CAIRN
TERRIER PUPPIES
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So
you are interested in purchasing a Cairn Puppy! How do you know a Cairn is the dog
for you? The first thing to do is research
the breed, by reading as many books about Cairns as you can, these can be obtained
from book shops or your library. A few good books are:- The Cairn Terrier by J W H
Beynon, Alex Fisher and Peggy Wilson, Revised by Doreen Proudlock (Published by Popular Dogs
Publishing Co. Ltd.) The Pet Owners Guide to the
Cairn Terrier by Ron & Brenda Birch (Published by Ring Press) Cairn Terriers by Hector F
Whitehead (Published by Foyles Handbooks,
London) Take A Cairn to Your Heart
by W E Mills (Published by The Self Publishing Association Ltd) After reading one or two or all of these
and you are still interested in The Cairn then why not visit a dog show or
two and look at the Cairns in real life, also take the opportunity to speak
to some of the breeders who are there. Breeders are always happy to talk
about their dogs provided you choose a time when they are not just going into
the ring. To find out where and when the
nearest show to you look at our Club shows and events page (click
Link to go to page)
http://www.midlandctc.co.uk/menu-future-shows/futureshows.htm Still Interested? You must now ask yourself if you
have the time and space for a new puppy. A new puppy should not be left alone
for more than a couple of hours because they easily become anxious and bored
and this is when they get into mischief. So you must be prepared for the
first few months to spend quite some time with your puppy until they learn
the rules of the house. Your garden must be “Cairn proof” as Cairns are
notorious escapees and diggers, and as a new puppy will sample everything to
see if it is edible you must be sure that none of your plants are poisonous. Still Interested? Although Cairns are usually very
hardy dogs you should be prepared for the unexpected costs of Vet bills and
you may wish to consider health insurance cover for your new puppy. Still Interested? You can contact a Puppy
Sales Liaison Person in your area If you feel a puppy may not be
suitable for you, you may wish to consider giving a home to an older dog, in this case you can contact the Cairn Terrier Relief
Fund Secretary. This organisation exists to rehome
Cairn Terriers whose owners, for one reason or another, can no longer keep
them. The Secretary is Mrs Leisa Stokel, telephone 01207 658 976, or email
CTRFSec@gmail.com Once you have contacted a breeder
then you should satisfy yourself that any puppies they have are healthy and
sound. You should always be able to see the puppies with their mother and do
not be afraid to ask to do so when visiting (Usually when the puppies are 4
weeks old). The breeder should be able to provide a pedigree giving the
Kennel Club registered names of the father and mother and their antecedents.
If you feel you may be interested in showing your puppy you should make sure
that the puppy is registered with the Kennel Club. The breeder should also
give you a diet sheet and tell you when the puppy was wormed. Your puppy
should be microchipped. This is
compulsory from April 2016. Please
make sure you get the paperwork from the breeder and register your details
with the microchip database as soon as possible. Most breeders nowadays will provide you
with a contract of sale and you should always get a receipt. Some breeders will also provide you with
short term health cover, but it is advisable to take your puppy along to your
vet for a check up within a few days of taking him
home. Also check with your vet how old your puppy has to be before he can
start with his inoculations.
Below is some advice for the first few days of your
puppy in his new home Early Days So that he doesn’t feel lonely, sleep
him somewhere warm with a clock ticking or a radio on low. Put
newspaper down in case of accidents. Make sure there are no gaps or
holes in the room he can crawl into – watch electrical plugs and wires.
A crate is ideal for making sure he is safe, especially in the car. Buy a plastic basket, not a wicker
one. Vet bed is good bedding which washes and dries easily. Make
sure any toys are safe, the plastic squeaky ones will soon be demolished and
the squeaker swallowed. Buy solid dumbbell type toys. Your pup will need lots of rest,
just like a baby. Please give him time on his own
and don’t let children tease him. Teasing will make him nasty. At about 5 months of age he will
start teething, watch your socks! Encourage the teeth to drop out by
letting him tug on a cloth. “Logic” toothpaste is brilliant for keeping
his teeth clean. Feeding Please always follow the diet
advised by your breeder. If you decide to change the meal do so
gradually by mixing the new in with the old. By the time your Cairn is
fully grown, he should weigh ideally 16 to 18 lbs,
excess weight can shorten the life of your Cairn. Worming When you visit your vet ask about
future worming treatment which can be bought
from him. Grooming Buy a good comb and brush and start
early! Stand the pup on a table so that you are not bending. Use
a non slip mat. Groom a few times a week and
reward him with a treat after each session. At 8 weeks most pups have a
fluffy puppy coat which will gradually disappear. By 10/11 months his
coat will be ready for “stripping” by hand. Gently pluck out the old
coat with your finger and thumb, a little at a time. Serrated edge
scissors are useful for removing coat from the delicate area around the
tummy. Inside the ear should be kept free of hair and the coat on the
top of the ears should be like velvet. The tail should be shaped like
an inverted carrot. Trim the hair around the feet with scissors to the
shape of the feet and ensure the pads do not have excess hair growing between
them. Please do not be tempted to have your Cairn clipped, this will
ruin the coat and make it soft and curly. House Training Feed, water and let out
straightaway. Leave paper near the door. Your garden should be
Cairn proof, no holes in the fence or he will get through. Cairns are
diggers and jumpers, make sure your fence is high
enough. Cairns are intelligent and you should have no real problems in
getting your pup house trained easily. Lead Training Until he is inoculated he should
not come into contact with other dogs. After inoculation you may start
taking him a walk. Whilst you are waiting put a puppy collar on him so
that he gets used to it. When the time comes to go a walk, if you have
a friend with a dog, go together so that he gets the idea. If he goes
to the toilet whilst you are walking reward him with a biscuit from your
pocket. Don’t forget to clean up after him! Invest in a good
quality collar and lead, with tag, and check the collar size regularly, it
should be tight enough so that he cannot pull his head through but loose
enough for comfort. Leads can break, often with tragic results, check
regularly. Tummy upsets If his motion is loose, then cut
out any milk and refrain from feeding for up to 24 hours. Leave plenty
of water down. Then feed meal only with water to drink. If concerned or
if the problem does not clear up within 24 hours then seek veterinary
advice. Egg white is good for the runs and doggy garlic tablets are
good for tummy upsets. The Cairn Terrier is a lovely,
intelligent pet to have as a pet. If you feel that you may be
interested in showing then have a word with the breeder of your puppy and
join a breed club. It is a smashing hobby and you will meet plenty of new friends. |
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