terriers at work on a Cairn in the West Highlands.”
THE CAIRN TERRIER IN NORTH AMERICA
The Cairn Terrier’s history in America followed the history of the breed in Great Britain by only a few years. In 1913 the first Cairns were imported to the United States by Mrs. Henry Price of California from Mrs. Fleming’s Out of the West Kennels. Sandy Peter Out of the West was the first and only Cairn registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1913.
By 1917 there were 32 registrations and, by December of that year, the Cairn Terrier Club of America made it as the ninth in the Terrier Group to become a member of the AKC. Mrs. Price became an active breeder and exhibitor through the early 1940s. She had a life-long interest in the breed and served on the board of the national club. Mrs. Byron Rogers, a Cairn and Sealyham fancier and also a board member, imported many Cairns from England and wrote the first book on the breed. Mrs. C. Groverman Ellis of Killybracken Kennels added Cairns to her kennel of Irish Wolfhounds in the 1930s. She produced nearly 40 champions in addition to putting obedience degrees on many of her Cairns. Ch. Tam Glen of Killybracken may still be one of the only Cairns with a tracking degree. The owners usually showed their own dogs and purchased few outside dogs, relying upon their homebreds.
BREED RECOGNITION
Mrs. Campbell, when she was struggling to see the breed recognized, wrote in a letter, “It seems a pity that this breed, of which so many people are fond, should be allowed to die out. There is nothing like showing a dog to keep up the characteristics of the breed. I propose to endeavour to have them recognised as ‘Old Breed’ or ‘Sporting Skye Terrier’.”
Between 1913 and 1930, imports from Great Britain accounted for two-thirds of the American champions. The Cairn continued its successful and winning ways in America throughout the 1930s and 1940s in spite of the Great Depression and World War II.
Shagbark Kennel of Helen Hunt in Connecticut began in the 1930s and had over 30 champions. In the 1950s Miss Hunt had five generations of homebreds in her kennel. Mrs. R. T. Allen owned the Craigdhu Kennels in Illinois; they were breeders of top Cairns for 45 years. Mrs. Betty Stone’s Caithness Kennels imported several dogs from England and bred Ch. Caithness Rufus, who won the Cairn Terrier Club of America national specialty show in 1964 from the Puppy Class. Rufus sired more than 25 champions and was retired from the show ring to make way for his son, Ch. Cairnwoods Golden Boy. Mrs. Stone died in the mid-1970s.
A distinguished pair, Mousie and Victory, seen with the Hon. Lady Morrison Bell and her daughter, Miss Shelagh Morrison Bell, from the famed family of the 1920s.
Joe and Betty Marcum’s, Cairmar Kennels of Mississippi have been very successful, producing Group winners and Best in Show dogs. Two of their dogs, who came from Mrs. Stone’s Caithness Kennels, were Ch. Caithness Barnabas, sire of 31 champions, and Caithness Captie Periwinkle, dam of 7 champions. The Marcums have built their kennel on the strength of their bitches, which proves that “good-producing bitches make a good kennel.” Mrs. Marcum is still an active figure in the breed and has written an excellent book on the Cairn Terrier.
THE CAIRN AND THE WESTIE
The Cairn Terrier and the West Highland White Terrier closely resemble each other. The early Cairn breeders were very careful not to keep Cairn puppies that had any white in their coats; any puppies that did have white were culled at birth. On the other hand, the breeders of the white terriers made certain that their dogs were completely white. Interbreeding of the two breeds continued until 1917 when the American Kennel Club stated that no Cairn could be registered if there was a Westie cross within the first three generations. The Kennel Club of England followed suit shortly after.
The Wolfpit Kennels, started in the 1930s by Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Coleman and their daughter Lydia Coleman Hutchinson, have produced over 115 champions. Their top winner was Ch. Cairnwood’s Quince (Ch. Cairnwoods Golden Boy ex Caithness Gracenote) who won numerous Groups, an all-breed Best in Show and the national specialty in 1971, 1972, 1973 and again in 1980 at the age of 12. He was a top-producing sire of the breed, producing over 50 champions. Ch. Caithness Rufus was the key dog in his pedigree. Another top stud dog is Ch. Caledonian Berry of Wolfpit, winner of many specialty shows, 5 all-breed Bests in Show and sire of over 30 champions. Mrs. Coleman is a well-known terrier judge in the United States.
One breeder who should be considered a North American breeder rather than a Canadian breeder was Mrs. Betty Hyslop of Cairndania Kennels in Ontario, Canada. Mrs. Hyslop’s influence throughout North America lasted well over sixty years until her death in the late 1990s. She was a well-known figure at dog shows in both the US and Canada, and the Cairndania dogs were campaigned throughout both countries.
She purchased her first Cairn in 1928 from England and imported and bred dogs through the years, often showing them herself to the top spot. She thrice won the Terrier Group at the Westminster Kennel Club show, America’s most prestigious dog show. Every decade has seen great dogs from out of this kennel. Ch. Redletter Mc Ruffie won the national specialty 3 times and sired 25 champions. All-breed Bests in Show were won in the 1960s by Ch. Cairndania Mc Brigand’s Holbris, Ch. Uniquecottage Mr. Bradshaw and Ch. Cairndania Mc Brigand’s Brigery, sire of 27 champions. Ch. Redletter Miss Splinters, imported by Mrs. Hyslop, was shown 60 times and defeated in the breed only once. The number of Best in Show winners and champions has been considerable, and the North American Cairn fancy was fortunate to have had such a supporter of the breed—one who bred and imported great dogs for so many decades.
A special drawing by Vere Temple, which was entitled “Cairn Companions,” came with the following caption: “These jolly fellows hailing from the North make happy subjects for the artist’s pen…and Miss Temple’s pen is always skillful.”
In the 1960s Cairns were exported to Japan, France, Sweden, Finland, Australia, Denmark and South Africa. Australia and Sweden have been breeding excellent Cairns for many years. The Cairn Terrier, in around 100 years, has become a very beloved breed. It continues to be in good hands with excellent breeders in America and around the world, and the future of the breed is indeed bright.
The Cairn Terrier is a wonderful little dog! He’s cute, is compact in size, has personality-plus and is an active dog. Some terriers, like the Cairn, are “below the knee” in height, but in spite of their size, all terriers are masculine dogs and do not show any sign of timidity or shyness. These are busy dogs, on their toes and ready for action! If you are looking for a sedentary lap dog, this will not be the breed for you.
Have you investigated the responsibilities of owning a Cairn? Or any dog for that matter? The long-haired Dachshund is smaller and usually less active than a Cairn Terrier. Cairns are energetic and always busy.
The Cairn has a very steady disposition and fits in well with family life, whether it be in a large country house or a studio apartment in the city. He gets along well with children and will accept strangers once he has had a chance to look them over. He’s a cocky dog who may not go out and start a fight, but he will surely stand his ground when pushed. This is not a dog who will lie about the house trying to keep his master or mistress happy.
