Cairn Terriers

The Cairn Terrier is a Scottish breed from the Isle of Skye. It is one of the earliest terriers to be identified in the British Isle. It was bred to go after vermin in the cairns (piles of rock) that abound in that region of Scotland. It needed to be agile enough to jump from rock to rock, possess a skill for digging and an unswerving determination to go after the quarry whether it be rodent, fox, badger or otter. It was not unusual for the Cairn to pursue an otter into water if need be. They were often worked in packs and as a result must show character that can get along well, for the most part, with others of its kind.

The Cairn Terrier is a small breed with a lot of spunk. My husband said he wanted a dog with character - Well with a Cairn, character abounds.
Cairns are small in stature but are very strong indeed. They were bred as hunters and are able to get in very small spaces to go after the focus of their attention. Generally they stand between 10 and 12 inches high at the shoulder and have a moderate leg length. Their front paws are wide for digging and boy, do they love doing that.
They have a double coat to repel water and dirt. They do not shed and are great if there is a concern for allergies.
Cairns come in all colours from cream to black brindle. Our Cairn is brindle in colour and looks like a teddy of sorts.

Carney, our Cairn is a very friendly, happy and playful pup. She loves seeing the kids go by on their way to school and absolutely loves the attention they give her as they pass. She is great with our grandchildren and loves nothing more than to run with our grandson in the yard.
She enjoys being with other dogs - large or small it makes no difference to her. Partly this is because she attended puppy kindergarten but mostly it is just due to her good nature.
One of her special friends is a large husky who is an older dog, now blind, who comes by on nightly walks. Carney loves to go out when she comes by and the two wag their tails in joy as they stand together and sniff.
She has some favorite adult human friends as well and though she shows them special attention, we have yet to have her not like everyone she meets.

Now that Carney is a year old, she has grown from stuffed toys and cuddly balls to her favourite toy of all - yes that is right - a regulation football. She has great fun running and chasing and attacking her football.
She will play with it for hours and only rests when we finally put it away. She was heartbroken when after several months it lost its air [due to her constant and persistent effort] and at last it had to be thrown away.
We are always on the hunt for the perfect toy. In spite of her small size, like all Cairns, being the hunters they are, she needs toys that can withstand the persistence of a Cairn.
One thing we did find out early is that she will immediately remove any squeaker from any toy no matter the guarantee that they indestructable.
For a puppy so small, she is a mighty toy killer.

Having a Cairn Terrier like ours is a wonderful way to remember how to live in the moment of NOW. These little creatures are so intutitive, loving, adorable and aware of each moment, I can't help but feel blessed to have found her.
As I watch sleeping comfortably on her favourite spot at the back of the couch, I hope she is having pleasant dreams of her life with us and feeling the joy returned to her that she gives us each and every day without fail.

Have you ever noticed that your dog seems to know when one of its family is going to arrive home - before the car actually pulls in the driveway?
Have you ever noticed that your dog goes to the top of the stairs and lays there looking out the window when Daddy is due to arrive?
Have you ever heard those stories of dogs getting lost and finding their way back home on their own days or weeks later?

So what is this all about - are the psychic or just very sensitive??

Rupert Sheldrake, author of Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home (Three Rivers Press, 1999), believes that animals have abilities that humans may have possessed at one time, but somehow lost. Through his extensive research, he has concluded that there are three major categories of unexplained perceptiveness by animals:

Telepathy - a psychic connection that some pets may have with their owners through connections Sheldrake calls "morphic fields." It is this ability that enables pets to "know" when their owners are on their way home.
The Sense of Direction - this ability accounts for the "incredible journeys" some animals make to be with their owners, including homing pigeons.
Premonitions - which may explain why some animals seem to know when earthquakes and other events are about to occur.

Hmmm interesting to ponder indeed!

I have been doing a lot of channelled writing lately and I know at all times I am surrounded by my guides and totem animals as I describe in my ThetHealing and The Musings of a Reluctant Channel lens.
It seems that Carney can see what I only feel. When I first noticed this, it was after doing some intense channelling. I went to bed and Carney came in the room and immediately looked up and over my shoulder and began barking. It took a minute for me to catch on, but as soon as I did, I assured her it was only Patrick and she immediately settled down and curled up to go to sleep.
She often lets me know she is seeing him and perhaps others but also knows it is just fine.
She sure is my little psychic watch dog.

Hearing stories of the connections we have with our pets is so inspirational that I have decided to begin another lens on the synchronicities of how pets and their caregivers met.
Check it out at: Pets and People a Loving Connection