Cairn ingenuity

[Mama Kim]

Piper, our 6 month old Cairn, was in the backyard playing in the leaves this afternoon. My three sons were in our frontyard carving their pumpkins. I headed out to the driveway to check on the pumpkin-carving, leaving Piper in the fenced in backyard. Soon my neighbor lady came over to chat. Piper was raising a fuss when she heard us talking because she wanted to come join the fun. I was just about to head in the house to go out on the deck and get her, when she came flying out of our garage!! Puzzled at how she had gotten out of the backyard (it was obvious she hadn't gotten out of the fence because she came through the garage), I got up to look. She had crawled through the teeny, tiny cat door!! Needless to say, the cat door now has a board nailed over the top of it. (We don't have any cats but the previous owners did.) She is too smart!!

[George 'n' Gracie]

There is no end to the ways George and Gracie entertain and amaze us. It doesn't surprise me at all that Piper found a way to get to you. Gracie has learned to jump and if she gets her position just so she can open the atrium door. She has also learned to open her kennel door. Yes, even the lock. She just loves her kennel. She will open the door and go inside to lie down. George looks at her like she's nuts...he would much prefer being out of his kennel unless its to eat or if we are gone or in bed. Aren't they just the most fun?

[Mama Kim]

Open her kennel door? That is amazing. I now regularly find Piper on our kitchen table as well. Or on the top of the picnic table in our back yard. She just likes to get up higher so she can see into the neighbor's yard. Too cute! I'm just glad she didn't get stuck in the cat door!!

[Layne&Kiva]

Hi, ya'll, I am a new member. My Kiva learned to unplug the computer when she about 4 months old. She did not like being an internet orphan I have had to block the outlet ever since.

Layne and Kiva

[Jim]

I remember when we first got Prancer, we wanted to crate train him, but being around Christmas my folks were down from New Jersey. Prancer cried and carried on so we bought his crate up to our room, well he continued to carry on so we took him out of the crate and into our bed. That's where he slept for the next 13 years. Because he was young and we were not sure he was completely house trained, a friend of mine built tall barriers of plywood, pretty heavy and in heavy feet. We figured that would keep Prancer in the kitchen so if he had an accident, it wouldn't ruin the rugs. These barriers were about 3 feet high and Prancer was just a little thing. Somehow, and to this day I have no idea how, he would manage to scale those barriers and be out of the kitchen when we got home. I stll don't know how in the world he did that. Determined little pup is all I can say.

Jim

[Mama Kim]

Jim, what a cute memory of your Prancer!! I'll bet he jumped the barriers. Our Lucy used to be able to jump quite high and would regularly jump the barriers we put up for her while we were at work. So far Piper has not learned how to jump her gate but I wouldn't be surprised if it were to happen.

[Guest CarCarDawn]

Hi! When my little Riley was about 4 months old - - I actually witnessed him climbing out of his crate. I had left the top of it off so I could scoop him up for potty training and such - - I guess he got a little impatient with me - - climbed out himself!! Since then he climbs on top of tables and chairs and will walk along the back of the sofa just like a cat!!! Goofy little boy!!!!!!

[Guest posting as: LORI]

OUR GIRL BRANDY HAS SLEPT ON THE BACK OF THE COUCH AND CHAIR SINCE WE FIRST BROUGHT HER HOME. SHE HAD SEEN THE CAT DO IT SO I GUESS SHE FIGURED IT WAS ALRIGHT.

[bradl]

Please do not post in all caps. Thanks!

[Mary Jane Henry]

They are so smart it's scary!

[Toto times 2]

I have two cairns and two cats and I am sure they learn from each other. One of the boys (the cairns) regularly sleeps on the back of the couch and we had to increase the fence height so he couldn't try to walk along the top rail. The other is just as nimble and one of my cats is sure he is a cairn too.

[SaFireCarin]

When my Nessie was young she used to sleep on the back of the couch all the time, or even just sit up there to look out the window. She would also stand on her hind legs on our bed to get a better view out the window, sometimes for 10 minutes or longer!! What cute and funny dogs! :rolleyes: