The Cairn Terrier: One of Scotland’s Earliest Working Dog

It is known that for over 200 years, small breeds of terriers roamed the Isle of Skye in the hilly regions of Scotland. It is there that the breeds such as the White Highland Terrier and Skye Terrier developed to become the world famous pets that they are today. The present type of the Cairn Terrier has actually developed from the two aforementioned breeds and that the Cairn was the last of the Scottish Highlands terriers to have been registered in the kennel clubs.

The Cairn terrier remains as one of the oldest working breeds in Scotland. Decades back, this breed has been used as vermin catcher and would often vigorously dig out burrows underneath big rock piles, a place where rodents and other pests live in, in order to flush out pests. The rock piles are called cairn in Scotland and this is what the Cairn Terrier was named after.

With its glistening intelligent looks and thick, shaggy coat, the Cairn terrier looks undeniably rugged and alert. According to standards, this breed should only weigh from 14 to 18 pounds and stand 10 to 13 inches of height. There are Cairns today though that exceed these standards because of irresponsible breeding of some fanciers.

The coat of this breed appears dense and shaggy on the outside and soft and tamed underneath. This coat protects the dog from harsh weather and other rough objects and it often comes out in colors of red, wheaten, gray and cream. Some coat colors also appear in brindles of black, white, and black and tan.

One amusing fact about the Cairn is that you can never predict its exact coat color during puppyhood because it tends to change shades all throughout adulthood. Some colors tend to become lighter and there are some colors that become darker, some even becoming pure black. White colored Cairns are not permitted by the American Kennel Club anymore but instead, they are registered as West Highland White Terriers.

Since then until today, the Cairn terrier is an avid digger and has a strong hunting instinct. You can often catch this breed trying to trap rodents and rats, and sometimes it digs on the dirt to either flush out a real or imaginary prey. Many decades ago, the Cairn is (was not is) considered as a dependable working dog but today, it is more often considered as a loyal and adorable house pet.

The Cairn terrier is an intelligent dog and can be trained to perform tasks and obey commands. However, it is also well-known for being stubborn and having a mind of its own. These factors may make training sessions harder but instead of being angry and impatient, it is best for the master to try and reinforce this dog with positive handlings only.

Currently, the Cairn terrier is often seen living in either in apartments in the city or big houses in the suburbs. Wherever this dog may live, however, the fact that it gets along very well with children is a good indication that it makes a good house pet. Moreover, grooming this dog requires no work since its coat only needs to be hand stripped in order to keep the hair in a shaggy and healthy form.