A brief survey

[Guest Tototoo]

Ok we all love our dogs - they are an incredible breed - there is no doubt about it, but as a new cairn owner - inquiring minds want to know!

I couldn't help noticing some problems that our dog has had and wondered if it was a breed thing or just mine, so here goes:

Where you from? (I'm nosey too:))

How old is your dog?

Is your dog house broken? (Absolutely no accidents) I've had two people tell me that they never could house break their dogs and I am beginning to believe it!

Is this your first cairn?

Is your dog afraid of the dark - or have trouble seeing in the dark? Toto sees things and doesn't like to be away from the light. I really think he can't see in the dark as well as other dogs (Maybe he needs glasses

Whats your pups favorite toy because we are alway looking for new ideas

and if you can think of any others you'd like to add feel free...

Thanks for your time and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

If you would like to add pictures, I'd love to see them - they are all so different. (When we were shopping for a dog we had a choice between Toto who is black and brown with a monkey face and a cream colored with very little brown one very neat looking)

Take Care

K

P.S. - Any ideas on how to get a little dog to not jump on you. As I get ready for work, I put him out on the chain one last time as I brush my teeth and as I bring him in he jumps on the back of my pant leg or my stockings as he follows me to the house (on leash or off) - you have no idea how many times I've had to change my out fit.

[wags]

Wes is definitely not afraid of the dark. When he was about 12 weeks old, he ran into the darkest room.

But before I could flick the switch, Wes comes running out of the pitch blackness. He had navigated his way through all the twists and turns and had come out with his little stuffed camel.

[Guest NettsAngel]

The cairn I have now is my thrid dog. I have housetrained them all with no problems. It takes a stern and steady discipline, but THEY CAN BE HOUSETRAINED. My dog right now is seven, and out of the three I have had, i have never seen any of them have a problem with the dark. My spoiled pooch will play with stuffed animals ONLY! I think he likes the texture of them or something. As far as getting him not to jump on you, that requires you to teach him NO and DOWN. If he goes to jump on you give him a little shove back down and say "NO! DOWN!" He will get the idea. It will take a while for him to learn, but remember that cairns are very eager to learn and please you. Not to mention very smart dogs. Hope this helps!

[Guest posting as: osuvicki]

Columbus, Ohio

Grace is 5 months and 3 weeks and all of the sudden two weeks ago she housetrained. Barks to go out in the morning...and during the day she goes immediately when I take her out. She seems to have hit the breaking point where she doesn't want to soil her house. Always goes to the furthest corner of the yard too.....

Her favorite toy is a 3" bear with a squeaky inside. She walks around with it all day....chewing it. Although she has lots of toys she piles in her bed.

She is not afraid of the dark and has never jumped on me...so I am not sure what to suggest. Although she jumps on the cat ALL the time and get slapped across the face for it.....lol. Thank goodness that cat is declawed.

[CathyAnn]

Cute pic, Vicki !

I LOVE the bed!!! May I ask where you bought it?

Thanks,

Cathy

[Guest posting as: osuvicki]

Cathy...thank you...Pier 1. They were on sale for 50% off! She just loves it.

[CathyAnn]

Doggone!!

I just checked their website and they are $75!! I assume that is full price??

How long ago did you purchase it?

Thanks again,

Cathy

[Guest posting as: osuvicki]

Cathy...that is full price. I got it at a store...and with misc. sales and coupons it was like $45.00. Are there any stores near you? And...Pier 1 always does great close out sales at the end of each season. I am keeping my eyes on the beds and hope to get a second one for under $25.00 in a month or so. I need a bed upstairs in my office as well as the living room.....lol.

[Scully'sMom]

We live in Philadelphia. My first Cairn was Ginger, she lived until the age of 14 and passed away 7 years ago (3 weeks to the day before my dad died).

Scully came into our lives last August and is a year old/3 months.

Both Ginger and Scully were fairly easy to housebreak, again, with consistency being the key.

Scully did the "jump on mommy's stockings" thing in the beginning but with "maturity" and being told "NO!" and with a gentle push down, she stopped that.

Her favorite toy is any kind of a ball. She will play catch for hours on end. We found a soccer ball in the neighborhood and she plays soccer all by herself - - it's a scream to see her fighting with the ball!

[CallisMom]

From: CT

Age: 7 months at the end of next week

Is your dog house broken? She WAS absolutely housebroken for 2 1/2-3 months. Not one accident - scratched or barked to go out. Now she has regressed - but not because she is confused - she knows EXACTLY what she is doing!! And she is doing it on purpose!

Is this your first cairn? Yes

Is your dog afraid of the dark - or have trouble seeing in the dark? Calli seems to be afraid of the dark - more so a few months ago (she barks at the edges of the light and runs to the door ). She can definitely see well - she spotted a deer about a half mile away when we went up to the farm. I knew it was there because when I pulled up to the house in the dark the headlights caught the eyes -but I had turned off my lights by the time I got her out and boy did she see that deer!!

What's your pups favorite toy? Calli has 4 favorite toys that we MUST have. 1)A bully stick is a must have - we have learned recently that we cannot go without that - it is also her social toy - she seems lost without it 2) Also - we have the giggly ball for when she is in hypermode! She runs around the house squealing and growling at this ball - works out alot of energy - especially when she is indoors but needs to go cairn crazy. 3) Her braided tug of war knotted rope - we MUST play with that at least once a day. 4) And a good old fashioned tennis ball. When she is not quite in hypermode but we are busy and she wants to play - she loves to pick it up and bounce it herself - and then go chase it. Or the kids can throw it around the house and she is highly entertained for quite awhile.

[Logansmom]

Hi,

We are from Baltimore, Maryland.

Logan is a very feisty 8 month old that is terrified of the dark, which works in my favor at times.

He is a "great" jumper which we are now working on.

This is our first Cairn and first doggy boy. He is house trained, unless he's mad . That is a different story!

His favorite toys are whatever the other dog is playing with. When is he alone, it is the Kong for sure.

[Chewybacca]

Where you from? MA

How old is your dog? We have two a one year old and a 7 1/2 month old

Is your dog house broken? (Absolutely no accidents) Our one year old is completely trained but the 7 month old is still teetering, she came to us about three weeks ago tho and I am confident given another week or two she will be trained

Is this your first cairn?We got Chewy our 1yr. old in October of '03 (he is our first)

Is your dog afraid of the dark - or have trouble seeing in the dark? They don't seem afraid of the dark but Chewy definetly (sp) is a clutz! Roxy (our girl) is complete opposite!

Whats your pups favorite toy because we are alway looking for new ideas. We have a "bumble ball" that Chewy goes bonkers over!

As far as the jumping, NO and Down or OFF are the key.

[Chewybacca]

Hi I have been wanting to get Chewy's pic on here and I think I know how now!

He is the love bug and my girl Roxy who is being fixed today is the moody, independent one! Still need to get a good pic of her....

[bradl]

Just a quick off-topic note: anyone within a few hours of the Philadelphia area should really consider spending Sunday October 3rd watching the Annual Specialty of the Cairn Terrier Club of America. You will see an incredible number of Cairns in one place (the Ambler campus of Temple Univ). Particularly if you want to stand back and see how Cairns are groomed, you will be able to see how the coat is grasped, how it is pulled, see faces, feet, bellies, and legs done, see what the completed coat looks like, and so on. To see the up-and-coming puppies, attend the sweepstakes on Saturday (7-noon) at the host hotel. If you are interested in Cairns in obedience, agility, or earthdog, there are various all-terrier events throughout the week and extended weekend that will allow you to see both conformation and non-conformation dogs doing performance work. Because of the crowds, hubbub, and event rules, these are not good events to bring your unentered dog, but it can be a wonderful educational experience for the Cairn lover. My heart sings for weeks after drinking in all that Cairnishness. I'm heartbroken I won't be able to make it this year as I've become spoiled attending for the past couple years.

[MikeC]

From - San Francisco Bay Area

Age: 9 months

Is your dog housebroken - #2 - yes, completely. #1 - still have accidents

Afraid of dark or trouble seeing in dark - Not afraid of the dark; no trouble seeing in the dark

Favorite toy - toss up between a large stuffed duck that quacks and a rubber foot

Jumping - he is not a jumper. Climber yes. I think he is part mountain goat because he loves to climb - any of you other moms and dads have climbers?

Chewbaca's picture is great. I love the cocked ear!

MikeC

[kayharley]

We live in the Litchfield Hills of CT.

I have 2 females, one is 11 years old and the other is just 1 year.

They are both housebroken although the 1 year old will occassionally have an accident in the house (pee never poop)

Neither of my girls are afraid of the dark. One of the only toys Madison has not destroyed is her glow in the dark ball.

They both like the Nylabone chew bones, the Fat Cat rope toys, squeek toys (that only last 1/2 hour) and anything that makes noise.

[Stephandy]

goes:

Where you from? (I'm nosey too:)) HOUSTON TX AREA

How old is your dog? 10MOS

Is your dog house broken?  WE THINK SO, BUT WE LET HIM OUT FREQUENTLY SO WE DONT GIVE HIM MUCH CHANCE TO HAVE ACCIDENTS. HE USUALLY GOES REAL FAST AS SOON AS HE GETS OUT.

Is this your first cairn? YES

Is your dog afraid of the dark - or have trouble seeing in the dark?  Toto sees things and doesn't like to be away from the light.  I really think he can't see in the dark as well as other dogs (Maybe he needs glasses    I CANT REALLY TELL, SOMETIMES IF WE KNOW WE WILL NOT BE THERE WE WOULD LEAVE HIM A LIGHT ON, DONT KNOW WHAT KINDA DIFFERENCE IT MAKES FOR HIM. AT NIGHT, SOMETIMES HE FREAKS OUT AND BARK, BUT I THINK IT IS BECAUSE HE THINKS HE SEE THINGS OUTSIDE OUR WINDOW (WE DID NOT HAVE CURTAINS FOR A FEW WEEKS)

Whats your pups favorite toy because we are alway looking for new ideas: IT IS REALLY HARD TO SAY, HE LIKES THINGS THAT HE CANNT HAVE THE MOST SUCH AS SOX, SHOES, HIS OWN LEASH, PILLOWS AND CASES...ETC YOU GET THE DRIFT...ANY "REAL" TOY WHETHER IT IS PLUSH, PLASTIC, RAWHIDE...GET DESTROYED IN MINUTES...UPTO HOURS DEPENDING ON THE TEXTURE AND SMELL. HE LOSE INTEREST IN TOYS QUICKLY...

He tries to jump over our baby gate but he rarely jump on us when he is just running around our feet. We do step on him sometimes because he just runs around under our feet...however, it never seems to bother him, i worry we might cause bone damage or snap his bone sometimes. He never comes, if we want him to "COme" we need to shake our treat can or get a piece of cheese...he really likes to play with other dogs at a local "off leash" dog park and it makes him really tired and an angel. There are so much more i can go on and on...but i will quit.

P/S, sorry for the "all caps" but I am trying to distinquish Questions and Answer.

Thanks

Where you from? (I'm nosey too:)) HOUSTON TX AREA

How old is your dog? 10MOS

Is your dog house broken? WE THINK SO, BUT WE LET HIM OUT FREQUENTLY SO WE DONT GIVE HIM MUCH CHANCE TO HAVE ACCIDENTS. HE USUALLY GOES REAL FAST AS SOON AS HE GETS OUT.

Is this your first cairn? YES

Is your dog afraid of the dark - or have trouble seeing in the dark? Toto sees things and doesn't like to be away from the light. I really think he can't see in the dark as well as other dogs (Maybe he needs glasses I CANT REALLY TELL, SOMETIMES IF WE KNOW WE WILL NOT BE THERE WE WOULD LEAVE HIM A LIGHT ON, DONT KNOW WHAT KINDA DIFFERENCE IT MAKES FOR HIM. AT NIGHT, SOMETIMES HE FREAKS OUT AND BARK, BUT I THINK IT IS BECAUSE HE THINKS HE SEE THINGS OUTSIDE OUR WINDOW (WE DID NOT HAVE CURTAINS FOR A FEW WEEKS)

Whats your pups favorite toy because we are alway looking for new ideas: IT IS REALLY HARD TO SAY, HE LIKES THINGS THAT HE CANNT HAVE THE MOST SUCH AS SOX, SHOES, HIS OWN LEASH, PILLOWS AND CASES...ETC YOU GET THE DRIFT...ANY "REAL" TOY WHETHER IT IS PLUSH, PLASTIC, RAWHIDE...GET DESTROYED IN MINUTES...UPTO HOURS DEPENDING ON THE TEXTURE AND SMELL. HE LOSE INTEREST IN TOYS QUICKLY...

He tries to jump over our baby gate but he rarely jump on us when he is just running around our feet. We do step on him sometimes because he just runs around under our feet...however, it never seems to bother him, i worry we might cause bone damage or snap his bone sometimes. He never comes, if we want him to "COme" we need to shake our treat can or get a piece of cheese...he really likes to play with other dogs at a local "off leash" dog park and it makes him really tired and an angel. There are so much more i can go on and on...but i will quit.

P/S, sorry for the "all caps" but I am trying to distinquish Questions and Answer.

Thanks

[Mama Kim]

Where you from? (I'm nosey too:)) Knoxville, TN

How old is your dog? 16 months

Is your dog house broken? (Absolutely no accidents) Yes, and she has been since she was 4-5 months old.

Is this your first cairn? No, Piper is my second. My first Cairn Lucy passed away last April.

Is your dog afraid of the dark - or have trouble seeing in the dark?Not that I've noticed, but she much prefers the floodlight on in the back yard at night, rather than going in the dark.

Whats your pups favorite toy because we are alway looking for new ideas? Her football, her frisbee, her stuffed cow, and her Kong

This was Piper at 8 weeks:

This is Piper grown up:

[Guest posting as: osuvicki]

Mamma Kim.....thank you for the two photos of Piper at different ages. I have been so worried that I bought a "bald" Cairn because Grace has so little hair after I did the pulling of the puppy "down"...but it looks like Piper has a great adult coat.

[Guest posting as: osuvicki]

Mike C

Grace is part mountain climber. I've seen her go up...and down 70 degree angles. She loves hills and insists on running up them...and rolling down. She will climb on her sandbox and slide to see over the fence when people are walking down the alley but thank God does not climb anything in the house.

[fancypants]

Mike, Emma has the same quacky duck and loves it - but her favourite by far is the Kong filled with *anything*!

From: Toronto, Canada

Age: 2

Housebroken: yes

First Cairn: yes

Afraid of the dark: no but ironing boards, OH YES! also waves and vacuum cleaners

As for jumping on you, since you know it's going to happen, just lift your knee for frontal jumping and your foot in the back - your dog will stop jumping on you, but my dog still sometimes jumps on strangers because she's convinced that virtually everyone is as crazy about her as she is about them!!!

[Guest Tototoo]

Thank you everyone for such great response and such adorable pictures! I promise I'll figure out my scanner so you too can see the infamous Toto!

What's so neat is they are all so different looking, but they all have the most adorable expressions - how could they not be in your heart?

I forgot to tell you guys that Toto and I are from Medina, OH

His favorite toy is a rubber ball with a handle which we use outside - ours is the size of a soccer ball. He plays all by himself for an hour at a time, throwing this ball and chasing it from one end of the yard to the other. He'll even run while balancing it on his head (We do this to entertain company ) He's very talented and missed his calling for the circus, obviously.

Inside or out is the perpetual tennis ball. I hide them because he drives me crazy with them. He actually climbed into the kitchen drawer by climbing up several other drawers to get it. He was so proud!

As for the jumping - its almost like he walks on your heels and then jumps on the back of your legs. I've (accidently) stepped on him, sat on him and used many slang terms starting with the word "NO" to no avail. He drives me crazy with it cause it always happens when I'm in a hurry. What I need is a Toto Mechanics body suit or I'm just going to have to change my routine and go out in PJ's and fuzzy slippers Wouldn't be the first time the neighbors have seen me that way!

Oh well

Take Care

K

[Chewybacca]

thats funny one of Chewy's FAVORITE outdoor toys is a hopity hop (kids toy) until he pops them he will obsess over it out in the yard!

Mame Kim I wanted to say, your Piper is beautiful, simply adorable!!

[Mama Kim]

And doesn't she know it!! But thank you, we think she's cute too.

I might add your Chewy is a dashing young lad himself. I love th one flopped ear!! As you can see, Piper started out the same way. Gives them quite a jaunty look!!

[toomanypaws]

Where are you from?

I'm in Panama City Beach, Florida

How old is your dog? (dogs)

I have 3 females, Kiara (3 1/2), Abbey (10 mths), Hannah (4 1/2 mths)

Is your dog house broken? (Absolutely no accidents)

Kiara housebroke very early and has never had an accident in the house. I brought her home at 6 wks, crate trained her and that was that. She has a certain whine to tell me she has to go out. Abbey is my problem girl. Someone told me how great those wee-wee pads were so I tried them w/ her and she has had a very hard time w/ the transition from the pads to outdoors. She HATES wet grass. The youngest one, Hannah has trained very well and goes outdoors. Like Kiara, I brought her home at 6 wks and went back to crate training w/ her and she has yet to have an accident. I still watch her for signs that she has to go out and don't totally trust her to run loose.

Is this your first cairn?

No, before Kiara I had a rescue male cairn named Kato that was from a puppy mill. He got extremely agressive towards my Lab so I found him another home. He never did house train and marked EVERTHING outdoors. I could have lived w/ that but it was hard keeping the Lab and him separate outside. I even tried separating them w/ a fence but Kato attacked mt Lab through the fence and barked constantly. After my experience w/ a male, I thought I'd try a female being I still desperately wanted a cairn and females have been fine w/ my Lab.

Is your dog afraid of the dark - or have trouble seeing in the dark?

Kiara sure isn't. As proud as I am of her housetraining, I'd never chance her off leash. Even in the yard at night, she loves it and goes into her hunting mode. Darkness doesn't faze her in the least. Abbey seems a little scared of the dark. Sometimes when I'm in the kitchen and she follows me into the garage and doesn't come when I call her, I turn the light out and tell her I'm closing the door, she runs back in to the kitchen. I haven't noticed yet if Hannah has any fear of the dark. Her only fear seems to be being away from "mommy".

Whats your pups favorite toy because we are alway looking for new ideas

Kiara's favorite is a giraffe patterned stuffed ball which we call "giraffe ball". She also has a stuffed pig she likes. Abbey has her lambsy that she's been sleeping w/ since she was 7 wks and Hannah also has a stuffed moose in her crate at night.

For play, Kiara and Abbey love toys that squeak. Some they chew, some they don't. They also love those hard bones. I put a dab of peanut butter inside them and that keeps them happy for a long time. Hannah has a small Kong toy that I stick a treat in and she rolls that around for a while. She's so small, she still loves toilet paper rolls. Abbey likes paper towel rolls, but they don't last very long w/ her. It's hard not to give her one when I see her face light up at the sight of the empty roll. One of ALL the girl's favorites is socks tied in a knot. Abbey is the most comical one, if something is on the floor, it's hers! I love the way she'll grab something and prance off w/ it.

Well, this turned into a book, but that's what happens when you have 3 cairns in your home. They each have such a different personality and are so special. I told my dh the only thing better than 3 cairns would be 4 cairns but he totally ignored me. Seriously, 3 is definitely enough for me. I can't even describe the love they have brought into our home.

Oh, as far as jumping, Abbey does this and I just tell her down and smack a rolled newspaper against something. The noise makes her obey me. Hannah loves socks on our feet and I'm still working w/ her about biting them.