Cairn Terrier
Popular Dog Breeds
All about the Cairn Terrier
The Cairn terrier is a loyal and hard working dog, and widely recognised as being great with kids as well as other dogs although because of their natural hunting instinct, caution is advised with cats and other small pets.
A curious breed, they do have a tendency to dig so if you’re a proud gardener, be prepared! Although an easy-going breed, this breed can slightly difficult to train so a firm, but not harsh, approach is needed to train it well.
Their keen sense of hearing and sight makes the Cairn Terrier a good guard dog, while they also make an excellent companion dog.
Grooming a Cairn Terrier
Hair type: The Cairn Terrier has a harsh weather resistant outer coat that can be cream, wheaten, red, sandy, gray, or brindled in any of these colours. The Cairn is double coated, with a soft dense undercoat and a harsh outer coat. It is not uncommon for a brindled Cairn to become progressively more black or silver as it ages.
Daily coat care: The shaggy natural looking coat actually takes quite a bit of maintenance and a neglected coat soon becomes a sorry, matted mess. Brush several times a week with a pin brush, being gentle with the soft undercoat. Once a month, bathe the dog and brush the coat while it dries. Trim around the eyes and regularly. Cairns shed little to no hair.
Recommended groom frequency: Your Cairn Terrier should be groomed professionally every 6-8 weeks.
At Petmania Grooming Studios we have a full range of treatments available for your Cairn Terrier. If you get puppy, we recommend our Puppy’s First Visit at around four months, once your puppy has received all his vaccinations.
Diet
Depending on the age and weight of your Cairn Terrier, he will need to be fed between 40g and 177g of good quality dry dog food each day. As with all dogs, treats should be given as occasional treats rather than all the time, in order to prevent weight gain, which Cairn Terriers are prone to.
For more information about choosing the right food for your Cairn Terrier, speak with one of our pet care advisors instore. We can also weigh your dog for you instore which will help determine the most appropriate diet.
Activity Level
This is an active breed which requires regular exercise. A daily long walk is recommended for proper physical and mental well being of the breed. Occasional interactive playing with your cairn terrier is also needed for proper physical development of the breed. The Cairn Terrier is prone to weight gain so keeping a regular exercise routine is recommended to prevent weight related health issues developing.
Where to get a Cairn Terrier
There are lots of places offering dogs or puppies for sale in Ireland, but we would always ask that you consider adopting a dog first. Our animal rescue partners have 100’s of rescue dogs and puppies seeking a forever home and would be delighted to introduce you to them.
However, if a rescue dog is not for you, we do recommend that you choose a registered breeder and seek Irish Kennel Club registration papers which will confirm that the dog has been bred to their strict code of ethics.
