How to care for your Cairn Terrier

Cairn Terriers (TOTO on Wizard of OZ) are amazing animals. However, they are different than most other breeds. I will cover grooming, loving, and everything in between in this how-to. If you don't have a Cairn right now, you will after this ;)

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. The first thing when you decide on the WONDERFUL adventure of caring for a Cairn Terrier is finding a reputable breeder. Cairns are sometimes considered a "special" or unusual breed, so you want to make sure you find a dealer that will show you the pedigree and the papers of the sire.

2. When considering a Cairn, please know that these little guys are ENERGETIC!!! They are not the kind of pups that just sit around all day! They are from Scotland and bred for hunting vermin. They very well might dig up your garden or run away looking for moles or squirrels.. that is their nature. You need to have a lot of room for them to run. Not necessarily alot of land, just a house or apartment and a place to walk him.

3. Also, know that these guys LOVE CHILDREN!!!! They will absoultly adore your children. They get very, very excited and sometimes tend to jump on you; this might scare little ones but he is just so happy to see them and they only thing he knows to do is paw you and lick you. Great with kids!!!

4. Now, onto getting your own Cairn!

5. When you are looking for a Cairn, you want to look for the color of it's coat. A Brindle color (mixes of brown) are very popular. The only color not favored is White. Most Cairns I see are black and Brindle (mine).

6. When you get them home, you can crate train them like any other dog. Know that Cairn Terriers want to be a part of the family. He will sit with you on the floor when you eat; want to sleep with you, and sometimes even sit outside the door when you are in the bathroom. They truly want to be near you.

7. The important thing to know with a Cairn Terrier is to not wash them with shampoo very often. I would recommend washing him every two to three months with shampoo. You can rinse him with water as often as you like. The reason is because they have a rough, brillowy coat that keeps water and dirt off of them. Shampoo will weaken their coat. Speaking of water, Cairns LOVE WATER! They love to go to the lake, anything relating to water.

8. I hope this has helped. I hope you have as much joy as I have with my little buddy!!