Westminster

[Mary Jane Henry]

I recently caught some of the Westminster Dog Show on television and was fortunate to see the little Cairn. My question is this: his/her coat was goomed very short. I was surprised because of all I've heard about hand-stripping etc. My little Emma is 1 1/2 now and I've left her coat long for the winter months. It's a terrible mess. I've taken her in to the groomer just to have her face and feet cleaned up, but I'm not too sure what to do next. Is short the way to go? Very curious now! Thanks,

MJ Henry

[Guest Hogan's mom]

I wondered about the cairn, too. I didn't like it-it looked too "groomed" to me. I'm certainly not an expert, but I thought Cairns weren't suposed to look that "neat".

[Posey]

Yeah, there is such a thing as a cut called the "puppy cut" don't know if that was what the dog had at the dog show or not. But we get it for our Nicky every summer. They get so hot.

Posey

[spa]

http://www.cairnterrier.org/standard/why.php

October 1, 1934

Why We Needed A New Standard For The Cairns

By ALICE ROGERS and CORINNE S. W. WARD

This article first appeared in the October 1, 1934 issue of the AMERICAN KENNEL GAZETTE (pages 17-21, 152) and is reprinted with permission.

IN one other respect, a cairn has some differences from other terriers, and it is one of the breed

[LORI]

Hello, About Westminister Show, the dogs in that show are the American style. This is what American breeders and judges look for in their American dogs. The show that you want to see the Crufts' Dog show. This is from England and there you will see our Cairns in a more natural look. More at a working look.

In Europe it is believed to be cruel to doc tails and crop ears and strip to extremes. This is a much more natural show. In our area it will be on cable sometime in March. I had missed the Westminister but will be on the look out for Crufts. Maybe Bradl could give us more info.

[spa]

[SIZE=14]John Marvin (1986) The New Complete Cairn Terrier 2d Ed.

Ch. 15 Trends and Observations

The Influence of the Novice

Trimming and Coat Management

Pages 233-234

Many dogs being exhibited lack coat length and density. The Cairn is a natural breed - trimming should be carefully carried out to make the dog appear tidy but not heavily trimmed. The development of the knowledge of the proper trimming technique is an art that cannot be accomplished in a day, a week or a month. It requires deep study and careful effort to bring the dog to perfection. Certainly, stripping off the top coat and exhibiting the animal with little or no covering is wrong and should be heavily penalized. It is true that the shorther the coat the easier it is to keep the animal going but conversely, the less it looks like a Cairn. While the chapter on trimming goes into great detail on the methods to be used, it does not even infer that a Cairn should be exhibited without a good double coat with substanial length in the outer jacket. Exhibitors should understand this before they exhibit their dogs.

I might say, in the early days of the breed, when it was shown substantially in the rough, it did not do well in Group competition. Terriers, in general, are a heavily trimmed group of dogs and therefore the untidy animal in a ring with others did not offer a good impression. However, tidying up a dog means just waht it says; making the animapl appear tidy, feet and tail trimmed to elimiate straggling hair and the coat in a reasonably tight condition with a clean tidy appearance. Such a dog can win in any competition and this is the desideratum."

[Main Entry: de

[Mary Jane Henry]

Thanks for all the great information! I'll look for the Crufts Show, but I suspect that our (Toronto, Canada) cable company doesn't carry it because I've never seen it before. I do like the more natural look though, and it's one of the reasons I chose the Cairn over the Westie or the Scottie which both look "over-groomed" to me. I'm having trouble finding a groomer and I'm hoping that the Canadian Kennel Club can put me in touch with someone who can just do the basics. A year ago I spent a whole afternoon with my Emma's breeder who showed me how to do it myself, but I'd really like to find a professional! Cheers!

MJ

[Mary Jane Henry]

PS - I discovered that the Crufts is March 4 - 7 with the Terriers on the 7th.

[LORI]

Coffee and Cairns at my house on the 7th of March, in Kenmore, NY.

[Guest SeanPAlbert@aol.com]

I recently caught some of the Westminster Dog Show on television and was fortunate to see the little Cairn.  My question is this:  his/her coat was goomed very short.  I was surprised because of all I've heard about hand-stripping etc. 

MJ Henry

Hello, About Westminister Show, the dogs in that show are the American style. This is what American breeders and judges look for in their American dogs. The show that you want to see the Crufts' Dog show. This is from England and there you will see our Cairns in a more natural look.

Lori

CRUFTS 2004 ~ CAIRN TERRIERS ~ JUDGE MR. J. K. JEFFREY

"I would like to thank all the exhibitors for such a quality entry for me to judge. I thought there were some very nice cairns, and in some classes I had to send out some excellent exhibits with no reward. If it had been possible to grade these exhibits a lot of them would have gone home with excellent grading. This entry was one of the best I have ever judged, some classes were outstanding and it was very hard to send so many good Cairns out cardless. I did find some heads were long in foreface, some with very little stop, and some eyes were much darker than the standard asks for. Also, where have all the full Cairn coats gone? I would have liked to have seen more exhibits in the proper full coat, which gives a more natural appearance."

Mr. J. K. Jeffrey's critique is posted on the Midland Cairn Terrier Club website in its entirety.

The sentences in red above are relevant to the discussion of Cairn coats and grooming in the UK and US.

Sean