wellygoggles Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 I've recently taken on a 12.5 yo male Cairn and was told by a former Cairn breeder that she once had a bitch who lived until 24yo! I find this hard to believe but would welcome comments Quote Veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I stuck around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlwtheq Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 (edited) Wellygoggles! So good to hear from you! I thought that since you had started a forum in New Zealand we'd never hear from you again! About the lifespan, it sounds plausible tho' not typical by any means. My first Cairn, Holdsworth, lived until 18 with minimal health care. I always attributed that to him being a generally happy-natured guy. Under certain circumstances, I don't see why a Cairn couldn't go on longer. Gosh it's good to hear from you! Tara P.S. - love the veni, vidi, velcro...I'll have to pass that one on. Edited May 8, 2014 by tlwtheq 1 Quote Max and Nelly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idaho Cairns Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 Our first Cairn (a rescue) was sixteen when she passed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post bradl Posted May 8, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted May 8, 2014 I'd put 24 in the "extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof" category. Not saying it couldn't happen, but seems a stretch to me. I met a JRT mix once who made it to 21, but that's the limit of my personal experience. I've seen Cairn folks celebrate a rare 18th birthday. Haggis made it three weeks shy of 17. My personal longevity calculus seems to fall along these lines: < 12 is taken too early 12 and up and I mentally prepare myself for anything, but still expect many more years 14 and up I start preparing myself in earnest because I've always heard that 14 was "average" lifespan, and I know a goodly number of Cairns who clustered around this average 16 and I am grateful and loving every moment of every day and pray nature has gifts yet to bestow, but steel myself for the inevitable That's just my perspective and it sort of varies by the individual dog of course. Your mileage may vary. No matter what, they can't live as long as I'd prefer. 13 Quote CAIRNTALK: Questions? Need help? → Support Forum Please do not use PMs for tech support CRCTC: Columbia River Cairn Terrier Club Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkcrossley Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 i'd say you've got a some solid time to look forward to with your new friend (some day i would like to do what you have done). my first cairn lived to be only just 12 twelve, but teddy is chugging right along at 5 and counting. but my previous dogs, both cairn-sized, lived to be 18 and 17. i like brad's comments. a healthy, happy dog's lifespan is impossible to predict; a 15 year old may have substantial good quality time ahead. they are all a hundred percent alive till their last day. bless you, and enjoy! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillscreek Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 Every day is a gift no matter what the age. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam I Am Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 A year in a dogs life is forever to them . My Jock lived for 12.5 yrs and as much as I would have loved another 2-3 yrs it's wasn't to be. But I feel blessed that for those 12.5 yrs I had the company of the most amazing Cairn. Don't count the years but the days. and make every day a gift from the best pal you will ever have. 6 Quote Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened. - Anatole France Adventures with Sam &Rosie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellygoggles Posted May 9, 2014 Author Share Posted May 9, 2014 9yo Fergus, red brindle, and 12.5yo Bailey, wheaten 6 Quote Veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I stuck around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynn in TN Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 Perfect Beauty! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradl Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 Aw thanks for sharing the photo. Bailey looks quite the charmer! (Not that Fergus isn't ) 1 Quote CAIRNTALK: Questions? Need help? → Support Forum Please do not use PMs for tech support CRCTC: Columbia River Cairn Terrier Club Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkcrossley Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 handsome guy! i can see how you could not resist that face. he looks so happy and peaceful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillscreek Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 What a great pair they make. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanford Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Bless you for adopting a 12.5 year old! I adopted Carrington when he was 10. He lived to 16.5 years and was full of fun and energy until after his 15th year when his age eventually caught up with him. Having adopted a senior dog, I knew that every day was precious and for all the loving care I lavished on Carrington, his presence in my life was repayment many times over! Wishing you love and much happiness with Bailey, (and Fergus as well)! 4 Quote FEAR THE CAIRN! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaMC Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Awe, great pictures of your two boys, both of them are handsome devils! Best to you for adopting a senior. Maisie is my first Cairn so have no advice on their lifespan.....my two previous dogs were both Labs who both lived just shy of 13 years. Maisie is a 1.5 years old, so I'm still dealing with a puppy here... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieiras mom Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Lovely dogs. Hope you have many more years with the both of them. No knowledge of lifespan with cairns as Keira is my first. My beagel lived to 13, still to short a time with loved pets. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkcrossley Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 i love sanford's comments. he has spoken so often of carrington i thought he must have had him from a pup! it isn't the quantity of time but the quality. that bailey looks like he just full of quality. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montdoug Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 (edited) Strange coincidence that this thread is posted right now as we've been dealing with the rediculously early loss of Merlin the cat who was Gus' best pal, he was just 9. Gus was 8 just yesterday on the 18th and I have to admit to being most concerned about him as you can see the gray in his coat and sense his maturity showing even though he still all dog and full of excitement about life. As my wife said yesterday when we were once again talking about Merlin and I expressed my fear of our other pets aging, "We just have to love them every minute that they are with us", Gus is truly this mans best friend (next to my ever so wise and loving bride of course). Here's wishing all of you an extaordinary amount of time to share with your pets. Edited May 19, 2014 by montdoug 2 Quote Have you hugged your Cairn today? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam I Am Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 The scary part is as they are aging so are we. When I got Jock as a pup I didn't have grey hair at all ! He was pretty grey when he passed away ...I look in the mirror 12.5 yrs later ...mmmmmmmm. Quote Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened. - Anatole France Adventures with Sam &Rosie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlwtheq Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 The scary part is as they are aging so are we. When I got Jock as a pup I didn't have grey hair at all ! He was pretty grey when he passed away ...I look in the mirror 12.5 yrs later ...mmmmmmmm. You got that right! Quote Max and Nelly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy4Cairns Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 They really can live a long time. Our first two Cairns both lived to 18. They were only a couple year apart in age - so yes we had couple of years of not moving furniture etc because one or the other's eyesight was failing. And as they aged they became particularly attached to their cold weather sweatshirts. They have been gone for over 20 years now and I still miss them! (Photo attached of them helping wrap xmas presents). Because our first two Cairns lived so long, my family (my parents and siblings who also have cairns) - have designated each other as guardians for each of our cairn children just in case our individual cairns out live us - this way they will always be with a member of family. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_whits_ Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Because our first two Cairns lived so long, my family (my parents and siblings who also have cairns) - have designated each other as guardians for each of our cairn children just in case our individual cairns out live us - this way they will always be with a member of family. That's so very good of you to have a plan for what would happen to your Cairns if you were gone. The rescue I adopted Addie from rescues most of their Cairns from two situations 1) puppy mills and 2) deceased owners who didn't expect their Cairns to outlive them, or expected family to take them in who didn't follow through. 1 Quote "as far as i am concerned cairns are the original spirit from which all terriers spring, and all terriers are cairns very deep down inside." pkcrossley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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