Health and
Feeding Requirements
When getting a puppy
form a breeder ensure you get a feeding programme for your puppy.
Most good breeders will automatically supply a feeding
regime and will give you a list of good brands of dog food.
This list can differ greatly from country to country
depending on what food is readily
available. There is no
point in buying a food that is not readily available as switching
dog foods can upset a dog’s stomach.
Discuss health
problems
and ask for advices remember The Cairn Terrier is a basically
healthy dog, and frequently lives 14 to 15 years or more if he is
cared for and kept
fit
and active and not over fed. If
you have any problems contact your breeder a good breeder loves to
get feed back on their pups and are always
willing to help no matter what.
Selecting a
Breeder
If you have decided to
get a Cairn terrier if
you contact The Cairn Terrier Association the secretary will let you
know of any puppies that are available
but you must be prepared to wait.
A properly reared and socialised puppy from a conscientious
breeder will be worth the effort you will need to find
him/her. The early weeks
of a puppies life are very important it is crucial that he has been
reared properly, he must be used to being handled, he
must used to house
noises and he has had to been fed well with a good quality puppy
food with all the right nutrients and viatmins.
Be prepared to answer questions from a breeder as they have
put a lot of time and effort into rearing their litter and they want
the best for their puppy they will want to know as
much if not more about you than you want to know abut their puppies.
While this might seem intrusive remember that it is being
asked with the puppies welfare in mind and that you have found a
concerned breeder.
Visit and see where your
puppy was raised and in many cases several generations of his
ancestors. Be sure to spend time with these older dogs before
you
begin to look at the puppies. Their personality and appearance is a
good indicator of how the puppies will mature. Adult Cairns should
also appear healthy, clean
and reasonably well groomed.
When you choose a puppy
from a responsible breeder, you will have someone to call on for
advice and assistance in all aspects of puppy care
and
rearing. A good breeder's commitment to his puppies is lifelong, and
he or she will welcome your questions, now and for the life of your
Cairn.
Please
do not support puppy farms
Never
ever arrange to meet at the side of the road and if you can not
see the adults walk away. If
their are numerous different breeds
of dogs
and numerous litters of puppies walk away a lot of people think they
are rescuing a puppy by buying it from a bad situation the
opposite is
in fact true as you are just lining the pockets of the puppy farmer
and as long as their is demand they will keep producing.
A lot
of these puppies can end up with behavioual problems due to not
being socialised handled and receiving the proper care in their
formative
first weeks it can takes months
and years to teach them to adjust to normal life.
If you
watch the RSPCA video you will also learn that a lot of these
puppies are sick and owners end up with either a dead or very
expensive
vet bills. A cheap puppy bought over the internet or from
a pet shop can end up costing you hundreds in vet bills and worse
still
you can
have a puppy die.
I
foolishly bougth a puppy like this as I felt sorry for him and could
not leave him behind it was a costly heartbreaking decision I spent
over 2000 pounds in vet bills and lost him at two years of age.
My regret is that I bought into the industry and I will never make
the same
mistake
again. Faro will never be forgotten
and if I can stop one other person going through that heartbreak his
short life will not have been
in
vain.
Please look at these link but be
warned it is not nice and it is no life for a dog to live.
Even though the farms looks clean on
the first video watch the interaction of the pups and remember they
knew the film crew were coming.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akKoolN44ZE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAkUduM_rwM&p=210874D23E6B9968&playnext=1&index=3
Grooming
 
Maintaining the Cairn's
shaggy appearance is not difficult. An hour or so of grooming each
week will keep his coat in good condition.
But it is better
if you can especially with a young puppy to groom for a few
minutes a day. Always
remember that puppies get bored easily and you do not want them
to think that grooming is a chore to be endured rather than a
pleasure. Cairn
puppies do not need much grooming the purpose for grooming them is
to get them accustomed to it so that as an adult they are more at
ease.
Shedding is minimal if
the dog is thoroughly brushed and combed weekly, and infrequently
bathed.
If you are thinking of
showing your cairn go along to shows and speak to show people ask
for advice on grooming and stand and watch it is the
best lesson you will
ever get. Speak to the
Secretary of the Club or Association if they are there they are
always willing to help. Do
not think exhibitors
are being rude if they are getting dogs ready for the ring and are
too busy to talk they will tell you that they are busy and will talk
later just
stand
back and watch they will speak to you afterwards.
Preparation for the show ring is comparatively simple
Pet or Show
One of the questions you
will be asked by a reputable breeder is whether you wish to show or
breed your puppy. A young puppy can have
"show potential" but
cannot be guaranteed show quality. If you will be unhappy if the
puppy does not turn out to be a successful show dog, you
should
consider an older puppy. Between the ages of 6 and 12 months a
breeder can determine if a puppy will measure up to the Standard.
Most people know they
want a pet and it is amazing the amount of times a breeder is told
but I only want a pet why should I pay that for a pet when
I can get one
cheaper from a not reputable breeder or pet store.
There are many valid reason for going to a reputable breeder
as they are breeding for the
show ring. A puppy being
bred for the show ring as opposed to just a puppy being bred as pets
always remember a litter being bred for show must
have the following they must be stable in temperament as throughout
their show life they will have different people go over them and
that requires a good temperament.
The pet puppy also needs this as remember he is going to be
part of your family. The
show cairn is also bred to be friendly and healthy.
So a puppy out of show parents has an excellent chance of
having these qualities. Reputable breeders will carry out
health checks on their puppies and
these are crucial with
any. puppy While
the pet puppy may not have all the virtues of being a show dog he
may fall short in some small way or
perhaps it may
be a case that the breeder wants the opposite sex out of this litter
so in fact you may be buying a dog with all the qualities of being a
show dog or even if your puppy fall
short of being a show dog the chances are you would not even know
what the fault was if you did not ask. This pet puppy has
the same parent’s the same prenatal care, the same
environment and the same early socialisation, which is ever so
important as the one, the breeder will later
take into the ring. He will be a dog others will admire and one that
you can take pride in owning.
Male or
Female
Fifty years ago when
females were not routinely spayed, males were considered more
desirable. Few families wanted females. "all those male
dogs hanging around
twice a year!" etc. Then spaying became routine, and now most
people think a female is the better choice. Actually, both make
equally satisfactory pets. A neutered male does not "mark"
inside or out if he is neutered at the appropriate age, nor does he
exhibit other undesirable
characteristics many associate with male dogs. Many Cairn breeders
feel the male is more affectionate. The females tend to be a bit
more independent. Some repuatable breeders
will expect you to spay or neuter your pet Cairn, both as a
preventive health procedure and to prevent future breeding or
they will put a breeding agreement on the
contract of sale of a puppy.
Which Puppy 
When you find a breeder
you respect and have a good relationship with i.e. make sure you can
talk to your breeder and they will spend time
answering
your questions but also realise
they might be busy and if they ask you to ring back they are not
being rude, it may be the puppies feeding time and that
to
the responsible breeder is more
important than anything else. Spend time discussing your family and
your lifestyle, and then trust your breeder to pick
a
puppy for you.
Always be honest with the breeder as remember that is the
person who if you have a problem you are going to rely on for help.
Also
the breeder has spent weeks or months with the puppies and knows
their personality and temperament. The reputable breeder wants you
to have the puppy that best
suits you, and with which you will be happy. If you aren't happy the
breeder knows the puppy won't be happy, either. And the puppies
happiness is their utmost concern (Most reputable breeders require
unwanted puppies be returned to them.)
Good breeders do not
sell puppies younger than 8 weeks of age, and many will not sell a
puppy under 12 weeks, or even older, depending on the new owner's
living arrangements and lifestyle. If your breeder suggests that an
older puppy or even a young adult would be better for you, keep an
open
mind and consider the possibility. People who are away from home for
eight hours or more a day are not ideally suited to raising a very
young
puppy.
Breeders sometimes have puppies that are older. six, eight, or ten
months. These have often kept by the breeder as potential show
prospects.
These older puppies will be housetrained much sooner than a very
young puppy. If they have been socialized, they may be the ideal
choice for
a working family. In some circumstances an adult dog, possibly
already housetrained, may be available. Cairns are very adaptable to
new
circumstances and quickly make themselves part of their new family,
enabling those who could not raise a puppy to have the company of a
Cairn.
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