Cairn Terrier Grooming

Cairn Terriers have "hard" coats--they're double-layered, with soft undercoats and medium-length, wiry outer coats that can get pretty scruffy unless properly maintained. Overall Cairn Terrier grooming won't take a ton of work, but will need to include brushing a couple of times per week, occasional baths, and periodic clipping or stripping.

Here you'll find plenty of details on caring for a Cairn Terrier's coat, including info about brushing, stripping, and bathing. You'll also read about other areas your little Cairn needs maintenance (like teeth, ears, and paws)--and you can learn exactly why clipping a Cairn Terrier's coat short is not a good idea.

Cairn Terrier grooming doesn't take too much work--but these little dogs' coats will need some regular maintenance to keep them looking their best. The coats are double-layered, with soft undercoats and scruffy, wiry outer coats; Cairns shed pretty lightly for the most part. The coats can become tousled-looking pretty easily, but brushing them once or twice per week should keep the hair neat and tangle-free.

Bathing is another part of the Cairn Terrier groom--and fortunately these dogs don't need baths very often. The hard coats have naturally waterproof oils, and bathing a Cairn too often will remove a lot of those oils and actually soften the coat's texture. According to a dog groomer, Cairns only need baths every 3-4 months (unless, of course, they roll in something dirty or stinky!).

Haircuts aren't required, but most owners at least have their Cairns' coats trimmed from time to time to keep them from looking too messy. Others--especially those who show their dogs--have the coats stripped every few months. And while it's possible to learn Cairn Terrier grooming start to finish by yourself, a lot of owners rely on professional Cairn Terrier groomers for their needs, especially when it comes to bathing and clipping or stripping. In any case, it's a good idea to take your Cairn to visit a pro at least once. The groomer can give the dog's coat a nice makeover, and offer tips on how to groom a Cairn Terrier at home.

Pet grooming for Cairns will also require a few Cairn Terrier grooming tools: a slicker or pin brush, a greyhound comb, scissors, and canine shampoo will all be great to have on hand.

Brushing a Cairn Terrier isn't difficult, and will only need to happen once or twice a week. Owners say they use either a pin brush or a slicker brush on their Cairns--and either one is good for reaching the undercoat to remove dead hairs.

How to brush a Cairn Terrier: brush with either a pin or a slicker brush--but before you do so, spray the coat with water mist from a spray bottle. (Occasionally, especially if your Cairn's coat is oily, you can mix in a few drops of rubbing alcohol with the water to reduce oil buildup.) Then starting at the shoulders, brush the coat section by section, using sweeping strokes in the direction of hair growth. If you encounter a tangle or mat, try to remove it using the methods described in the Getting Out Tangles section below. Finish by going through the hair on the head, face, ears, and tail with the greyhound comb.

These dogs' coats don't tangle or mat too much, but it does happen. Two ways to deal with tangles in your Cairn Terrier's coat:

• Use your fingers. This is the preferred method. It may take a bit longer, but it's more effective--and less damaging to the dog's coat. Separate the tangles or mats by hand, going one hair strand at a time if necessary. You can also use the end teeth of your greyhound comb to separate tangled hairs if you like.
• Use a de-shedding tool. Since Cairns don't shed too much, this isn't necessary to have--but with a tool like a Furminator, Cairn Terrier coats will stay more tangle-free. The problem is that these tools remove some healthy hairs along with the dead (and tangled) ones if not used carefully. In any case, hand removal of tangles is best.

Cairn Terriers' hard coats, like many breeds with similar wiry coats, will look their best if they're stripped every few months (and if the dog is to be shown, stripping is a necessity). While some like to use tools like stripping knives, hand-stripping a Cairn Terrier is best. While this method takes time (up to 45 minutes or more) and patience, hand-stripping is more effective--and it's less damaging to the coat than using a blade, which can also harm the coat's healthy hair and even injure the dog if not used correctly.

A how-to on Cairn Terrier hand-stripping: after you give the dog a thorough brushing, start the process by gently tugging on a small "tuft" of coat with your thumb and forefinger. If hairs are dead, they'll come away easily. Go through the entire coat bit by bit in this manner. Some people like to put rubber "finger thimbles" (available at some pet stores or online) on their fingers to help grasp the hairs. The process will take some time--but your Cairn Terrier's coat will look fantastic when you're done!

Bathing a Cairn Terrier doesn't need to happen often. Too-frequent baths will strip the coats of their natural waterproof oils, and even change the coats' texture. A Cairn Terrier bath only needs to happen every few months--unless, of course, the dog gets especially dirty or stinky!

Some larger metropolitan areas are seeing an increase in "mobile dog groomers," which are work trucks that can provide a mobile dog wash for Cairns and other breeds.

If you instead choose to bathe your Cairn yourself, though, it's better to use canine shampoo, as the kind made for humans can irritate a dog's skin. Many breeders and owners say the best shampoo for a Cairn Terrier is one formulated for "hard coats." Miracle Coat Curly & Wiry and Bio-Groom Wiry Coat are two recommended brands, both of which are available on Amazon and other outlets. Conditioner is optional, but is not at all required.

How to bathe a Cairn Terrier: first give the dog a thorough brushing. Your Cairn might be small enough to bathe in the kitchen sink; otherwise, a bathtub or an outdoor plastic pool using a garden hose will be fine. Wet the coat completely, then apply a small amount of shampoo to the dog's back. Lather well, working downward and outward as you go. (And don't forget the legs, underbelly, and tail!) Clean your Cairn's face, head, and ears with a washcloth, then rinse the entire coat until the water runs clear.

Towel-dry the coat, then finish by giving the dog another quick brush-through to make the coat look neat and clean.

For the Cairn Terrier, haircut styles are pretty limited. These dogs' medium-length, wiry coats don't make many Cairn Terrier grooming styles possible. Most owners either hand-strip their Cairn's coats (see the Plucking & Stripping section above), or simply have them trimmed with scissors or clippers.

It's important to note that clipping a Cairn Terrier coat very short is not recommended. Doing so will cause the outer coat to change texture and color when it grows back--and despite what some believe, a shaved Cairn Terrier won't shed any less. Since it's a dog's undercoat that sheds, unless a Cairn Terrier cut makes the dog bald--which is never a good idea!--the undercoat remains and the dog still sheds.

In a nutshell, any Cairn Terrier cut needs to be minimal. If you (or a groomer) decide to take scissors or clippers to your Cairn Terrier, cut the hair by only an inch at most.

Besides their coats, Cairn Terriers will need regular maintenance in these areas as well:

• Teeth: Just like humans, Cairn Terrier teeth need regular brushing. Even if they have seemingly perfect teeth, Cairns will need brushing twice a week or so to prevent plaque and tartar buildup, and to minimize that Cairn Terrier bad breath! Brush the dog's teeth with a regular toothbrush--but be sure to use canine toothpaste, as the kind made for humans can make dogs sick if they swallow it.
• Ears: Clean the dog's ears monthly with commercial canine ear cleaning solution. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions, but the usual method is to squirt a healthy amount into the ear canal, close the ear flap, and massage the ear for a few seconds to work in the liquid. Your Cairn will probably shake its head vigorously for a bit--this is normal--then you can use a cotton ball (never a Q-Tip!) to remove the remaining solution.
• Nails: If your Cairn's nails "click" on hard surfaces, it's time for a trim. Cut the nails as close to the toe as possible--but make sure not to cut into the "quick" (the blood vessel running through the nail), as doing so can make it bleed and be painful.
• Toe Hair: If the hair between your Cairn's toes gets too long, it'll collect dirt and debris and even get infected. If needed, use a small pair of scissors to trim the hair short.
• Paw Pads: A dog's paw pads can become dry and cracked, especially if the dog walks a lot on hot asphalt or snow and ice. Apply commercial paw pad moisturizer (available at pet stores) weekly to keep the pads soft and moist.