Tips on Training a Cairn Puppy at Home

Want to learn how to train your cairn terrier puppy at home? First, be prepared to do some research; the more you know about your dog's temperament and what he was bred to do, the easier training will be. It's up to you to set household boundaries, have a patient, open mind, and reinforce positive behaviors to shape your cairn into the loving companion it was born to be.

  1. Temperament

    • Offer your puppy a toy as an alternative to biting your fingers. It's helpful to make it a rule to not allow your puppy to do anything that you wouldn't want him to do as an adult dog.

      Although each individual dog is unique, it's important to note some of the characteristics specific to cairn terriers. Cairns are known to be curious, independent and fearless. Take on the alpha male role with your puppy, so his independent nature will not cause him to become dominant. Discourage your puppy from exhibiting behaviors that might lead to dominance, like nippy and jumping, from the moment you bring him home.

    Obedience

    • Break biscuits into small pieces, or offer tiny bits of cheese as a reward. A small amount of motivational food goes a long way, and will keep your cairn at a healthy weight.

      Obedience training is very important, and can also begin the moment your new puppy arrives at home. Start small, with simple commands like "Sit" and "Down." Use positive praise like "Good boy!" or "Great job!" followed by a pat, or use small bits of treats as motivation. Encourage eye contact--when your Cairn looks at you, he is seeking direction and guidance, and identifying you as his teacher. Once he learns the simple commands, you can work your way to more difficult ones, like "stay" and "heal." Separate your training time into small sections, approximately 15 to 20 minutes in length, in various parts in the day. That way your puppy won't be too distracted, and you won't be overwhelmed.

    Boundaries

    • Allow your cairn to meet children in a controled environment, where you can intervene and turn a problem into a training lesson if he gets too excited or nippy.

      Although Cairns are known to be quite intelligent and relatively easy to train, it is still important to establish boundaries, because they'll certainly want to test them. Have your cairn on a leash whenever he isn't in an area that's fenced; they have a strong prey drive, and will chase small animals if the opportunity arises. Introduce your cairn to small children and other animals while he's leashed, which will socialize him and will allow you to monitor (and correct or reward) his manners.

    Housebreaking

    • Pick a spot where you'd like your dog to relieve himself, and lead him there each time you go outside together. Eventually he'll learn to go there on his own.

      Cairn terriers can be housebroken relatively easily, as long as you're willing to be patient, and consistent with your rules. Generally, puppies will have to relieve themselves after a nap, a meal, playtime, or every couple of hours. If you notice the puppy sniffing around the floor or carpet, he's probably looking for a suitable place to go. Slip on the leash, and lead him outside to the spot you'd like him to use. Choose a relief command ("Hurry up", "Busy, busy" and "Go pee" are a few popular ones), and repeat it in a soft voice a couple of times. Gentle clapping can be encouraging too. Give lots of praise when he does go in the appropriate place, and don't be discouraged or upset by accidents in the home--they are bound to happen occasionally; just clean them up quickly and move on.