The Little Hunter Of The Scottish Highlands: The Cairn Terrier

The Little Hunter Of The Scottish Highlands: The Cairn Terrier

by Trevor Ryans

For over 200 years, the Scottish Highlands called the Isle of Skye has been known to keep some little breeds of terriers that are superb hunters and small game catchers. Some of these breeds are the West Highland White terrier and Skye terrier, which are both known around the world today as adorable and dependable pets. From these breeds sprang the Cairn Terrier, which is the last of the Scottish Highlands terriers to be introduced to the kennel clubs.

In its native land Scotland, the Cairn terrier is considered as one of the oldest working dogs. During its development in this country, it was made to hunt and catch rats, rodents and other small game. It also digs out and burrows under huge rock piles called cairn and this is where 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 Cairn terrier is double coated having the outer coat shaggy and lush while the inner coat smooth and downy. This dense coat also serves as a great protection for the Cairn against strong winds and unforgiving temperatures. Often, this coat is found in shades of red, wheaten, cream and gray while there are some that 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.

Even then until today, the Cairn still manifests that same interest in hunting and digging out preys. Although these dogs are now mostly domesticated, you can still see them trying to hunt down rodents, rat, otters and other small games. Today, the Cairn is regarded as a household pet but its hunting skill is still as strong and excellent as before.

The Cairn terrier has a superb intelligence that is why it can be trained to do tasks and commands. However, this breed is also known to have an independent and stubborn spirit that's why trainings may take a while before fully accomplished. Take note, however, that even though the Cairn has a mischievous side to it, positive and gentle reinforcements should only be done in order to avoid hurting the feelings of this tiny lovable creature.

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. - 20511

Trevor Ryans is a master breeder of (http://my-cairn-terrier.com/) Cairn Terrier dogs. Check out his website right now and read countless of his works including (http://my-cairn-terrier.com/online-places-to-connect-with-other-cairn-terrier-lovers/) Cairn Terrier breeders, Cairn Terrier rescue, Cairn Terrier puppies and more.
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New Unique Article!

Title: The Little Hunter Of The Scottish Highlands: The Cairn Terrier
Author: Trevor Ryans
Email: alldogbreed@gmail.com
Keywords: cairn,cairn terrier,cairn terrier breeders,cairn terrier for sale,cairn terrier grooming,cairn terrier puppies,cairn terrier puppies for sale,cairn terrier rescue,dogs,animals,pets,Scotland,family,home,history
Word Count: 533
Category: dog
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