According to the Cairn Terrier history this breed holds its origin back around the 1500s, to the Scotland Highlands and the island of Skye. It is one of the original terriers of Scotland. The Cairns got it name as it would bark at the foxes and badgers by squeezing itself into the “cairns” until the farmers came and killed it

The Cairn Terrier characteristics include is a tough little terrier, with an expression like a fox. It has a broad head and the way the teeth meet is like the bite of a scissor. It has a black nose and hazel colored eyes that are deep with a top knot and shaggy eyebrows. They have small and erect ears that are covered with short hairs. It has a double coat which is shaggy and weather resistant. The outer cover is rough while the inner coat is soft. The coat has various colors except for white. As the color of the coat changes several times for many years, the final color of the coat is hard to say.

Other Cairn Terrier information includes the height of the male Cairn Terrier is about 10-13 inches and that of bitches is about 9-12 inches, while the weight of the male Cairn Terrier is about 14-18 pounds and that of the bitches is 13-17 pounds. It is a dog full of life, very attentive; tough who is very devoted, interested, cheerful, adorable and friendly. They are very friendly with children. The Cairn Terrier adapts themselves very well to apartment life and are happy if given enough exercise. It is lively within the house so does not need a yard for play.

The Cairn Terrier training needs to be given by someone who is rigid with rules but not unsympathetic and disciplined. The Cairn Terrier are very independent and will not listen if the owner is not consistent in his training or strong minded.

The Cairn Terriers health problems include they have the tendency to gain weight easily so should not be over fed. They are also often known to be allergic to fleas. If not trained properly they may also suffer from “small dog syndrome”

The Cairn Terrier adoption needs a lot of time and effort. It has a coat that looks shaggy naturally but it takes a lot of effort in order to maintain it and if it is neglected then the coat becomes matted and a mess. The coat needs to be brushed many times in a week. The Cairn terrier needs to be given bath once a month and while the hair is drying the coat needs to be brushed. The hair near the eyes and the ears need to be trimmed with a blunt scissor and the nails need to be clipped on a regular basis. The Cairns are known to shed very little or no hair.