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Animal register · DogIn the app

Cairn Terrier

Cairn, Cairnie

The Cairn Terrier comes from Great Britain; the FCI lists it among the small-sized terriers. The Kennel Club standard describes an agile, alert terrier of workmanlike, natural appearance — active, game and hardy, with a fearless and gay disposition, assertive but not aggressive. Its weather-resistant double coat has a profuse, harsh outer coat; the colour is cream, wheaten, red, grey or nearly black, brindling is acceptable and dark ears and muzzle are typical. It gives a height of about 28–31 cm and an ideal weight of 6–7.5 kg.

The PDSA recommends at least an hour of exercise a day, says Cairns have boundless energy and a strong hunting instinct, so they need socialising early with cats and other small pets and care off the lead, and that once socialised they get on very well with children and make excellent family pets. It advises hand-stripping the coat twice a year and grooming once or twice a week; Dogs Trust says they shed very little. A large UK study (McMillan 2024, via Dogs Trust) gives a median life expectancy of 14.0 years, PetMD 13–15 years, and like other small dogs it is fully grown at about 9–12 months (PetMD). PetMD adds that they need lots of exercise and mental stimulation.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Cairn Terrier — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
small — PDSA S585
Adult weight
males 6–7.5 kg, females 6–7.5 kg — The Kennel Club S584
Daily exercise
at least 1 hour a day — PDSA S585
Lifespan
median 14 years — Dogs Trust S123; 13–15 years — PetMD S587

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

  • family lifeS585
  • families with childrenS585S587
  • homes that prefer less sheddingS586

Keep in mind:

  • needs mental challengesS587

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: at least 1 hour a day — PDSA S585

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: median 14 years — Dogs Trust S123
  • Lifespan: 13–15 years — PetMD S587

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 9–12 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: small — PDSA S585
  • Height at the withers: males 28–31 cm, females 28–31 cm — The Kennel Club S584
  • Adult weight: males 6–7.5 kg, females 6–7.5 kg — The Kennel Club S584

Training

  • No. 35 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 4, group 3 (terriers); origin: Great Britain. — FCI S583

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Cairn Terrier need?

According to our sources, the Cairn Terrier needs this much exercise: at least 1 hour a day — PDSA S585.

How long does a Cairn Terrier live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Cairn Terrier is: median 14 years — Dogs Trust S123; 13–15 years — PetMD S587. The sources give different values, so each one is listed.

How big does a Cairn Terrier get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Cairn Terrier, according to our sources: Size: small — PDSA S585; Adult weight: males 6–7.5 kg, females 6–7.5 kg — The Kennel Club S584.

Who is the Cairn Terrier a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Cairn Terrier as a good fit for: family life — PDSA S585; families with children — PDSA, PetMD S585S587; homes that prefer less shedding — Dogs Trust S586. Keep in mind: needs mental challenges — PetMD S587.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6
Young dogmonth 926,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)26,000 steps
Seniormonth 126 (10.5 years)24,500 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands 1.2× as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 126 (10.5 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing twice a week.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, PDSA S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S123S585

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Luxating patellas, where the kneecap temporarily slips out of place, occur in the breed. — PDSA S585
  • Glaucoma, increased pressure inside the eye that can be painful and lead to blindness, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S585
  • Cataracts, which cloud the lens of the eye and can lead to vision loss, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S585
  • Skin allergies (atopy), which cause itching and sore skin, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S585
  • A portosystemic (liver) shunt, where blood bypasses the liver, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S585
  • Von Willebrand's disease, an inherited problem with blood clotting that can cause excessive bleeding, occurs in the breed. — PDSA S585
  • Legg-Perthes disease, a painful condition in which the hip joint dies and crumbles, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S585

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Other screening schemes for this breed

  • Kneecap check for luxating patella before breeding — American Kennel Club K33
  • Heart examination of the parents (breed club recommendation) — American Kennel Club K33
  • Ultrasound of the kidneys for a missing or malformed kidney (breed club recommendation) — American Kennel Club K33
  • Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — American Kennel Club K33
  • DNA test for globoid cell leukodystrophy (GLD), an inherited nerve disease — American Kennel Club K33
  • Liver check for a portosystemic shunt or microvascular dysplasia (breed club recommendation) — American Kennel Club K33

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S123Dogs Trust (UK) — Life expectancy for 155 breeds and crossbred group (table of McMillan et al. 2024 data) (PDF)https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/downloads/life-expectancy-breeds-table-2024.pdf
  11. S583FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) — Breeds nomenclature — Cairn Terrier (4)https://fci.be/en/nomenclature/CAIRN-TERRIER-4.html
  12. S584The Kennel Club (UK) breed standard, reprinted by KUSA (01-2026) — Cairn Terrier — Kennel Club breed standard (PDF)https://www.kusa.co.za/images/breed%20stds%20djaki/Cairn%20Terrier%20-%20KC%20[01-2026].pdf
  13. S585PDSA — Cairn Terrier breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/small-dogs/cairn-terrier
  14. S586Dogs Trust (UK) — Cairn Terrier — breed pagehttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/getting-dog/breeds/cairn-terrier
  15. S587PetMD — Erica Vasquez, reviewed by Barri J. Morrison, DVM (updated May 2, 2023) — Cairn Terrierhttps://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/cairn-terrier
  16. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  17. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  18. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  19. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  20. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy
  21. K33American Kennel Club — Terrier Group Health Testing Requirements (breeder programs)https://www.akc.org/breeder-programs/breed-health-testing-requirements/terrier-group-health-testing-requirements/

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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