Cairn less affectionate breed?

[lindasue]

https://www.rover.com/blog/least-affectionate-dog-breeds/

Cairn lovers get ready to object!  Not sure why our dogs are listed FIRST on this list of least affectionate dogs!  Pegi protests with kisses!

 

[Idaho Cairns]

I saw that article quoted on a facebook Cairn site I visit--it created quite an outrage among the Cairn fans but, frankly, it has been our experience that Cairns aren't as "affectionate" as some other breeds we are familiar with.  The independent, standoffish, nature of Cairns leads to that observation.  I tell folks, when ask about the breeds that Cairns aren't lap dogs, they have none of the slavish qualities of some other breeds--they will accept pets, scritches, and all the sugary compliments that other dogs seem to live for but, in the end, Cairns will, when their itches are satisfied, when they are acknowledged as the finest dogs in the world, walk off mid-scritch to do whatever it is they were intending to do before  you interrupted them with your nonsense.
Frankly, I like that quirky dog personality--wouldn't have it any other way.

[hheldorfer]

Harumph!  Affection isn't everything.  I'd rather have a dog with personality and a sense of independence than one that wants to be cuddled day and night.

[Pepper Bug's Mom]

Ha Ha Ha - Pepper is so funny and independent and tough!!! That is what I love about her.  At night, though, when we are watching TV she is glued to my side on the couch or under the blanket at my feet.  But I must say, it is on her terms not mine when she snuggles, etc.

[Sam I Am]

Its totally on their terms! Jock when faced with being hugged would tolerate it for a few moments, followed by a slight curling of the lips...."Mum thats about all I can stand." But then at night he was on the pillow right beside me. However if I tried to hug then, it was addressed with a low growl.Loved that boy!

[sanford]

Agree with all of the above... Particularly heldorfer and Idaho. Personally, I interpret cairn's independence as a sign of intelligence.

[remltr]

3 minutes ago, sanford said:

Personally, I interpret cairn's independence as a sign of intelligence.

That makes Sassy the smartest pooch on earth.

She will jump up on my lap and immediately start growling like I am hurting her. But what she wants is body rub. She won't face me, she stands on my legs looking away and growls the whole time and then jumps off when she has had enough.

At bedtime, she will jump up on my bed and lay in the middle of it until I grab the covers and she is off to her own bed(s).

Only once did she climb up on the bed while I was in it. I was sick that day. I have been sick since, but she has not laid on the bed with me again.

Independent little cuss she is.

 

[pkcrossley]

classic ignorance of the breed --and probably of terriers generally. what is this "affection" supposed to consist of? laying in the lap and looking blissful? following the beloved owner like a god? actually, a small number of cairns do this, but it doesn't seem typical. young cairns are not lacking in affection --they are just busy. they have important things to look after and a long list of to-do's. but when things have settled down in a cairn's life, there is no better or more affectionate companion anywhere. those who want their dogs to be lap-candy from day one can fool themselves into thinking their dogs are "affectionate," but real affection has to be earned. cairns and cairn owners work to create their relationships, and there is no greater affection. i'm afraid these "affection" mongers among the dog-raters are just looking for cheap thrills. cairns go for the more substantial stuff. 

[lindasue]

Pegi is funny in that she is definitely not a lap dog; but does jump up on the couch with me most nights to snuggle by my side.  She will occasionally sleep on the bed, at times snuggling by my side but most of the time at the foot of the bed.  Truly she prefers to wander the house at night, just in case that squirrel or chipmunk gets in. 

But she has her favorite people - about 5 of them - who can't escape the kisses all over their faces when they come over. 

 

 

[Pepper Bug's Mom]

Oh yes - Pepper is a toe licker, face licker, finger licker....

[Hillscreek]

1 hour ago, pkcrossley said:

 but real affection has to be earned. cairns and cairn owners work to create their relationships, and there is no greater affection.

Yep that's the way it seems to me too.

[eastofeden]

@bradl Is that one of your photos used in the article posted above?

[bradl]

Indeed.

[Lynn in TN]

af·fec·tion·ate

əˈfekSH(ə)nət/

adjective

readily feeling or showing fondness or tenderness.

"a happy and affectionate family"

synonyms:loving, fond, adoring, devoted, caring, doting, tender, warm, warmhearted, softhearted, friendly; More

expressing fondness.

"an affectionate kiss"

That above is a definition of the word affectionate. I checked several definitions and they all said pretty much the  same thing.

I have to disagree with the article. I have been around many different breeds in my time and Kelly and Prissy show more affection than any dog I have ever had. They just don't show it with kisses and wanting to sit in your lap every waking minute of the day. They just have a different way of showing their affection.

I have never had a dog that greeted me and their favorite visitors the way Kelly and Prissy does. Kelly that wonderfully fast wagging tail, the full butt wag, the shrills and squeaks with excitement, the bunny hop and then zooming around with crazy excitement for her loved ones, then turns over for a quick belly rub then back to the full on excitement at seeing us or visitors. Prissy with that wagging tail, jumping up and down with excitement, barking the whole time then a quick circle and a full butt wag.

Kelly runs up to us and stares intently if we sneeze or cough until we say I'm okay girly. She gets up in the night to check on everyone in the household. If someone sneezes or coughs in the middle of the night she runs to check on them. The way she leans up to the commode with the look of concern in her eyes as one of her humans is throwing up in the commode, if you shut her out of the bathroom while you are doing so she is scratching at the door with a concerned whine. They way she doesn't leave our side if we are sick.

It has been my experience they show affection in ways that have no return for themselves. I believe they are so in tune with their humans they give what you need at the moment.

There are many different ways to show affection besides kisses and hugs and sitting on your lap.

[Dempsy's Mom]

I agree with all the above.  Dempsy could care less if I love him up ... but he wants to know where I am at at all times and if he needs me he can be a big baby.   Really love, when we go for our walks, he always stops and checks on my progress.  That cute little face looking over his shoulder, cocks his head a bit and then carries on with his waddle, waddle, waddle stride.  "Hurry up mom!"

Elsie - love cuddles, but then again she can be quite opinionated when it comes to her nap time.

[sanford]

I don't know if the following comes under the heading of "affection", (although as far as I'm concerned it does): Ordinarily, I would not describe Ruffy as affectionate - he's not a snuggler or a cuddler, yet there is one thing he does that always warms my heart... As soon as we enter the dog run, he goes bounding off to check out the smells and engage in some mutual sniffing with the other dogs. Sometimes I choose to sit on a bench near the entrance and he ends up at the far end of the run. Then, I see him in the distance, his body stiffened, scanning the run, trying to make out where I am. He won't move until I wave and call him and then his relief is so obvious as his body relaxes and he breaks into a full gallup straight to me, looking so excited and happy! This is a small thing and yet as most of us know, it's those very things that endear our cairns to us.

[Pepper Bug's Mom]

Yes - I love the heads up alert look when they are trying to spot you at the dog park.  Pepper will sometimes run into the blackberry bushes along the side of the dog park.  I can sometimes see the bushes moving, but usually she is on a quest.  When she does come out of the bushes it is usually not even close to where she went it.  She will stop and look around and then come running full blast to me!!! So proud of herself!

[Autumn & Lola]

As most of you know, I didn't get to know Molly for very long. True too, she was young - only a year when we got her. But she acted like most of the descriptions above - she was affectionate, but on her terms, and when she wasn't busy. She'd give me and the ex one kiss per day. Don't ask for another - you were only getting one, until the next day. Her #1 priority was playing.

Although Lola is a Cairn-cousin, she also acts similarly. She loves belly rubs for sure, and we can get several more kisses from her, but it has to be when she feels like it. If we push it, she'll turn so her butt is in our faces, or give an long, exasperated sigh, like, 'Bug off!'

[Islander]

Gus has only licked my face when I have come home from a holiday without him, and even then just briefly. He does get into obsessive hand licking, which I accept because I heard it is submissive behaviour and I don't like to discourage Gus from acknowledging me as pack leader! 

I am in agreement with everyone else who prefers Cairn independence to slavish devotion. I value our attachment more than affection as expressed by kisses and cuddles. Gus shows attachment by paying very close attention to where I am, what I am doing, and how I am feeling. Stopping his running in the woods to look back and check up on me, refusing to walk away with a friend if I am in a store - everything that everyone else has said!

I always find it remarkable that what I think of as behavioural quirks seem to be breed characteristics!

 

[hheldorfer]

1 hour ago, Islander said:

Gus shows attachment by paying very close attention to where I am, what I am doing, and how I am feeling. Stopping his running in the woods to look back and check up on me, refusing to walk away with a friend if I am in a store - everything that everyone else has said!

 

That's Buffy to a T.  DH is her true master - certainly not me, although she accepts me as "2nd in charge".  Last week DH tripped and fell (no injuries) and Buffy rushed to his side.  She hopped to the right and left a few times while staring intently at him as if to say "Hey, you OK??  What should I do?".  When your dog rushes to your aid and shows genuine concern it means so much more than a few kisses. 

[_whits_]

So I read most of this thread to Addie, laughing the whole time since she is definitely not Labrador "affectionate." The rare kisses and cuddles and even more rare times I'm allowed to hold her make those moments all the more special. I shared an office with a yellow lab in training to be a seeing eye dog and I understand why they're popular; they'll do whatever you ask them to do and act like it's the best thing ever. And every day I'd look at that lab and shake my head at how much more fulfilling and entertaining my life is the have a dog who questions every thing I ask. And how nice it is to have a companion who clearly has her own fulfilling life outside of her relationship with me (her life is guarding the apartment complex).

That being said, since I read this thread to Addie, something weird has happened. She's listened to everything I've asked her to do, she's been gregarious with strangers on walks (she let TWO strangers TOUCH HER HEAD - she won't even let family other than me touch her head usually); she made friends with TWO FEMALE dogs (she's a boy's girl, to my feminist consternation), she gone where I want to go, she let me SIT NEXT TO HER (usually she needs at least 5 feet personal space), and she's been ASKING for cuddles during the day (usually she just wants her morning cuddles and nighttime scratches). 

Addie usually shows her attachment to me by always wanting to be in the same room (but not touching), by being eager to accompany me everywhere I go, and by breaking my heart and crying every time I have to leave her. And the reception I receive on my return is a delightful mix of howls, zoomies, and kisses. 

Sometimes I'd enjoy it if Addie was more cuddly, but I wouldn't trade a few extra cuddles for the endless extra attitude, personality, and intelligence I get with a Cairn.

Terriers are the best.  

[Sam I Am]

Amen sister! Terriers are the best.

[kieiras mom]

ok, here goes. So Cairns are not in your face, pawing, whining and licking, does not mean they are less loving. There are times when Keira jumps into my lap and lays her head against me for about 35 seconds,but it is true, honest love and i just live for those times.

[Pepper Bug's Mom]

Pepper is a face licker, toe licker, jump and kiss licker.   At night she cuddles next to me on the couch!!! She is amazing!!! She is also tough as nails and ready to "get the rat!"

[Bridget]

Ruby is definitely not as demonstratively affectionate as other dogs I have had.  She loves having her body and belly scratched, even her ears, but she doesn't seem too enthusiastic about a kiss on the nose or top of the head.  She's definitely not a lap dog. She is very happy when I come home and accepts pets and one or two kisses with good grace. It has taken me a bit to accept that all of that does not mean she doesn't love me, she's just an independent little thing. I wouldn't trade her for the cuddliest dog in the world!