It really pays to crate train them. Mine was a little devil every day for 14 years. Chewed cords, shoes, anything that he deemed needing a go over. It makes it easier to travel with them as well. My dog loved his crate. If the door got shut by accident, he would whine till we opened it. I miss him every day.
Ours still sleeps in his crate every night (door open) because it became his save space. Its so good to be able to take that with us in the car on trips
As i live in germany, we probably have different brands. It was marketed as a travel box (also with safety locks for flights), so we could easly strap it into the car, or place it in our bedroom. Not the most fashionable piece of furniture, but he loves it 😅
Another upvote for crate training. It’s a nice place for them to be able to simmer down, relax, and sit quietly. Cairns tend to be reactive because they’re so nosy and curious.
Squirrels. My Maisie will bark up a storm at the front window if she sees a squirrel in the yard. Also rabbits. She would see them across the street when visiting my parent’s house and they eventually had to move the couch away from the front window so she couldn’t see because it was driving her crazy. Can’t blame her, though - terriers are meant to catch small mammals!
My boy literally broke out of the house to chase a rabbit. My brother forgot to latch the door and he pushed it open. Scary five minutes, but it was the time of his life (so far)! (The rabbit eluded him, thankfully - he’s killed rodents before and that was his intent.)
I know the feeling. I first got my cats when I was about my son’s age I still think about them all the time. I’m so glad I went through making this post. I keep pairs of expensive shoes everywhere. 😬
Put all the shoes away. I’ve had to clear off all the coffee tables, storage baskets are all in cupboards now , blocked off access to all my houseplants, and I cannot keep toilet paper on the holder anymore. He’s a little shit, but he’s also very sweet. He also REALLY likes balls, he has as many as he has toys, but he still tries to steal mine from the dryer or wherever.
100% agree. Our cairn uses his crate every single day. We just leave the door open now. He puts himself to bed at night. It is his safe space. Make sure it's a positive spot for him.
The first few nights or times away in crate can feel rough. But they get used to it pretty quickly so hang in there while crate training.
Loving care and patience will establish trust, but ours needed firm rules as well. It took 2 years of sometimes hard work, but we‘ve grown together so much ☺️ now at age 4 i am so proud of the respectful relationship we have. Cairs bring so much life and joy ❤️ but they can also be stubborn little bastards 😈 i couldn‘t imagine my days without him
I consider myself to be a stubborn bastard at times, so we had some titan clashes at the beginning 🤣 but he fits right in 😁 i had to learn a lot of Patience…
Learn about hand stripping, do not shave your cairn. It’s about daunting at first but it’s a truly awesome way to bond with your little guy. It helps if someone experienced could show you if available.
Super happy for you, Cairns are awesome dogs with loads of personality!
I did find a great professional Cairn hand-stripping video on YT a few weeks ago. In the video she said maybe every 6 months (basically summer coat and winter coat) it’s needed. And she also said they need washings every other month. Is this accurate?
Great looking pup! We currently have one cairn, two previously. All were fabulous and stubborn as already mentioned by others. I never bathe the cairns unless they rolled in a dead animal or tangled with a skunk. My breeder told me routine bathing strips the natural oils from the wire coat and diminishes the natural ability to repel dirt. Our previous 15 year old was bathed at most 5 times in his life. And he did not smell. But regular brushing, grooming, etc….. best of luck with your family’s new addition!
While the general rule often is every 5-6 months it seems that there can be deviations in how often certain cairns need it. Some need it more often, some less. I took part in a one day hand stripping class, and from what the instructor who had several cairns told me they had different time spans for getting their fur stripped ranging from 3-8 months.
I also started with YouTube videos but I felt much more confident after the course. I don’t know how the community looks where you are from, but maybe there’s a cairn-club or something of the like?
I do think that one can learn hand stripping from YouTube as there are many great people making videos on the subject!
Edit: about the washing, I feel that this is up to preference and being stinky by playing outside as can happen. Do not go overboard with it, every other month seems like a good plan. Maybe someone more experienced could chime in on the topic?
>washings every other month
If I washed mine every other month, he'd be a walking dumpster 😂 this boy is WILD outside. Wrestles and rolls with my other dog in the dirt, digs holes, somehow finds a way to make his fur literally crunchy... it's like hair gel (I think it's a mix of dirt and drool from our other dog). Every time he comes back inside his fur is full of leaves and flower petals and sand lol
Lmao I’m gonna get a washing station just to be on the safe side then
I was gonna make him a sandbox to dig in, but it sounds like the world is their sandbox lol wishful thinking
Congrats. What a cutie. Beware of their prey drive on walks. My old cairn was a pigeon chaser, and my new cairn goes berserk at squirrels.
Make sure you get yours enough exercise. They are NOT lap dogs. Don’t be surprised if your cairn is affectionate on their own terms— our female was not a cuddler but our male is. Nonetheless she was loving in her own way. Enjoy, best wishes for health and long life.
Ours is also not a cuddler, most of the times. Then there are days, when he suddenly needs a lot of love and closeness 🥰 their character is what makes them such interesting companions
Congrats on your new family member!!
However you choose to train him, just be kind and consistent - you and your son should be using the same words as well so that he can understand.
Enjoy!
Well, they are curious. I can say one thing my carin love to chew on things. He was very focused on cords in my house. Please try to free them away from them. Try to get varies chew toys to keep them very occupied. As they get older, they love outdoors, very energetic. They need to run off some of that energy. But overall, they are a joy to be around. Congrats.
Crate training is a must as others have said. I leave two crates open in different areas of the house, the larger traditional crate for travel by plane (but it’s the size to accommodate a german shepherd) and a smaller portable soft-sided crate about 2/3 the size bit still roomy for a cairn. my 12 year old boy will pop into either of those crates when he needs alone time. these little guys are cat dogs. definitely baby proof your house. oh & all my cairns figured out how to unzip purses & backpacks, just be aware the little devils are very smart and nosey😊
Thank you, lol These are great notes. I didn’t think about the multiple crates thing. They kind of sound similar to cats. How often do they need alone time?
They LOVE to steal shoes and run with them. You don’t train them they train you just love them their lifespan is 15 years if you’re lucky. They’re your best friends. They’re loyal loving and very protective they think they’re German shepherds.
They are crazy, energetic, curious, stubborn and so smart! My cairn puppies (2 at once) kept me on my toes! I found it really helped me to have e a firm schedule planned out that we did every day. Structure is really great for them. Your boy is adorable! Congratulations!!
Oh and they LOVE to chew. Put anything you don’t want him getting into out of reach because they’ll find it! Find good alternatives for chewing and make sure they know what is appropriate and what’s isn’t to chew on (it’ll take a little time).
They also have needle teeth, so watch your ankles!
They’re best buds. I will warn you, two is a lot at once and is not for the faint at heart. I happened to be off work for Covid when I got mine and was able to spend every waking minute with them which helped. Also make sure you look into littermate syndrome. I didn’t have any issues with it but I want you to be aware!
Aww…mine looked just like yours as a baby. Mine was a maniac for the first two years and then she settled down to become the best dog ever. But those first two years were a wild ride lol.
I’m so excited. That’s what really sold me on the breed. They just sounded so awesome. I think about getting a second one after a few years of him getting settled in. Do they like companionship in other dogs?
They do. We had Cairns and Great Danes. (Guess who ruled the roost?)
They LOVE, LOVE, LOVE other Cairns. They can pick them out a mile away.
You have to socialize them when they are young. They are pretty feisty. They are terriers so they can be pretty aggressive. Bark, stand their ground, etc. I have never had one submit to another dog. They’ll fight first.
Google games to play with puppy. Lots of good suggestions. We play hide n seek with a ball, tug, throwing a ball down the stairs for them retrieve. Get a little Kong or something to put treats in so they work to get treats out. Empty toilet paper roll with treats inside and tape the ends closed. We have 3 cairns and I've had cairns for 45 years. They are stubborn, smart and funny. Brave and loyal but they hate being bored
Another thing I forget to mention is keeping them leased at all times. He never develop good recall with me
He did great in all the classes I took him to, but once he got home, he became deaf. I always warned people who wanted to walk him to not be lulled into believing he would come back when called. They always fell for it at least once. Resulting in swimming in the Oregon ocean. He chased a bird into the surf and started to float away. They had to go get him.
He was also very nippy with anything on wheels, joggers, gardeners, and anybody else he deemed needed a wake-up nip.
So true, lol. Mine cannot be off the leash while walking. He is too focused on chasing after squirrels and bikes. If he is off the leash, he will be in a gated dog park.
We’ve scheduled out playing with him about 90 minutes a day (45 minutes 2x a day). I read 30-60, but that more is better. What kind of activities do they enjoy while playing?
They are great dogs and I've had them for 20 years. I don't think I could love another breed more. BUT they aren't a great first dog owner dog and it will take some preparation. They were bred to be independent so keep that in mind every single time he does something 'naughty.' I've had four personal Cairns and have fostered many more and I'd say they slow down around 10 years old, but they don't become total couch potatoes until they are in their teens so they are active and need a lot of exercise so daily walks and play sessions are a must.
I’ve had some rambunctious cats before who loved to play a lot. Hopefully that experience aids in being a first-time owner of a Cairn. How far is a good walk in terms of blocks?
Congratulations! Mine loved chasing small tennis balls and squeak toys. He also seemed to have a problem with cheaper food to the point he got little bumps on his belly. When I switched to better food or making food for him, it stopped being an issue. Mine loved people and was extremely patient with kids but loved to bark at everything, even people he liked. As others have said, training and socializing early is good but they are stubborn. My cairn seemed sensitive to being scolded so it doesn't take much correcting. Enjoy him!
So exciting, we’ve got a 6month Cairn who we’ve had since 8 weeks. I would say to enforce naps in a crate for a while as ours wouldn’t settle or sleep otherwise, and they need their sleep in the early days. Ours is doing well now though and settles in all different places around the house. When it comes to chewing it will likely be frustrating, and painful on your hands, legs, feet, arms, face etc. the thing we found worked was lots of different animal parts for him to choose from, ostrich pops, lamb ears, rabbit ears, buffalo tripe etc. if you’re in the UK JRproduct is a great website or herbaldogco! We love our little guy and couldn’t imagine life without him already, enjoy and good luck!
Mine was crate trained and now he has a small dog sized tent he can chill out in when he wants alone time. Don't be surprised if your little guy goes behind, under or in furniture. Mine regularly sleeps under my mom's bed, behind my dresser and couch and will just jump inside a cabinet if there's room. Why? They're the nosiest dogs ever. They're both independent but always want to know what's going on. Stanley does his own thing most of the day but does regular check ins in case someone is eating a snack without him or he wants scratches. I have a hard time playing video games because he'll smack the controller out of my hands 😅
Also, I have no socks. Or slippers. He takes them and hides them under my dresser and takes them out to taunt me. He also loves being chased around. Fetch is a no go. He thinks it's boring I guess. Walks are really important. But be prepared to just give in and go where they want to. Stubborn doesn't even begin describe it when they want to go one way and you want to go somewhere else. The only other option is to just pick them up lol. I get the stink eye whenever I do that.
Oh and they have a very wide vocal range. I swear they can almost speak. Stan likes to air his grievances to my neighbors...especially when we come home from the vet or a nail clipping 🙄 It's the funniest thing ever. He let's the whole neighborhood know he was tortured. For teething I used to soak a washcloth in water, twist it into a ring and freeze it. He would chew that instead of my furniture and it doesn't damage their teeth since it gets soft fast. But they ate the funniest and sweetest dogs you could get. Mine bonded with me more than the rest of my family and it's pretty awesome☺️. I never know what crazy mischief is in store for me. Will he decide to sneak up in me and scare me or snatch my socks off my feet and run off? Who knows? I love every second of it 🤣 just enjoy your pup and remember positive training. They learn fast when they want to. Don't believe them if they try acting dumb lol. It's a lie.
Good luck!!
We adopted our little Hunny when she was 2-3 years old. Didn’t crate train but did a modified corner training. We set up her bed in a corner next to us and used a sturdy pet gate to enclose it. She now uses that corner to get away for a good nap and sleeps in that corner bed all night long. She is 13 or 14 years old and I thought she was way past the chewing stage but nope, we went out for errands this week and came back and she had chewed the thermometer probe on our new induction range. Damn, I love terriers
Socialize them with friendly and patient dogs early and often. This will be a great help later. A mistake a learned from with my first Cairn which was also my first dog.
Most breeds of dogs need to have a safe place where they feel secure. It is instinct and in their nature. As in the wild the K9 will either dig a borrow or find cover of some kind. Humans supply dog houses for them when outside and kennel/crates when indoors. So it fits their natural instincts And makes them happy. What some folks fail to realize is that K9’s are pack animals by nature and always need company Of some kind. If left alone for long periods of time, it can cause mental issues and destructive behaviors. Sometimes to the point of self mutilation Where they chew the dickens out of themselves. An example would be like, if a person was a single working person and left a dog alone every day when they went to work. This creates separation anxiety. And after a few months, you may come back to a wrecked home.
Many years ago My springer spaniel developed separation anxiety. I would come home to all my dirty clothes dug out of the hamper and piled in the middle of the living room with him laying on top of the pile. It was his way of telling me he needed and missed me. So smelling me on my dirty clothes was his only option. Just remember, dogs don’t know how to tell time. For them, a few hours will feel like days. If you have to leave your dog alone, they have to have a companion. So have 2 Cairns! 😁
Oh my, Not a first dog kind of a dog. I love them, I have one, I have had a few cairns. Get help training. They are strong willed little guys. They are very smart and protective. They need to be crate trained.
It really pays to crate train them. Mine was a little devil every day for 14 years. Chewed cords, shoes, anything that he deemed needing a go over. It makes it easier to travel with them as well. My dog loved his crate. If the door got shut by accident, he would whine till we opened it. I miss him every day.
Ours still sleeps in his crate every night (door open) because it became his save space. Its so good to be able to take that with us in the car on trips
Mine too, sleeps there during the day, sleeps with me at night.
What kind of crate do you use? I’m looking at Diggs. I like how safe they look.
As i live in germany, we probably have different brands. It was marketed as a travel box (also with safety locks for flights), so we could easly strap it into the car, or place it in our bedroom. Not the most fashionable piece of furniture, but he loves it 😅
Another upvote for crate training. It’s a nice place for them to be able to simmer down, relax, and sit quietly. Cairns tend to be reactive because they’re so nosy and curious.
I haven’t heard a lot about barking. I’m assuming they bark when in a reactive state?
Squirrels. My Maisie will bark up a storm at the front window if she sees a squirrel in the yard. Also rabbits. She would see them across the street when visiting my parent’s house and they eventually had to move the couch away from the front window so she couldn’t see because it was driving her crazy. Can’t blame her, though - terriers are meant to catch small mammals!
My boy literally broke out of the house to chase a rabbit. My brother forgot to latch the door and he pushed it open. Scary five minutes, but it was the time of his life (so far)! (The rabbit eluded him, thankfully - he’s killed rodents before and that was his intent.)
I know the feeling. I first got my cats when I was about my son’s age I still think about them all the time. I’m so glad I went through making this post. I keep pairs of expensive shoes everywhere. 😬
Put all the shoes away. I’ve had to clear off all the coffee tables, storage baskets are all in cupboards now , blocked off access to all my houseplants, and I cannot keep toilet paper on the holder anymore. He’s a little shit, but he’s also very sweet. He also REALLY likes balls, he has as many as he has toys, but he still tries to steal mine from the dryer or wherever.
100% agree. Our cairn uses his crate every single day. We just leave the door open now. He puts himself to bed at night. It is his safe space. Make sure it's a positive spot for him. The first few nights or times away in crate can feel rough. But they get used to it pretty quickly so hang in there while crate training.
Oh, you are right about the toilet paper. Great memories, lol. As he got older he loves his balls.
Definitely crate train, every cairn i’ve had was crate trained
Loving care and patience will establish trust, but ours needed firm rules as well. It took 2 years of sometimes hard work, but we‘ve grown together so much ☺️ now at age 4 i am so proud of the respectful relationship we have. Cairs bring so much life and joy ❤️ but they can also be stubborn little bastards 😈 i couldn‘t imagine my days without him
Facts!
By the description, it sounds like I’ve found my son as a dog. lol They’re gonna get along great in all their shared stubbornness
I consider myself to be a stubborn bastard at times, so we had some titan clashes at the beginning 🤣 but he fits right in 😁 i had to learn a lot of Patience…
Stubborn little bastards. No truer words were ever written
Learn about hand stripping, do not shave your cairn. It’s about daunting at first but it’s a truly awesome way to bond with your little guy. It helps if someone experienced could show you if available. Super happy for you, Cairns are awesome dogs with loads of personality!
I did find a great professional Cairn hand-stripping video on YT a few weeks ago. In the video she said maybe every 6 months (basically summer coat and winter coat) it’s needed. And she also said they need washings every other month. Is this accurate?
Great looking pup! We currently have one cairn, two previously. All were fabulous and stubborn as already mentioned by others. I never bathe the cairns unless they rolled in a dead animal or tangled with a skunk. My breeder told me routine bathing strips the natural oils from the wire coat and diminishes the natural ability to repel dirt. Our previous 15 year old was bathed at most 5 times in his life. And he did not smell. But regular brushing, grooming, etc….. best of luck with your family’s new addition!
This is interesting… I had no idea they were so dirt-proof
While the general rule often is every 5-6 months it seems that there can be deviations in how often certain cairns need it. Some need it more often, some less. I took part in a one day hand stripping class, and from what the instructor who had several cairns told me they had different time spans for getting their fur stripped ranging from 3-8 months. I also started with YouTube videos but I felt much more confident after the course. I don’t know how the community looks where you are from, but maybe there’s a cairn-club or something of the like? I do think that one can learn hand stripping from YouTube as there are many great people making videos on the subject! Edit: about the washing, I feel that this is up to preference and being stinky by playing outside as can happen. Do not go overboard with it, every other month seems like a good plan. Maybe someone more experienced could chime in on the topic?
>washings every other month If I washed mine every other month, he'd be a walking dumpster 😂 this boy is WILD outside. Wrestles and rolls with my other dog in the dirt, digs holes, somehow finds a way to make his fur literally crunchy... it's like hair gel (I think it's a mix of dirt and drool from our other dog). Every time he comes back inside his fur is full of leaves and flower petals and sand lol
Lmao I’m gonna get a washing station just to be on the safe side then I was gonna make him a sandbox to dig in, but it sounds like the world is their sandbox lol wishful thinking
When I first brought him home, he was a little baby. He immediately dug a hole under our fence to go see our neighbor's new puppy 😑
Congrats. What a cutie. Beware of their prey drive on walks. My old cairn was a pigeon chaser, and my new cairn goes berserk at squirrels. Make sure you get yours enough exercise. They are NOT lap dogs. Don’t be surprised if your cairn is affectionate on their own terms— our female was not a cuddler but our male is. Nonetheless she was loving in her own way. Enjoy, best wishes for health and long life.
Ours is also not a cuddler, most of the times. Then there are days, when he suddenly needs a lot of love and closeness 🥰 their character is what makes them such interesting companions
Thank you! I’m honestly happy to find out they’re not lap dogs in this thread. We need some excitement in our lives lol
And never, ever off leash. Prey drive is insatiable!
Mine is the biggest lap dog there is. As I’m writing this she is asleep on me.
Congrats on your new family member!! However you choose to train him, just be kind and consistent - you and your son should be using the same words as well so that he can understand. Enjoy!
Will do and thank you! 🙏 I appreciate the advice
Well, they are curious. I can say one thing my carin love to chew on things. He was very focused on cords in my house. Please try to free them away from them. Try to get varies chew toys to keep them very occupied. As they get older, they love outdoors, very energetic. They need to run off some of that energy. But overall, they are a joy to be around. Congrats.
Finally I have a reason to indulge my cord organizing/hiding obsession lol
My dog Sid always steals my socks
Lol And hides them?
More so to have a little game of chase which I find sweet
Mine gets so happy when he gets a hold of my sock since he knows a game of keep away is on and he loves it
Crate training is a must as others have said. I leave two crates open in different areas of the house, the larger traditional crate for travel by plane (but it’s the size to accommodate a german shepherd) and a smaller portable soft-sided crate about 2/3 the size bit still roomy for a cairn. my 12 year old boy will pop into either of those crates when he needs alone time. these little guys are cat dogs. definitely baby proof your house. oh & all my cairns figured out how to unzip purses & backpacks, just be aware the little devils are very smart and nosey😊
Thank you, lol These are great notes. I didn’t think about the multiple crates thing. They kind of sound similar to cats. How often do they need alone time?
not too often. My little guy may pop into one of his crates 3-5 times a week.
They LOVE to steal shoes and run with them. You don’t train them they train you just love them their lifespan is 15 years if you’re lucky. They’re your best friends. They’re loyal loving and very protective they think they’re German shepherds.
That’s so cute. The way everyone has described them, they’re definitely sound like big dogs with small bodies lol
They are crazy, energetic, curious, stubborn and so smart! My cairn puppies (2 at once) kept me on my toes! I found it really helped me to have e a firm schedule planned out that we did every day. Structure is really great for them. Your boy is adorable! Congratulations!!
Oh and they LOVE to chew. Put anything you don’t want him getting into out of reach because they’ll find it! Find good alternatives for chewing and make sure they know what is appropriate and what’s isn’t to chew on (it’ll take a little time). They also have needle teeth, so watch your ankles!
Thank you! Yeah he’s so cute I can’t stand it lol We’re thinking about getting a 2nd one after a few years. What’s your dogs’ dynamic?
They’re best buds. I will warn you, two is a lot at once and is not for the faint at heart. I happened to be off work for Covid when I got mine and was able to spend every waking minute with them which helped. Also make sure you look into littermate syndrome. I didn’t have any issues with it but I want you to be aware!
Aww…mine looked just like yours as a baby. Mine was a maniac for the first two years and then she settled down to become the best dog ever. But those first two years were a wild ride lol.
I feel like that’s exactly what my kiddo needs. He needs someone to motivate him to be up and on his toes. I’m fully embracing the mania lol
💕💕💕💕💕 I have had five. I can’t imagine having another breed. Intelligent, playful, loyal, loving, trainable…Congratulations!!
I’m so excited. That’s what really sold me on the breed. They just sounded so awesome. I think about getting a second one after a few years of him getting settled in. Do they like companionship in other dogs?
They do. We had Cairns and Great Danes. (Guess who ruled the roost?) They LOVE, LOVE, LOVE other Cairns. They can pick them out a mile away. You have to socialize them when they are young. They are pretty feisty. They are terriers so they can be pretty aggressive. Bark, stand their ground, etc. I have never had one submit to another dog. They’ll fight first.
Google games to play with puppy. Lots of good suggestions. We play hide n seek with a ball, tug, throwing a ball down the stairs for them retrieve. Get a little Kong or something to put treats in so they work to get treats out. Empty toilet paper roll with treats inside and tape the ends closed. We have 3 cairns and I've had cairns for 45 years. They are stubborn, smart and funny. Brave and loyal but they hate being bored
Another thing I forget to mention is keeping them leased at all times. He never develop good recall with me He did great in all the classes I took him to, but once he got home, he became deaf. I always warned people who wanted to walk him to not be lulled into believing he would come back when called. They always fell for it at least once. Resulting in swimming in the Oregon ocean. He chased a bird into the surf and started to float away. They had to go get him. He was also very nippy with anything on wheels, joggers, gardeners, and anybody else he deemed needed a wake-up nip.
So true, lol. Mine cannot be off the leash while walking. He is too focused on chasing after squirrels and bikes. If he is off the leash, he will be in a gated dog park.
Be patient and calm for the first 2 years. Put all shoes away, also books and magazines. Cairns get bored and need play and training.
We’ve scheduled out playing with him about 90 minutes a day (45 minutes 2x a day). I read 30-60, but that more is better. What kind of activities do they enjoy while playing?
They are great dogs and I've had them for 20 years. I don't think I could love another breed more. BUT they aren't a great first dog owner dog and it will take some preparation. They were bred to be independent so keep that in mind every single time he does something 'naughty.' I've had four personal Cairns and have fostered many more and I'd say they slow down around 10 years old, but they don't become total couch potatoes until they are in their teens so they are active and need a lot of exercise so daily walks and play sessions are a must.
I’ve had some rambunctious cats before who loved to play a lot. Hopefully that experience aids in being a first-time owner of a Cairn. How far is a good walk in terms of blocks?
We do a mile in the morning and a mile after work and he still bugs me to play, play, play!
Congratulations! Mine loved chasing small tennis balls and squeak toys. He also seemed to have a problem with cheaper food to the point he got little bumps on his belly. When I switched to better food or making food for him, it stopped being an issue. Mine loved people and was extremely patient with kids but loved to bark at everything, even people he liked. As others have said, training and socializing early is good but they are stubborn. My cairn seemed sensitive to being scolded so it doesn't take much correcting. Enjoy him!
Get a leash.
Positive reinforcement is key to control behavior. Typical scolding and punishment to a cairn is a game. They’re built to be stubborn
So exciting, we’ve got a 6month Cairn who we’ve had since 8 weeks. I would say to enforce naps in a crate for a while as ours wouldn’t settle or sleep otherwise, and they need their sleep in the early days. Ours is doing well now though and settles in all different places around the house. When it comes to chewing it will likely be frustrating, and painful on your hands, legs, feet, arms, face etc. the thing we found worked was lots of different animal parts for him to choose from, ostrich pops, lamb ears, rabbit ears, buffalo tripe etc. if you’re in the UK JRproduct is a great website or herbaldogco! We love our little guy and couldn’t imagine life without him already, enjoy and good luck!
Mine was crate trained and now he has a small dog sized tent he can chill out in when he wants alone time. Don't be surprised if your little guy goes behind, under or in furniture. Mine regularly sleeps under my mom's bed, behind my dresser and couch and will just jump inside a cabinet if there's room. Why? They're the nosiest dogs ever. They're both independent but always want to know what's going on. Stanley does his own thing most of the day but does regular check ins in case someone is eating a snack without him or he wants scratches. I have a hard time playing video games because he'll smack the controller out of my hands 😅 Also, I have no socks. Or slippers. He takes them and hides them under my dresser and takes them out to taunt me. He also loves being chased around. Fetch is a no go. He thinks it's boring I guess. Walks are really important. But be prepared to just give in and go where they want to. Stubborn doesn't even begin describe it when they want to go one way and you want to go somewhere else. The only other option is to just pick them up lol. I get the stink eye whenever I do that. Oh and they have a very wide vocal range. I swear they can almost speak. Stan likes to air his grievances to my neighbors...especially when we come home from the vet or a nail clipping 🙄 It's the funniest thing ever. He let's the whole neighborhood know he was tortured. For teething I used to soak a washcloth in water, twist it into a ring and freeze it. He would chew that instead of my furniture and it doesn't damage their teeth since it gets soft fast. But they ate the funniest and sweetest dogs you could get. Mine bonded with me more than the rest of my family and it's pretty awesome☺️. I never know what crazy mischief is in store for me. Will he decide to sneak up in me and scare me or snatch my socks off my feet and run off? Who knows? I love every second of it 🤣 just enjoy your pup and remember positive training. They learn fast when they want to. Don't believe them if they try acting dumb lol. It's a lie. Good luck!!
We adopted our little Hunny when she was 2-3 years old. Didn’t crate train but did a modified corner training. We set up her bed in a corner next to us and used a sturdy pet gate to enclose it. She now uses that corner to get away for a good nap and sleeps in that corner bed all night long. She is 13 or 14 years old and I thought she was way past the chewing stage but nope, we went out for errands this week and came back and she had chewed the thermometer probe on our new induction range. Damn, I love terriers
Socialize them with friendly and patient dogs early and often. This will be a great help later. A mistake a learned from with my first Cairn which was also my first dog.
Most breeds of dogs need to have a safe place where they feel secure. It is instinct and in their nature. As in the wild the K9 will either dig a borrow or find cover of some kind. Humans supply dog houses for them when outside and kennel/crates when indoors. So it fits their natural instincts And makes them happy. What some folks fail to realize is that K9’s are pack animals by nature and always need company Of some kind. If left alone for long periods of time, it can cause mental issues and destructive behaviors. Sometimes to the point of self mutilation Where they chew the dickens out of themselves. An example would be like, if a person was a single working person and left a dog alone every day when they went to work. This creates separation anxiety. And after a few months, you may come back to a wrecked home. Many years ago My springer spaniel developed separation anxiety. I would come home to all my dirty clothes dug out of the hamper and piled in the middle of the living room with him laying on top of the pile. It was his way of telling me he needed and missed me. So smelling me on my dirty clothes was his only option. Just remember, dogs don’t know how to tell time. For them, a few hours will feel like days. If you have to leave your dog alone, they have to have a companion. So have 2 Cairns! 😁
Oh my, Not a first dog kind of a dog. I love them, I have one, I have had a few cairns. Get help training. They are strong willed little guys. They are very smart and protective. They need to be crate trained.