Tomorrow. Puppy. First Cairn. (O_O)

[AFireInsideOfMe]

Ok. So, I know they say not to buy puppies from pet shops but it's seriously my only option SO, tomorrow I am going to a pet shop to see how much they are there. (first place I decided I'd research cairns ) I believe last time I was there they were about 600 dollars or something like that. I MIGHT get it tomorrow if I can finance it, because, of late, I've only around 100 dollars (help from the parents is available if needed -_^) Now I have some questions and...stuff.

1. Financing; good idea or bad idea?

2. What are some things I need to keep in mind?

3. Just something my mom wants to know; do cairn's fur keep growing and get really long all between the toes, and not stop like a cocker spaniel, or does it only get to a certain length and pretty much stop like a collie? (Please note I will be grooming him. I just needed to know that anyway.)

Those are all my questions and stuff but if you have ANY other advice at all please do not refrain from outing it! Thankies all.

[bradl]

1. Financing; good idea or bad idea?

Bad idea.

2. What are some things I need to keep in mind?

You're supporting a practice (buying a Cairn from a pet shop) that is ruining the breed and encouraging the most careless, irresponsible breeding practices possible. If you like the Cairn Terrier, why would you want to contribute to people who are actively making it different than it is supposed to be? It takes a lot of effort to preserve and protect a breed, and no responsible breeder is letting carefully-bred dogs be sold randomly to strangers.

3. Just something my mom wants to know; do cairn's fur keep growing and get really long all between the toes, and not stop like a cocker spaniel, or does it only get to a certain length and pretty much stop like a collie?

We call it 'platter feet' around here; the hair appears to grow and grow until it is trimmed. Scissoring the feet is acceptable, even on show dogs (if it's done artfully).

Those are all my questions and stuff but if you have ANY other advice at all please do not refrain from outing it!

Please do not buy a dog from a pet shop. Discuss the following with your parents - data from Petplace.com's Lifetime Costs of Pet Ownership

Small to medium-sized dogs

#  Estimated life span: 14 years

#  First year: $640 to $1,125

#  Estimated annual costs thereafter: $440 to $775

Total cost over a dog

[AFireInsideOfMe]

I understand. I'll just have to wait until I am older and can afford it all at once. Thank you for the help Mr. Brad.

[AllAboutPetey]

Buying from a pet store is seriously NOT your only option. Cairns can live 15+ years, so waiting a few months and saving your money in order to: a. purchase a Cairn from a breeder and b. save money for vet costs you will incur (A LOT the first year) would be the more responsible decision. I know, I know, you want a puppy now (I did too), but please take your time with this decision.

My little Belle, a 3-year-old rescue, is a former puppy mill breeder girl. These unfortunate animals live in deplorable conditions with little human contact or medical care in order to supply the pet stores with cute, fuzzy puppies. These adorable little puppies have a mom and dad somewhere in a filthy cage out in the elements in the freezing cold and rain, and this practice will continue as long as people buy dogs from pet stores. Somebody will most certainly purchase that puppy, but it doesn't have to be you supporting the horrible lifestyle that puppy mill dogs are forced to endure.

In addition, we've heard so many stories from members of this forum who have had to make heartbreaking choices when their pet store dog comes down with serious illness from disease or genetic problems. Take your time. Research the breed and breeders. Please make a good choice.

[AFireInsideOfMe]

Well, that not the only reason, its just that I can't travel very far and there aren't any young ones in an adoption thingy (<-- sorry I couldn't think of the word ') nearby and all the breeders I called (that are close enough) "Only breed top quality show dogs" OH! Question! Do ALL pet shops get their puppies from puppymills? ;-/ What if I asked them where they got them and called the place and stuff? (I'm not trying to be stubborn, I'm just naturally a questiony lass.)

[Darcy's Folks]

Well, that not the only reason, its just that I can't travel very far and there aren't any young ones in an adoption thingy (<-- sorry I couldn't think of the word ') nearby and all the breeders I called (that are close enough) "Only breed top quality show dogs"  OH! Question! Do ALL pet shops get their puppies from puppymills? ;-/ What if I asked them where they got them and called the place and stuff? (I'm not trying to be stubborn, I'm just naturally a questiony lass.)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I hate to tell you, but Brad is right. And I'm certain most other owners here would agree with him. You do not want to purchase a dog/puppy from a pet store. You really should wait until the time is right to make a purchase like a puppy. They are very similiar to having a baby. They take a lot of time, a lot of patience and A LOT of money. Do the right thing and take your time.

I too wanted a dog/puppy so badly and I waited THREE YEARS before committing to one. I'm extremely glad that I didn't rush into it, because as precious as our Darcy is... she has been quite costly in vet bills and other supply needs. In addition, she does require a lot of our attention (as most terriers do).

[bradl]

Being a questiony lass is a good thing. With respect to your question about who would sell to a pet store or broker: no reputable breeders I know. For one thing the very code of ethics of most clubs (where you find people dedicated to protecting the breed, not exploiting it) forbids it. For example, the code of ethics of the national club in the United States (and the host of this very forum) includes language like this:

To avoid from engaging in wholesaling, mass production, or distribution of Cairn Terriers and from selling breeding stock to pet dealers, catalog houses or other commercial sources of distribution. To avoid supplying Cairn Terriers for raffles, lotteries or prize-giving contests. To avoid and admonish these and any similar activities that would belittle or trivialize the breed or place profit before home-based quality care and breeding.

... along with many other things that pet shops don't and won't do.

[oregoncoast71]

I know the feeling of wanting one of the furry little cuties, but currently I don't have one. I have been researching the breed for the last 6-7 months. I have atteneded two dog shows (plus one in the next two weeks). There I was able to talk to breeders directly and get more information. And of course got to meet with these little guys up front. There is a pet store I know of that has 4 carins currently. I know it's tempting when you see their cute little faces in the window looking at you. It's hard to walk away (it's a good thing the store is 60 miles away). I wish I could take all of them home. But I know that buying from a pet store is not good. I don't have any idea where they came from, who their mom & dad are, their health history, etc. We have one purebred dog in our house which we got from a reputable breeder. It's great to know if I have any questions, I can call her up and ask away.

Here is a link about puppy mills: Stop puppy mills

Brad, I found this link about puppy mills, you can delete it if does not meet the rules of the forum.

Jodi

[kayharley]

If you want to PM me, I can talk with you about a fantastic breeder right next door to you. It's where I got my Cairn and a few other forum members did to.

Sandy

[toomanypaws]

I think it's great asking questions first and not just buying on impulse. I posted this a long time ago and will repeat it for you. Years ago, my dh (husband) use to do the health certificates for a local pet store. He didn't initially go to the pet store to do this, we went there to start up a pet vaccine service selling low cost vaccinations, something we had done in the past w/ great success. This store didn't sell puppies then, but while we were there they decided to expand and bring in puppies. At first I didn't think it was terrible, although I never did like seeing puppies in cages. This was a big eye opener to me and I now would love to see laws change to prohibit the sale of puppies in pet stores. Once the puppies started coming in, dh was asked to do the health certificates for them while I assisted him as a vet tech. We learned SO much! Some of the puppies were from local breeders, but the majority came from a large corporation (not sure if I should mention the name). Basically the way it works, the pet store owner would get a list of available puppies from this corporation and then pick the ones he wanted, cost being a factor. The corporation said that the puppies came from reputable breeders, something I tend to question. The pet store owner usually bought ones that were already marked down due to too many of a certain breed. Many of the puppies my dh looked at needed medication, most of it caused by stress and alot of them had kennel cough. Alot of the puppies had a birth defect such as an overbite/underbite, a heart murmur, or umblilcal hernia. Many were refused due to their health and sent back. It was also hard keeping the pet store staff to follow directions and medicate these puppies to keep them healthy. Many pups had to be put in the sick room due to the poor staff help. This would keep the pup from getting sold at a young age and it would sit in a cage way too long. I found myself going to this pet store twice a day just to take the puppies out back to a pen and run them, otherwise they stayed in a cage. Dh and I knew we couldn't keep doing this.

We slowly learned more about where these puppies came from. This large corporation bought puppies from backyard breeders at around 7 wks old and then had the puppies delivered in a huge air conditioned semi truck to arrive at pet stores at 8 or 9 wks old. The problem I saw right away as I read about this corporation was that these poor puppies traveled from the north all the way to the first pet store stop in Miami, FL and then worked their way back to various drop offs meaning, some of these puppies were on this truck for days. One night the owner called us that a delivery was coming in and I was anxious that we were going to get to see the puppies arrive, but my excitement quickly turned to disappointment. Some of the puppies that were ordered were refused by the previous pet store owners and were still on this big truck heading back to the main headquarters. I made the worst mistake of stepping onto this truck to see the puppies that were refused and my eyes filled w/ tears as I looked into their precious eyes knowing they had been traveling in that truck for days and no one wanted them. The smell nearly made me gag as these little puppies stood in their feces. I knew then that this was the wrong way to sell a puppy.

After that, we decided that we could no longer be responsible for the health certificates of these puppies. It was actually a hard decision for me as I knew no one would tend to them like my dh and I did but we also couldn't support puppies being brought to pet stores like this. I can't tell you how many times I cried over a certain puppy praying he/she would end up in a good home.

All I know is that the more puppies that are purchased from pet stores, the more backyard breeders/puppy mills are being supported. Be patient, your day will come that you own a cain, and the wait will be worth it.

[Angus'mum]

We have (had) 2 dogs...Angus, our cairn and Maggie our cocker spaniel. We bought both from breeders. Even though Maggie came from a reputable breeder, she still got sick...it happens. We paid almost $500 in vet fees before we really knew what was wrong with her, and we thought we were going to pay even more for additional treatment. Unfortunately, we didn't have the chance, she passed away this past Wednesday.

I know it is hard to wait...especially when they are so darn cute, but you really would be better off with a dog that you know the health history of.

[AFireInsideOfMe]

I did research them for a while actually. The pet store I went to today (I still went just to see how they take care of them and what-not) is a really nice one. They only get one in at a time and they take really good care of them. I talked to the person in charge and she said when you buy them there they already microchipped, and have all there shots and such. They actually didn't have any cairns today but I looked at their other dogs and they all looks really healthy. Turns out they actually charge a lot more than I thought. I said 600 right? I was a wee off. She said it was like 899 or something. As for the "I want a puppy NOW!" thing, that was my 7 year old self, I'm more mature than that now I swear! -^_^- I understand what you guys are saying though I forgot to ask where they get their puppies though....I should have. Its not like a little rinky-dink petshop either. and all the dogs seemed fine. Thank you for your responces though I appreciate this. I'm gonna keep looking around for breeders and stuff anyway though. Maybe this person KayHarley said. ^_^

[AFireInsideOfMe]

By the way, no one here said what they do with them if no one buys them....? I should have asked the girl there that too...

[toomanypaws]

By the way, no one here said what they do with them if no one buys them....? I should have asked the girl there that too...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

From what I learned from this one corporation, they may go out on yet another truck, or they end up euthanized. Just be careful as looks can be deceiving. Whatever the pet store is charging, figure it's double the price they paid for the puppy. Look for a breeder that's breeding ONLY cairns and continue to research from there.

[Guest Guest]

Dear AFireInsideOfMe,

I have a great deal of respect for your thoughtfulness and sense of responsibility in holding off purchasing a Cairn from the pet store. (I commend you for your willpower, which is far superior to mine, when I was younger!) But I'm sure you realize that the more you go back to the store, the more you will find the puppies hard to resist.

I hope this may be an option for you:

Have you considered adopting a Cairn? Petfinder.com lists shelters who sometimes have Cairns. Also try Cairn rescue organizations online. These places charge a lot less, (approx $250.00?). You must meet their requirements, but they often have wonderful dogs of all ages. An adult dog can be a real blessing...especially if it's already gone through the rigors of puppyhood training. We all end up loving our dogs just the same...whether we've had them from puppyhood or not.

Good luck! The dog you eventually get will be real lucky to have you.

P.S. I think some of the Cairn Rescue places can arrange to transport the dog to you, even if the dog is far from where you live.

[sj4iy]

I have to agree with everyone else who has discouraged you from buying puppies from a pet store. My parents have done it several times, and each time they've regretted it (why they keep looking, I don't know). My first experience with a Cairn was one that my parents got at the pet store. He was absolutely perfect, sweet, playful...but had serious health problems. His stool was always bloody and runny from the day we got him. Unfortunately, when he was about 10 months old, my parents had to put him down because he grew incredibly sick and the vet couldn't even tell us what was wrong with him, and just kept suggesting different expensive procedures (she wasn't a good vet). It broke our hearts to do that. When we got his registration papers, we noticed that several names appeared MORE THAN ONCE in his tree. Not long after, they bought a mini schnauzer from an irreputable breeder (I say this because the dog was only 6 weeks old, already neutered with his ears clipped). Then we find that the dog chewed on himself constantly. It was maddening to watch him to that till he bled. We took him back to the breeder (who was SUPPOSEDLY a vet) and he said there was nothing wrong with him, and wouldn't take him back. So we took him to our vet and found that he had scabies (which my mom and my sister ended up getting, too). We ended up keeping him (he died last year), but my parents found another pet store dog, a cocker spaniel, and my mom bought him. A few weeks later, he had cherry eye in both eyes. We also found that he was a rather nervous dog (I have to say up front I never liked most cocker spaniels b/c of what inbreeding has done to the dogs), and would bite at some people. They still have that dog, but they have to keep him chained out back b/c of the threat to my nephews.

The bottom line is, even though you may be a bleeding heart, and feel sorry for the dogs b/c of the situation they are in, it doesn't mean that the dog will make a good pet, b/c of the extreme chance that the dogs were improperly bred or socialized (dogs should never be taken from their mother/siblings before 8 weeks, or socialization can't happen). My husband and I did months of research on our puppy, and although we didn't get a show quality dog, he has been very healthy, and has a good temperment. Another thing to keep in mind is that dogs are a huge responsibility and require more money than you would think, if you are going to take care of them properly. And a good owner will train their dog, too.

Anyway, I hope that you will keep these things in mind before making the plunge to get a dog.

[Guest Nordic]

If you are looking for a dog, I don't suggest that you look at pet shops. A good book to read, which discusses breeders, places to get a dog, how to work with breeders is Please Oh Please Can We Get a Dog? The Parents' Guide to Dog Ownership. It can be purchased at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, etc. Dog World Magazine did a review on the book which I have included which may indicate the reasons you need to do your research. I have suggested that people team this book up with a good book on the breed which is suggested by the national club.

DOG WORLD MAGAZINE - BOOK REVIEW

October, 2005

[AFireInsideOfMe]

The money for taking care of it is no problem, I have a corgi actually. I got him at a pound for 5 bucks. He's a wonderful dog he is. Buuut, that is besides the point. Either way turns out I have to wait until October no matter what because thats when the closing for my parents buisness is and they told me I could use some of that money for it. Oh yeah, sj4iy mentioned a Cocker Spaniel, I had one of those! She was mean too (though I heard most of them are) I got her from a pet shop (Long time ago) but it was a crappy pet shop and they got a whole bunch of puppies in at once and they were too young....actually I had no say in that one because I was only like...3 or 4. She died a year or two ago she was about 10 or 11 years old. As for the waiting, You guys are right and I should be patient, its just hard cause I've actually been waiting for a year and a half now...Anywho,......yeah. OH! Umm.....I've researched this a bunch already but I think I'll ask for your opinions on it, is my having 7 cats a reason for not getting a cairn? o_O I read that they like chasing small animals.....

[sanford]

"...is my having 7 cats a reason for not getting a cairn? o_O I read that they like chasing small animals....."

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7 cats?...A Corgie? Does anyone else have the feeling that our collective leg is being pulled...or is it just me?

(Bradl, you can delete my response if you feel my suspicions are inappropriate).

[Marmielin]

Sanford - I think you are on the right track. This is a little much.

LindaB

[AFireInsideOfMe]

Whaaaaaaaat? The cats kind of just accumilated.....4 of them are outdoor cats and 3 are indoor. Hehehehe.....o.o.....yeah their names are Spooky, Misty, Kitty, Blue, Vader, Nuggy and Havok. Corgi is Bear. I wuv my aminals! (Perposeful typo's) See, we know these people that had some cats and they never got them fixed which led to pregnant cats AND they had several large dogs, one of which killed one of thier kittens! So they kinda pawned them off on my family slowly...

[bradl]

I tend to look at it like this: lots of Cairns live with cats. But if one did kill a cat, I wouldn't blame the Cairn. It would have been up to me to prevent it from happening.

[Guest Guest]

I have to laugh .........our Cairn puppy lives with a hamster - which resides in the family room, along with Rusty, and he often just watches him turn in his wheel - eat, and drink. No bark, no jumping - just a turn of the head. Go figure. Guess he is just accustomed to the additional family pet.

[AFireInsideOfMe]

I tend to look at it like this: lots of Cairns live with cats. But if one did kill a cat, I wouldn't blame the Cairn. It would have been up to me to prevent it from happening.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is a good way of puting it.

[AFireInsideOfMe]

Ok, I have some of the money.......Sooo..........who wants to loan me about 700 dollars? -^_^- pretty pretty please? *sigh*