How to Brush a Cairn Terrier

Cairn terriers are "hard-haired" or "wire-haired" breeds. They have a coarse, thick coat, which originally protected them from the elements as well as badgers, rats and other game they were bred to hunt. Cairn terriers don't shed as much as many dogs, so they can accumulate dead hair, which can become matted. Brushing a cairn terrier regularly with the right type of brushes can help maintain a healthy coat as well as protect and maintain the dog's skin.

Things You'll Need

  • Slicker brush
  • Grooming combs
  • Stripping knife or shedding blade
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Instructions

    • 1

      Strip the coat of dead hair using a special comb called a stripping knife or shedding blade. The comb contain blades that loosen dead hair. Brush with the direction of the hair growth using a backward and downward motion. The blades cannot cut the Cairn's skin.

    • 2

      Use a wide comb to continue removing dead hair from the coat. Cairn terriers have a soft, downy undercoat as well as a thicker overcoat. Make sure the comb penetrates all the way down through the coat to loosen tangles and debris.

    • 3

      Use a fine comb to remove smaller pieces of debris and dead skin. Comb the coat with the direction of the hair growth and find any mats that may need to be removed. If they cannot be loosened with gentle combing, they should be removed with clippers or by a professional. Never use scissors to remove mats as they could easily cut a dog that wiggles at the wrong time.

    • 4

      Brush the cairn terrier with a slicker brush for smoothing. This brush will distribute natural oils, stimulate the skin and remove any loosened, dead hair that was missed by the combs.