The next dog breed on the list the busybodies hate is the Cairn Terrier. A cairn is a pile of rocks, and the Cairn Terrier was bred to dig into piles of rocks to root out rats and even foxes.
Even as terriers go, Cairn Terriers are tiny but tough. Show-quality Cairn Terriers are up to ten inches high at the shoulder and weigh less than 14 pounds. Nevertheless they excel at hunting alone, in the dark, often underground. They can take care of themselves, and know it. They like humans; they just tend to obey their instincts rather than their humans.
So, like all animals really, Cairn Terriers make great pets for some people, disappoint others. They thrive in rural homes with fields where they can explore, hunt, and dig. They also like lots of contact with their humans--snuggling on laps, racing and chasing in the yard. For their size they can be quite a lot of dog energy for an urban environment. They can be yappy, tend to dash off wanting to chase things when they have to walk on a leash, and can get lost if allowed to scamper about without a leash (which they want very much to do).
The busybodies who want nobody to be able to own a home, who want to herd us all into slums where we'll work like slaves to pay rent forever, naturally do not approve of these country dogs.
Some genetic problems run in some Cairn Terrier bloodlines. The breed traits don't seem to be caused by a lethal gene, but with "purebred" dogs there is always a risk of breeding a dysfunctional gene into a bloodline, and this has happened with Cairn Terriers. If you buy (or "adopt") a purebred Cairn Terrier, it should be checked for, and certified free from, a half-dozen different disease conditions including blood, liver, heart, eye, kidney, and knee disorders. Most dogs of this breed have none of these conditions.
Their shaggy coats benefit from weekly brushing and combing, and their energy serves them well in dog sports events. As pets this breed gets mixed reviews, with owners insisting that the dogs love their human families and generally want to please...except when they want to tease. They may push the limits. They learn quickly, for dogs, but they will always and forever want to chase cats, squirrels, and other small animals.
Here are this week's photo contest winners in the categories of Cairn (or other long-haired) Terriers and correspondingly long-haired cats.
Zipcode 10101: Angel from Mississippi by way of Kimberton, Pennsylvania
She's not purebred. Sometimes that's a good thing. Angel's coat is likely to be easier to manage than a purebred Cairn Terrier's, and her behavior may be, too. She is house-trained, crate-trained, accustomed to riding in cars, and good with other dogs. She can cope with cats who are accustomed to living with dogs, and with older children. (She is not recommended to families with toddlers.) It's not altogether clear from her web page whether she's available as a foster dog; it might be worth inquiring.
Sophie & Neptune from the Bronx
Their web page: https://www.petfinder.com/cat/sophie-and-neptune-37ec5d69-afb2-4363-833e-26c5de08fc99/ny/new-york/saving-belladonna-ct631/details/
When a mother cat doesn't come home, sometimes you find her feral-born kittens toddling around some sort of hiding place, searching, sniffing, calling, realizing that there's no more milk in their old familiar den and they have to make other arrangements. Sophie and Neptune and some other siblings were found that way in an abandoned house. They had never had any reason or opportunity to consider becoming house pets, but have been in foster care long enough to have decided they like the idea. Different genes may indicate that they're only half siblings; kittens born in the same litter can have different fathers.
Zipcode 20202: Katelyn from DC
Her web page: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/katelyn-e22ba11e-98ac-4a62-8894-c796c5dc1f0e/dc/washington/k-9-lifesavers-dc19/details/
Already in foster care, Katelyn does well with children and loves other dogs. She is partly deaf and does not like being crept up on from behind. After proper introductions, she behaves nicely with visitors. She has had the benefit of some training; this organization always recommends further trainers who can help dogs be all they can be. Katelyn is a crossbreed between Cairn and Norfolk Terriers, This gives her a relatively manageable coat, an adorable Scottie-type profile, and a slightly larger size--her healthy weight is 20 pounds. She barks when she has something to say; yapping problems aren't reported.
Mewow from DC
Not much is known about this kitten except that that fluffy calico coat is indeed "a wow." They emphasize kitten. Unless you're adopting her as a companion for a kitten already in your home, you will need to adopt another one as a companion for her.
Zipcode 30303: Ginger from East Point
Ginger is a crossbreed between Cairn and Yorkshire Terrier. Her ancestors came from places that look like the Appalachian foothills north of Atlanta, which are probably where she'd prefer to live. Being independent, introverted (for a dog), goes with the territory. She is available for adoption only "within two hours" from Atlanta since they recognize that she might not bond with just anybody who likes her distinctive three-colored coat. Her web page emphasizes the importance of taking time to let her come to you. She's not anti-human; she's just not into cuddles-on-demand. She is not recommended to families with small children. If you can let her have her space and do her thing, she's likely to turn up beside you and even indulge you in a little petting. (If I believed in past lives, I'd think she might have been a calico cat.)
Cricket from Atlanta
Does that face look grumpy to you? I think the perceptions of these "trap, neuter, release" zealots may be just a bit off kilter. Anyway Cricket has medium hair in summer, long hair in winter. She was trapped along with a cat they call Mimi, who shelter workers believe may be her mother. Both cats were believed to be feral but were actually just straying (or homeless? Bereaved? Grieving?) house pets. Once brought indoors they nonverbally said they didn't want to be outdoor cats any more. They want homes, or they'll share a home, they can rule.
No comments:
Post a Comment