Dog Breed Guide

Cairn Terrier

Profile

Size

Small

Country of origin

United Kingdom (Scotland)

Origin

Ancient

Bred for

Hunting fox and otter in rocky dens

Height

28 - 31cm (11 - 12in)

Weight

6 - 7.5kg (13 - 17lb)

Life span

12 - 15 years

An adorable terrier with a shaggy, harsh coat, a fox-like face and small erect ears. Colors include cream, wheaten, red, gray and brindle. Brindle dogs often change color as they grow.

Bright, cheerful and curious, the Cairn is brave, independent and a little stubborn. It is affectionate with its family and plays well with children. It loves to dig and may leave holes all over the yard.

Small but tough, it needs a fair amount of exercise, and daily walks and play are a must. The harsh coat sheds little and can be kept in shape by stripping out the dead hair from time to time.

Good to know

A cairn is a pile of stones stacked in the Scottish Highlands as a landmark or a grave. This dog's job was to squeeze into the gaps and drive out the foxes, otters, rats and other animals that made their homes in these cairns. It is considered to preserve one of the oldest types of Scottish terrier.

The most famous Cairn Terrier in the world is probably Terry, the female who played Toto, Dorothy's dog, in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. Terry was paid 125 dollars a week, far more than the 50 dollars a week that many of the actors playing Munchkins are said to have received.

During filming she broke a foot when an actor playing one of the witch's guards stepped on it, but a stand-in filled in and filming carried on. Terry later had her name officially changed to Toto.