DNA Results are in

[Zekey's Mom]

So the most common question I'm asked when walking Zekey is "What kind of dog is that?". I usually answer that he's a Cairn plus a little something extra. Was I ever wrong!

I got Zekey from the SPCA, where he was listed as a Westie/Papillon Mix. Although he's obviously a mix, I was sure that he was mostly Cairn, given his coat and body type, and couldn't really see those other breeds in him. Yes, he has big ears, but not the feathering of a Papillion. I thought, may a bit of Aussie terrier, due to the curly tail. Well, science doesn't lie, and neither did the SPCA -- he's 50/50 Westie/Papillion!

I think I'm going to cry! Not even a tiny bit Cairn!

[Tracy A.]

All a Westie is, is a White Cairn. Heck it was a single breed (westie and Carin) until what year Brad? 1928?

I haven't seen Darcy's folks post in awhile, but Darcy is a Westie mix, she looks like a wheaten Cairn ... they call her a faux Cairn.

[Idaho Cairns]

Doesn't matter--Zekey is part of the Clan around here and thus stays! We don't care what the DNA says!

[pkcrossley]

i agree, zekey is in. westies are just tame cairns. closer than brothers to our wild ones. and zekey has clearly got enough wild to pass the test, no matter what the DNA says (cairn genes must "throw" farther than the mere DNA statistics would suggest).

[Abby and McDuffy]

In my opinion, his character makes him more Cairn than westie, no matter what any ol DNA test may say!

[BetsyNoodle]

I LOVE Zekey!! His ears remind me so much of my little Betsy Noodle's! I think he is a fabulous little dog with a very cool pedigree!!

[Zekey's Mom]

Aw, thanks guys! That makes me feel better. I know I'll never be able to find a Westillon forum!!

I guess his brindle coat came from his Westie ancestors somewhere waaaaay back, since the only papillons I know of have solid patches. Whatever the mix, he certainly is unique!

[DawnandTuk-tuk]

I LOVE Zekey's pictures! I always think how I would love to see him in person cause he's sooo cute! The forum is better with you guys here. I agree with everyone else, you're in the clan now!

Westillon forum, lol!

[Tracy A.]

You know, come to think about it- I don't know how they would be able to tell the difference between a Cairn and a westie in a dna test...Westies are bred from the Cairn, only selected for solid white color... I do not think any other breed was used in making a Cairn... the fact that Zekey has brindle stripes leads be to believe that he isa cairn mix... Westies are solid white, with the rare sligtly wheaten one in a litter....

[jimnconnie]

Zekey is a Cairn at heart, and a Cairn by association. We refuse to give him up to any 50/50 group! He's Cairntastic!!

Bailey & Sophie

[Hawkeye]

Zekey is part of "our" cairn clan and he is a little terror, so he has to hang with us.

[cairnrescueleague]

Question for the breeders. Is it true that westies were once "simply" white cairns? If so, have westies been bred with anything else since being accepted as an individual breed? Or are they just white cairns that have been bred exclusively with other white cairns? I know if you go back far enough, westies start to crop up in the pedigrees of some (all?) cairns.

[kintra]

I haven't done extensive research on it (and am not claiming my facts are 100% correct) but my understanding has been that Scotties, Cairns, and Westies were all the same breed. The stockier, shorter legged, black ones started being bred selectively (against other stocky, shorter legged, black ones) to produce what we now call Scottish Terriers (I've also heard somebody make the claim the Scotties looks very similar to dwarf Cairns and that is how they descended). There was a certain gentleman who took a liking to the white Cairns and started to breed them selectively to produce the Westie. Through this process Westies have changed a bit in other ways so aren't necessarily just "white Cairns" anymore (I typically refer to them as very close cousins now) but that is how they started. The Cairns have pretty much been left untouched and are the closest you'll get to the original "short legged Skye Terrier" that used to roam the hills.

[pkcrossley]

scotties, westies, skye terriers, silkies, dandy dinmots and a few other terriers (if memory serves, including airedales) come from the same stock. a distinct population of terriers in western scotland/isle of skye is described in seventeenth century documents. in the nineteenth century breeders got interested in standardizing the populations (and getting up clubs). i think the scotties were standardized first, which means their studbook made them distinct from the basic stock earliest (and today they markedly more afflicted by the effects of long-term inbreeding than other lines of west scottish terriers). then came silkies, skyes, westies. cairns were last, and so they were the population only most recently separated from the basic stock, suggesting that they most resemble the original population (and also suggesting that despite their known health concerns they are the least afflicted by the effects of "pure" breeding). westie genes can be recognized because color genes have been mapped. and any breeding population that is separated from a general pool for any length of time will carry distinct markers, even if they don't affect appearance. enough DNA testing will determine not only a dog's breed but its personal ancestry.

[Brianne_Kathrine]

I have a Westie and a Cairn. Sally the Westie causes far more trouble than Benny the Cairn could ever dream of causing.

Westies are similar to Cairns, but they are not just "white Cairns". Westies were originally named the Poltalloch Terrier and were bred in Scotland in the 1800's. The breed was later renamed the Roseneath Terrier before recieving its official name of West Highland White Terrier in 1909. Yes, they are similar to the Cairn, but they are not the same. Think of them as the troublemaking cousins of the Cairn Terrier.

Sally extends her welcome to Zekey as part of the distinguished "Westie Society".

[Zekey's Mom]

I read the report again... "The purebred dog breed signature matches reported are those that were detected in the last three generations of Zekey

[Brianne_Kathrine]

Sally has very broad shoulders and much more narrow hips.

Went home on lunch to walk the doggies, Sally had knocked over the trash can, scattered trash all over the house, and was set to pounce the cat when I walked in. Like I said, Westies cause more trouble than Cairns...at least my Westie does.

[hheldorfer]

Zekey has a true Cairn spirit (and Buffy loves his photo). He's stuck with us now!

[Sam I Am]

My grandfather was a true highlander... he would sport a kilt on high days and holiday... a true Scottsman! Zekey has Scottish breeding in him ... and thats all that matters! And anyway who is to definately say he isnt part Cairn. A terrier is a terrier is a terrier! He is adorable. Besides only three generations mean nothing. My vet told me that in horse breeding (and I dont see why it would differ in dogs) that you have to go back 7 generations to get the true picture.