Calling All Cairns

[Tuesday]

Woof!

Hey ya'll, it's me Murphy. I have to tell you all something so awesome, and maybe you all can help me figure out how to get to them. I walked outside to water my favorite tree with my Mom the other night, and when we got back to the house, we noticed a rabbit right by the front door. Could it be that all my Cairn dreams were coming true?? No, they were squashed when Mom rushed me into the house. Next thing I know, she was telling Dad to come look at something out there. I heard my Mom talking in that weird voice she gets sometimes when she sees puppies and other cute stuff (she does it A LOT when she's on the Cairn board).

Then I heard her telling Dad that they had to be very careful when they took me outside through the front door for a few weeks because there are baby rabbits out there. I really, really want to go out there and see them, but Mom is a big meanie and won't even let me look in that direction. She even sometimes makes me water the bushes out back instead.

I stole Mom's camera and wanted to show you all these pictures. I hope this works.

PS: Hey Brad, these are HUGE, I mean, I want all the Cairns to see them, but I think it might be too much - help!!!!

[Idaho Cairns]

Oh my! Keeping your dog away from these is going to be tough.

[pkcrossley]

what? where's their mommy?

[Tuesday]

Idaho, luckily Murphy is a total couch spud so the babies should be safe. I actually worry more about snakes during the day and coyotes at night than Murphy.

PK - Mama rabbits are actually very interesting creatures. They make their nests "in plain sight". She doesn't stay on the nest with them, but rather close by, somewhere (we can't see her) that she can keep an eye on things, and lure away the predators. She only comes around a few times a day to nurse the babies, and they are ready to live on their own and fend for themselves at about 3 weeks of age. I'm putting these little guys/gals at about 10 days old.

It's very interesting to watch how much they grow each day.

[Sam I Am]

They are adorable arent they! We had a baby jack rabbit living under our Hosta plant in the front yard... glad it was the front yard because Jock would have made short order of that bunny. Its Mum was close by keeping and eye on things and trying to chase the magpies away. I don’t know if she was successful. I sure hope so. Its difficult to not interfere but we have to... although I must admit I would not have lost a tear if lightening struck down each of those darn birds. Jock hates magpies.

[hheldorfer]

Murphy, I believe it is against the Cairn Code to allow rodents to live in your yard. You should talk to your uprights about this. Uprights think baby rodents are cute, but we know better. I'll be happy to come by and help you make this argument.

Buffy

[TazTalk]

Obviously Mama Rabbit did not check out your household roster prior to nesting. Had she know there was a Cairn inside, I believe she would have chose else where.

What cute little things and I hope they make it through their first weeks.

By the way, what's it like to have a couch spud!?!?

[tomatosandwich]

Oh my! I'm amazed Murphy leaves them alone! They are so cute, but I agree with Buffy. I think it might be a violation of the Cairn code for a Cairn to leave them alone, lol!

[_whits_]

Addie would like to know if she could come visit. To . . . well . . . ummmm . . . cuddle with them? They might disappear but she wants to reassure you they would be kept . . . . safe. Maybe.

[darkpantherbabe]

Sadie has commented that all rabbits and rodents should be evicted in whatever manner appeals to the cairn in residence of the territory that the rabbit/rodent has invaded in.

On my personal note... My oldest has asked me for a bunny rabbit in addition to having sadie and is sadden when i tell her "NO!" cause sadie would give the poor bunny a heart-attack within 2 days by continually starring at it through the cage, or out-right murder the poor innecont at the first chance possible. lol.....

Picture is of Sadie starring intently at the fence line... i have a 20ft extandable leash for her. she hated sitting for me, lol. i had to be fast to take this picture while she was sitting down cause she kept getting up.... lol..... ((btw, the collar is a mock chocker, its a nylan type of fabric, doesn't hurt her when it is tight cause its wider and she usually keeps it relaxed and not tight except when on a rabbit/squirrel/chipmunk/rodent trail))

I hope you keep the poor bunny's alive by keeping murphy away... and i have never heard of a cairn being a couch potatoe/spud... heard greyhounds(retired racing ones) in that manner but never a cairn and that was with 3 months of cairn breed research.

[Kathryn]

You are much more kind that I would be. The rabbits have on occasion eaten too many plants in my perennial gardens. Last winter, when the snow was so deep, they turned our raspberry patch into a rabbit latrine, while eating most of the canes to the ground.

We name the local rabbits "Stew" or "hassenpheffer" (not sure of the spelling, but you get the point). Allie has caught but not killed one --a big one! -- and T Bone would love to but he is too slow...

They are only cute when they are in someone else's yard. In my yard, they are hungry rodents...

[Tuesday]

What's it like having a Cairn Couch Spud? Very quiet until he "thinks" he hears something, then it's crazy crazy crazy! Murphy's dad works from home and it's very quiet in the house all day. He just finds one of his special spots to sleep, gets up when his Dad makes a move, then finds another spot to sleep in. I'm home by 5 every day, and Murphy starts staring out the window about 4:30.

The only safe area for Murphy to be outside alone is the pool cage. He'll patrol for squirrels, chameleons (he's a master chameleon hunter), gopher tortoises and snakes. Luckily only chameleons are the only critters to get inside the cage.

We do zoomies in the front yard on a 50 or 100 foot rope, and he gets walks.

Don't get me wrong, Murphy exhibits ALL of the Cairn traits and has his moments of being an insane little guy, but for the most part he's content to hang out with us and is pretty quiet that you forget he's there. That is until he sidles up behind you and places his cold, wet nose every so slightly on the back of your leg...