Cairn Terriers are ratters. In Ireland they would search the cairns (large rock piles) for rats and other rodents. Thus if one is kept as a house hold pet it will do the job of a cat, specifically catching and killing mice, rabbits, and squirrels.

The Cairns Terrier is a generally healthy dog but vets have identified several hereditary health problems such as cataracts, ocular melanosis, progressive retinal atrophy and hypothyroidism.

The Cairns Terrier can cost as little as $100 but can cost up to $500 for breeding and such.

The Cairns Terrier, known since 1500, was first publicly presented in 1909 and became popular after 1930. The Cairn is one of Scotland's original Terriers, probably a contributor to today's Scottish, West Highland White and Skye Terrier breeds.

UK TV Presenter Paul O'Grady often features a Cairn Terrier called Olga on his prime time chat show; dark in color, Olga was a rescue dog. Another famous Cairns Terrier played the part of TOTO in the movie The Wizard of Oz.

The Cairns Terrier weighs between 14 and 18 pounds while standing between 10 and 12 inches.

Cairns are working dogs and are still used as such in parts of Scotland. Cairn Terriers generally adapt well to children and are suitable family dogs.

Cairn Terriers should always be hand stripped. Using scissors or shears can ruin the dog's rugged outer coat after one grooming. Hand stripping involves pulling the old dead hair out by the roots. This does not harm the dog in any way.

The Cairns Terrier can live for up to if years with the average life span being around 13 years.

The litter size of the Cairn Terrier is between 6 and 10 puppies.