Breeds / Small
Cairn Terrier puppies
The Cairn Terrier is a small, short legged working terrier with a harsh weather resistant double coat. They are alert, busy and cheerful, and they dig and chase as the job they were bred for suggests.
The facts
- Size class Small
- Country of origin Great Britain
- Adult weight 5.9 to 6.4 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 13 to 14 lb
- Adult height 24 to 25 cm
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming Moderate
- Coat type Medium double and wiry
- Shedding Low
- Typical lifespan 13 to 15 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- Good with other dogs Fine with supervision
About the Cairn Terrier
The Cairn Terrier comes from the Scottish Highlands and the islands off the west coast, where they were used to bolt foxes and vermin from the cairns and rock piles that the breed is named after. This is a small, shaggy, short legged terrier with a harsh weather resistant outer coat over a soft undercoat, built for burrowing rather than for looks. The character is bright and busy: confident, curious, quick to bark at anything new, and always ready to dig.
A Cairn needs a decent daily outing and suits a flat or a farmhouse equally well, as long as they get out and have something to think about. Grooming is weekly brushing and combing with periodic hand stripping to keep the coat harsh, since clipping softens the texture. They are independent and train best in short, motivating sessions. New owners tend to be surprised by the barking, and by how fast a small terrier can disappear after a squirrel.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Cairn Terrier puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A small breed puppy at eight weeks is light enough to carry everywhere, which is exactly how you get them socialised before the vaccination course finishes. They will still need four meals a day. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Globoid cell leukodystrophy, an inherited nerve disease of young dogs, detectable by DNA test
- Portosystemic vascular anomaly, a liver shunt, detected by bile acid blood tests and imaging
- Patellar luxation, a slipping kneecap, found on a patella evaluation
- Ocular melanosis, a pigment condition of the eye that can lead to glaucoma, found on an eye exam
- Cardiac disease, screened by a cardiac exam on breeding stock
- Kidney aplasia or dysplasia, detected by kidney ultrasound
Your Cairn Terrier puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Small for a Cairn Terrier.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 5.9 to 6.4 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Kit sizes: crate 24 inch (24 x 18 x 20 in, 61 x 46 x 51 cm) for an adult of up to 6.4 kg; chew toys made for small breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.
Buying guides for this
Other small breeds
More on the Cairn Terrier
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
- fci.be for country of origin
- Health notes from Cairn Terrier breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/cairn-terrier/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Photo: Bitjungle, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.