
performing an inspection of their premises before they agree to a
sale. If this breeder is located in DinkyTown, Nevada.....it
can
be hard to place pups as there would be an extremely finite number of
future Cairn owners within the area.
In each of these proceeding examples, the breeders
have
quality (probably) but have difficulty selling it. If one of
these
breeders
had a litter of six bouncing baby Cairns, could only sell two
and
the remaining four are approaching 12 weeks of age, what would
the
breeder do?
A. Sell the pups as pet quality with a spay/neuter
contract at a greatly reduced price. This would be pure
desperation.
B. Sell the pups with full registration at a reduced
price. There can be plenty of room for dickering with this
option.
C. Or.....If this is real quality we are dealing with, a
shared registration with the breeder
at
a reduced price. People come down on
both sides of the fence on this one. I at one time
had a
shared registration and it worked out very well. I have also
heard horror
stories. It all depends on
the reason for the contract, the contract itself and the people
involved.
How to stop a Cairn
terrier from Barking
So you want to stop your Cairn from barking.....
If surgery is not an option, get ready to enter the world
of high tech.
I have used most of the barker breaker technologies over the years
and would have to say the most fun is the shock
collar.
Instant gratification at the flip of a switch.
However with Cairn Terriers, this is not a very good idea because it
is far too easy to confuse corrective action with
revenge:
"Take that, you
bloody hairball!"
Oh
yeah.........I Mentioned High Tech.........I was getting a little
excited there.....
Dogs in general are known for
what? Their sense of smell.
What if instead of zapping your Cairn with an electric charge, you
spray him with what a dog would consider a foul odor when he
begins exhibiting obnoxious behavior. How well do you think
that
would work?
Surprisingly well.
Let me introduce you to the Remote Spray Trainer by PetSafe.
Charge the collar with foul smelling liquid.
Place collar with spray hole pointed up, right underneath his chin.
Take it for a test drive. When your Cairn starts yapping, hit
him with a blast of odorizer.
Repeat as often as necessary...in other words buy several extra cans of
odorizer.
The noxious odor in this particular cannister is Lemon Scent,
something dogs don't very much care for.
Some people have reported that a simple blast of air is enough to shut
their dogs up.
Me, I
prefer the odorant because it serves a dual purpose.
Number 1:
It does a fine
job shutting down nuisance barking.
Number 2:
You have a Lemon
Scented Cairn!
Two thumbs up for PetSafe.
God please find me my Cairn
terrier!
Comment:
I hope he does.
My Cairn Terrier Pulls too Hard when
Playing 
Free Video
My
initial response to this one is 'You've got to be kidding.'
But.....I
suppose that might be a bit insensitive so here is an alternate
suggestion:
Leave the pulling
to somebody else. I must admit after watching the video,
that's a lot of pulling!
Cairn Terrier Face Biting
or
Please
Re-Arrange My Face because I am an Idiot
or
Can I
have My Free Deviated Septum NOW, Please?
This
in my view is entirely owner contrived. The consequences of same are
best learned by others unless you have a masochistic streak running
through your veins........................
The 70's was a time
of for discovery and one of my friends discovered the hard way that it
is not a good idea to discipline a nine month old Australian Shepherd
pup by grabbing his collar for a good ole one on one, up
close and personal @$$
chewing.
It was my turn to drive that night. I knocked on
the door, was told to come in and I saw a really po'd John grab the
shepherd
pup, get down on his knees and pull the pup up close to deliver some
choice invectives.
I think John might have got two words out of
his mouth before the dog lunged at his face. This was closely
followed by a loud scream (from John) and blood everywhere (from John).
The pup managed to get a couple teeth up inside both nostrils, bit down
and pulled. This resulted in a deviated septum and the piece
of
flesh that separates the nostrils was itself separated (a polite way of
saying it was ripped out).
John's wife was in the kitchen at the
time and came out to see what all the commotion was about.
One
thing I will have to hand to to her - she was a cool customer under
fire.
She took one look at John, went back in the kitchen and
filled up a Ziploc bag with ice cubes and put a towel around it, walked
back out and gave it to John with orders to keep it pressed to his face
(and some wonder why men have shorter life expectancies).
She
then took John to the hospital and I had to call in to work to explain
why we weren't at work. I also had to babysit their kids until a
relative arrived. The relative came over, took one look at all the
blood in the living room and ordered the kids into the bedroom while we
spent a good hour cleaning the mess up.
------------
It
is not uncommon for some to anthropomorphize their pets as strange as
that may seem and it is probably the same group of people who insist
that animals have the same 'rights' people have.
Dogs are not people.
Dogs are dogs. If you want to discipline your Cairn eye to
eye or
play kissy-face, you do so at your own peril. The coin might flip tails
50 times in a row, but one day it is going to land heads up.
Open
your Cairn's mouth and take a good hard look at all those teeth and
then think about how all those teeth would look attached to your face
the day that coin lands heads.
------------
How do I Provoke my
Cairn into Providing Personalized Cosmetic Surgery?
Before
I segue into that, lets preface this with a brief discussion on eye
contact, another thorny issue in the world of canine
psychology.
Conventional
wisdom for a long time held that if a dog maintained eye contact with
you, the dog was challenging for Alpha Male status. I believe
this is flawed.
From my perspective, a dog that maintains eye contact is
looking for direction or leadership; in fact there are breeders of
hunting dogs that look to include this trait in their lines.
Cairns
when they stare at you, generally want something. Catahoulas
when
they stare at you are either in a state of adoration or they are
looking for direction. With Poodles the message is quite
clear
- 'Ok, what do you want me to do next?'
These are examples of pack followers where they accept you as
the pack leader.
Then there are the
Pig-Headed, Aggressive, Alpha Male type dogs.
These
dogs refuse to maintain eye contact. They view eye contact as a contest
for
dominance. They don't want to challenge for top spot because they think
they are already there, or close to it.
This
type of dog
is difficult to train, constantly vying for a
better position in the pecking order because there is no clear pack
hierarchy. In other words, the owner is falling down on the
job.
So How do I Provoke my Cairn (or
any breed for that matter) into Providing Personalized Cosmetic
Surgery?
Simple.
I
would pick up my Cairn terrier and hold him an
inch away from my nose, force eye to eye contact and proceed to chew
him out in a threatening, denigrating, really unpleasant tone of
voice.
Facial lacerations
virtually guaranteed and perhaps a free rhinoplasty thrown in as well.
--------------
If
you yourself are knot-headed and refuse to consider these words of
cautionary advice and one day that coin does land heads up and
we
have Teleprompter sponsored health care......... please let us know how
all that turned out as I imagine you will be placed rather low on the
triage list when they factor in your potential contribution to the
human gene pool.
I would tend to think you could get better service paying
your Vet a few $$ under the table for minor surgery but I guess I am a
bit biased.
Either Way,
Inquiring Minds will Want to Know.
Can you hurt a Cairn Terrier Coat by
Shaving It?
Cairn
coats are hand stripped if you wish the Cairn's coat to
conform to the breed standard:
Here
we have a young Brom, a resident of Sunny Florida. Notice how
the
hair looks coarse and wiry / spiky?
This is how a Cairn's coat should look and this is accomplished by hand
stripping.
Rumor has it that the coat is also more waterproof.
And here we have Max, who is turning 3 in February, 2010.
That is a good looking adult coat.
A
Couple Hand Strippers
And
here we have Rufus, resident of Northern Nevada and frequent star
/ guinea pig of the show.
The
coat on Rufus looks soft and lays down. Thicker undercoat and
the
coat colors seem to soften, which is probably a result of not
allowing the outer hair to grow. This is what happens when you
clip a Cairn's coat. It does not conform to any standard,
other
than your own.
So to
answer the question: Can you hurt a Cairn Terrier Coat by Shaving It?
If you clip the coat, Yes.... but the word 'Yes' does not
mean 'Yes' as in
irreversible.
Is it reversible? Yes.
How long do I think
it take to turn a clipped coat into a proper, stripped coat?
I
don't know. We've actually had some internal discussion this
last
year about changing grooming tactics to see what Rufus would look like
as a properly groomed Cairn Terrier. The vote is not in yet
but
if we do, I'll put up a grooming diary.
If I was to guess..... A year or less.
AHA! Jill was kind
enough to provide personal, first hand experience!
Jill says:
I
saw you had a question "how long does it take to correct a clipped
coat?" on your page and we're actually dealing with that now.
We
clipped Maggie's coat when she was a puppy (in the summer) but noticed
in the winter that her coat did not do a very good job of repelling
water/snow.
So, in July 2009,
we had her hand stripped. The lady that runs the local doggie
daycare that Maggie goes to is also a show groomer, so she was all
gung-ho to give our dog a "makeover".
The hand stripping process took ~4
hours and when I picked her up, I was definitely
shocked. The dog was BALD.
We had to take caution to not leave her out in the sun for too long
(sunburn) and Maggie also had A
LOT of itching as her new coat was growing in.
It
took a couple weeks for her to not be bald, but the new coat that grew
in was coarser, denser, and definitely more water repellent.
The picture I sent you of Maggie on the stairs was taken on Christmas
Eve, so she had ~5 months
of growth. In talking to the groomer, a show dog will get
hand stripped 2-3 times a year, where non-show dogs can get stripped
once a year.
Unfortunately for Maggie, the groomer
jumped the gun and stripped her one day at daycare, so I currently have
a bald-ish Cairn in the middle of a Pennsylvania winter. If
you
have any other questions about hand stripping, let me know!
~ Thanks so much Jill,
from someone who has actually been there, done that (great
picture, by the way) .
My
only other question would be cost. It is tough to find a
groomer
who actually can groom a Cairn Terrier, or any terrier for that matter
to where what you have in the end actually conforms to the breed
standard for grooming. No one like that around here in my
neck of
the woods that I am aware of.
Can you provide some
detail as to what such a stripping service from a professional costs?
Question : Should I
shave the ears
off my Cairn Terrier?
Answer: No
Cairn
Terrier throwing up White-Like Foam every 2 or 3 days.
Comment: Sounds like a grass attack to
me. Pepto Bismal or Kaopectate can work well in the short
term if you observe discomfort.
If it persists, I'd give the vet a call.
Question:
My Cairn Terrier Growls at Me when I get in Bed.
What do I do?
Answer: Well, you could choose a
different bedmate, preferably one with opposable thumbs.
That would at least restrict you to the primates and get you back on
the road to normalcy.
Or
Find a Cairn with a sweeter disposition.
Question - When can
You Stop Using Crate for a Cairn Terrier?
Answer: When you want to
start having house breaking problems.
We got rid of
the crate for a while because we were tired of having it in the house.
Some six months
later, problems started.
Problems ended
when we tossed the Cairn in the garage and back into the crate.
Problem solved.
What
is interesting is he loves the crate. Let him in the garage in the
evening, he heads straight into the crate, turns around and waits for a
treat.
Of course Cairns being Cairns, it can be difficult
getting him out of the crate in the morning, but that is preferable to
a urine stained house.
Question - How do you
keep a Cairn Terrier from Smelling like a Dog?
Answer - You're kidding,
right?
Question - Is aggressive
growling and biting for a 5 month old Cairn terrier normal?
Answer - No.
This could be normal for an unsocialized, untrained 5 month old Cairn
terrier though.
Question - Do Cairn terriers
look like poodles?
Answer - No.
Question - My Cairn Terrier
is 22 pounds. Is that too large for tunnel training?
Answer - Maybe, maybe not and there is
a very easy way to find out if by tunnel training you mean Earth Dog
trials.
Earth
Dog trials are used as a method for testing a terrier's instinct, its
natural ability to do what it was originally bred for.
And what is that?
Terriers - Terra - Of the Earth - Tunnel Rats - Dogs going to ground to
seek out and destroy vermin.
In
order for a terrier to enter an AKC proscribed Earth Dog Trial, the dog
must be small enough to enter a tunnel constructed of a predetermined
size.
The tunnel diameter for for a small earth dog and Cairns are in theory
small earth dogs, is about nine inches by nine inches.
So,
construct a short 9" X 9" tunnel and see if your Cairn can fit through
it. If he can fit through it, you are probably good to go.
Interested in more information on Earth Dog trials? Stay
Tuned.
Question - How can I tell if
my Cairn terrier is Stressed?
Answer:
If you have a Cairn terrier that you think is stressed then there are
major problems in your household, either with people in it or with
other animals he is interacting with.
Seriously, there is
a major problem with your environment.
If a Cairn is exhibiting stress then there has to be something or
someone obviously causing it.
Take a step back, look around and see what you can see.
If you can't see anything, get a second opinion.
One
way to determine whether or not a dog is stressed (and I have never
seen this in a Cairn Terrier) is to observe the dog being corrected in
a semi-formal environment.
Example:
Say for example you have a dog that kind of knows what 'Kennel', 'Move It'
or some other command means - the dog is supposed to stay in
one
area or place..........like staying out of the kitchen while you are
cooking......and the dog is off lead.
The dog is relatively new to this concept - he is supposed to
be doing something, but he is unsure what you want.
The dog will start whining, making noise and frequently 'yawning', with
emphasis on the yawning.
This is an example of stress. When a dog whines and 'yawns',
he doesn't know what is expected of him and that is the point in which
you stop and think about what you are doing, and use a slightly
differently approach in accomplishing what you what you want the dog to
do.
Following up on the 'staying
out of the kitchen' example, walk towards the
dog using the 'Move it',
'Kennel' or
other words and get the dog moving backwards.
Then, grab the dog, put him on a short lead which happens to just
outside of the kitchen and praise the hell out of him.
Depending
on the IQ of the dog, the dog will rapidly associate the word
'Kennel' or pick your choice of words, with staying out of the kitchen
or wherever you don't want the dog to be.
Of course, if this is a Cairn Terrier we are talking about, it may take
a while. What works for me is the 'Move It!' command.
Our Cairn after about four years knows that 'Move It!' means 'Stay Out!' and it
works rather well.
Took a while,
though.
If you have what you think is a stressed Cairn terrier, do
something about it. This is not normal.
Question - My Cairn Terrier
pees right in front of my feet! What is this and What do I do?
Answer:
I will preface this with a story. Turd dog, I mean Rufus
discovered some new neighbors across the yard - three very
friendly mutts. I watched him race up and down the fence with
them. He spent the entire day at the fence.
Warning
bells should have lit up when I saw this but I apparently got lulled
into complacency. Turd dog hadn't done any fence
digging for
years.
Not a chance he
would start doing it again............
The
following day, no Rufus anywhere and in the middle of the fence out
back was a suspicious hole dug under same which just happened to be
about the right size for a Cairn terrier to fit through.
I drove
around the block to the house on the other side of the fence, hoping
the neighbor might have in their possession our little hairball.
The
neighbor was very friendly and said yes, Rufus was over there most of
the morning playing with other dogs that weren't hers either.
She
looked for a tag on Rufus and guess what........no tag. It
disappeared at some time and we never noticed it.
She then went on to say one of the neighbors called the pound because
one of the larger dogs crapped in his yard.
Grrrr...............
I called the pound and guess who was a resident guest at the Gray Bar
Hotel?
You guessed it.
And
guess who joyfully jumped into the front seat of the Dog Catcher Mobile
for a free ride? And guess who had to rub it in a bit by
saying
that the seizure of Rufus was one of the easiest captures he ever made?
You guessed it.
I
could have bailed out the little (*#&%^Y the same day but since
he
already incurred charges and the current royalty fee was good for 24
hours, I decided to let him sweat it out for another day in
the
slammer.
The following day I went over to pay Turd
Dog's (I mean Rufus's) bail and one of the jailers asked me
about
him. The first question out of her mouth was, 'What a
friendly
dog! But I have a question - does your dog have an attitude?'
I said, 'What do
you mean?'
She
said, 'I went into his cell and sprayed out the the floor while your
dog went and sat in a corner away from the water. After I
finished up I called to him to get him to come and settle down. Most
dogs find the cleaning traumatic. He looked at me
and took
a few steps forward, didn't even bother to lift his leg and peed all
over his front legs and on to the floor.'
I responded that yes, Cairn terriers are known to have
attitudes. I left while the getting was good.
So to get back to
the question about peeing at your feet...........
I
have seen similar examples of this behavior more times than I would
have expected and curiously enough, have only observed it in the
terrier breeds.
I have the 'Why' of
the question nailed:
It is an expression of
disdain on the part of the Cairn terrier for mostly people and
sometimes things.
Some might argue that the dog
is marking his territory.
Really............
If that's the case then who owns who?
Something a little mixed up if you have a situation like
that.
The 'What do I do?'
part of the question is going to sound familiar:
You
the owner are the problem in that don't
know how to the pack leader.
What you
need to do at as a minimum is attend a class on canine psychology.
More and more of these are sprouting up and a good one should
not
be hard to find unless of course you live in Dinkytown Nevada,
population 125.
Odds are you got
the dog and didn't know or think of what to expect next. You
might have presumed you were getting Toto, who just loved to be held by
Dorothy and when not being held, followed her everywhere.
Bad news
folks........Reality Bites.
This
situation unfortunately is not limited to Cairns.
It
happens whenever a previously unknown breed makes it to the headlines
in the form of theater or perhaps into a song. It ends up in
thousands of ignorant, ill-considered purchases and it stresses out
animal shelters throughout the country.
Three
Examples:
Ever heard of the movie "101 Dalmatians?"
The movie spawned much
interest in dalmatians and the puppy mills went into overtime providing
cute pups for the holiday season.
Many
of those pups ended up in shelters and pounds across the country
several months later because the buyers didn't bother doing one thin
dime's worth of research before buying dalmatians for their kids.
If
they had, they would have discovered that dalmatians are one of the
most dimwitted, pigheaded, slow to mature breeds in existence.
Not exactly an ideal child's pet.
Ever heard of the
song 'Catahoula?'
Probably not unless you are a fan of Country Western music, which I am
not.
This
one song generated hundreds if not thousands of Catahoula
puppy
sales to households which had no clue as to what they were getting into.
Catahoulas
are very smart, domineering, many times pigheaded dogs which require a
strong personality on the part of the owner to control the animal.
It is not
a natural child's pet. Some months later animal
shelters were deluged with unwanted Catahoulas.
Ever heard of the movie "The Wizard of OZ?"
You
probably have and if you are having issues with your little bundle of
joy and if your are intent on keeping the animal, get some
expert
advice.
If the experience to date is not one you would care to
continue, there are several Cairn Rescue organizations
throughout
the country who could more than likely assist with placement of the
animal.
Do some research and know what it is you are actually buying before you
go forward with the purchase.
It can save you a
lot of unnecessary grief and lighten the load on animal shelters at the
same time.
Question -
Does my Cairn need a
sweater if the temperature outside is 22 degrees?
Moose doesn't seem to mind......
Neither does Dezi. What you are seeing here is a fashion
statement.
Answer: No.
It
was -13 degrees here last week and Turd Dog, I mean Rufus, bright and
early in the morning successfully dug a divot through three or four
inches of snow and then began tunneling under the fence.
He was captured seconds before he made his escape.
He
spent the rest of the day on a 12' lead attached to a 50'
cable which was well within reach of his insulated dog
house.
Temperatures
never rose above -2 degrees and the dog didn't once seek
shelter.
Crashed out on the porch though on a dog blanket for
several hours though.
We shave our Cairn in the summer and then let the hair grow through
October and on well into spring.
Never had any frozen Cairn issues.
Can't say I didn't wish I did on the odd occasion......
Question:
Can a Cairn terrier be a good choice for deaf people?
Answer: Now that's an interesting
question and one that I cannot answer with any kind of authority.
I would guess that the question needs to be better defined as to
whether the Cairn is intended as a pet or an assistant.
Offhand, I would say that they are quite good at getting your
attention when they want it - as in the nose jabs.
On
the other hand, it would be difficult to tell when the Cairn
is
being totally obnoxious outside, jacking up other dogs and in turn
jacking up the neighbors.
A quick Google search seems to indicate any dog, mixed breed or not,
can be trained to assist the deaf.
Of course, Cairn Terriers are not just 'any dog'.
If
anyone has experience with Cairns and people who are hearing impaired,
feel free to send along an opinion..
Cairn foaming at the
mouth whining shaking his head
Comment: I'd love to know more detail
on this one.
Two things immediately come to mind:
1.
If the Cairn stinks, he might have mixed it up with a skunk
came
out on the wrong end of the fight. Hose him down and give
him a
bath in tomato juice. That really helps kill the smell.
Fresh spray from a live skunk is pretty nauseating.
It
doesn't smell the way a dead skunk in the the
middle of the
road smells. It smells more like smoke and fire, or maybe
burned
rubber.
2. Are
there
toads in your area? If the cairn was out digging, he might
have
found one. I had a lab cross that got hold of one once.
There
are a couple glands on the back of the toad's head which contain a
mucous type secretion that lets loose if an animal grabs this area.
If you look at the picture, you may see a raised area which
might
remind you of a blister running along the shoulder blades up and down,
right in the area of the large bumps. These are the
parotid
glands.
 |
 |
| See the bumps on each shoulder?
Do not bite there. |
This spade foot toad I
found before the Cairn did. |
Not all toad secretions are equal and while most only sicken
or nauseate a dog, there are some that can kill.
If
the Cairn is foaming up, shaking his head, whining and in obvious
distress, grab him and wash his mouth out with water
immediately
and wash his face and forelegs as well. It would also be a
good idea to call
the vet and tell him what happened.
If you know there are toads
in the area, he can probably advise whether or not it is serious.
Question: How do I get my
Cairn to Drink More Water?
Answer: Maybe you shouldn't.
It depends on why you think the Cairn is not drinking enough.
1. The Cairn is not drinking enough water because his urine is very
yellow in color.
Dog
urine is quite yellow in color. Some people are under the impression
that dog urine should be similar to that of human urine in that it
should be clear or straw colored like that of a normally hydrated human.
Wrong.
Pale
colored urine as in the above example could be a good reason
to
get the Cairn to the vet for a checkup. The vet might even
compliment you on your powers of observation.
2. The Cairn is not drinking enough water because he is under
medication and that medication unnaturally quenches thirst.
If this is the case, you need to make the water more
desirable.
Go to the store and pick up a box of chicken broth and / or a box of
beef broth.
Pour enough broth into the water bowl to flavor it.
If chicken broth doesn't do it, try the beef. Odd's are the
Cairn's water intake will dramatically improve.
Warning:
If
the broth works, ensure you forewarn visitors that what they may
observe in the dog's water bowl is in fact flavored water and not
something........unsanitary.
Statement: My Cairn Terrier
pays no attention to me.
Comment: Congratulations! You are the proud owner of a
typical Cairn Terrier!
If you want something that pays attention to you,
try a standard poodle.
Having one of those critters around the house is like having a second
skin.
Somewhat
related, I heard a great break-up line the other day from
someone who shall remain nameless....
She said:
"I moved here so we could spend more time together
and you're not spending your spare time with me."
He said:
"Don't
take this the wrong way but the woman I want to settle down with is
going to have a personality like that of my Cairn - fiercely
independent and still is capable of love and affection.
And honey.....you
ain't no Cairn terrier."
Statement:
My Cairn Terrier is the smartest dog I have ever owned.
Comment: It is probably also the only dog you have
ever owned.
Question:
How tall
of a fence does a Cairn Terrier need?
Answer: As is often the case with Cairn Terriers, you are
asking the Wrong Question
The
question should be: How deep should I bury the fence to
prevent my Cairn from making the Great Escape?
Answer:
Sink that baby underground at least 12".
If
I was actually concerned with a Cairn Terrier jumping over a fence
(which somewhat defies imagination), I would take the Cairn's
body length and multiply by 1.5, or about 3 feet.
Question: Is it
normal for a Cairn Terrier to be Food Aggressive?
Answer:
No, and it is a problem with not just Cairns, but for other
dogs
which have been inadequately trained and socialized as well.
What we are talking about here is Resource Protection.
I am not going to spend much time on this - just Google it.
It can be fixed.
I will give one example of Resource Protection
which I'll bet just about everyone has experienced:
You
are walking through a Walmart parking lot and happen to walk by a
really big sedan, something like a Cadillac with its windows down.
As you are walking by, you see out of the corner of
your eye
a shape lunge at you, lunge frequently accompanied by high pitched
hysterical yapping.
This startles you out of your skin
and you turn around to see a senior citizen way past the ability to
drive safely, holding on to one of those little *&%&*
football
dogs, with a half-embarrassed silly grin plastered on his or her face.
You
can't blame the football, it is only trained to do what it is trained
to do. The football is treating the senior citizen
as a
resource for food, shelter, really bad old movies.
The blame once again, lies at the feet of the owner, as do most canine
personality-related issues.
The Cairn Terrier
is no Exception.
Footnote:
I did get even with one of those ignorant owners in Lakeland,
Florida once. I was walking out of the Walmart with
a large
soft drink and lunch. As I was walking past one of those
boats
some might call automobiles, a #*%*&! miniature
poodle lunged
at me. I didn't know what it was at the time but I stepped
back
and pivoted violently away from the car. This
resulted in
the contents of soft drink cup flying into the boat and onto
the
football and its owner. It was a big soft drink and it really
sent the football into overdrive when I threw the cup in as well.
The
owner looked like he was going to have a cardiac event.
Did I feel bad at all that the senior and the football got drenched?
No. Just because you are a senior citizen does not mean that
being a responsible
dog owner is optional. If you want to own a
football and you don't
bother training it, and you think it is cute when your football lunges
at innocent citizens going about their business, do not be
surprised when someone else walking by has a much more violent reaction
than the one I had.
#*$&^
football dogs and clueless owners regardless of their age are
a
major pet peeve of mine if you haven't figured that out yet.
The downside to this traumatic event was that I had to go back into
Walmart for a new soft drink.
Another Footnote:
Wow......actually
got a couple immediate emails on this one and in this case the
emailer's are right.....but solidly off center. Odds are no
one
has ever seen or ever will see a Cairn Terrier lunging at you through
an open window from a Senior Citizen's lap. It is not in the
genetic makeup.
Take notice that in my example I used a miniature poodle,
not a Cairn Terrier.
Can you imagine a Cairn Terrier wiling away the afternoon on anyone's lap in
order to try to tear a chunk out of a passerby?
I think not.
Y'all need to Lighten up a Little.
Cairn Terrier don't Neuter for Shorter
Legs
Uhhh....................Ok................
Question: How do I stop my Male Cairn
Terriers fighting over toys.
Answer: Remove
the toys.
Question: Cairn IQ Advantage and
Smart Dog?
This question lacks clarity so I will
change the question to one better defined so I can wax eloquently:
1.
What are the advantages / disadvantages of owning smart
vs not-so-smart dogs?
2.
Where does the Cairn Terrier fit in?
Prospective
dog owners may spend considerable time choosing breed aggressiveness,
size, energy level and utility......but not so many think about the raw
intelligence of the animal and this can be one of the most important
factors if one wishes a harmonious household.
The
Smart Breeds
The Herding, Working and
Sporting groups, as well as some Non-Sporting breeds rank the highest
overall in canine intelligence.
Highly
intelligent breeds need to be worked. 'Worked' in the broad sense
means training, exercise, playing, time and personal
attention to
the animal.
Failure
to invest time and attention results in a bored dog and that boredom
frequently manifests itself in destructive activity.
Destructive
Activity = Upset Owner
Upset
Owner = Attention to Dog, but maybe not quite the type the dog expected.
...and on goes the
vicious circle until the dog:
1. Becomes unmanageable
and ends up pound-bound.
2. Is put up for sale or
free to a 'loving' home.
3. Is trained well after
the fact, which may or may not work at all.
Prepare to shell out $$ for this option.
If you are willing to
invest the time and effort in an intelligent breed, the end product can
be very rewarding.
If not, consider breeds
a few cans short of a six-pack.
The
Not So Smart Breeds.
Hounds
and Terriers comprise the bulk of the less intelligent canines; hounds
among the dumbest and terriers fitting squarely in the middle of the
pack.
Once you have decided on
the group, consider the breed energy level.
Is your lifestyle
adaptive to the needs of a high energy dog? ...or do you prefer a dog
who enjoys laying at your feet.
Consider also the amount
of personal attention the dog is likely to require.
Does
a dog whose idea of personal attention mean food in his bowl and an
occasional pat on the head?.....or is the dog one who is likely to need
considerable owner participation.
I'd
use that as a starting point and there is a wide range of intelligence
within these two groups. There are dogs who after two or three years of
intense training still have issues with house breaking, and then there
are dogs who are stars of the show in obedience training.
Where
does the Cairn Terrier fit in the world of Canine IQ?
Despite
my frequent commentary to the contrary, out of the 141 breeds in my
database the Cairn Terrier ranks as Number 35 and he shares that honor
with the American Eskimo dog, Irish Setter (for the life of me, I don't
know how the Irish Setter ranks 35 - I think the number 112 would be
far more reasonable) and the Kerry Blue Terrier.
This puts the Cairn in
the top 33%
of all canines when ranking for intelligence and he lands pretty much
squarely in the middle of the terrier group for
same.
Believe
it or not.
In
summary, I will leave you with one basic question which you
can
use as a starting point in your search for just the right amount of
intelligence or lack thereof in your future canine companion:
It's Monday - back to the daily
grind.
Do you want a dog that......
A.
Knows you just went to work and knows for about how long he can he can
have his fun.
or
B.
Eight hours later, still doesn't realize you left.
A = Herding,
Working, Sporting, some Terriers, a few Non-Sporting and a few Toys
B = Hounds, some
Terriers, most Non-Sporting and most Toys.
For more detail, you can
always download a copy of my free Canine IQ Guide.
Question: What's the difference
between a Cairn Terrier & a Wheaton Terrier?
Answer: A Cairn Terrier is a
breed. Wheaton refers to a Color.
Question:
Are Cairn Terriers Hard to Housebreak?
Answer: Given all
my previous opinions this is probably going to surprise you but the
answer is no. Both male and female Cairn Terriers housebreak
quickly.
The problem is that it doesn't stick (probably long term memory
issues), and Cairn Terriers do get lazy.
Successfully
keeping a previously housebroken Cairn terrier housebroken
means refresher courses are required.
Crate training every three
months or so for a couple weeks whether you think the Cairn needs it or
not, will doubtlessly contribute to a happy and pee-free household.
If you don't believe me, that's fine.
Perhaps your personal preference is
a urine stained house.
That however, is
not my personal cup of tea.
Question:
What kind of human food can I feed my Cairn Terrier-Poodle?
Answer: Don't. The
occasional treat is ok, but remember dogs are dogs. Treat
them as such.
Question:
Do Cairns
like to be rubbed at the start of their tails?
Answer: Yes.
I'll leave it to your imagination to figure out why.
Question:
What is more affectionate - a
Cairn Terrier male or female?
Answer: Males Almost Every Time.
Question:
Are Cairn
Terriers Devious?
First, let's examine the word
devious:
de·vi·ous
(dv-s)
adj.
1. Not straightforward; shifty: a devious character.
2. Departing from the correct or accepted way; erring: achieved success
by devious means.
3. Deviating from the straight or direct course; roundabout: a devious
route.
- Devious
Character, I like that.
'Devious'
would also imply a certain amount of intelligence in that a Cairn
Terrier would have to realize there is more than one path to a goal.
So are
Cairns Devious?
Story Time
Rufus
loves to go over to the fence, sit and growl until Vincent, a Rhodesian
Ridgeback-Hines 57 mix (and also one of the most worthless sacks of
skin to inhabit dogdom), comes charging the fence barking his fool head
off.
For
Rufus, the point of the exercise is to get Vincent to do just that
because after a few minutes Vincent's owner comes out and chews out
Vincent while Rufus sits a couple feet away, the very picture
of
innocence.
I would say this could
be an example of devious
character.
Enter the new addition to the household, a Standard Poodle pup by the
name of Max.
Max
while looking like a big black and white creme puff, is most
demonstrably not a creme
puff and soon discovers that when Rufus barks at the fence,
odds are
the most obnoxious dog on earth is soon going to show.
The first time Vincent sees the large, black and white puffball
charging the fence at full tilt and barking his fool head
off, he becomes
an incredible shrinking violet, cowers and slinks off into the sunset.
A
week or two later the poodle sustains a major injury and has to spend
almost six weeks wearing a cone.
This unfortunately does not do much to slow him
down outside.
The next time Rufus successfully jacked up Vincent
at the fence, I think Vincent was genuinely horrified when he
saw
the large, black and white puffball with humongous cone
attached to its head
charging directly at him. Vincent took one look at that and
fled. For the first time in years, my heart warmed as all
those thoughts of 'Get
Even Time'
appeared to be coming to fruition. And who would have thunk a
black
and white puffball would be the bearer of such joyful tidings...
So what
does this have to do with the question about Deviant Cairns?
Well, I am taking a Deviant
Course in getting there.
Fast
forward a month or so. My wife goes to the pet store and buys
two
identical balls, a large one for the poodle and a small one
for the
cairn. We're talking soccer ball and soft ball.
She
tosses the balls out on the grass and the poodle immediately corrals
both of them, or let's say they are soon within his immediate Sphere of Influence.
Rufus is not
happy. He stands a foot or so
outside the Sphere of Influence and tries growling.
That doesn't work.
Rufus then tries
growling and
barking.
That doesn't work. The poodle is happily chewing on both balls.
Rufus turns to us
with the most wretched of looks on his face, that look only a Cairn
Terrier is capable of.
That doesn't work either.
Rufus continues
standing for several minutes and then starts sniffing around the yard,
which catches the poodle's attention.
Rufus
then trots off the grass and over to the fence, sits down and begins
growling, which really
catches the poodle's attention.
Vincent, the dog from hell soon arrives and starts barking his fool head
off. The poodle jerks up, turns around and
charges the fence barking his fool head
off.
While
the poodle is distracted, Rufus runs back to the yard, grabs the
smallest ball, jumps up on the deck and deposits it under the deck
chair. He then grabs the largest ball and muscles it up the
steps
and onto the deck, lays down and chews happily.
Meanwhile,
Vincent's owner finally comes out and yells, sending him scurrying like
the over sized rat bag that he is, back to their porch.
The poodle
trots to the yard, feeling quite manly and is a bit confused
when he discovers no balls at all. Looks all over the place and can't
find them. He finally gives up, settles down and
decides to take a nooner under a rose
bush.
If he would have looked up, he would have seen a Cairn Terrier happily
munching on one ball, the other parked well within his Sphere of Influence.
So to Answer the
Question: Are Cairns Devious (or Capable of Deviant Behavior)?
Answer:
Yes
Question: Biting and Growling in
Cairn Terrier puppies?
Answer: To the uninitiated, this is often referred to as
'Playing'.
Question:
My Cairn Terrier ran away. What are the chances of me finding him?
Answer: Cairn
Terriers are social animals. Your chances of finding the
runaway
dramatically increase if you are a social animal yourself.
Good
insurance is to regularly walk your Cairn Terrier on lead multiple
times around the neighborhood, introducing yourself and your Cairn to
the community at large. That way, odds will dramatically
increase
that someone someday will knock on your door with Cairn in outstretched
arms, offering to return your little bundle of joy to you free of
charge.
I need to emphasize here that this is
not a joke, intended to provide a bit of humor.
This is serious advice and please take it in that context.
Also, don't forget to regularly check to ensure your eventual runaway is adequately tagged with all
the information required to properly assist in
the joyful reunion of you with your Cairn Terrier.
Question:
Advice on Cairn Terriers for people in school?
Answer: Refer to my Cairn IQ
commentary.
Question: Why does my Cairn Terrier squeal
during bowel movements?
Answer: Better
you than me. There are numerous reasons. The most
obvious
would be blockage of some sort. This would include pieces of
a
toy, wood, shattered bone and anything else you can imagine
that
a dog would eat.
If the Cairn is an older dog, when
they squat and strain, pressure is put against the spine and neck.
Might be some arthritis or something age related going on.
Lets see, the dogs scent glands might be infected or
something along those lines.
The Cairn might be constipated. I would imagine Ex-Lax or
fiber might help.
Failing all that, give the vet a call.
In
my experience, I would guess that constipation is the most frequent
culprit. Cairns I have observed don't drink a lot of water.
If you mix that with a brand of dog food that doesn't help
the
cause, I would look to increasing the moisture content of the
dog's food.
Question:
Do Cairn Terriers eat Ferrets?
Answer:
They Might, but Odds are the Cairn will Pay a Heavy price..
Question: My Cairn Chose the Wrong Alpha -
How do I fix it?
Answer: (Yawn) I wouldn't
bother.
The Cairn ultimately determines who is Alpha and as long as it's not
the Cairn himself, it's a minor issue.
In our household, one would assume either I or my wife is the Alpha.
That would be an incorrect assumption.
The true Alpha does not even live in the same house.
The true Alpha would be son Jeff and it gets truly nauseating
come visiting time.
Rufus
knows the sound of Jeff's truck and when it arrives in the driveway,
Rufus sits up straight, ears cocked towards the door and he
starts a low, whining moan.
When Jeff enters the door,
Rufus begins a halting, tentative walk towards him with his head
lowered, ears partly down. The tail also lowered with just a bit of a
wag to it.
The rotten dog stays that way until Jeff gives him
the all-clear signal by saying 'Hi, Rufus!', at which point there is
joy in the household.
The rotten dog has never behaved that way with me or my wife, even
though we feed, bath and provide shelter for him.
So if you're not the Alpha, oh well.
I'd
be more concerned with other issues like dog training (marginal,of
course), crate training, socialization and house breaking. If
you
are successful in those areas, you should do fine and you don't have to
be the Alpha to make that happen.
Question: How do I
Show My Cairn Terrier?
Answer: For
those who prefer taking the road less traveled........I defer to a
compilation of emails and pics from Barb who is in the process of doing
just that.
....Since I am an obedience training "junkie",
I thought... "How hard is it to bridge the gap and conquer the whole
Conformation (a.k.a. Froo-froo pageant) thing?"
Trust
me, it is very very difficult. After
getting Dezi in
March of 2008, and entering countless dog shows, we only have 1
point. We need 15 points to get the name Champion in front of
her
name. I need to write a blog describing my undercover
experience. We will never make it to Westminster
without dedication, and we are dedicated.
 
I
took a couple photos of Dezi at dog school.
Linda and her
husband, Mike are both retired. moved from Cleveland to Amish farm
country, they have this new building (very nice!) where Dezi and I go
for training twice a week. We met Linda March 2009.
I have
hope that Linda can show me how to reach for the stars in my obedience
career with Cairns.
The REALLY big terrier show of all
time, is at Montgomery. Pennsylvania. Ignorance is
bliss,
and I actually thought I had a chance to win .. October of 2008, my
husband and I drove all night to get to the first dog show on a
Friday. got there at 530am. Campers everywhere....
the
bigger the RV, the bigger the dog show.
Lots
of vendors, and
hundreds of terriers.. it was a nice weekend, good
experience.
Eye opening. People who show dogs, and if they are serious,
spend
money on a professional handler. This might actually be a
cheaper
way to go since I have been paying entry fees and driving to
weekend
dog shows with only 1 point to show for it but I think I will
continue on with this myself. After all, I'm
thinking about
undercover journalism..........
The beautiful portrait was done at another dog show in
Michigan. We did not win any points (again),
but I did not want to go home empty handed. The show
photographer
is one of the best in the country. I will find him again for
more
portraits later on.
Such is the experiment... can a Pet Owner make it in the Big Time?
This remains to be seen...
~Barb
Cairn Addict
Comment:
Best of luck to you Barb and I hope you are
successful in
your quest for a titled Cairn Terrier. You mentioned cost.
It would be interesting if you are
interested in such
things, to keep kind of a running tab on the approximate costs you
incur in showing yourself versus utilizing the skills of a
professional handler should you decide to go that route.
......and
the life and times of an undercover dog show spy, that would
be some interesting reading, hint, hint.
Dan
More Show Notes (This is kind of
nice - Someone else gets to do all the typing!)
The
AKC has had a change of heart and here is a new
window of opportunity for those who are new to the sport of Conformation. The ALL NEW class to
enter is called "Amateur
Owner Handler".
It is for adults like me, that missed out on the golden years of youth
-- Junior Handler. Many adults are ready to become a handler
and
get into Conformation. It is more involved than you think, but it can
be learned. Yup, teach an old dog new tricks.
There
is some preparation and training to do. I encourage new
people to
this venue. The AKC would love to help dog enthusiasts find
their
way into the Conformation ring. Summertime is buzzing with
activity, there are dog shows every weekend.
Hey!
If I can bridge the gap from Obedience Junkie to Conformation, anyone
can! It really is fun, I have been meeting lots of other
Cairn
Terrier lovers, and I especially love hearing personal stories that
start with: "my first Cairn Terrier was _______"
Why
the change of heart? After reviewing the sheer volume of dog
shows entered by the very famous "Romeo" and "Double Dutch", there is a
reason why they are Number One. They keep showing after
getting
the Champion title and that is not my goal... Once I earn the title,
Dezi is done. Big lightbulb went off in my head.. oh!
Plus,
I have found out the obvious. All of the others started out
just like me.
Find
a local club on the Cairn Terrier Club of America.
(www.cairnterrier.org) and get to know someone in your state.
There
are good breeders out there who love to give helpful tips for those who
want to take it to the next level. If "Showing your
Cairn
Terrier" is a serious interest, and not some whimsy over Happy Hour,
here you go:
Approach
it like a job interview, dress the part and be smart. Look at
the
Professional Handlers and how they dress. Mimic success: "Fake it 'til you make it".
Groom your dog to also look the part. Find a photo on the
internet of a really good looking winner, print it out and tape it to
the wall. Study it, and make your dog look like the
picture. If you look like a Professional Handler and if your
dog
is groomed to look like a top winner, then you are ready.
Things
to train your dog:
* Stand and Stay (sometimes called "stacking")
* Walk on a loose leash
* Walk at a brisk pace, but don't run
* Be nice to others (no room for obonxious, snarky behavior.
A
little stiff-legged greeting, and stiff tail wagging is okay.)
* Be patient for the grooming process (tolerate all the froo-froo
process with loads of patience)
Tips
for the future owner/handler:
* Join a dog training club, go often
* Join your breed club, and be social (others love to help you!)
* Be a good sport, and always cheer on others even if you don't win
* Get a grooming table, grooming arm, teach yourself how to groom your
dog
* Drive to dog shows without your dog, bring a notebook and start
writing. (camera helps too)
* Read the akc.org sections about rules, and read about professional
handlers too.
* Buy book "Show Me!" by Dr. Caroline Coile (paperback )
* buy and watch DVD "Dogsteps" by Rachel Page Elliot
* Purchase the * Cairn Terrier Grooming how-to DVD
There
is only one DVD in the world to show you step-by-step how to groom your
Cairn properly. Cost is only $30 USA dollar through the Cairn Terrier
Club of Greater Detroit. Send an email to Patricia Holmes of
Kirkshire Cairns and in the subject line, put: Cairn Grooming
DVD ( email your request to: info@kirkshire.com )
Why
the change of heart?
See
attached photos. I think we are catching on here. We now have
2
breed points to her title!
I
almost hate to divulge my secrets. If someone else actually reads this
and follows this recipe, I am going to have a lot of competition in the
ring!! One other thing, careful
preparation also
implies careful selection of your Cairn Terrier puppy.... again, go to
the CTCA website, scroll through all of the Affiliate Clubs... read,
read, read. Look at member websites, find them, call them, go
visit. Talk to as many Cairn Terrier breeders as you
can.
Go visit, get more information. (Keep following more links, for
instance, find the website listing pedigrees, scroll down the list from
A to Z, and as you find those that link to their website, click on
them, and read-read -read some more. )
The
pedgireee link
http://www.cairn.dk/ped/
Or
type in www.cairn.dk in your browser and then look
at the
left of the index, find the one that says "Kennel/Breeder
Index"
click on that and they are all listed from A to Z from around the
world. I had fun with it, because my dog actually had two
very,very famous names in her pedigree. One is "Unique Cottage" and
the other is "Wolfpit"...
very thrilling for me to find my dogs ancestors!
Last
but not least, open up your wallet and buy the best Cairn Terrier you
can afford.... or become co-owner with your new-found breeder friend or
whatever works.
Budget
for dog shows:
* Entry fees (approx 27.50 per entry fee)
* Parking entry fee (fairgrounds .. $3 to $5)
* Travel fees (gas, hotel, flat tires, etc)
* Food (bring a cooler and pack sandwiches and fresh fruit)
* Dog dishes and dog food (feed Fido AFTER the dog show, no pooping in
the ring)
* Water (bring lots of water for you and your dog)
* Leashes, collars, grooming equipment
* Camera (take photos as you go, later it helps you to improve)
* Champagne (when you have success)
* **** Optional expense: a lovely new, shiny, fully loaded
RV. (hee hee, if you need an excuse to buy one, this is a
goodie!!)
The
dog shows are usually held on weekends. If it is a big dog
show,
it will be on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Each
day is
a NEW SHOW. If you do not win on Friday, you might win on the
next day. If you do not win at all, do not be discouraged.
(Open
up that cooler you brought, drink and laugh, and go spend money on the
vendors, buy better leashes and crates, haa
haa) Take
the opportunity to congratulate the winners, and then engage in
conversation such as, "how did you get started?" or.. "tell
me
how you learned how to do such an excellent job grooming your dog?"
or... "Let me buy you lunch, and then please give me some advice."
There
are lots of breeders who love Cairn Terriers so much, they want to
inflict this Cairn Addiction to everyone.
By
joining your local kennel club, they will hold a "Fun Match" which is
like a dog show without the big RV's. (hee hee) The bigger
the
RV's the bigger the show. Also look for "AKC Sanction Match"
under AKC.org, that also is a test run of your skills with the other
club members there to give you advice on how to improve.
Go
Bragh! Love to the Cairn Addicts!!
~~
Barb
Known Cairn Terrier Issues - Let's
Change this a bit to 'General Questions' and 'Issues'
Below
is a random sampling of 3 weeks worth of queries:
Questions
are cairn-poodles yappy dogs |
Issues
adult;t
cairn bad disposition |
| becoming a breeder of cairn terriers |
cairn
terrier barking |
| cairn ears up age |
cairn
terrier biting |
| cairn eye color |
cairn
terrier ear infection |
| cairn puppy 8 weeks old sleeps most
of the time |
cairn
terrier ear problem |
| cairn puppy breeder arkansas |
cairn
terrier ear problems |
| cairn terrier disposition |
cairn
terrier escape |
| cairn terrier dogs |
cairn
terrier excited pee |
| cairn terrier eating grass |
cairn
terrier growling |
| cairn terrier full grown |
cairn
terrier odor |
| cairn terrier grooming |
cairn
terrier peeing in house |
| cairn terrier heat |
cairn
terrier pees on couch |
| cairn terrier heat how long |
cairn
terrier personality problems |
| cairn terrier in heat |
cairn
terrier runaway |
| cairn terrier intelligence |
cairn
terrier smell |
| cairn terrier shaved |
cairn
terrier smells after walk |
| cairn terrier shed |
cairn
terrier teeth chattering problem |
| cairn terrier shedding |
cairn
terrier won t come |
| cairn terrier walk distance |
cairn
terrier won t eat |
| cairn terriers full grown age |
cairn
terrier wont eat |
| cairns and rabbits |
cairn
terrier yappy |
| can cairn terriers get shaved |
cairn
terriers biting around food bowl |
| can i shave my cairn |
cairn
terriers difficult to potty train |
| can i shave my cairn s fur |
cairn
terriers problems |
| can you shave a cairn terrier |
cairn
terriers won t drink water |
| can you shave a cairn terrier? |
cairn
won t eat tired |
| carin terriers in louisville
kentucky |
calm
my cairn terrier |
| correct length of cairn terrier s
back |
carin
terrier and allergies |
| expected behaviors for cairn terrier |
carin
terrier ear smell |
| face of a shaved year old cairn
puppy |
do
cairn teriers smell |
| how big do full grown cairn
terriers get? |
do
cairn terriers smell |
| how big should a cairn terrier be
at four months |
do
cairn terriers stink |
| how long are cairn terriers in heat? |
how
can i keep a cairn terrier out of a flower bed |
| how long are female cairn terriers
in heat |
how
can i stop a terrier chasing rabbits |
| how many cups of food daily to feed
5 month old cairn terrier puppy? |
how
to know if something is wrong with your 3 year old cairn terrier |
| how many times a day do you walk
cairn terrier |
how
to stop cairn terrier chewing furniture |
| how many times a day should i feed
my cairn terrier |
i
would hold him while my wife...cairn terrier |
| how much should a 3 month old cairn
puppy weigh |
kidney
problems in cairn terriers |
| how much should a cairn terrier eat? |
my
cairn is stubborn and hard to housebreak |
| how often do cairn terriers come in
heat |
my
cairn terrier odor |
| how often should a cairn terrier eat |
my
cairn terrier smells bad |
| how old carins ear turn up |
my
cairn terrier wont eat his dry food |
| how to potty train cairn terrier |
my
cairn won t eat |
| how to shave a cairn terrier |
should
i get rid of my cairn as he keeps growling |
| image cairn wheaten color |
vicious
cairn terrier |
| is cain terriors good for agility |
why
do cairn terriers smell so bad |
| is shaving a cairn terrier really
that bad |
why
do cairn terriers vomit so easily |
| our cairn terrier was shaved will
it grow back |
why
is my cairn terrier so laid back |
| pb cairn terrier |
|
| shave cairn terrier for summer |
|
| shaved cairn |
|
| shaved cairn terrier |
|
| should i get my cairn terrier
neutered |
|
| size of a nine month old cairn puppy |
|
| trim a cairn terrier face |
|
| what age do cairn terriers stop
teething |
|
| what colors to cairn terriers come
in |
|
| what does a full grown cairn
terrier look like |
|
| what happens if i wash my cairns
coat |
|
| what is the length of heat in a
cairn terrier |
|
| what kind of dog food to feed cairn
terrier |
|
| wheaton cairn terrier |
|
| when do cairn terrier ears stand up |
|
| when do cairn terriers calm down |
|
| when do cairn terriers stop growing |
|
| when is a cairn terrier full grown |
|
| when is a cairn terrier full grown? |
|
| do
summer haircuts cool a cairn terrier? |
|
|
| Total Queries: 114 |
|
| General Questions:
59.6% |
|
| Issues: 40.4% |
|
I
would say that this is about right. A lesson I learned was to pay a bit
more attention to the right column than to the left one and this
applies to any breed.
If anyone has
stats of this sort for other breeds, that would make for an interesting
comparison.
It's kind of like
'things they don't tell you about in school" - learn those kinds of
lessons vicariously.
With the advent of
the internet, it's easy and doesn't cost a thing.
Question: How big is a Toy Cairn
Terrier?
Answer: The same size as a Normal Cairn Terrier. There is no
such thing as a Toy Cairn Terrier.
Question: Are Cairn Terriers Good Swimmers?
Answer: It depends on the Cairn....
Some of them have issues......
Some don't.
Helpful hint: A ball or other floating toy can make a big difference.
Question: Do Cairn Terriers Possess Much Common Sense?
Answer: No
|
