Temperament of Cairn Terriers

The Cairn terrier originated in the Scottish Highlands, where its job was to work its way down into rock dens, known as "cairns" and bark at a fox or badger in order to subdue it until the hunter arrived. Of course the most famous Cairn terrier is Toto from "The Wizard of Oz." In fact, a viewing of the film is actually a good window into the Cairn temperament; Toto showed his feistiness when he got in trouble for chasing Miss Gulch's cat, then later redeemed himself by showing loyalty to Dorothy in assisting with her rescue.

  1. Loyal to Family

    • The Cairn is a loyal and loving dog, eager to play and showing no fussy lap dog behaviors in spite of its small size -- in fact, it's quite a hardy animal. The Cairns love long walks and playing ball and have almost limitless reserves of energy. Generally they get along well with other dogs, unless challenged. Some behavior experts recommend being careful with the Cairn around children, although that can depend on the temperament of the individual dog.

    Predator Instincts

    • Cairn terriers like to chase cats and, in some instances, are capable of harming them. Supervise your Cairn before leaving him alone with a cat. Another reason a cat may not like a Cairn: the Cairn terrier is a natural hunter of rodents, putting the cats job of chief mouser in jeopardy.

    Small Dog Syndrome

    • Small dog syndrome is the result of owners treating their toy-sized dogs like human babies, leading the dog to grow up coddled and believing he is the pack leader. This can lead to undesirable behaviors such as aggression and excessive barking. It's important to be assertive with smaller breeds and establish yourself as the leader early on.

    Obedience Training

    • Because the Cairns are naturally feisty, it's almost always a good idea to start them on obedience training when they are young. These terriers are highly intelligent and learn quickly, but their drive to dominate is strong so continual reinforcement of good behaviors is imperative.