Cairn Terriers Need About an Hour of Daily Exercise
Cairn Terriers are an active breed. It is recommended in Vanessa Richie's book "The Complete Guide to Cairn Terriers" that every Cairn Terrier receive a 30-minute vigorous walk with their humans in the morning, and another in the afternoon or evening is also recommended. This helps the dog to maintain a healthy weight, provides dog and human bonding time, and helps provide necessary mental stimulation. However, Cairn Terriers should always be leashed during walks. They should never permitted off leash, due to their instinct to chase and hunt small animals like squirrels. Adequate physical and mental stimulation for a Cairn Terrier helps reduce boredom and any potential unwanted behaviors associated with it, such as digging, barking and chewing.
On days when weather conditions are not favorable to a good walk, there are lots of activities to help keep a Cairn Terrier mentally and physically stimulated at home. In her book, "The Complete Guilde to Cairn Terriers," Richie recommends scent work as a fun activity for both the dog and human. To start, get one of your Cairn Terrier’s favorite toys or treats and hide it in a small room or closet. In the beginning, the dog should have a limited area in order to learn to find the treat or toy. Use the “find” command. Once your dog finds the treat or toy, reward him or her with affection and treats. Cairn Terriers are born to hunt, so once your dog gets the idea of the “find,” command, you can use a larger indoor space. The find game can also be done outdoors in good weather.
The audio plays a terrier barking.
Resources Consulted:
Richie, Vanessa. The Complete Guide to Cairn Terriers LP Media Inc. Publishing, 2022.
Audio courtesy of Pixabay