Smart Puppy

[drcollie]

Gracie is now 4 1/2 months old. Smart dog, hugely energetic. She's not very big, just 8 lb, but there's a lot packed into that Cairn Terrier. Her newest trick....

Yesterday my wife was at her computer surfing some web site and kept hearing a noise at her feet - a clanking/clunking noise. She looked down and there was Gracie, with her ceramic dog dish in her teeth dropping the bowl at her feet on the hardwood floor and wagging her tail wildly. She was hungry! So my wife got up, put some dry dog food in her bowl and it was chowed down upon instantly. I think I know why the pup did that...

She is a furious tennis ball player. She will chase balls for hours on end and I'm the primary thrower. Since those puppy teeth are hypodermic needle sharp and I have the blood to prove it, I stopped taking the ball from her mouth and make her drop it in front of me when she wants to play. So she has learned to do that and even rolls it at me with her nose.

She's taken that ball playing request into one for more food. Its hilarious!

We'll have to see if she can grow into those ears.....lol

[Judyg951]

She is pretty darn cute! Almost makes me want to go out and get one!

[BevoGal]

Love it! Cute story =) Our friends have a Cairn Terrier and brought her on a scouting camping trip this spring. My oldest son fell in love with her and he tells me weekly that he wants a Cairn Terrier. We have an elderly Sheltie who is on hospice, so it will be a while. I grew up with border collies and labs before that. Is the Cairn a "yapper"?? Curious about that and digging in the yard.

[drcollie]

Cairn and Westie terriers are big dogs trapped in a little dog's body. They are tough, resilient, fearless and very independent. They are not 'cuddle' or lap dogs, though they will tolerate that silliness for a short period to appease their human owner. They are bred to be 'mousers' and even as a very young pup will attack a small noise in the wall or outside. No lizard is safe around the house and certainly no field mice, nor snakes. Once they get on a scent for a critter, you can't call them off. They're hugely playful and love new games. The newer and better the game the more excited they become. If they get bored they will invent their own game - sometimes it can be destructive.

'Gracie's new favorite game is to take her small tennis ball, and push it through the grates in the 'baby gate' we have to keep her in the kitchen, then once she pushes it through, lay on her side and try to get it when its on the other side of the gate. She will do this every day, and sometimes struggles to get the ball through the grate - but it keeps her busy.

They're not yappy, but will bark if they think something is outside, and do so very excitedly. And if a Raccoon or Possum gets on the back deck at night...look out.. What an uproar! They are very friendly with all people, but a bit stand-offish with other doges, especially ones that come into their yard.

Digging has not been an issue, but they are very efficient excavators if they decide to do so....

[drcollie]

The latest...

When she wants in from the deck, she jumps up and down repeatedly until someone opens the door for her. She can do this 20 to 30 times in a row, and my son was so amused by this new behavior he managed to catch her in mid-jump with a photo. Boundless energy at 5 months, literally.

[BevoGal]

What a great snapshot!! Love it. Especially the little paws on the glass, ha!

When I was in college, I researched Westies extensively and that was the dog I planned to get. I was no longer on a ranch in the Hill Country (with my beloved Border Collies) and needed a compact, smart, and fearless city dog. Next thing I know, my mom shows up with her new Shetland Sheepdog and I was pretty much in love. Anyone who has ever had a Sheltie knows what I mean =) Upon graduation, and right before my wedding, I was gifted (by my mother) the runt of a show dog Sheltie litter. My Maggie Mae has been with us for over 12 years now and she is the best dog. She and I ran agility courses until I had to take a break to have children (much to her dismay). When my mom was ill and passed away, we took in her Sheltie. So we had TWO for a while until that poor pup passed away (brain cancer). Now my Maggie has bladder cancer and was given 6 mos. to live in JULY 2011! Here we are, two years later, and she is in diapers now, BUT she does not act as if she's suffering. We are giving her quite a cocktail of things and apparently it works. But she will eventually go and it will be very sad times around this house...

I cannot imagine a home without dogs, so I try to research ahead of time the best pup for my boys to grow up with. Shelties are awesome, but they do shed quite a bit at different times. They are great little herders of the children, but not nearly as intense as a Border. We can't have a Border Collie b/c we are not on acreage. Every time I see a Westie, I'm still in love =) The Lagotto Romagnolo was at the top of my list for a bit as I have a couple friends who show them, and they don't shed. I've looked into Labradoodles as my kids have allergy-induced asthma and I love the idea of limited shedding (less vacuuming!). Raising a therapy dog is a goal of mine, and I have already begun the connections. Finding a breed that does well with that is important too. I've been researching since 2010 when our other Sheltie passed. Imagine that? A person who researches and overthinks things like custom Hancock & Moore furniture devoting such time to research the family pet. I know

All that said, we love the little Cairn Terrier we met here in our community. Sadly, she did not come from a great breeder and has a terrible underbite. So, on my soapbox for a moment, do NOT buy a dog on Craigslist! I have heard of 3 people in my area doing that lately. Support a professional registered breeder who knows what they are doing, and cares about breeding top-quality pups. Or rescue from a local organization - there are wonderful pets found there. Just do NOT support the puppy mills and side-of-the-road folks. Establish a relationship with your breeder and/or rescue group.

Keep the pictures coming - Gracie is a cutie! And she'll grow into those ears

[drcollie]

It's so very hard to lose your family pet. Since my wife and I have been married, we' have (2) Golden Retrievers, (1) Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, (1) West Highland Terrier and now the Cairn Terrier. The Goldens are wonderful dogs, but they're so big and shed like mad and can easily steal stuff off the kitchen counter because of their size. The Cavalier has a great temperament but its a lap dog and doesn't like to horse around much or go into the woods behind the house, or roughhouse. The Terriers - ho boy - these dogs know how to party. They are up for ANYTHING you want to do, any time, and the rougher it gets, the more fun they're having.

The Westie is simply an albino Cairn Terrier, though they tend to get a little bigger than that Cairn by 3 to 6 lbs. The story is many years ago a breeder in Scotland accidentally shot his favorite Cairn Terrier - so he decided to breed a line of pure white dogs for visibility, and that became the Westie. We had huge, massive allergy issues with our Westie that cost us close to $ 300 a month on meds and I had to inject him every 3 weeks with a vaccine. Those pure white dogs are not as hardy as the brown Cairns, so that's why we went with the Cairn this time and so far not one unexpected trip to the vet outside the normal shots. But you sure can spot those Westies in the woods in the evening a whole lot better - I'll give you that. The Cairns blend in like camouflage. These little terriers need lots and lots of exercise, so don't get one unless you're prepared to play ball or walk it at least two hours a day. When bored they will entertain themselves, which usually means putting those big teeth on something in the house and not stopping until its destroyed!

[BevoGal]

We had huge, massive allergy issues with our Westie that cost us close to $ 300 a month on meds and I had to inject him every 3 weeks with a vaccine. Those pure white dogs are not as hardy as the brown Cairns, so that's why we went with the Cairn this time and so far not one unexpected trip to the vet outside the normal shots.

Yes! Even 12 years ago, I remember reading about skin/allergy issues with the Westies. Ironically (since the skin issue pushed me away from the Westie), my Sheltie had skin issues for a long time, but that has gone away. I did not know the story about the hunter - thanks for sharing. When we were in Colorado two weeks ago, we saw three Westies in Frisco. They were being walked through the art festival and I sure did spot them from far away. I also saw Bernese Mountain Dogs, a Newfoundland, Poodles, Labs, Goldens, Shelties and two Border Collies. Everyone local has a dog and the dogs are welcome everywhere. Reminds me of California too. It's fun to see breeds that you used to have - I had a Great Dane/Lab mix as a child and I LOVE to run into those =)

[drcollie]

Here's Gracie this morning before I left for work, waiting semi-patiently for me to throw her ball. 5 months old now. I'll trim those 'feathers' in front of her eyes but have to do it when she's sleepy....

[BevoGal]

She looks even fluffier here than at 4.5 mos -- such a pretty girl!

My son is working us pretty hard (daily) for a new puppy...but patience will pay off one day =) I believe boys need to grow up with dogs or they just don't get the full experience of life. So, we will never be dogless. Try explaining this to three little boys, ha! Really though, he has such a big heart. He was old enough to remember the loss of our last dog, and he will sit and cry with our sweet Maggie. It takes me back to being a kid - your dog is your BFF. What a wonderful world we live in where we can have such sweet pets by our side.