CAIRN TERRIER - TOP 9 INTERESTING FACTS

The Wizard of Oz

1/ Cairn terriers are one of the oldest Terrier breeds. They originated from the Isle of Skye in Western Scotland and were initially grouped in the "Skye Terrier" group and the Scottish and West Highland White Terriers. In the early 1900s, the three breeds began to be bred separately.

2/ They are named after a pile of rocks. The word cairn (an old Scottish word) refers to a stack of stones, formed either naturally or by human hands, used as road markers and memorials. Small and plucky, Cairn terriers were fearless in their digging around the cairns to get at the rodents under them.

3/ They tend to be southpaws, shown in dogs to correlate to superior performance in tasks related to scent. Also, their front paws are well-padded and larger than their rear ones, a trait that gave them an advantage when digging in their pursuit of rodents.

4/ In real life, Toto from the Wizard of Oz was actually a ‘she’ and Terry. Furthermore, the best-known Cairn terrier was essentially a rescue dog, adopted by a Hollywood dog trainer Carl Spitz.

5/ Because of selective breeding geared more towards the dog's ability to hunt, the Cairn Terrier has developed very few resistances or anti-bodies to fight off common diseases.

6/ In a 2006 study, the Cairn Terrier was at 35th place, tied with the Kerry Blue Terrier and the Irish Terrier, as dogs who can understand and obey new commands or instructions. The number one position belongs to the Border Collie.

7/ Cairn Terriers can come in various colours except for white, which is reserved for a West Highland White Terrier.

8/ Brindled Cairn Terriers can often change their coat colour throughout their life.

9/ Cairn Terries shed very little and should only be hand-stripped; using sheers or clippers may damage their protective coat texture.