1st pic of Toby!

[TobyinSelkirk]

Hi everyone!

I just got my hands on a pic of my puppy who will be coming home to us on Feb 14th at 8 weeks....is that not too young to be leaving his mom?? Anyway, Toby is on the right!!

[Jessica H]

Toby is ADORABLE. Looks like he is starting to get the crazy fur already. I will be interested to see what color he ends up being, I am going to guess a wheaton. Congrats on the new baby!!

[TobyinSelkirk]

Thanks we think he is super cute too!!

I hope he is wheaton, thats the color we are hoping for. Do you think his muzzle will stay dark?

[Jessica H]

Scooter had a dark muzzle and he was very dark as a puppy but as you can see he is a reddish wheaton. He has a little dark fur around his muzzle but he looks like a different dog now. Not nearly as dark as it was when he was a puppy.

This was when Scooter was about Toby's age.

[jimnconnie]

Congratulations in advance, Toby is a real cutie!! I think most of them have dark muzzles when they are small, and then lighten up later. Our breeder doesn't let her pups go until 10-12 wks., so I guess you're right in the ballpark on that. I see some people getting puppies a 6-8 wks., but I think that's way too young to separate them from their mother. Good luck with Toby when you get him home!

[kayharley]

I could cuddle that little face forever!

[Scully'sMom]

I want a puppy!!!! Congratulations on your new addition - Toby is too cute for words.

[pkcrossley]

eeek!

i'm sure it is not legal to be a cute as that.

if he grows up to be wheaten his muzzle won't stay dark. he does look like he is going toward wheaten, though, though maybe a little chance of gray brindle? looks like his brother or sister is going toward red brindle. do you know the colors of the parents?

[Toby23]

Yippee, another Toby ! Congrats and I hope you get as much joy from yours as I do mine...he sure looks sweet

[Kramersmom]

Toby is too cute for words. So tiny, I can't remember my Kramer being so little but he was 3 years ago. Time goes by too fast. Kramer had a very dark black muzzle as a puppy. My first cairn Missy was solid black. Here is an update picture of Kramer.

[oscar's mom]

Oscar too had a dark muzzle, but it has lightened up over time. He too came home with us at 8 weeks, what a little rascal he was! Enjoy the puppy stage and take lots of pictures they do change quickly before your eyes.

[TobyinSelkirk]

Thanks everyone! Toby's mom has some red in her with a dark muzzle, but she is still light. His dad is 100% wheaton with black tips on his ears. Oh well, no black muzzle is ok with me!

I am REALLY nervous getting him....its been a very very long time since I have had to take care of a puppy this tiny!! I wish she would keep him another week or 2 but she is shipping 2 others in this litter then and she has to drive a long distance to get to an airport. I am not looking forward to the late nights and taking him outside. I live in Manitoba and this time of year its aprox about -30 c outside with a windchill!!! Brrrrr...should make him do his business fast though!!

[cairnrescueleague]

Yes, 8 weeks is too young. I believe the CTCA Code of Ethics says cairns shouldn't be adopted out before the age of 12 weeks. Cairns (and most small terriers) are slower to mature (but longer lived) than most dogs, and there are many critical things a cairn pup learns from its mother and littermate between the ages of 8-12 weeks, bite inihibition being one of them. Breeders will sometimes adopt pups out before the age of 8 weeks, but usually only if the pup is a singleton or there are other extenuating circumstances. Has your breeder said why they're letting your pup go early?

[TobyinSelkirk]

The breeder just said that because she is about a 3 hour drive to an airport, since she is shipping 2 other litter mates she will send him at that time too. I wonder if I could just ask her to keep him for another 2 weeks and that I don't feel right taking him away from his mom so early? I know when my mom bred scotties she would keep them until they where 12 weeks or older...I was really young then and I just thought she wanted to keep them longer so we can play with them..LOL. Now I know they should be with the mom that long and my mom doesn't agree with him coming here at such a young age and to be on a plane for 6 hours!!

[Napi'smom]

sooooo adorable, what a cutie pie... my Napoleon had dark fur when he was a puppy now he is a blondie all around!!

[Scruffys Mom]

Too cute. Both of my pups are puppy mill dogs, (no lectures please) Both were released too young from mom and I have to constantly work with fear issues with both pups. Sparky was only at the pet store for a few hours til I rescued him at the tender age of 8 weeks old. He is the the sweetest, easiest Cairn I have ever come across, but he is also the most fearful. Scruffy was released at a very young age and was at the puppy store from 8 weeks, till 12 weeks, when I rescued her. I have a combination of issues with Scruffy, being separated from her mother to early and being grabbed in a pet store for 4 weeks. She has only bonded with me as she has so many fear issues. I question your breeder as she is willing to allow the pups go at an early age. Given her lack of credibility, I have to wonder would the pup be better off with you now. I think the plane ride at that age is going to be pretty scary too.

[maggie]

He is very cute! I think you have to be confortable with your breeder, why is she wanting to ship them out so soon? Not just yours but all three.

[pkcrossley]

if the breeder is shipping them now, then this is when you have to accept toby. i agree with crl, this is too young, but what are you to do? the breeder has made up her mind she is not keeping toby another 4 weeks, and you wouldn't know how good his nurturing would be if she did. you will know what he has missed (in general) and later you will be able to make up for it is in his training. keep him warm, cuddle him, and discourage him from biting. he's precious! he'll appreciate having a warm lap to get safe in after the horrors of the plane travel.

[TobyinSelkirk]

I know if I was on a plane for that long I would feel terrible, never mind a puppy his age! Yes I did contact her and she said she doesn't have the room to keep them longer. Shes not a puppy mill but she does breed 3 other cairns, a jack russel and a westie and she said shes got 3 more litters coming for Feb. She keeps all the puppies in her bedroom with her as that is where they are born, so I guess she's not all that bad. She also starts them on the raw diet, which I have read is pretty good.

Thanks for the heads up on the biting, how do you discourage it? I already have him registered for puppy classes in April!! LOL Yes we are excited!

I just got the flight info from her and he will be arriving here on Feb 14th at midnight! Thank god my mom is a dog lover because she will be the one going to pick him up. I'm sure she will be driving with him in her jacket! Thats how she travels with her yorkie. I have 2 daughters one is 9 and the other is 5 months. Yes I know I'm nuts getting a puppy with a baby, but we had a lab and due to aggression issues, after having her for 2 years we had to give her back to the rescue and I feel empty not having a shadow around. I miss my "dog and me" time.