Cairn Terriers

The Cairn Terrier is a happy, intelligent, active and fearless dog that is one of the oldest breeds of terriers. The name “cairn” was given to them since their function was to hunt and chase between the cairns of the Scottish Highlands, where they originated and are considered Scotland’s first working dog. The Cairn is a “ratter” and also are usually left-pawed which can be related to high-leveled performances connected to scent. Very active, this breed likes to explore and go on long walks so active owners are always a plus! Grooming is simple, with hand stripping seeming to be the preferred way to remove the old, dead hair (by the root) as opposed to using shears that can ruin the dog’s outer coat. The life span of a Cairn is 12-17 years and they have several significant hereditary diseases that they can get. However, the Cairn Terrier Club of America and the Institute for Genetic Disease Control in Animals have an open registry for Cairns in hopes of reducing diseases within the breed. Fortunately, some breeders voluntarily submit their dogs’ test results for research purpose.

Do you have a Cairn? What’s your favorite feature? Send us their pictures and let us know!