A Breeders Perspective on Judging the Cairn Terrier

This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, June 2013 issue.

A Breeders Perspective on Judging the Cairn Terrier

Seventy-eight little haystacks to evaluate, and in the end, I had learned this breed. This somewhat paraphrased quote came from a breed seminar presented to the Cairn Terrier Club of America by the beloved judge Ms. Ann Rogers Clark, recalling her first sizable entry of Cairn Terriers to adjudicate.

While few will ever possess the skills that Ms. Clark had mastered to evaluate breeds, I share her comment here as it was presented to remind us that no amount of preparation and study can substitute for knowledge gained by the opportunity to immerse yourself in the challenges faced in having to sort through a substantial breed entry.

So with so few, or most likely no, opportunities for the majority of us to ever evaluate an entry the size just referred to, where can we look for the key to the essence of breed type?

The AKC Cairn Terrier Breed Standard (unchanged since 1938) seeks, as most standards do, to paint a word picture in its opening “General Appearance” paragraph. All breeders are challenged to produce animals that display the greatest number of these most essential characteristics.

Beyond the described physical characteristics that can be more or less easily identified—such as a profuse harsh coat, a head wide in proportion to muzzle length, and a well-proportioned body of medium back length—are the more subtle, and often elusive, attributes that reveal the true character of the dog that is a Cairn Terrier.

The more elusive, yet so essential to the proper nature of the Cairn, are traits revealed in the opening words of the standard: “active, game, hardy.” These three simple words may truly reveal themselves in the show exhibit that is often more interested in its surroundings than the coaxing of a judge for its attention.

The desire to interact with other dogs in its “space” and the confidence to stand its ground speak the Cairn’s game and hardy demeanor. The Cairn should exude these three words in an attitude often seen in the group ring that says to a group of other terriers, ‘Come on and follow me.’

Can “active, game, hardy” be judged with a dog posed on a table for examination? If so, then expression here is the key indicator. It’s the desired penetrating “foxy” glance that reveals much about a Cairn’s possession of the sought-after game and active nature so admired in the breed.

While General Appearance defines the essence of breed type for a Cairn, many other conformational characteristics must be considered in evaluating the best breeding or show exhibit. As one would expect, the standard rather concisely describes proper eyes, nose, ears, mouth, tail, and other anatomical features, many of which are amplified in parent club clarifications.

Beyond these specific features, however, are desired attributes that help define the quality of an exhibit. A Cairn Terrier, while often referred to as a member of the “Short Legged” class of terriers, should not be viewed as short-legged. Breeders are often quick to clarify that Cairns do not have short legs in proportion to their overall body size and in fact point out that the word “medium” is used several times in the breed standard to stress that the breed should be viewed as one with no extremes.

Cairn Terriers, as with several of their terrier cousins, developed from a lineage of go-to-ground ancestors. While not all Cairns today have the opportunity to play out their natural instincts, evaluators of the breed should always reflect on the ability of the animal to perform its ancestral task.

For the Cairn, this means attributes such as sufficient coat for protection, a lithe and agile structure, and a height at the withers, as well as sufficient back length for mobility in confined spaces. Also, of course, proportionally large teeth for both offensive and defensive purposes.

With any discussion of Type, we must address the attributes of proper movement. The key here is clearly “no wasted motion.” The gait is free and easy, when viewed from the side, with no bounce in the topline and equal front reach compared to rear drive. An extended front reach without compensating rear propulsion results in wasted motion.

Dogs should move along easily and not be “speed gaited” to create the appearance of greater ground-covering action. Coming and going is most important and should be viewed as straight from the shoulder/hip to the ground, with no side-to-side movement or structural weakness (cow hock). Cairns were not field dogs, but rather the Crofter’s companion to bolt quickly between obstacles in search of vermin.

In general appearance, the Cairn carries a natural trim. Evened up, but never scissored or sculpted, hair of a uniform length of two inches over the body is desired.