Buffy rats on her brother

[hheldorfer]

Just a cute story about Cairn smarts: Our newer dog, Ziggy, is a mischievous little terrier mix and Buffy (Queen Cairn) has taken it upon herself to let us know whenever he is misbehaving. She has previously pointed out Ziggy's marking by barking and leading us to the exact spot. Yesterday my husband was watching TV and suddenly heard Buffy making that half-growl half-whine Cairn sound in one of the bedrooms. He thought she needed to go out and called her but she wouldn't come, so he walked into the bedroom to check it out. There was Buffy, sitting by my husband's boots. She nosed one of the boots to point out that the sock that had been stuffed inside was missing. He investigated and, sure enough, Ziggy was proudly trotting around with the sock in his mouth.

It's truly amazing how smart these little dogs are!

[Autumn & Lola]

I've been following Buffy's tattletailing and I think she is hysterically funny as well as obviously very smart! She has allowed Ziggy in her domain, but won't let him forget that she is queen bee!

[hheldorfer]

I've been following Buffy's tattletailing and I think she is hysterically funny as well as obviously very smart! She has allowed Ziggy in her domain, but won't let him forget that she is queen bee!

I'll be sure to tell Buffy that she has an online fan!

Isn't is strange how dogs start doing clever things that you didn't even teach them? We've also started taking Ziggy to the dog park (along with Buffy) and he goes totally crazy with his new-found freedom. (We think he was crated a LOT with his previous owners.) When he's at the park, the "come" command goes in one ear and out the other. We'll tell Buffy to "get Ziggy!" and she races to track him down and tackle him. We never taught her this - she just figured it out on her own.

[Zekey's Mom]

Buffy's hysterical!!! How nice to have a "mother's little helper" around the house (aka, bratty big sister) Ok, not bratty, just ratty!

[josie&holly]

Buffy is amazing - she is so clever but I bet Ziggy does not think so much of her clever tricks!

[hheldorfer]

I'm not sure what Ziggy thinks of his bratty sister but he certainly pays attention to her. It's interesting how she uses body language to control him. When she's trying to keep him away from something, just a change of stance or a raise of the tail makes him back off. And when that doesn't work, she'll nail him on the snout with typical Cairn bossiness. Ziggy has not yet learned that he will NOT be able to get the squirrel on the bird feeder, but goes nuts growling and lunging toward it anyway. Buffy, the wiser one who has already learned that the squirrels will always win, gives him a firm correction as if to say "You're a fool if you think you'll ever be able to follow that squirrel up the tree. Silly kid!"

Hey, I know we all think our dogs are amazing and Buffy isn't any more talented than the other Cairns out there but it's just fascinating to me to watch how her behavior has changed since Ziggy's arrival. She has really embraced her Big Sister role!

[Autumn & Lola]

When she's trying to keep him away from something, just a change of stance or a raise of the tail makes him back off. And when that doesn't work, she'll nail him on the snout with typical Cairn bossiness.

Heck, I used to do the same thing to my little brother - except I used to pull his ears.

[oscar's mom]

She's too funny. Guess it doesn't matter if you're human or dog, older sibling aways know best.

[kjwarnold]

Packy tells us when Kirby has to go outside to go potty. We think Packy is barking to go out, but then we take them both out and he just stands there and watches Kirby go. When Kirby is done, Packy turns around and heads back inside.

And yes, Packy has also squealed on Kirby doing something he shouldn't!

[hheldorfer]

Packy tells us when Kirby has to go outside to go potty. We think Packy is barking to go out, but then we take them both out and he just stands there and watches Kirby go. When Kirby is done, Packy turns around and heads back inside.

And yes, Packy has also squealed on Kirby doing something he shouldn't!

Aha! So apparently Cairns are tattletales by nature!

[2crazycairns]

I love that they do this! Totally cracks me up. I wish we had the space for another because I'd love for Gus to have a sister. We just can't do it though lacking a yard and already having two cats. It would be certain mayhem.

[hheldorfer]

I finally got a decent photo of Buffy and her brother to share with you. For the first time, neither of them was scratching, shaking, snarling or blinking.