It is known as the highlander of terriers, this small and extremely lively dog from Scotland that has, over the centuries, become a faithful companion to dog lovers the world over. The cairn terrier has origins that are lost in the mists of time and are intertwined with the history of the Scottish Highlands and its indomitable inhabitants. It is, in fact, the oldest of the Scottish terriers, and both the west highland white terrier and the Scottish terrier descend from the breed. Its name derives from the Celtic word "cairn", which referred to the rocks typical of Scotland, among which the small dog — a tireless hunter — would pursue its prey.

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"To understand the nature of every breed you need to know what it was originally used for. The cairn is a terrier selected and employed primarily for hunting otter, fox, badger and rabbit. This task demanded courage and great agility to push forward among the rocks on very difficult terrain, but also excellent determination to work entirely alone, often underground, in burrows from which retreat was difficult and where life could therefore depend on the ability to fight," says Stefania Marchitelli, dog trainer and behaviourist. Let us begin, then, to discover the fascinating history of this small and utterly spirited little dog.

• A history spanning centuries
• The cairn terrier's character
• Daily care, diet and health

A history spanning centuries

The extremely lively cairn terrier has proudly journeyed through centuries of human history. And it has maintained its firm reputation, proud of its name inspired by the rugged Scottish rocks. And, like a rock, the breed has endured to the present day. As early as the 18th century, the cairn terrier was well known and widespread in Scotland, England and Ireland. Indeed, some documents record that in the 17th century specimens were also kept by James VI of Scotland.

The breed was then officially recognised in 1909 and survived two world wars intact, going on to "colonise" the United States and the rest of Europe. The highlander of terriers was loved and celebrated by many dog experts, ethologists and animal behaviour researchers. "Stanley Coren — the famous psychology professor, neuropsychology researcher and author — shared his life with Flint, an extremely lively cairn terrier, and, speaking of the breed's formidable intellectual capacity, he recounted how it possessed what he called 'adaptive intelligence' — that is, the ability to plan behaviour and select specific actions by learning information and applying it to the situation," Marchitelli adds. A capacity that has allowed it to adapt to different climates and territories, varied attitudes and uses, and the continual social and political changes of human society.

The cairn terrier's character

The breed is distinguished by a lively and sociable character that makes this small — it weighs no more than 6–8 kg — yet muscular dog a perfect fit for any environment. "This mini terrier adapts very well to domestic life: it is adorable and entertaining, but one must always bear in mind that we will never have a dog content to doze on the sofa. Alert and easily excitable, it is an excellent 'early warning system' that barks vigorously in the presence of strangers or situations it considers out of the ordinary," the expert stresses.

Cairn terriers are full of energy and need time to run and play for at least an hour a day. However, the hunting instinct is so strong that they will chase after prey, and it is best to let them off the lead only in safe, controlled areas, making sure the dog responds to recall reliably. Their nature as earth dogs leads them to dig — both in fields and in the garden — so, to avoid trouble and damage, it would be wise to set aside a dedicated area where they can satisfy their ancient instincts.

Daily care, diet and health

Small dogs such as cairn terriers have a fast metabolism, burn energy at a high rate, and need to eat little and often for optimum wellbeing. Care should therefore be taken not to give in to its voracious appetite; daily food rations should be divided up so that the little terrier always has a full stomach and does not need to beg or steal food between meals. As for daily grooming, the cairn terrier has a double coat that is weather-resistant and needs to be brushed and combed at least once a week. During the change of season, which usually occurs twice a year, the old coat must be hand-stripped to remove dead hair and allow the skin to breathe.

The cairn terrier is a true highlander when it comes to health too. Its robust and muscular build makes it suited to any climate and any situation: from a rugged country life to the more comfortable and sedentary existence of the city. A long-lived dog, it can easily reach 17 years of age in full health. Watch out only for possible eye problems — a periodic check-up with a specialist vet is advisable after the age of 8 — and for minor joint problems that the cairn terrier's extreme liveliness can bring about even at a young age.