Cairn Terrier
Bred to bolt vermin out of the rock cairns of the Scottish highlands, which is where the name comes from. Toto in the Wizard of Oz was one.
Overview
The Cairn Terrier was bred in the Scottish highlands to bolt vermin out of the rock cairns that give it its name, working alone in tight spaces against animals that fought back. It is one of the oldest terrier types in Scotland.
It is small at thirteen or fourteen pounds, with a harsh weatherproof outer coat over a soft undercoat, and it is best known as Toto in The Wizard of Oz.
Temperament
Bold, busy and cheerful. Cairns are affectionate with their families, good with children, and they retain a full working terrier temperament.
They dig, which was the job, and they will excavate a garden. They bark, they chase, and the prey drive towards small animals is genuine. They are clever and quite trainable by terrier standards, and they get bored with repetition.
Care and grooming
The harsh coat needs a weekly brush and hand stripping two or three times a year. It should not be clipped, which softens it permanently. They shed very little.
They are among the healthier small breeds. Craniomandibular osteopathy, globoid cell leukodystrophy and portosystemic shunts occur, and the first two have tests. Thirteen to fifteen years is normal.
Living and exercise
An hour a day plus play. They are sturdier and more energetic than their size suggests.
A fence sunk into the ground, because they dig under rather than over. They suit families and flats alike given the exercise, and they are one of the more robust small terriers.
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