coat color amd personality

[Guest cairnmother]

Do you think that the color of the coat and personality traits are linked in some way? I have had 2 cairns. Ozzy was predominately grey and Teddy is a light color wheaten. They are as different as night and day. They both have/had the typical cairn traits but there are definite differences. What is your opinion? Thanks

[Toto times 2]

I am not sure about that one because cairns can completely change colour over the course of their lives. I have a wheaten and a brindle and they certainly do have very different personalities. They are both quite affectionate but the wheaten always wants to be with us while the brindle is more independent.

[bradl]

All Cairns with coat color have personality. Oh, that's not what you meant Hm, I don't have enough experience to say. I'd love to hear theories, though.

[kayharley]

While we're at it...how about their horoscopes/colors and personalities?

I have one Leo the Lion (Madison), one Virgo the Virgin (Elliott) and one Libra the Scales (Winnie)

One of my red brindle Cairns, Winnie the Libra is mellow and easy going and not all that affectionate while the other red, Elliott the Virgo is wild, lively, playful, very affectionate and always looking for mischief but he's still a pup...huge factor.

Then we have the silver brindle Madison, a Leo, a complex character...shy and unsure at times, defensive and guarding at others, extremely quick and agile and always affectionate.

I have yet to figure out a Cairn and don't think I want to...it's too much fun this way.

[Toto times 2]

Horoscopes could be interesting. Ghillie, my brindle is an aquarius.

Canine Aquarius: (1/21-2/19)

Friends to everyone. Love meeting people and other animals. Often unique in

personality or appearance. Well suited to eccentric owners, always friendly,

never shy. Loves freedom, more people than dog

Smokey, wheaten is a Libra

Canine Libra: (9/24-10/23)

Loving, gentle and affectionate. Seldom aggressive toward anyone or

anything. Usually beautiful and friendly. They do not like being left alone.

They need the company of other dogs. Can be quite stubborn.

That's pretty accurate actually.

[Eliz222]

I don't know since my three year old is changing colors again. She was all black as a puppy, a grey brindle as a one year old, and now is turning into a red brindle. I haven't noticed any changes in her personality...although I am beginning to wonder if she thinks she is a cat!

Finch was a red brindle as a puppy, and at 13 months, she is still a red brindle....she's still as spunky and cuddly as ever.

Both of my dogs are sooo different! I hope they keep their personalities!

[Darsey]

Me an Toto are Libras in fact are Birthdays are only 15 days apart. So what does that say about our relationship? Guess we are two peas from the same pod. And the Canine Libra description is almost Toto to a T except the "gentle" part. Although he has his moments! - Darsey

[hallswel]

Wow I never thought about it then I looked at the horoscopes on the Atlanta Journal website and they have pets on the bottom. Rebel was born in November it says: " The lone ranger of the animal kingdom has arrived! The Scorpio pet is more independent than most, but along with that self-sufficiency comes a strong-willed, almost stubborn demeanor. " Sounds like him and cairns in general. " The Scorpio pet is also emotional and intuitive and can easily sense when things aren't right. If their master is upset, they will surely stay close, the better to comfort you in their own way. Call them nosy? Well, maybe, as this is the kind of pet that needs to know what's going on, whether it's family dynamics or the contents of the neighborhood garbage cans. Beware of what this pet might bring in the door! It could be a prize for Mum and Dad or something more original to eat -- goodness knows, the Scorpio pet does things its own way. Simply put, this is one unfussy animal that just wants to find a place to call home"

It really fits Reb to a tee.

[Guest cairnmother]

I have done some research on this subject and found that yes, there does seem to be a link between coat color and tempreament in animals. You might find this website informative if you are interested in something other than horoscopes.

www.ratbehavior.org/COATCOLOR.htm

[Anna_525]

Cairnmother, I just retyped the link you provided:

www.ratbehavior.org/CoatColor.htm

since with the caps, the original link did not work. I read it, and wow, it's hard to imagine how the mechanics behind the coat color can be associated with temperament. I wonder if that means that something in the cairn's inner chemistry changes that causes the coat color to change? Fascinating. Interesting hypothesis: will Alfie's demeanor change if he turns black?

[bradl]

More on the Belyaev fox experiment: http://home.wlu.edu/~blackmerh/jsk/canid.htm

[Guest cairnmother]

It's a fascinating subject! Bradl, Thank you for the link. I had hoped for some intelligent, insightful feedback to the question that I posted. I was a bit disappointed with the replies that were received. It was not meant to be a frivolous question but was taken that way. Maybe I should have re-phrased it or been more specific? Anna, Perhaps the personality doesn't change with the changing color of the coat. It may be pre-programmed for the adult color. Interesting isn't it?

[Anna_525]

It is interesting! It makes me wonder what the predominant color is of the earliest cairn generations, and if the variations in color came out when the cairns were being kept as pets rather than working dogs, as the Belyaev experiment suggested. That was rather long to read and a bit too scientific for my current mood, but hey, it made my brain cells work .

I found the observations on the occurrence of star shaped spots on dogs' foreheads an indication of domestication too veeery interesting..... (this is just about the type of thing I say that would make my in-laws walk away from the conversation.... )

Anna

[Eliz222]

"I had hoped for some intelligent, insightful feedback to the question that I posted. I was a bit disappointed with the replies that were received."

Now, just speaking for myself, I feel that ALL responses that are posted here are intelligent and insightful. You didn't ask for any research information, but for our opinions, which is what was posted.

[Guest cairnmother]

Shoe,

I am sorry if I offended you. Your reply was one of the more intelligent replies. I found the horoscope answers to be a bit offensive. It mocked my question as being irrelevant and stupid.

[Anna_525]

Cairnmother, after re-reading the posts, I don't think anyone was mocking your question as being irrelevant. I think they just want to participate in the discussion and contribute something and have fun.....

[bradl]

That would be my thought too. I know I'm as guilty as heck of tossing in a joke if I don't have anything sensible to say.

If coat color is strongly linked to personality, would Westies have completely different personalities than Cairns? At the time they were still interbred my assumption was that they were differentiated strictly because of their color. Have they then diverged a lot in personality over the years? I always assumed that if there is a "Westie Talk" board somewhere that many of our posts would be completely interchangeable.

I also don't know how to separate out effects of temperaments along lines and families, with color frequencies that may tend to be associated in some of those lines.

If anyone would dare (not me!) I would love to see a sampling of stereotypical traits or characterizations that someone would propose to go with the coat colors. And this is where I think the horoscope comments are not so far off-topic really. What would it mean if there were personality associations with color? Are clear reds 'feisty' and wheatens 'earnest'? That sort of thing.

[Anna_525]

Oooo, that would be too difficult, Brad!

If I were the researcher determining the color stereotypes, ideally I would need to make observations of all dogs representing their color at least within the same age, same conditions (intact or not), AND the most important thing, they would have to stay with the same owner not unless each of the study dogs' environment can be made similar....then subject them to the same triggers and see the differences in their reaction or mood. Make sense? This is why lab rats are easier to study, the environments are all controlled.

Interesting point on the Westies...

Anna

[kayharley]

I am not one of those "what's your sign" kind of people but there are horoscope columns in many newspapers. I didn't think looking up our Cairns signs was offensive in the least and could almost be on the same level as coloring and personalities.

We're a very happy group here who rarely take posts to heart.

Sorry if I offended you, Cairnmother. I didn't know you were so sensitive.