New Cairn neighbor

[fiddler927]

So yesterday, as I was attempting to chase down Ellie, who had gotten out the front door during an unguarded moment on my part, I met a man out walking his boxer with his little girl. On seeing Ellie, he immediately asked if she were a Cairn, and I said yes. He then told me that his family had just gotten a Cairn puppy.

I told him about this website, so maybe he'll join us .

I also warned him about Cairns being hyperactive (get these dogs some ritalin )!

BTW, I eventually cornered Ellie between some neighbors' houses and brought her home.

She just won't come when she's called if she gets out of the house and yard .

Laurie

[Nikki]

Angel's done that to me a few times but i just start running the other way and she follows she thinks it a game lil sh%&

[Amber and the zoo]

Our girls won the state basketball championship so there was a parade today. Dan and I had Ellie and Gracie on a walk and Ellie broke loose of the leash (???) and took off running. Fortunately a man stood in the middle of the sidewalk and it startled Ellie she just stopped and barked at him til' Dan could catch her again. Darn doggies!!! PS...Gracie has been sleeping since we got home--she must be tuckered out!!!

[kcsdogs]

That is cool I have not met any Cool Cairn people in my area.........all of them have been dreadful backyard breeder types that want to make Cairnorkies & Cairnooldles.............

[fiddler927]

Yeah, I've used the "cut and run" technique on Ellie with some success, although if she's determined to take off, she will anyway. I just worry when I can't catch her that she will be hit by a car. My neighbor and his two daughters have helped retrieve her, but she's really good at staying just out of reach. A couple of times when I was out walking the dogs, Ellie, whose head is small, slipped her collar and took off. That was when the "cut and run" plan worked the best (although I can't run; I have MS).

Cairnoodles?! I can't imagine what THAT would look like! Or a Cairnorkie for that matter (at least it's another terrier).

I long ago decided against breeding our dogs; I don't know enough about it, and it's a lot of work anyway. Our two are spayed, so they can both keep their "puppyish" figures!

Laurie

[Duncan's Mom]

I have found a treat that is in a shiny bright blue bag that Duncan loves. The treats are soft and chewy. I hold the bag up and shake it yelling in a high sing-song voice "Duncan, want a biscuit?" When he hears and sees the bag, he comes flying to the door. He then comes in, sits, and shakes. Of course he then gets his treat. Works like a charm. The key is to find a treat that they really love!

[TheWolf]

Nicole's suggestion of running in the opposite direction is a great idea, and has worked for me with the ones that suddenly "go deaf". I am lucky to have enough wooded area around my home and can always get them headed away from the main road and traffic. Usually all it takes is ten or fifteen minutes of freedom until their "hearing" returns. I have also FINALLY learned to always have a leash and some kind of lure (my guys love squeeky toys) right inside the door for emergencies. As for Cairnoodles-------we think we have grooming problems with our purebreds, I cant imagine dealing with that coat unless it was kept clipped short !

[Hagar]

I had a similar experience about two weeks ago. I had Renny in the back yard while I went into the house to get something. When I came back out, I didn't notice that the gate didn't latch behind me. About the time I got to the far end of the yard, the wind blew the gate open. Renny and I noticed it at about the same time, and of course he got there first and headed down the driveway.

I couldn't call it "running away" since he kept looking back to make sure I was following, but would stay just out of reach. He headed down the block to a house where the lady always has a treat for him when she's outside. Of course she wasn't there, so he went up the side street and then up the alley exploring several backyards. Again, he stayed just out of reach. At the next street he turned and ran across a busy street and went to a man walking his dog. A lady passing in a van saw him approach the other dog and apparently though there was going to be a dogfight. She stopped to help the guy while I was still trying to get across the street.

I called out "If you can grab him, DO it". She was right near a gate to a yard and managed to get him through the gate and close it. I finally cornered and caught him and carried him home after big thanks to the lady from the van. The funny thing is, I think he knew he screwed up big time. He has been an absolute little angel ever since. Needless to say, a spring closer has been installed on the gate so it doesn't happen again.

I guess even a well behaved Cairn is still a "Terrier", and bears close watching!

Hagar.

[fiddler927]

Sometimes tempting Ellie with a treat works; at other times it's useless. I always have a leash handy by the door, but catching her is the key. She's good at staying just out of reach.

I wish we were out in the country, but we are in the (small) city, and we have enough traffic on this street to be a danger to small animals. Of course, living in the country is no guarantee either. My daughter-in-law's mother lives on a farm, and she has lost two dogs to cars speeding down the narrow lane where they live.

Sometimes when Ellie gets away, I'll just give up and stop chasing her. Usually, she will come to the door before very long. The chase is the part of the game that she enjoys most, I think.

When she was a puppy, she was so small that we had to put rocks and boards in front of even the most apparently narrow openings in our fence, because she was so good at squeezing through. Now I just have to watch her when the front door is open!

Laurie

[fiddler927]

Boy, ain't it the truth!

Laurie