Cairns vs Norwich

[PeppersMom]

With proper obedience training Cairns can be fine off leash, but bear in mind with a high prey drive, any dog can blow the handler off when confronted with a squirrel. I have an e collar that I use from time to time in off leash woods walks..it is mostly for my peace of mind.

[Sam I Am]

Sorry Peppersmom... a Cairn should never be off leash. There are a few Cairns that have better recall than most, and can go off leash on the beach or a wooded area, but I would say most will get in serious trouble. Be it going after a coyote, a bigger dog or just chasing something then getting lost, and of course worst case senario ... getting run over by a car/truck/motorcycle.

I am really going to stick my foot in my mouth now and say that I cant think of worse information to give a new Cairn/dog owner . Sorry dont want to offend but if it saves a Cairns life and the heartache of loosing a dog so be it.

[Islander]

I've debated weighing into this controversial topic because it seems that opinions are quite polarized. Gus is always leashed in town - we live in a co-op townhouse complex, and I leash him even to go out for a pee in the communal front yard because it isn't fenced. Ditto to walk to the car. However, Gus has been hiking off leash since he was about 6 months old. He's 2 now. We go hiking with three people and a big dog, and he is more intent on sticking with the pack than chasing. Maybe he has a low prey drive - he will tree a squirrel and bark for awhile but always comes running when we move off. I do leash him when we break for lunch because he eats fast and gets bored with sitting around. But when we're on the move he is great. There are also some urban parks and beaches where I am very comfortable letting him off leash. I've run into other Cairn owners in the places we go who are also okay with off leash activity in specific places. So...I would always be cautious, but never say never.

[Sam I Am]

Just wanted to leave this web site for information:

http://www.cairnrescue.com/general/index.htm

[bradl]

I've tip-toed around this before. To me the bottom line is the same as anything: in case of "failure" of any plan, device, or system, am I ready to cope with the consequences? That means for me, there are times I will let certain dogs off leash, and other times I will not. We have three master earthdogs in the house and that title *requires* the dog to be worked off-lead. Yet, some dogs I might never let off-leash. I decide for myself on a case by case basis and with consideration to the circumstances. I will always advise others to keep their own dogs leashed because if or when their unleashed dog is killed by car or eaten by a bear, they can't decide in retrospect it was somehow my fault.

I will make a brief aside and say that no one should be afraid to state their own opinion here, whether or not it goes against the grain or conventional wisdom or anything else. As long as people are polite about it, they can state any idea they like. It is up to readers to consider what they read and draw their own conclusions. My own ideas change over time and I would seldom learn anything new if I wasn't forced to consider ideas I disagreed with. This is Cairn Talk, not Cairn Gospel.

[Islander]

That makes lots of sense, Brad.

[Idaho Cairns]

I believe some folks probably have Cairns that are well disciplined enough to walk off leash in traffic areas--I have no reason to doubt them and I believe that it is possible to so train Cairns.

Ours, for instance, will not bolt out of the door ahead of us unless we invite them to do. However, once out that door they go like crazy across the cul de sac to investigate and it is a race to see who can get there the quickest. If a car was coming, they would run right into or under it so we check before we let them go.

I would never walk mine off leash where there is a chance of cars on the road--our dogs simply will not respond if they see something they are interested in. However, open fields, woods, rocks, river bottoms, golf courses, they are free to run like the wind and they do. We are fortunate that we have plenty of open space for them to roam and to run.

This discussion shouldn't necessitate a lecture by anyone. I'm assume everyone loves their dogs as much as I do mine and always has the health and safety of the pets first and foremost. We share here, we give each other what our experience has been, to be used or discarded as the reader sees fit.

I lost a Cairn due to my negligence and will tell you that was difficult then and difficult now--not paying attention and making a counter intuitive call cost me a fine dog. No one wants to put themselves in that position.