How to Groom a Cairn Terrier?

How to Groom a Cairn Terrier

You love the foxy facial expressions of your Cairn Terrier, don’t you? Cairn Terrier belongs to the Highlands of Scotland and is quite popular in terms of its agility and obedience. Cairn Terrier has some distinct grooming needs regularly because of its long double coat.

Every dog needs regular grooming throughout his life to stay healthy. Grooming is especially important in long-coat breeds such as Cairn Terrier. If your Cairn Terrier is adapted to the grooming habits from a young age, you can easily groom a Cairn Terrier at home.

Besides, you also need basic knowledge of hand stripping in the case of Cairn Terrier. If you’re not practicing this technique, taking your dog to a professional groomer can help. Let’s start with what you need for the grooming of Cairn Terrier.

Step 1 - Gather the Cairn Terrier Grooming Tools

• Canine Furminator Tool
• Dog Shampoo & Conditioner
• Dental Brush & Canine Toothpaste
• Shearing Scissors
• Stripping Knife
• Grooming Pin Brush
• Ear & Eye Cleaning Solutions
• Dog Nail Clippers
• De-mating Comb
• Dry Towel & Hair Dryer

Step 2 – Focus on the Coat

The coat of the Cairn Terrier has a distinctive texture due to the dual layer of fur. The outer coat is coarse and hard whereas the inner is composed of soft fur. It is challenging to brush a coat of Cairn Terrier if it is neglected for a longer time.

Start by brushing the coat to make sure it is free from the tangles and mats. Most of the hair breeds are predisposed to knots and mat formations which need to be removed regularly. You can use a comb or a special furminator tool for that purpose.

The furminator tool has a unique design that allows its comb to go deep into the fur. It not only straightens the fur but also helps to remove the dead hair from the inner and outer coat. In my opinion, you should invest in a furminator tool if you have a Cairn Terrier breed.

Using gentle pressure and short strokes, the tangles and dead hair can be removed. After that, use a metal wire pin brush to straighten the coat. A slicker brush can also be used in a way that you need to first brush opposite to the hair grain and then towards it.

Step 3 - Apply Hand Stripping Technique

Hand Stripping is a popular dog grooming technique especially used in the case of Cairn Terrier. You don’t need to clip the hair to make it look groomed and tidy. Hand Stripping is preferred to be done before the bath to give your Cairn Terrier a sleek and neat look.

Start at the shoulder, neck, and chest region by holding the coat in your hand and strip it in the hair grain direction. Hold the stripping knife perpendicularly to the coat and use gentle pressure to remove the dead and worn-out hair from the coat.

Proceed step by step on the other body regions and make sure not to angle the knife on the coat. Angling the stripping knife will cut the coat and cause an irregular and uneven coat pattern. Hand stripping can be done with the knife or you can use your fingers to remove the lighter coat.

It is worth mentioning that hand stripping is a complicated process and needs to be done precisely. You need to work on every body region separately using a knife, fingers, and rake. If you’re inexperienced, it is better to leave this task to a professional grooming visit.

Step 4 – Take Care of Cairn Terrier’s Nails & Teeth

Follow a weekly routine of checking and trimming the Cairn Terrier’s nails. If you observe the nails too long and making the dog uncomfortable, use dog-specific nail clippers to cut the overgrown nails by avoiding the nail quickly.

To maintain oral hygiene, brush your Cairn Terrier teeth every week. You can purchase a canine double-sided toothbrush to clean the teeth in a short time. Make sure the toothpaste you use is vet-recommended and doesn’t cause any side effects in dogs.

Step 5 – Bathing a Cairn Terrier

To create the natural hard texture and plum of the Cairn Terrier’s coat, use the right type of shampoo. Cairn Terrier is an active breed and prefers outdoor runs to get dirty. You can adjust the bathing frequency in Cairn Terrier based on the coat’s condition.

Fill a bathtub with lukewarm water and dampen the entire coat of Cairn Terrier. Apply the canine shampoo over the fur and rub it gently to remove dirt. If your dog’s skin is prone to getting irritated by the chemicals in shampoo, invest in a hypoallergenic dog shampoo.

Rinse the fur thoroughly to remove the excessive shampoo from your Cairn Terrier’s fur. Then apply the conditioner which will retain the natural hard texture of the coat. It is important to use the conditioner in small amounts to create a fluffy look.

Using a dry towel, gently pat dry the coat and use the hair dryer to dry the coat completely. You can use an odor-eliminator product to keep the coat refreshed and free from unnecessary odors.

Step 6 - Cairn Terrier’s Ears & Eyes Cleaning

Last but not least step of Cairn Terrier grooming is maintaining ear and eye hygiene. In order to keep the ear free from wax and bacteria, use a canine ear cleaner and thoroughly clean the exterior ear. This will prevent your Cairn Terrier’s ear from getting infected by pathogens.

Similarly, the eyes of Cairn Terrier exhibit a small amount of discharge all the time. The eyes must be cleaned and the excessive tears and dirt accumulation should be removed. It will relieve the itching and infections that can happen in the future in the case of Cairn Terrier.

By doing the following grooming routine, your Cairn Terrier will stay in its best shape. Cairn Terrier is a favorite show pet as well as everyday pet. The grooming needs of Cairn Terrier is essential in order for your dog to win the next competition.