montdoug Posted July 7, 2018 Share Posted July 7, 2018 (edited) A while back in the "In Memoriam" section I posted about the loss of my baby Kat. I have something that's been bugging me and I figured I should come clean. In retrospect I've been feeling like some of her finding a way to escape that night was my fault. I call Kat a recovering show dog, she was finished at 2 years old and started getting really nervous on grooming and showing so the breeder who we got Gus from called us and offered her to us if we'd have her fixed so she wouldn't pass her nervous temperament on in the breed. She was selfish with food and toys but mostly she was easily wigged out with change or anything different in her surroundings. I've talked before about Gus being my first Cairn and prior to that I was an Airedale guy. Well, in November and within a week or so of Kat getting way back in the brush and finding that tear in the fence I got this guy, 8 weeks in the picture. Freaked her out! I don't think Kat would have ever got back there and found that tear if I hadn't got that puppy, playful like only a rambunctious Airedale can be. Here he is in February, delicate little flower don't you think? He seems to think his job is to roll in every snow drift in Montana. I think it was my fault for getting him, I knew she'd hate it and she certainly did. Back to the good and back on topic I've been blessed with a wife who is infinitely smart than I am. She convinced me I needed to get another Cairn to get this nonsense as she calls it out of my head. I called a breeder friend of ours just to see the possibilities and she lined me up with a friend of hers and breeder in Ohio who just so happened to have a litter coming. So now we have our third Cairn, a male Dark Red Brindle I'm told (for now at least). His name is Taggart (Scottish for "son of the priest"). I named him after a friend I served with in the Marine Corps back in the late 60's we called Tag, his dad was a minister and he was real proud of his Scottish heritage. He was a fine man and quite Cairn Terrier like in a complimentary way, small in stature but tough as nails and always fighting over his weight class. Good Marine. Here's Tag at 8 1/2 weeks this morning. Ain't he a Pip? (I'm biased of course). His ears are starting to stand all the time now, the cat Pugsley loves him and so does Duke the Airedale, Gus....well....Gus grudgingly tolerates him. I so appreciated our friend lining us up with another breeder of such beautiful animals and who was such a pleasure to deal with. There is something special in the Cairn circle I believe. This is way to long I fear and hopefully it isn't way over bandwidth allowances as well. P.S. The tear in the fence has been completely overhauled, our back yard is like a Gulag now! Edited July 7, 2018 by montdoug Spelling 2 Quote Have you hugged your Cairn today? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted July 7, 2018 Share Posted July 7, 2018 I'm happy for you, montdoug. Listen to your wife and don't blame yourself. Cairns are resilient and Kat would have gotten over her snit. Gus will too. Yup, he's a pip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradl Posted July 7, 2018 Share Posted July 7, 2018 Tag is adorable. I look forward to seeing and hearing about his development. I like the way your wife thinks We have a friends with Cairns who also have an Airedale and they are sight. 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...
hheldorfer Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 No need to "come clean", Montdoug. I've blamed myself for every mishap that's ever occurred with one of my dogs. It's natural. Tag looks like he'll be a little ball of fire. Enjoy! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepper Bug's Mom Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Oh how wonderful! Brodie came from our favorite breeder in Ohio too!!! Best of luck with Taggart! Quote Pepper's Mom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkcrossley Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 life is complicated and dog's lives are complicated. it isn't possible to anticipate every kind of twist and turn, you can only do the best you can. the most careful owners in the world cannot prevent a dog from being overcome with exuberance and making a terrible mistake. kat had a good life with you, and she has given you this gift of taggert, she is all wound up in your decision to adopt him. all you can do is make it all good for you and taggert and your smart wife and also for kat herself. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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