Page 331 - ShowSight - January 2020
P. 331

                  Cairn Terrier Q & A
“As they need daily exercise, a family that is committed to being active will enjoy the hardiness and willingness of the Cairn to participate in fitness activities.”
 MERRILL SCHMITT
I am a fourth generation Cairn Terrier breeder. Cairns have been in our family for over 90 years, thanks to my Great Grandmother, Florence Milsom. It was her pas- sion for animals that drew her to Cairns in the 1930’s in England. Since then the women of the family have continued on with her passion of breeding and showing Cairns. Both my Grandmother, Barbara Hollings, and mother, Shirley Canfield, bred Cairns in Canada
and had much success in the show ring with them in the 70s. I grew up surrounded by these “Canny” little dogs, and have had no other breed in my life.
I carry the torch for our family now, but am still mentored by my mother. I enjoy planning breedings, grooming, showing, and traveling the world meeting fellow breeders and their beautiful Cairn Terriers. I have many goals still, and know I will be involved in the breed for many years to come.
I live in Alberta, Canada. Cairns are a big part of my life, and take lots of time and energy. I do like to keep us all active and fit, so besides exercising dogs, I try to maintain an active lifestyle.
Do I hope the breed’s popularity will change or am I comfortable with the placement? I think the placement of the ranking of Cairn Terriers, is fine. There are few backyard breeders in Canada, as they are not a well-known breed, so demand is not as great compared to more popular and well known breeds. Most that breed Cairn Terri- ers in Canada, are part of the National club, and adhere to the eth- ics established by the club. The result is a continued healthy breed, with good temperaments, and qualities that we admire in the breed.
What qualities in the field also come in handy around the house? Cairns are a tremendously loyal companions, as they were bred to “hunt prey in a pack”. They want to integrate into family life, and be a part of the hustle and bustle of family activity. They are friendly door greeters, are great at sounding the alarm should something be amiss in the house or yard, and they certainly will help keep rodents out of the family living space, both indoors and out. As they need daily exercise, a family that is committed to being active will enjoy the hardiness and willingness of the Cairn to par- ticipate in fitness activities.
Are there any misconceptions about the breed I’d like to dispel? The biggest misconception is that the Cairn Terrier is a non-shed- ding dog. They do shed, just not continually like the well-known shedding dogs. They have a double layered coat, a harsh outer coat, and a soft undercoat. They will shed their undercoat, and those with allergies may find they are not an appropriate pet.
These little dogs are active, and apartment living is really not suited young Cairns, as they need space and outdoor time.
The Cairn is an independent thinker, so training a young Cairn may be challenging. Most do like food, so if there is something to gain for them, they will pay attention to commands. However they are not good off leash dogs, as they have a high prey drive, and will
be off chasing squirrels, rabbits, and any other small rodent that darts past them.
What special challenges do Cairn Terrier breeders face in our current economic and social climate? I think the biggest challenge for Cairn breeders, is similar to breeders of other pure bred dogs, the decline of interested people in taking up the hobby in earnest. Breeding dogs is expensive, time consuming, and can be heart wrenching at times. Most families are looking for “pets” and spay and neuter their dogs as soon as possible.
At what age do I start to see definite signs of show-worthiness? Evaluation of a litter for me, starts the day they are born. At five weeks, they are on their feet, and you start to see some hints of structure, and movement. Most breeders like to evaluate their puppies at eight weeks, and it is a good start to a first cut in show worthiness. Those puppies that show promise, I like to continue to evaluate until 12 weeks of age, as movement and structure becomes more apparent as the puppies grow and have more length of leg.
The most important thing about the breed for a new judge to keep in mind? In Canada our standard is the “Country of Origin”, as most countries in the world are. The United States has a differ- ent standard, mostly size related, so a new judge needs to become familiar with the difference in standards when judging in America and judging elsewhere.
A ring can have a variety of sizes and colors, making the Cairn a difficult breed to judge. Structure, coat quality, and workmanship should define the Cairn in the ring. They are not a scissored breed, and should be presented with a harsh jacket, with little product required to present them.
The best way to attract newcomers to my breed and to the sport? Newcomers are enjoying the performance side of our sport, and Cairns excel at agility, scent work, and events around hunting their prey. Our breed club continues to work on attracting new mem- bers who will participate in the many varied activities a Cairn may excel in.
I found the best way to encourage newcomers to the sport, is continued mentorship. As Cairns are challenging to groom properly (hand-stripping), offering to help new owners in grooming is a first step. Encouraging newcomers to join us at dog shows, welcoming them to participate with us, and teaching them along the way seems to encourage some they can do more with their Cairns.
My ultimate goal for the breed? Our gene pool for the Cairn is still quite robust, and with the internet we can reach out to Cairns worldwide. If we can keep the Cairn population healthy, long lived, without a substantial loss in the gene pool, as with most pure bred dogs that would be the ultimate goal.
For me, as I am breeder, owner, handler, I would like the breed to have more success in the conformation show ring in Canada, and be recognized more in the Terrier Group. In Europe, Cairns are consistently placed highly in the conformation ring, in Sweden in 2018, a Cairn Terrier was the Top Dog in the country.
My favorite memories seem to be around Montgomery’s Terrier Specialty weekend in Pennsylvania, as it continues to have large entries of Cairns, and the Cairn Terrier Club of America mostly has their National specialty held there. Judging the Cairn Terrier of America’s National Sweepstakes was a thrill in 2017, as was winning the Montgomery’s Terrier Brace event in 2009. It is a weekend that brings Cairn enthusiasts across the country together.
 ShowSight Magazine, January 2020 • 323












































































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