consdering adopting a cairn but need information from you all

[Shuki]

Hi,

I have the option of adopting an 11 year old Carin Terrier to join our 10 year old Cavoodle.

I have read a lot about the breed and i am worried about some of the traits - barking, digging, dominating.   What has been the experience of those on this forum who own a Cairn Terrier.  I would value your advice.

Shuki

 

ps i have just realised i may have put this in the wrong category?

Edited May 18, 2018 by Shuki

[Idaho Cairns]

24 minutes ago, Shuki said:

"i am worried about some of the traits - barking, digging, dominating"---those are legitimate worries for SOME Cairns.  We have adopted two female Cairns as adults and neither exhibited those traits.  There is no way to know without bringing the dog into your home and giving her a trial period.  That said, everyone of those traits can be modified or stopped with proper training and persistence on  your part.  Cairns do well as companion dogs but ideally the owner is stronger, more stubborn, and smarter than the Cairn. 

 

 

[Guest dog person]

At age 11 I suspect that his rambunctious days are over and he would probably make an excellent companion for your other senior.

It is very kind of you to consider taking in a senior, however I would be more concerned with health issues.

Make sure he has seen a vet recently and had a complete checkup, dental exam.   

Just saying, know what you are getting into........as vet care can be very expensive nowadays.

Good luck

[sanford]

Good advice from Dog Person re a medical checkup, but it's also good to know that generally speaking, cairns are active and healthy well into their late senior years which often extend into their mid to late teens and this has been my experience as well.

ive only had 2 cairns and neither one was a barker or digger. Ruffy tries to dominate large dogs, but has become the playmate of several large dogs that he knows in the neighborhood.

The most important thing to know is if the 2 of them will get along. Can you find out by arranging a meet up for them, or do you have the option of fostering prior to adoption? The worst case scenario would be to discover that they are incompatible. In that case, would you be allowed to return the cavoodle?

Good luck - it's wonderful that you will be giving a home to an older dog and I send you my thanks for that!❤️

[Shuki]

Yes there will be a meet and greet in a park first, then at home, then a ten day stay over to see if the dogs are compatible... Only after all of that would the final decisions be made. We need to make sure both dogs and owners are happy. 

Thanks for your advice. What health issues do older Cairns get? 

[Min D]

I believe there are eye issues, my last cairn had some issues with her eyes.

[Guest dog person]

The veterinary opthalmologist told me that if a cairn is going to get occular melanosis, a form of glaucoma common in cairns, it tends to occur between ages 5 through 11,  so at age 11 the dog you are looking at is just past that window.

Otherwise, I assume cairns are vulnerable to senior issues as any breed would be.   Some dogs age well, some don't.

No way to predict.

The things I have noticed in aging dogs are arthritis, dementia, cataracts......

Edited May 19, 2018 by dog person

[sanford]

At 16 yrs. mine developed cataracts and hearing problems, but these did not seem to diminish his life. After that, he developed what I took to be a form of dementia... Sometimes he would seem to get stuck, facing up against the corner of a room where the 2 walls converged, and not be able to get out, so I would gently guide him away. He couldn't jump onto the bed to sleep with me anymore and I decided not to put him up onto the bed because I was worried that he could get hurt jumping down on to the (carpeted) floor. ... I invested in a set of steps for the bed, but  with typical cairn stubbornness, he refused to use them, except when I constantly led him up and down with treats, so I gave up. Although he never had an accident inside, he began to regularly wake me at 3 and 4 AM to be taken out to pee. 

The pleasure and the love that I got in return far, far outweighed any of these inconveniences and I was grateful to be able to look after him and have him in my life at his advanced age. He lived to almost 17.

Edited May 19, 2018 by sanford

[Guest dog person]

Often you can tell within the first 72 hours if it will work out or not.     But, for an adult dog, it may take up to a month for the dog to feel comfortable and even begin to bond with your current dog and your household.

It's a process, if you are not up for it, consider other options.    

That's why puppies are at a high premium.   Sure, a perfect, cute puppy from a good breeder would be easier in a lot of ways.    

Still a lot of work though.    

[montdoug]

I've never adopted an older dog and my concern would be the dog adjusting to a new home at this late date but never having done it I really don't know much. What I can say is about my dog because my Gus is 12 years old. He is not Quite fully deaf but close, his eyes are fine and his heart is still as Terrier as he was at 18 months. He is long past chewing things up or causing problems of any kind  which he did very little anyway and he still loves us as much as we love him, "a Lot".

I think if I were looking at this I'd first consider how you think the dog you have now would feel about a new sibling that might be a tough adjustment  for your 10 year old but maybe not depending on personality?

[Lupinegirl]

My 13 year old is sleeping a lot more than usual, thanks to the heat, and waking me earlier than usual in the mornings. His tummy is still kind of fickle and he seems to be more urgent when he needs to go and takes longer to start going when I get him outside. But he still has control and he’s always been the type to want a good sniff before going. I’m watching him closely to see if he needs a checkup. The heat seems to have triggered the usual summer itchy feet and itchy eyes and ears too. I’ve been able to keep him from stripping his fur by rinsing his feet regularly to get the allergens off, putting the canine equivalent of Bag Balm on the itchies and ouchies, and giving him half a Benadryl if he keeps chainsaw chewing and licking. Nikki has a ton of black bumps, too, which might be part of the reason why he’s itchy. He has a couple that have gotten big enough, they pop open and mat in his fur when he rolls around on the floor. Yuck. Poor boy. Mom and I are aving skin rash problems this year, too. Argh. It’s been an itchy summer for all of us.