# Cairn Terriers anyone?



## 1Jurisdiva (May 4, 2010)

Locket - I grew up with Westies which are basically just white Cairns. Ours were very sweet, but truly not very bright. They are also quite stubborn. Ours certainly did not have the brains for flyball but maybe they were just exceptionally dim. I will say again they are exceptionally sweet and very loyal. They can have a tendency to attach to one person. Having had other kinds of dogs, I don't know that another Westie (or terrier) is in my future.

Perfect example: Every morning one of our Westies Freida would walk under our Greyhound Vincent while he was peeing and come to the door with a yellow stripe on her back and a look of total bewilderment as to how this could have happened. Every morning. They are lovable, stubborn, dunces.


----------



## 1Jurisdiva (May 4, 2010)

I just asked my mom who is a big Cairn/Westie enthusiast her opinion and she said that our two girls were the exception in terms of intelligence. She had westies before I was born that apparently were exceptionally smart, and excelled at obedience - so perhaps flyball is right up their ally after all. I certainly didn't want to give misinformation. She does warn that they are Terriers with a capital T, but that if you are consistent with your training they will be fine.


----------



## buttercup123 (Oct 7, 2010)

Like most breeds show Carins will be less terrier/drivey then a working bred one. So I would aim for a show one especially if this is your first terrier. 

Poodles are willing to learn and learn fast, terriers look at youlike your stupid and do what they want with a attitude. 
So your right they are complete opposites.
They need a firm owner or they will walk all over you and your dogs and they can become aggressive. Dog aggression is also common with a lot o terriers.
I hate grooming any type of terrier except pits and bull terriers because most people get them for pts thinking they are cute and little and they turn into devil dogs who are virtually impossible to groom without getting bit. 
That being said I've only met 2 carins and they were sweet hearts.

I suggest meeting as many as you can maybe go to some shows and see if you could babysit for a breeder.


----------



## Skye (Feb 19, 2010)

You know that I have a "thing" for that terrier look; I just love them! Don't know if I am the right type to own one, though. Definitely not at this point in my life. But, I share in your adoration of them!


----------



## partial2poodles (Feb 11, 2010)

I will probably get a cairn when my cat dies. They are mousers annd vermin hunters. I love the sparkle in their eye, their carrot tails erect annd twitching. If you have always loved them, get one.


----------



## faerie (Mar 27, 2010)

i have 2 cairns and love love them.

they are affectionately termed "bad babies" even though they are older than my labx and my spoo (11 months tomorrow). 

terriers are totally different than poodles. they will keep you on your toes, they are definitely their own person. they are very sweet and loving, but ... they get something in their mind, they don't hear you. 

great ratters, squirrel catchers, and yes they can be yappers.

funny clowns. my cairns make me laugh every day. 

minimal grooming, you are not supposed to bathe them but once or twice a year. brush them occasionally. 

they do need exercise and some are inclined to be fat (my male is chubbers, but it's not me, he can find a crumb oh and today temperance didn't eat her supper and he got in it. ate 3.5 cups of food before i got to him. ugh)

i love them so much. such sweet babies.

oh and we call them terrierists. heh


----------



## partial2poodles (Feb 11, 2010)

i am sorta a terrier coat expert. I feel they require weekly grooming just like a poodle but its a lot different. Yes, if you don't do anything for 1 month its not that bad but they stillll need bathed cause they are low to the ground and LOVE anything smelly. They require stripping, hand plucking, texturizing coat shampoos and rinses asnd they need thinning shears to remove length of coat. They are gorgeous when well groomed but look like frizzy straw brooms when let natural. Not many of us have truly natural coated poodles either these days.

For the best in shampoos which neither dry out the coat and help with follicles when the coat is stripped, use Les Pooch medicetic as well as hypoallergenic


----------



## Skye (Feb 19, 2010)

Look at this little terrier mix; ooooh, so tempting!

Petfinder Adoptable Dog | Yorkshire Terrier Yorkie | Woodsfield, OH | JENNY~JRT/YORKIE P


----------



## bigpoodleperson (Jul 14, 2009)

LOL! While i like the look of some terriers, i have decided that we are just not ment to be together!  Way too many personality conflicts!! :fish:


----------



## Locket (Jun 21, 2009)

partial2poodles said:


> i am sorta a terrier coat expert. I feel they require weekly grooming just like a poodle but its a lot different. Yes, if you don't do anything for 1 month its not that bad but they stillll need bathed cause they are low to the ground and LOVE anything smelly. They require stripping, hand plucking, texturizing coat shampoos and rinses asnd they need thinning shears to remove length of coat. They are gorgeous when well groomed but look like frizzy straw brooms when let natural. Not many of us have truly natural coated poodles either these days.
> 
> For the best in shampoos which neither dry out the coat and help with follicles when the coat is stripped, use Les Pooch medicetic as well as hypoallergenic


I LOVE well groomed terriers. I find the bed head look adorable, but it can get out of hand. I HATE HATE HATE clipped wire coats!! That is by far the worst thing to do. I look forward to stripping and plucking my future terrier. I love the cairns, but I think Welsh Terriers suit me and my wants better.


----------



## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

I LOVE the feisty terrier spunk! I generally hate grooming a lot of them cos they're generally poorly bred, fat, grumpy, woolly coated thing and really not much fun, but there's the odd one that just has that classic terrier glint in their eye, and while they may be trying to groom at times, that glint when they look at your sideways just makes ya laugh!!!!

I have a fox X JRT who was my first dog, and I love to bits, but UGH, the hair shedding everywhere!!!? I'm OVER it! lol. Now, coated terriers? LOVE them. I'm not sure if I'd ever own them, but gawd I love 'em. That serious look that you just KNOW is hiding a total clown 

I love airedales, but that's the big dog thing I prefer. I also prefer long legged terriers over the short legged ones, but again, that's influenced by mu love of a poodle physique too!

And yes, I love a nicely hand stripped coat! But in saying that I'm bringing through a lot of clipped coats, that I'm STILL clipping, but are coming back in MUCH better condition with some proper care... Of course not as good as a fully stripped coat, but oh-so-much better.


----------



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

There is a little Westie at the agility class Poppy and I have just started taking - very willing, but those little Queen Anne legs were designed for scrambling over rocky ground, rather than jumping! I've known some lovely Westies and Cairns - terriers are not for me (I suspect I am too lazy!), but they are fun little dogs. I think it is very important to know the temperament of the parents, and of as much of the line as possible, as they can vary so much.


----------



## faerie (Mar 27, 2010)

i am going to disagree on frequent bathing. yes, i have to bathe max more than lily, but i think that's poor breeding (he's a rescue). i bathe him 4 times a year. the more you bathe a cairn, the more you will break down their coat. they don't stink (except max's breath and it's not as bad since i have him on good food, but again he's a rescue so poor breeding). 
my dogs don't stink. 

i don't have my cairns groomed in the cairn look ... we happen to love them looking like little dust mops  but in summer time i usually take them to my groomer for their summer 'do. my groomer does their nails all the time (i take all 4 of my dogs for nails every four weeks).

if you want to futz over them or make your groomer happy by giving her money, then by all means groom them or have them groomed. i don't and save that time working with my spoo who needs more frequent grooming. i do brush my cairns a bit (max more because he sees temperance getting groomed so he wants his turn). 

all 4 of my dogs are VERY active and outside most of the day since i work from home. 

i have had my cairns 5 years. i also do home visits for cairn rescue. cairns are great beasties, but be really prepared to make sure you have your home secured. lily will lead the entire neighborhood on chases (she's having fun, we aren't) if she escapes. 

lily is crafty .. .she's got that sparkle that makes you KNOW she's thinking of being evil and naughty. max is so sweet and not the brightest bulb in the chandelier. his tail is always wagging. in fact, we say it's voice activated. they are both so sweet and personable, that you can't help but love them (except when they have tunnel vision and you can't get them to come in because there is a squirrel taunting them on the other side of the fence)


----------



## Locket (Jun 21, 2009)

FD - I think I remember you used an Airedale in a grooming competition? He was so handsome!! I love airdales, but I don't think I want a big terrier, which is why I am drawn to the Welsh terrier. They look like mini airedales! 

Fjm - the short legs is why I'm rethinking the cairn. I want to do agility, and eventhough I am not interested in trialing, I want a dog that is better built for the sport, hence the Welsh terrier.

Faerie - that little evil I'm-up-to-no-good sparkle in the eye is exactly what I love about terriers. I was very much like that as a kiddo.


----------



## faerie (Mar 27, 2010)

the one thing about cairns: they will make you laugh every day. every day.
i always say, "who needs anti depressants when you have cairn terriers!"

(i have lily snuggling with me right now, she sleeps right by me on the pillow.) ... she is the alpha dog here. all 17 pounds of her.


----------

