They're Not Westies!

[kjwarnold]

We took the boys for what we thought would be a quick trip to the vet for Bordetella. Unfortunately, they had several people out for various emergencies (not animals, their own) and they were really backed up. So, for about an hour and a half, the boys had the time of their life at this impromptu party the vet arranged for them, playing with the other dogs and getting all kinds of petting and belly rubs.

And we had to explain to every person that walked in that they are CAIRNS not Westies. There was even a Westie in there and his owner thought they were Westies -- sheesh! At least the vet knows they're Cairns.

After all that excitement you'd think they'd settle down for a nice afternoon nap, right? Nope, the squirrels are enjoying the sun and heat wave (it's almost 30 degrees!) and have both dogs watching out the windows, barking their fool heads off. They should sleep good tonight.

[Nikki]

lol I don't ever get the westie one b/c angel is brindle and scotty is a red wheaten. With Angel people ask me if she is the toto dog, why I didnt name her toto, I have been asked if she was a yorkie {really?? come on she doesn't even resemble a yorkie what so ever} one lady even asked me if she was Chinese crested...{I just kinda of gave her that look like you got kidding me}

with Scotty a few people have asked me if he is a cairn and other people just ask me why he so hyper and crazy. lol

[Brianne_Kathrine]

I used to have this problem when I just had Benny. So I solved the problem by getting a westie to go along with my Cairn.

When I take the two for walks downtown everyone looks at Sally and says "what a cute Westie" and then they look at Benny and say "what kind is he."

[josie&holly]

Oh, in the past I have someone say they have never seen a brown Westie before! [well, she is not a Westie nor is she brown]

[Tracy A.]

Only once at the Vet was I asked by another dog owner "What are they? Dirty Westies?" Mind you Mett and Bratt are hard core brindles...lots of black hair....LOL

I almost felt like saying, "yes I dye them".

[JimS]

Only once at the Vet was I asked by another dog owner "What are they? Dirty Westies?" Mind you Mett and Bratt are hard core brindles...lots of black hair....LOL

I almost felt like saying, "yes I dye them".

That would be appropriate.. imho.

[tlwtheq]

Since my three are very dark I always hear, "Oh, look at those Scotties!"

[JimS]

Since my three are very dark I always hear, "Oh, look at those Scotties!"

I'd be less unhappy with that than to have my guy called a Westie. Cairns are cool, Scotties are cool, Westies are..... well... they're cute.

[Brianne_Kathrine]

There is something about a little white dog that just appeals to so many people. Sally is curly furred on top of being white and so everyone just loves her. In fact, sometimes when I am out walking and people stop to pet Sally and not Benny I want to force them to pet Benny.

It appears that Westies have the advantage in the terrier world.

We need to help our Cairns get the glory they deserve.

[Hawkeye]

I have a westie and cairn and people ask me all the time if they are the same. When I tell them they're a westie and cairn they have that confused look on their face Surprisingly I have had several people come over to me because they know the cairn breed and just have to say "hello".

[Zekey's Mom]

When I got Zekey at the SPCA, the tag on his cage said he was a Westie-Pappillon. Really? They must have been thrown off by the big ears! He may have a bit of Westie in him, going by the white markings, but the rest of him is Cairn! Even I knew that, and I never had a dog before!

[little feet zip]

I keep telling my highlander Coconut that she is my little white Cairn, just so she don.t a complex.

Rich

[eastofeden]

I have had my pair (wheaton and brindle) called Westies, Yorkies, Norfolk/Norwhich, ???Chihuahua??? and even (from a Westie owner!) if they were Scottish Terrier Crosses. Mostly I get is that Toto?

I comiserate with my friend who has Silkies...the whole world thinks that they are Yorkies. And I recall how happy the gal with the Austrailian terrier was when I properly identifed her dogs breed.

[Sandi16]

I love when I see another Cairn owner and I say "Oh what lovely cairns" and you can tell they're just so delighted to have their dogs properly identified. Only once I've had someone ask if Louie was a Westie. Usually I get "Is that a Toto dog?" or someone curious about his breed and when I say "Cairn" they usually say "A What?" They just aren't that well known, but I like it that way.

[Autumn & Lola]

I've heard "dirty Westie", "scruffy terrier" "Karen dog" and even had one woman who thought the BREED name was "Toto"! She was certain that the breed was named after the famous dog!

[Angieh]

Everybody asks if Benny is a Westie. I'd be embarrassed if he actually was a Westie because he would be the dirtiest looking Westie...ha ha. Sometimes people know that my dogs are Cairns, but most of the time they have no idea. I have to admit that some of the guesses are pretty funny. Anytime I take the dogs out I have to be prepared to be a Cairn ambassador of sorts because people always stop to ask what kind of dogs they are.

[MacFluff]

When my sweet Mol was alive, people were always calling her a Westie. My standard reply was, no -- cousins -- Cairn. Now, people seem to think Sully is a Scotty because he's dark; they think Sarah is a Westie because she's light; and Gracie just gets the 'puppy is so cute' thing because she doesn't have her Cairn hair yet. What really amazes me is that so many people have no clue what a Cairn is until you say Toto. I think this is funny because I always thought Toto was a mutt, as I had no prior experience with terriers.

People used to look at me really funny when I'd tell them Sarah as half lizard. She was just getting her Cairn hair and those tufts stood out straight at the sides and reminded me of the big lizard in Jurrasic Park that blew out his sides before he squited poison.

[Brianne_Kathrine]

MaCFluff, I used to think that Toto was a mutt as well. For that matter, I get asked a lot if Benny is a mutt. He kind of has that scruffy appearance like a mutt.

Speaking of Toto, I have this uncontrollable urge to dress as Dorothy one day and walk through the downtown area where I live with Benny. Anyone else ever have an urge to do that?

[bradl]

Not personally, no

[Zekey's Mom]

Brianne, I've not thought of dressing up as Dorothy, but I have to confess, sometimes when Zekey's ahead of me on a leash I have "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" playing in my head.

The Wizard of Oz was on a LOT over the holidays, and I watched bits of it, observing Toto. I don't think his (her) tail ever stopped wagging!

[rallycairn]

Brianne, I've not thought of dressing up as Dorothy, but I have to confess, sometimes when Zekey's ahead of me on a leash I have "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" playing in my head.

The Wizard of Oz was on a LOT over the holidays, and I watched bits of it, observing Toto. I don't think his (her) tail ever stopped wagging!

Oh, oh, I hope everyone knows the BEST SCENE IN THE MOVIE was left on the cutting room floor! [wink] If you haven't seen it, you might want to get a hold of a DVD version that includes the deleted scenes. There is an absolutely wonderful extended version of the scarecrow's song-and-dance number (I think that's right) where Terry/Toto pushes this giant pumpkin over and rolls it down the road -- it is really cute, and Toto is shown wagging about in other parts of the number, too. It is so, so cute, I think!

[Zekey's Mom]

Wow! I can't believe in all these years I've never seen the pumpkin rolling scene! Now I've got to get the DVD. Thanks!

[Brianne_Kathrine]

This was proven last night. I was at a fundraiser and started talking to someone about my dogs. When they asked what kind I told the person "Benny is a Cairn Terrier" and the person's response was "what kind of dog is that?" Then I said "Sally is a Westie" and their response was "I love Westies, they are so cute."

[kintra]

Watson is a black male with a red undercoat. While I was specialing him, I have *countless* people ask me if he was a Westie. A few times I would jokingly say "He's actually a very rare black West Highland WHITE Terrier".

With Zach, I had a lady chase me down to ask about my "PBGV" (Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen). Seriously, how does she know about PBGVs and not know about Cairns? I also had a judge (in junior showmanship) ask me to "bring the toto dog over there". I was not amused that a judge would say that.

At Eukanuba a few years ago, I did actually dress up like Dorothy for the Cairn's Meet the Breed booth It was such a fun time! So for Christmas my parents actually bought me my own Dorothy costume