Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers

Cairn Terrier updates

2009-11-07T09:08:00.003-06:00

Time seems to pass so quickly. I wanted to pass along a quick update about our Cairn family and Cairn Terrier puppies. We have 2 puppies still looking for their forever homes. I'm seeing a dramatic slow in the market that I hadn't experienced previously. Hopefully those "right" homes will come along soon. The puppies are absolutely adorable and I'm sure they'll make wonderful additions for someone.

Bentley is still looking for his forever home. I haven't been advertising him or anything but hoped to find someone close that would be a good match for him. My kids are attached to him so I guess I'm not looking that hard. But when the right family comes along, we'll know it. That's the hardest thing about being a breeder. You get so attached to the adults and yet you can't keep them all.

I'm doing very well in school, although it has been more time intensive than I expected. I just finished 2 classes with A's so I'm extremely happy! I'm working on the next 2 classes currently.

We LOVE our new home! We still have a lot to finish but I love the hardwood floors and tile for the dogs, and although we were on an acreage before, 10 acres is so much more room to run on and explore. I have to watch the puppies though, because they try to follow the kids into the woods. They think they're big dogs too. LOL

I appreciate the updates I've received from a few people. Thank you so much. I wish I could be in closer contact with everyone. But I certainly appreciate the ongoing emails and hearing about the Cairns. Keep in touch!

We're Moving Into our New Home!

2009-07-16T22:50:00.005-05:00

We're moving! We're excited to move into our new home next week. For those who have purchased puppies, we want to ensure that we maintain contact long term. Please stay tuned to the website for phone and email changes. I have set up a new email, but will currently keep my cell phone and will post a new phone number if we get a land line set up. If you need a new address, please email us and we'll give you direct contact information. My new email is: RickysPrincess@gmail.com

My NP program starts at the end of August. We're going to be busy finishing the house and getting settled before then. The dogs will have a temporary play yard until we build our "guest house" with the dog room off the back side of it. Keep in touch!

thank you!

Traci

Semi-Retired

2009-04-19T20:05:00.003-05:00

We changed our plans slightly when we came across an excellent opportunity for a champion pedigree male that I fell in love with. We welcome Brody to our family! He has the same compact confirmation, small ear set, short tail, and adorable traits that remind me of Bailie and Maggie (everyone's favorites). I have kept Bailie & Hailie and will eventually retire Bentley to a forever home. I just couldn't give up everything completely but had to cut back to allow time for school. The rest of the dogs all went to my breeder friends so I'm relieved that we've preserved the lines for the future. I'm hoping to start my MSN this fall but we'll see how things fall into place. We're still planning the August litters by hopefully both Bailie & Hailie depending on how nature accommodates us. I still enjoy hearing from you, so keep in touch!

Retiring from Breeding

2009-02-18T13:47:00.003-06:00

I'm sorry to report that I'm temporarily retiring from breeding. I will fulfill the last litters this summer and I'm hoping to place the rest of the dogs either in quality breeder-friend homes or pet homes. If anyone would be interested in fostering one of our dogs, please let me know. This would mean adopting one of the dogs but keeping them intact so we may have the option to breed them in the future. I would like to retain some of my lines so this may be an option for some of the girls. Of course the home would agree to keep them safe and allow me to breed them in the future, and retain the puppies to restart a breeding program. I would whelp out and assist in all of the puppy process, so it would need to be someone in IL or our surrounding area. If you would like to be considered, just email me at crookedcreekcairns@verizon.net

I will maintain my website in order to stay in contact with previous puppy customers. I will still be available for support and education for both our Cairn family and the public. I'm kind of sad and can't believe I'm doing this, but I have to make time to continue my education and a new career. If things go well, the long term goal is to be able to work as I want for much more pay and still have time to commit to my family and hobbies. I think it'll be really rewarding and exciting.

I extend a big thank you for all the support and friendship we've developed over the years. I look forward to rekindling my role as a breeder in the near future. THANK YOU!!!
Traci

CCCT Update

2009-02-07T14:58:00.003-06:00

I'm sorry for my absence! It's been rather busy around here. We're sending puppies home now and still have 1 puppy by Chloe available. Chloe and Rainey are ready to retire and soon to follow is Thea. I'm just now experiencing the slow in the market and economy, since I had Chloe's puppies available for so long. I've never had a puppy available longer than 24-48hrs and I still have 1 puppy ready to go at 8 weeks. I'm just thankful that it hasn't effected my family in other ways. I know times are really tough for lots of families.

My husband and I went to Jamaica last week and saw that their economy is suffering from the slow in tourism. Our resort was not up to it's usual standards. Apparently 70% of their tourism is from the US and it has dropped to 20%. Our plane down and back was 1/2 full when it used to be full. The resort is making cut backs and we noticed a big difference in the quality of service, facilities, etc.

I've received some happy updates from previous puppies. The dogs most recently retired (Miyah, Daisie, and Bridget) are doing wonderful in their new homes. It's very satisfying to hear about their bonding process and how they are settling into their new routines. I'm going to retire and cut back to a minimum and then decide if I'll continue breeding on an as needed basis. I will always be available as a supportive breeder to the public and to my previous customers. But I will only breed as there is a need in the market. We have a few families waiting for a litter or 2 this summer and then we'll see how it goes.

Retiring Adults

2008-12-10T21:49:00.003-06:00

I'm sorry for the lack of posts lately. It's been so busy here! We let Miyah and Daisie go to pet homes and they are doing just great so far. Miyah is still in IL, Daisie in PA, and Bridget retired to her forever home in MA. We thank these families for offering forever homes to our "furr kids". We realize the dedication it takes to adopt an adult into a new environment and I am thankful that they will be loved as their new family member. I often feel guilty that I can't provide as much 1 on 1 attention as I would like. But I know that they'll be pampered and get all the 1 on 1 that they desire now. It makes it easier to let them go, but I'll still miss them. It's easier to let puppies go because they are never "owned" by me....it's a head game I have to play with myself. But when I've already bonded, named, and spent so much time with the adults, it's really hard to say good-bye. I get updates, but it's still hard.

Maggie and Chloe both have healthy litters of 3. They're growing and doing really well. We still have puppies available. With the economy we're seeing a slowing of inquiries but are thankful that our puppies have still found wonderful forever homes. We still have other families waiting for a specific color or sex for future litters so we're breeding 2 more litters by Hailie & Bailie. I'm excited to see what they have in store for us. They're both adorable Cairns!

Our Doggie outfit came out in Movie

2008-10-25T14:15:00.006-05:00

When I had my boutique open http://www.designerdogavenue.com/, I sold several doggie outfits to Walt Disney productions for a movie they were shooting in Mexico. It came out recently, "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" and the pink & green striped outfit seen in the previews is one that I sold them! Is that exciting or what!? I want to go see the movie but have had minor surgery, recovered, and now have been sick and haven't made it yet. I know the designer is out of many sizes but if anyone is interested I still have a few size mediums which fits the Cairn. I also have several outfits, designer dog carriers, dog beds, dog jackets and clothes, etc that I would like to get sold. I've offered special pricing to any customers, if you're interested please email me and you can shop behind the scenes in my remaining inventory. dow99@verizon.net

Amazing Cairn found swimming 1 mile off shore

2008-10-25T14:11:00.001-05:00

Check out this article! A 14yr old Cairn got lost at sea and they found him swimming 1 mile out! Rescued and happy ending!! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1080220/Fishermen-catch-DOG-mile-North-Sea.html#

Libby Update

2008-09-23T11:29:00.002-05:00

I received this testimonial about Libby. This is what makes me feel so good about being a breeder, making people happy. :)

"I cannot thank you enough for our wonderful girl “Libby”. As a client who has recently adopted one of your retiring dogs, I cannot thank you enough, nor can I praise you enough. Having an 8 month old Cairn terrier, we felt, that finding the right brother or sister was going to be tricky. Your guidance when we asked about an older dog helped us find our perfect little girl and our family has been completed by her. This was the perfect match. We love her just as much as if we had raised her from a puppy and cannot imagine life without her now. She and Chewie love each other too and it has been a really wonderful thing for our lives.

I want to commend you for doing such an amazing job raising her these past three years. Your care for your dogs shows and it has helped her transition into our household easily. She’s been a dream for potty-training and her socialization has been great. She’s friendly with our neighbors and their dogs and has adjusted to life in the house very easily.

I wish you continued success as a breeder – you are outstanding and your love and knowledge of this breed is unsurpassed. It means a great deal to me that you care so much about these dogs, their health, their socialization, and are interested in finding the right homes for them.

Thank you.
Mia Stark
Grayslake, IL"

Bentley and Color Genetics

2008-09-17T18:59:00.003-05:00

Color genetics have always intrigued me in horses. I owned a grullo gelding with the brindle gene. In horses, the brindle gene is so rare, there aren't enough horses in existence to trace the genetic marker. My favorite color is the grullo, a mousy color that is genetically a black horse with dun factor (dorsal stripe, leg barring, wither bar, tipped ears). They are of course the rarest color and very difficult to find. This intrigue about color genetics carries over to the Cairn, since color is the biggest unknown factor in the breed. From my own experience, I understand the brindle gene in the breed and they either have it or they don't. The brindle can vary from a very light color with only a few stripes in the undercoat, to a very dark color with lots of stripes and a very dark top coat. Bentley however, is a mystery. He is the only Cairn known to be his color of mahogany red with black points. He has not changed in color other than he's getting a few gray hairs with age. He produces about 97% brindle puppies, so he must have the brindle gene even though he does not have apparent striping in the undercoat. This is probably because his undercoat is too dark to see the striping. Canine color genetics is not yet fully developed, but they are working on the fawn & brindle genes as seen in the boxer breed. They can currently test for the black mask and I believe they can test for the brindle gene in the Cairn Terrier. Bentley is going to participate as a research dog and they will evaluate his color genetics. They may not have testing currently available to assess what he truly is genetically, but I hope he can be of value to their research. Isn't that just the coolest thing!!!?? :)

Spaying or Neutering

2008-08-27T21:14:00.004-05:00

Spaying is the sterilization by removing the ovaries & uterus of females, while neutering is the removal of the testicles of males. The advantages of spaying & neutering are numerous. With the epidemic of unwanted pets in our nation, spaying & neutering is necessary to reduce the occurance of unwanted pregnancy. Responsible pet owners take a proactive approach in ensuring that their dog is healthy and are not part of the problem of pet overpopulation. Females who are spayed before their 1st heat cycle, have a 99.9% reduced risk of mammary cancer. Neutering males prevents testicular cancer and prostate disease. Both males and females will not develop the negative behaviors associated with being intact if spayed/neutered before maturity or by 6 months of age. Females will not blow their coats with hormonal changes, males will not mark their territory by hiking their leg on everything in sight. Intact females also mark their territory and I even have females who lift their leg on things just like males!

At Crooked Creek Terriers, families who adopt a puppy agree to spay/neuter by 6 months of age. They place a deposit that is refunded upon proof of alteration by 6 months of age. I generally recommend neutering at 3-5 months of age, and spaying at 5-6 months of age. Some vets recommend early spaying/neutering as early as 8-16 weeks. This website gives a great over view of spaying & neutering. http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_SpayDay.php "Pets can become capable of reproduction as early as 6 months of age, so it is important to spay and neuter pets by that age. Early spay/neuter starting at 8 weeks of is endorsed by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), Humane Society of the United States, the American Kennel Club, the Cat Fanciers Association, the American Humane Association and many other organizations. As long as a pup weighs more than two pounds and is 8 weeks old, he or she can be neutered or spayed."

Libby Retired & Current Happenings

2008-08-13T07:30:00.003-05:00

The puppies are all home and all is quiet again. They all had happy homecomings and are keeping their families busy with puppyhood! Libby retired to her forever home last week and she's doing wonderfully! She's a resident of Chicago now, and has a 6mo old Cairn brother. They sound like they're having a great time and it's been the perfect forever home for her. It's amazing how those homes come along that are just the "right" home for a particular dog or puppy. Chloe is recooperating from her last litter and will be available for adoption in the next couple months.

We're watching for the next breedings to take place in the next month or so. The young girls are maturing very nicely and they'll be ready to have their first litter this winter. We've been so busy, I haven't gotten the new photos like I've been planning. But now that puppies are home, maybe I can find time to play photographer. It's certainly a job I enjoy!

Remodel Complete

2008-07-10T19:37:00.007-05:00

The puppy house remodel is finally complete. It's made a difference in the ability to air condition and maintain a stable temperature. It also looks nicer! :) I like things all decorated, clean, and crisp! I still want to restain the exterior, but we've done some more landscaping to the exterior as well. Here's some photos of the interior. I bought a toolbox for medical and grooming supplies and love it! It's so much easier to find supplies than searching through tubs stowed away in the cabinet. I have more than ample storage now, with the tool box unit and a shelf above the whelping boxes. I'm enjoying it! For more photos, visit the facility page of my website! New exterior photos coming soon.

Puppy update

2008-07-07T22:19:00.003-05:00

We've got our hands full of wiggly, licky, tail wagging puppies! They're very playful and attack your lap when given the chance. They like to nibble on my flip flops, or lick my toes when I'm trying to step around them. Here's a picture of one trying to play with my foot! LOL They like toys and carry around anything they can get their mouths on. They are Oh So Cute!! It's hard to believe they'll start to go home in just a couple weeks. Time flies when you're having fun!

Prices

2008-07-07T22:07:00.002-05:00

I understand the issue of gas prices raising the pricing of everything, but this is getting rediculous. Airline shipping has increased $50, as well as the cost of my 2hr commute to the airport. So now I'm having to charge $300 just to cover my costs when I ship a puppy. I received an update from Canidae and they've made all these wonderful "improvements to the formula".....mmmm hmmm.......so they can raise prices. In the last 3 months, the price has increased twice and is now costing me an extra $30 per month or $360 per year just in dog food. I know there are a lot of families finding it incredibly difficult to absorb the price increases and make ends meet. So I'm not going to complain. I just find it sad that everything and everyone is effected so greatly.

Puppy House Rennovations

2008-06-13T13:30:00.004-05:00

I've been busy insulating and redoing the puppy house this week. Turning the building into a puppy house was an afterthought, then we realized it wasn't built to insulate. Keeping the temps stable without insulation was more than a challenge. We went through alot of propane in the winter, and it was impossible to keep cool in the summer. I want to rebuild a new facility, but until we decide how, where, and HOW, I'm going to insulate it and try to make it work a while longer. I want to ensure that the next time around, it's truly in the best of design and convenience. Here's a preview, I have about 1/2 of it done! Slowly but surely!

The Happenings at Crooked Creek Terriers

2008-06-04T13:00:00.004-05:00

As you've seen, we have Cairn Terrier puppies by Maggie, Chloe, and Rainey. They are 2wks, 2wks, and 5 days respectively, and all are gaining and doing well. Chloe's puppies got their eyes open yesterday. A few of Maggie's have their eyes open, but the others are still closed. We took new photos of Chloe's, Rainey's, and will get new photos of Maggie's when they all have their eyes open.

Maggie scratched her eye, so I've been busy medicating and treating her. It's improving and I expect her to make a full recovery. It's hard to know how she did it, but it was a generalized ulcer rather than a visible scratch. I feel bad for her, it looks painful!

We still have 2 brindle males available for Maggie. The rest of the puppies are sold and their families are anxiously waiting!

It's been hot but we're keeping cool with plenty of water and fans. I'm hoping to get some insulation put into the roof of the puppy house to keep it from heating up, until we can get the new facility built. The air conditioner is a waste of time. It just won't keep up any better than fans. By the time the summer heat comes, the puppies will be old enough to play in the shade during the heat of the day. So we'll make it through ok. We had tornado watches/warnings yesterday but thankfully they went to the north and south of us, so we just got some rain last night.

We're busy with summer fun, birthdays, and some mini vacations planned. I just love this time of year!

Puppy update & photos

2008-05-22T19:57:00.002-05:00

Puppy photos are posted. They're all filling out and doing well. Mama's seem to be resting well. Each time I check, they've either gotten their pups to sleep and are resting by them, or they're nursing them. Chloe & Maggie are both excellent mothers. My only job is to sit back and monitor their feedings and growth, clean, and monitor the temp in the puppy house to make sure it remains a constant temperature for them. It takes a bit of work this time of year with the cool nights and warm afternoons. I can hardly wait for Rainey's litter to arrive now. The anticipation of how many and what sex is always like Christmas. You never know what you're going to get!

Chloe delivered!

2008-05-21T22:20:00.003-05:00

Finally....Chloe delivered 3 puppies tonight. She has 2 males, 1 female, and they are very large puppies. I helped her deliver the first one breech and I thought I'd never get him out. It stressed me out! It took several minutes of her pushing and me pulling to get him out. The second boy was nearly as difficult, but she delivered the girl on her own. They are all a light wheaten or cream with black points and are very big healthy puppies. I think she should have delivered them last week and they would have been 'normal' sized. LOL They're nursing and Chloe is pretty sore and growly, but she'll feel better tomorrow.

Maggie

2008-05-20T19:47:00.003-05:00

Maggie delivered 6 healthy puppies this morning. She has 3 girls, 3 boys, perfect little brindles! We did an U/S this afternoon just to ensure all was well and there were no more puppies in there. We almost lost her last litter when things seemed normal and 2 days later, we discovered a dead puppy in the birth canal. She was septic and it took several days of IV antibiotics and intensive care to save her. So no chances taken this time! :) The puppies are nursing and strong. It's exciting to have babies again!

No Puppy Update

2008-05-19T10:17:00.002-05:00

We're still watching and waiting but no puppies yet. Chloe is overdue and this is not uncommon, particularly for her. She is bagged up and appears ready. Maggie & Rainey are big bellied and wadling. I'll post news when we get some!

Beat the Summer Heat- But Clip?

2008-05-14T12:33:00.001-05:00

Some dog owners believe that clipping a dog's coat will make them cooler. They get their dog a summer cut to help them beat the summer heat. What they don't realize is that a dog's coat is insulating not only during the winter, but it's insulating against the heat in the summer. A dog doesn't sweat, but dissipates their body heat through panting. The undercoat helps to not only keep out the summer heat, but it prevents sunburn and skin irritations such as misquito bites. We know that Cairn Terriers should be stripped, not clipped. The primary reason is that dead hair left in the follicle and not stripped out, damages the base of the hair and makes it soft. The dead soft hair matts and is more odorous and difficult to manage. When stripping, the dead hair is removed by plucking it when it's ready, and a new hair grows in that remains course and the coat stays cleaner, less smelly, and does not matt as easily. It's important in the summer to brush regularly, remove any matts that may actually cause excess heat, and strip to maintain coat health. Bathe once a month to minimize drying out the skin. When spending a lot of time in the summer sun, use a dog sunscreen & insect repellent such as Flea the Scene by Happytails Spa product line. Ensure your dog has plenty of clean cool water to drink. There are various products available, such as cooling beds and cooling bandanas to help cool your dog when spending a lot of time outside. Some owners like to provide a baby wading pool in the yard for the Cairn to play in. They enjoy playing in the water and it helps keep them cool. Remember to use caution around large pools and use safety gates & fencing to dog proof your pool. Dogs can easily drown if they fall into a pool and can't get back out.

Puppies Puppies Puppies!

2008-05-12T14:04:00.000-05:00

We got a surprise when Chloe turned out to be pregnant after all. She is due on Wed and can go any day now. We had expected for Maggie to breed at some time, but she snuck up on us and is already pregnant and due very soon. I would expect her to whelp in the next week or 2. Rainey is very pregnant and due June 2nd. All mamas are happy go lucky and are sporting big bellies! We're going to be very busy but are excited to welcome puppies into the world. We'll post our news soon!

Forever in Our Hearts

2008-05-01T20:58:00.000-05:00

March 7, 1999-May 1, 2008

Earthquake in IL!?

2008-04-18T07:20:00.000-05:00

I was awakened at 430ish this morning from a dead sleep when I realized my bed shaking was not in my dream. I jumped from bed not able to comprehend what woke me up "What the heck is that!" I said, and my husband said "It's an earthquake." Having never experienced one in my life, I was quite scared as the house shook, rattled, and a weird hum roared through the house for several seconds. We're all ok and no damange noted yet this morning. We discovered this morning that it was a 5.4 originating south of us about an hour.

Human Allergies

2008-04-09T00:50:00.000-05:00

We know that some breeds are considered hypoallergenic but I didn't understand fully what the terminology meant. I ran across this description with a list of breeds and I was amazed. There is quite a list of breeds! The Cairn Terrier is listed, however I didn't see the Norwich Terrier listed. They have the same type of hard coat, so I was surprised. I have severe environmental allergies and react with hives on my arms from our Doberman. But I do not react to the Cairn or Norwich. As this website states, no breed is 100% hypoallergenic. I also found it interesting that poodle crosses are not necessary hypoallergenic. So just crossing a poodle with a random breed does not mean the offspring are going to have the hypoallergenic characteristic, which is a reason some breeders may do these crosses. I always recommend to families that if you have allergies in the family, visit a breed in person before purchasing. There is nothing worse than having to give up a family pet after you've become attached when a member of the family can't tolerate them due to allergies.

Health benefits of owning pets

2008-04-05T05:02:00.001-05:00

Pet owners experience a reduction in psychological and physiolgical ailments compared to non-pet owners. I knew pets could lower blood pressure, combat depression, stress, and loneliness. Pet therapy programs are successful in treating patients for various disorders. I found this list of specific data about the health benefits owning pets. Check it out! http://www.deltasociety.org/AnimalsHealthGeneralReasons.htm

Oprah's segment on puppy mills

2008-04-04T21:03:00.000-05:00

I was pleasantly surprised to find today's Oprah show a fair, balanced and objective report. They brought light to the issue of puppy mills which supply pet stores and urged families not to purchase puppies from pet stores. They stated to adopt from rescue, which I strongly agree with. I'm an affiliate of Col Potter Cairn rescue and recommend adopting if your family is able http://www.cairnrescue.com/. It is a loving organization rescuing and rehoming thousand's of Cairn Terriers from poor home environments, puppy mills, and abuse. I waited for the hate against all breeders message, but they didn't say that at all. In fact, they said they aren't worried about ethical breeders, because they don't hear from ethical breeders. Ethical breeders take their own puppies back and are not part of the pet overpopulation issue. They educated about spay/neuter and urged owners to be responsible pet owners by spaying & neutering their pets. They showed how simple a neuter surgery is and gave facts about the 99-100% reduction of mammary and testicular cancers in spayed/neutered pets. I thought it was well done, heart tugging but not pure propoganda, very objective and realistic reporting. The part that brought tears to my eyes, were the shelter dogs who were being euthanized only because of the lack of space. It is a serious problem, and the reason that mass production of puppies and sales of puppies through stores is unethical. Families purchase them on impulse or with inaccurate information, have no where to turn for assistance when their cute puppy develops behavior problems, and they are dumped in shelters. Pet stores don't take adults back and we know breeding farms or puppy mills certainly don't. It breaks my heart to see so many otherwise healthy animals, who just happened to wind up in the wrong home, euthanized because they have no where to go. This is not propoganda or sensationalizing, it's a real problem in our nation. I'm continually amazed at how many people do not know what a puppy mill is (and I've seen far worse than shown on the show today). I'm amazed that some show breeders label ethical breeders who don't happen to play the game of showing, puppy mills. Since we know what a true "puppy mill" is, this is an abusive phrase inappropriate applied to those who ethically and passionately breed for the love of the breed and their dogs. I'm amazed at how many pet stores "claim" to purchase from breeders when in fact, no ethical breeder will sell to a pet store. I'm amazed at how much of the public doesn't understand what ethical breeding is and that we should never purchase from pet stores. I'm delighted that the public was shown this message by Oprah and support the message in today's show. I hope everyone else enjoyed it as much as I did. For more information, go to http://www2.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200804/tows_past_20080404.jhtml?promocode=HP21

Our Facilities & Breeding Program

2008-03-27T09:42:00.000-05:00

There is a negative connotation to the word "kennel", and I wanted to explain my perspective and about our facilities as well as my approach to a quality breeding program. I have received a couple of offensive statements over the years from those breeders who only want their dogs to live in the home. One breeder stated something to the effect of "to be isolated in the back yard, what a horrible life." I promptly sent a photo of Bentley being "isolated in the back yard" and said "Poor Bentley...what a life." LOL

Adult males mark their territory and their urine has a strong odor. I have had 1 male that I could keep from marking inside most of the time, but the other boys are hopeless. But they are breeding males, that's part of their job. As a mother and person that values a clean household, I simply can not have males in the house marking my furniture. I even have females who mark their territory and some even lift their leg just like a male! This is unfortunately part of intact dogs that I tell people, spay or neuter and you won't have to deal with this negative behavior.

A breeder has to decide their approach to breeding. If it is to have 1 male, 1 female, obtain championship titles and have 1 litter of puppies per year that are placed in forever homes, that is their right. I am not going to disrespect someone who breeds ethically, if that is the approach they want to take. However, I have a different approach and I would like my perspective respected too. I believe that for the health of the lines, a breeder needs to have multiple females and preferably more than 1 male in order to have enough production to track the health of the lines. If I have a health disorder show up, I can compare lines in my kennel as well as that line in the kennels of my friends, to see if it may be carried by a particular dog. We can track it to obtain valuable information and decide if it was a random occurance or if a particular dog is carrying a defect and they or the line should be discontinued. This is why an open communication line with the families of the puppies I produce, is so important. I need to stay in contact and know if I have produced a puppy with a defect. This is why it is unethical to sell through brokers or puppy stores where you will never hear from that puppy again. You receive no feedback on the success of your breeding program. (not to mention that those puppies may end up in poor homes or shelters because the market is about selling puppies, not placing in forever homes or adopting them back)

I believe multiple females/males are necessary and there is no set number of dogs that are too many except that when you get too many in number, that is less time to devote to each dog. I not only want to have a strong breeding program, but I want my dogs to have a quality family life. I breed because I love my dogs, and I'm not going to throw them in a kennel and never have time to spend with them. For my young busy family, more than 15 dogs is a handful. This includes our breeding females, males, and the puppies that we are raising at any given time, to replace the retiring breeding females. I know a breeder who has about 20-25 dogs at a given time, with 3 related breeds, and I know she does a wonderful job with them. I've also seen breeders with that many that don't do so great. So it depends on the individual breeder, their commitment and energy level, and their facilities. I consider 50-100's of dogs always too many for ethical breeding. More than 3 breeds, particularly when they are different types of breeds is hard to maintain expertise and a strong breeding program.

This brings us to our facilities. I bring 1-2 dogs into the house on a given day, to play with, bathe, or care for them. But for someone to expect me to have 15 dogs in the house full time is just not sanitary or realistic. Even for those that stay inside for a longer period, they want to go back to the kennel to visit their buddies. I usually keep Maisie inside full time because she is very emotionally attached to me. Even SHE escapes from the back yard and goes out to the kennel. I've been cleaning and opened the kennel door and she runs in to say hi and doesn't want to come out! In my experience my dogs are not longing to stay in the house and be a person. They are dogs and they love the outdoors, the squirrels, birds, and the other dogs. They want to come out of the kennel and run in the back yard and after an hour or 2, they're ready to go back. A kennel is not a "cage", it's a safe and secure facility. They can't dig out or hurt themselves, and I don't worry about other animals getting in with them. Except for the poor squirrel that fell into the run with them! poor thing.....

A "kennel" usually refers to a professional breeder selling puppies to make money. This is where people get the negative connotation, because it is no longer an acceptable practice to breed only to make money. This does not mean that a small ethical breeder who happens to have appropriate, quality, and clean kennel facilities is not a good ethical breeder.

We need to stop making generalizations in an Us VS Them attitude. There are lots of show breeders that hate any breeder that doesn't show and calls anyone that doesn't show a puppy mill. I've been called a puppy mill recently as well as some of my friends who happen to be excellent breeders. It angers me that someone can be so hateful and offensive just because someone doesn't do things the way they do. The mere fact that other show breeders have taken the world of showing and turned it into such a hateful discipline is the exact REASON that I don't show! I will not lower my standards or integrity to hateful political attitudes. There is never an excuse to treat others badly and they are only giving themselves and the world of showing a bad name by treating others that way. I have literally wanted to show and every time I step foot into the realm I am reminded why I can not function in that environment. No one wants to participate with people talking about them, and hating them if they're not in the clique, or hating them if they're beating them, or don't have the right line, or don't do things in the same way. I don't believe in living my life that way and I don't believe in being that kind of breeder. So if I am outcast because I don't win titles, so be it. But to put me down because I have a certain kind of facility, or I breed to little, too much, or my name doesn't start with the right letter, they can have their titles and their dogs.

I am proud as can be of our new Norwich who is an AKC champion. What an accomplishment! She's a beautiful example of the breed. But I also believe that there are many breeders who are just like me. They want to breed to the breed standard and produce healthy loving puppies that are placed in loving forever homes. They just happen to refuse to "play the game" of showing! There are too many PUPPY MILLS, ie 100's of dogs housed in unacceptable conditions and health, producing puppies ONLY to make money. There are too many unethical breeders who breed dogs regardless of quality, are only interested in making a sale and do not care who buys them. When there are so many issues of pet overpopulation and dogs in need of homes, why are we waisting time talking about the ethical breeders who are trying to do things right? In my mind, those breeders are just as unethical when they are treating others badly only to make their own selfish gains.

There is never an excuse to treat others badly. I live it, I teach it, I stand by it. Threats and verbal abuse will not change who I am. If you agree with me, stand by me. If you don't, and you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

Our Cooper

2008-03-25T10:09:00.001-05:00

Thank you for the concern to those who noticed our Cooper was not listed as a breeding sire. He is fine, and will stay with us another month or so. We decided to sell him to our friend Tami, and he will become her main sire in her breeding program. It was a really difficult decision on my part. But I want to maintain a smaller number of total dogs, and will need a Norwich male. Since Cooper was closely related to most of my next generation I had to make the logical decision to let him go, setting aside my emotions. I had kept him to show, but decided not to go that route right now. I was then so attached, I didn't want to give him up. His personality is adorable, he's show quality and is a gorgeous Cairn! He will make a great contribution to the genetics of Tami's breeding program.

Wanted Ad

2008-03-25T08:49:00.000-05:00

Wanted: Cairn or Norwich Breeders who: follows the breeder's code of ethics, places their puppies in forever homes, are available to those puppies for their lifetime, are respectful of nature and each other, follows the golden rule, educates the public about responsible pet ownership, affiliates with other ethical breeders and shares knowledge to improve, breeds the best quality they can, being mindful of health, disposition, and confirmation according to breed standard.

Breeders need not inquire who are hateful, back stabbing, rude to others, dishonest, or believe in winning titles above all else regardless of whether they compromise the integrity of breeding, showing, and the dogs.

Cairn Terrier Litters for Spring

2008-03-18T01:01:00.001-05:00

We expected a litter by Thea at the end of the month. Unfortunately she doesn't appear to be pregnant. Chloe is tentatively due in May. This will be her last litter and she will be ready to retire to her forever home. We're watching for other females to come into heat and start breeding for summer litters. Congratulations to Camille for finding her forever home! She will be joining her new Mom and Cairn brother at the end of the month. We are anxiously awaiting Spring, sunshine and some dry weather!

The Puppy Chewing/ Nipping Stage

2008-02-28T08:12:00.000-06:00

The developmental stage of chewing and nipping in puppies can be challenging to deal with. They may chew up items around the house, like your favorite pair of shoes. Their manner of play is with their mouth, so they are constantly going at you with an open mouth. Cairn Terriers have needle sharp teeth and it's painful to get nipped or scratched. Understanding how to respond will help you get through this stage.

First of all, use puppy gates and close doors, to give your puppy a safe play space. (also protect carpet areas from potty accidents) Ensure you have puppy proofed your home by removing dangerous items that a puppy could get into, just like you would for a child. Electrical cords should be put up, small items they could choke on, etc. By removing items they have access to, you can prevent inappropriate chewing. Offer lots of toys appropriate for their size to play with and chew, and keep them busy. Use the crate as a way to safely contain them when you can't actively watch them. But ensure that you're using it appropriately for crate training. (crating 24-7 is not appropriate crate use) The best times to crate are after a good hard play session when puppy needs to nap.

Having chew toys available is also the key to redirect mouthing and nipping. Never use your hands as toys, by allowing the puppy to chase and attack your hands or feet. When puppy mouths at you during petting, redirect them to an appropriate toy. Praise them for chewing on the toy. This article gives some good advice: http://ddfl.org/behavior/pup-nip.pdf

My only thought after reading about yelping and ignoring them to reduce nipping behavior, is that in essence the puppy is learning a way to dominate you by controling your behavior. Dominant dogs in a pack nip or growl to show their dominance, and submissive members retreat or roll to their backs to show submission. Although you aren't "rolling on your back" you are retreating. For Cairn Terrier puppies that have an alpha type disposition, I wonder if this could create problems over time? Chances are, the puppy is going to outgrow the nipping stage before problems could be created, but it's something to think about if you experience this behavior beyond the puppy stage. (if a Cairn growls or snaps when you're doing something they don't like, don't retreat! Take assertive control.) The dominant one in the pack would not retreat, but would respond with assertive control. Since dominance is more of an issue in the Cairn Terrier than shyness, I would just be aware of it. I personally have not been against flipping a puppy in the nose when they come at your hand, as an immediate response. I only use it when all other attempts have been exhausted and with the right timing, puppy thinks it "ran into your finger". The same strategy is used for horses. The quote of horse trainer Clinton Anderson is "Be as light as possible, but as firm as necessary" (in speaking about horses which I apply to all areas of life). If I were another puppy, I would bite back. Same for horses, if I were another horse I'd kick, and a kick hurts a heck of a lot worse than a whack with a handy stick (tool used in training horses). Some people are mortified that you would ever "hit" a horse. But you know..... horses who are owned by people like that are dangerous when they dominate their handler! I've seen a horse that flat ran over their owner and she couldn't control him at all. Then I heard her speaking in the restroom about how another trainer had "hit" her horse and how awful it was. I wanted to say "Maam, maybe if you'd 'hit' your horse once in a while, he wouldn't run over and try to kill you!" By the way, the hitting I'm referring to is with a handy stick, a light weight long stick that is used to control space around a horse. Horses that invade your space get a quick wack which couldn't hurt them if you tried. It's just a wake up call that they must obey your personal space. So with that, I guess you can understand my matter of fact view, that if a puppy repeatedly bloodies your hand and won't be redirected, it's time to take an appropriate firmer approach. Be as light as possible, but as firm as necessary. And by firm, it is never hitting for aggression or to hurt an animal, but is taking action to control behavior as strongly as necessary.

Cooper II Available for Adoption

2008-02-25T11:50:00.001-06:00

We have Cooper II (not our Cooper breeding sire) available for adoption. He is 8mo old, the son of Rainey and Keagan. He was given back when his owner was not prepared for a dominate Cairn personality and wasn't willing to work through it. (she stated she wished I would have told her Cairns were so different than labs- so we understand her expectations were not accurate) I have assessed his personality and behavior. He has an alpha personality and is very outgoing, playful, happy go lucky, energetic, loving, and independent. He's delightful with strangers and although he gets along with other dogs, I would not place him in a home with another dominant personality dog. He is neutered and up to date on healthcare. He had a loving home, but I believe she didn't maintain a dominant role and he may be the type to challenge ranking with his owner. We're looking for a home with someone who is looking for this type of personality, who is experienced with dogs and dog behavior, and is able to maintain dominance. I have had no issues with Cooper and have redirected him easily. But I'm an assertive dog person. For more information please visit Cooper's page on my website http://crookedcreekcairnterriers.com/cooper-2-info.html

Jamaican Vacation

2008-02-21T17:25:00.000-06:00

I thought I would share a little Jamaica on these cold dreary days! It was beautiful! We only wished vacation lasted longer. Especially in February when we came back to snow/ice.

The Good and the Bad of the Cairn Terrier

2008-02-21T17:14:00.001-06:00

I found this article online and found it helpful information. "Cairn Terriers What's Good About 'Em, What's Bad About 'Em" Not all Cairns fit the quick-to-bark, scrappy, and difficult personality description. However, as this article states, when you purchase a puppy it is not known what their personality may become. We can not see true personality at 8-9 weeks of age. So when shopping for a new addition, a family needs to take these characteristics into account when deciding on the Cairn Terrier. In general, my Cairns have been great with my young children, less barky, loving, and rarely scrappy. But some puppies we've produced have been that personality. The advantage of adopting an adult, is you that you already know their personality. So if you want to be more sure of the personality you will get, consider adopting an older puppy or adult.

Unavailable Feb 13-19

2008-02-13T10:54:00.000-06:00

I will be unavailable February 13-19. If you are interested in upcoming litters or have questions about the Cairn, feel free to email me. crookedcreekcairns@verizon.net. I will reply upon my return. We're headed to the beautiful Jamaican Island for some sun and relaxation!

Invisible Fencing

2008-02-01T09:10:00.000-06:00

I posted a blog back in August about the dangers of invisible fencing. I collect information from credible rescources such as rescue organizations and experienced Cairn breeders. I have read time and again, that Cairns should not be contained by invisible fencing. They are so driven to chase squirrels that they will accept the shock to chase a squirrel but will not accept it to come back into the yard. I stated in my blog that "you will read...." I didn't have a strong opinion about the invisible fence until our own Cairn family in St Lois let their Chloe out to potty at dusk. When she didn't return they went out to find her dead, attacked by a coyote in her own yard. Invisible fencing, even if successful at keeping your Cairn in your yard, does not keep predators or aggressive dogs from entering your yard. I therefore said that I do not recommend invisible fences for dogs left unattended. IN OTHER WORDS if you don't have the option of any other fencing, and you would like to excercise your dog off lead while you are watching them, then it may be a viable alternative. I simply have presented the facts. I got several emails from a man who owns a company that sells invisible fencing who was upset that I presented negative information about invisible fencing. Although he agreed that coyotes could come into your yard and kill your Cairn, he knew of coyotes getting into physical fencing as well, so he didn't think that was a good argument. I personally have never had or heard of predators or dogs getting into a fenced yard that the Cairn can not get out of. He stated that it is only ignorance that invisible fencing doesn't work. I don't agree with his arguments because I don't care if the fencing keeps your dog in your yard, it doesn't keep predators out. Here is where I obtained some of my information and I'm certainly going to find these sources more credible than someone selling the invisible fencing systems. I only want what is best for our Cairn Terriers.
http://www.cairnrescue.com/adoption/faqs.htm#13
“Cairns are NOT suited for invisible fencing because they will most likely take a "hit" in order to chase something through the fence. However, they won't take the hit to get back home. In addition, invisible fencing does not prevent attacks from larger dogs. Likewise, a Cairn should not be left tied out in a yard for the same reason.”
http://www.ctcdenver.com/health.html#What%20kind%20of%20fencing%20will%20I%20need?
"No surprise then, that the Cairn, and other terriers, have a very high pain threshold… Therefore, the popular “invisible fences” should never be used to confine a Cairn. All the dog needs is to see a squirrel or rabbit beyond the fence boundary, and it is off on the chase. … In addition, any loose, aggressive dog can enter your yard with invisible fencing to attack, perhaps, kill your Cairn."
http://ctcnc.net/rescue.htm
Rescue will ask if there is a fenced yard because these guys are so independent, and prey driven. If there is no fenced yard, Cairns must be exercised on a leash. Cairns are bred to hunt vermin and will take any opportunity to protect you from them, real or imagined. An invisible fence will not work on these guys. They will run through the "pain" to get what they want but they won't run through the "pain" to come back home.

I still stand by my recommendation that the best alternative for fencing is solid fence panels set at ground level. Cairns should never be left unattended for long periods because they will dig. But the solid panels would be the safest to keep out other dogs, predators, and give your dog a safe environment to exercise and do their business. If you do not have a fenced yard, keep your Cairn on a lead. Dogs tied out are also subject to being attacked by strange dogs or predators. Picket fencing should be set very close together, as our 4" space is wide enough for our 9-10lb Cairns to squeeze under/through.

AKC Inspection

2008-01-31T08:51:00.000-06:00

AKC (The American Kennel Club) inspects all breeders who breed more than 7 litters a year. They review documentation to ensure accurate record keeping, facilities to ensure they are appropriate, how many dogs are present, how they are identified, and the dog's physical conditions. I experienced my first inspection at Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers about 1 1/2yrs ago. I was so nervous but I got compliments from the inspector and that felt really good. It took a couple hours and I was amazed at how in depth it was. He even checked my breeding dates with whelping dates to ensure they were accurate. Thankfully I passed with ease.

I had my next inpsection on Tuesday. I knew what to expect, but it still makes me so nervous. It's like the "doggie police" coming to "inspect". That word just sounds scary! Thankfully we had some warm weather and I was able to bathe and groom everyone without chilling them. I scrubbed dog boxes, the kennel, and the puppy house to ensure everything was clean and smelled good. My documentation was already organized, but I double checked everything just to be sure. I was surprised that this inspection was pretty quick and easy.

As a breeder, I whole heartedly support inspection of breeders. AKC holds the highest standards and it's through these standards and inspections that breeders are held accountable. Mistakes happen to some breeders and I understand that. But I like knowing that if there are breeders with dogs that aren't in good physical condition, facilities aren't appropriate, and documentation isn't accurate, that someone will know about it and ensure it's corrected. AKC isn't perfect and I've had my records mixed up, received documentation for dogs and breeds I don't own, and I wonder how they keep anything straight. Some of the rules aren't as strict as I think they should be when it comes to DNA requirements. It leaves a lot of room for error or dishonesty. But in general, AKC stands for quality and I'm glad to be a member. The inspections weren't really anything to worry about for someone that follows the rules (and they aren't hard to follow). Sure they make you nervous, but when the inspector leaves I wonder why I was nervous. That was easy! :)

Male or Female?

2008-01-31T08:20:00.000-06:00

Male or Female Cairn Terrier? What sex should we get? The negatives associated with males vs females are usually associated with intact animals. Intact females bleed with cycles, they mark their territory (some even hike their leg on things), and they can have 'attitudes' (they are called a bitch for a reason! LOL). With hormonal changes, they will blow their coat which is like shedding, and sometimes is so severe they will have balding. Intact males mark their territory by hiking their leg on anything and everything. Although they can be housetrained, if a bitch is in season they will mark in the house. I can't bring my males in the house without my cabinets being marked. Their urine smell is pungent and they just don't make good house pets.

So we will spay/neuter to avoid all the negatives associated with intact Cairn Terriers. But is there a difference in altered males & females? You will read that spayed females are more independent and neutered males are more loving. I have both males and females with independent natures and loving natures. I attribute this to personality and not the sex. Altered males and females can make equally good pets. Their tendency towards being more calm and loving, or more energetic and independent will depend on their personality.

We have a Terrier in our home. Should we get the same sex or opposite sex? In general, it is recommended that you get the opposite sex for the best compatability. But it depends on the personality of the Terrier that you already have. Since we can't always see true personality in a puppy at 6-9 weeks of age, consider the personality of your adult Terrier. Are they dominating or alpha personality? Are they grouchy with other dogs? For dogs with this dominating type personality, it would be best to adopt a puppy of the opposite sex for the best compatability. If your Terrier easily accepts other dogs, shows submission, and is loving and really good natured, you will probably be ok with another dog of the same sex as long as they are altered before maturity.

Testimonial Email

2008-01-18T13:20:00.000-06:00

I wanted to share an email I received from a sweet customer that waited for a litter from Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers. When a puppy didn't come available, I recommended my friend Tami at Breezyhollow Farm and she was able to get a male Cairn from her. Most of Tami's lines are either similar or came from Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers.

"Good morning ladies...I have a story that I wanted to share with you. The other night I was in a little local pet store near my home. As always I was drawn toward the puppies just to see what they had. They were all so cute and I notice this one little guy and only when I looked at the tag on the cage did I realize he was a Cairn! I was very surprised for 2 reasons, first I NEVER see Cairns in pet stores around here and secondly and more disturbing he really didn't look like a cairn. Now I am in no way any kind of expert but at 17 weeks old this puppy was almost twice the size of my Reilly at 4 1/2 months, his snout was much longer and both of his ears were totally flopped and showed no signs that they were going to stand up any time soon. His coloring was Cairn-like but if I had to guess I would say he had Schnauzer in him; at least that's what his face looked like to me. It made me very sad to think that this little guy could have very likely started out as a puppy mill puppy.Well the reason I am telling you this is because seeing him (priced at$1200) makes me really appreciate you guys and how much care you take as breeders. Thank you! My Reilly is perfect, stubborn but perfect (at least to me he is)
Micky"

The sad thing is, that this puppy either came from a bad breeder or puppy mill because it ended up in a pet store. The quality is evident and apparently you don't always get what you pay for. It's probably the quality of a $400 puppy but they are asking $1200. Our lines at Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers have some of the top show names in the pedigrees and several were $1200-1500 puppies. We maintain a price range that we attempt to cover costs with, but make it affordable to families. Our current pricing is $800-850 for pet puppies.

Breeder Check List

2008-01-16T09:46:00.000-06:00

Here is a checklist to keep in mind when shopping for a good breeder.

Puppies are born on premises
Breeder does not sell to brokers or retail shops
Facilities are clean and well kept
Puppies have been handled, and introduced to children and other dogs
Breeder interviews you and offers information on the breed to ensure a good match
Puppy comes with limited registration as a pet, and is to be spayed/neutered
Breeder promises to take the dog back (not return your money) if you can't keep it
Breeder provides a 3 day money back guarantee, and a 1-2yr health guarantee by contract
Breeder raises no more than 2-3 breeds, it's difficult to be competent in more breeds
Breeder's primary concern is finding a good home for the puppy or dog rather than making a sale
Breeder was happy to answer questions and makes you feel comfortable asking for advice
Breeder is familiar with and abides by breeder's Code of Ethics

Feedback Wanted

2008-01-15T09:05:00.000-06:00

I get a lot of feedback from the public that my website is a wealth of information. For others, I have to refer them back to the site for information they missed or they didn't read. I purchased educational folders from AKC, for puppy owner's. Some of the information is great, and other information that I feel is important is either vague or missing. I'm trying to decide, if I load up a folder with great puppy information, breed specific information, and training, would families really read it? Or is it something that people take home and never refer to again? Because this is an added cost to me, I would like to get some feedback. Here is a list of items included:

Why Register with AKC
Canine Good Citizen Program
Should I breed my dog? - explains the difference between "pure-bred" and "Well-bred" is the product of responsible breeders
Keeping Your Dog Fit & Trim
Canine Travel Tips
List of Dangerous Food/products
Tips on basic care for your dog
In case of emergency
AKC Events in a brief packet
Puppy Owner Checklist

I also found a DVD with initial training information produced by Midwest, that shows initial crate training and obedience training with your puppy. I found this helpful since owners have a few weeks with their puppy before starting obedience classes.

The feedback that I want to hear: Although I review much of the information verbally upon a puppy going home, would informational packets be helpful? If you've already bought a puppy from us at Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers, is there anything that you wish you had upon taking your puppy home? What can I do to improve or assist in a smooth transition of bringing a puppy into your home? Email me at crookedcreekcairns@verizon.net THANKS!!!

Holidays and Crooked Creek Cairn update

2008-01-01T19:03:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday. We enjoyed our family and although we enjoyed the holidays themselves, we did encounter the flu all week! It sounds as if a lot of people have been sick with various illness.

Bridget's puppies are doing well. The male is very large for his age, and the female very small for her age. Since all other aspects of their development have been normal, we're just monitoring their intake and health. Cairn Terrier puppies do vary quite a bit in size and bone structure. For some reason this litter has the extremes in the same litter. But they are both happy go lucky adorable puppies who wag their tails and are just adorable.

We haven't had any breedings so we're now waiting for Spring litters for puppy availability. I apologize to those waiting, but this is part of the unpredictability of nature. I'm going to enjoy a little break in the meantime. It'll give us some time for maintenance projects and it'll be nice just to spend time with my Cairns.

No news is good news

2007-12-22T21:30:00.000-06:00

I don't have any news on upcoming litter updates at Crooked Creek Cairns. Unfortunately for those waiting, no one has bred yet. We'll continue to watch and wait. Although we're not accepting additional deposits, we are accepting names for the waiting list. As soon as choices are available, we'll then open up litters for deposits. A friend stated they thought God was taking care of me and giving me a break. I'm not going to complain. :)

Bridget's puppies are just adorable. Their tails wag 100 mi/min and they are getting more active by the day. The little boy crawled over the divider and was sleeping in the food bowl when I got up this morning! He's still very large for his age, and his sister is petite. They are both getting their ears up today and are so fun at this stage.

I hope the holiday season is treating everyone well. We're very busy with birthdays, Christmas, and family coming to stay for the holidays. Thankfully the weather has been mild and we're all healthy! Three shopping days left and counting!

Potential Hazards during the holidays

2007-12-15T12:11:00.000-06:00

For a list of potential hazards to your Cairn Terrier during the holidays, please visit this article. http://www.designerdogavenue.com/shop/holiday-pet-safety.asp Dogs and cats have the potential to ingest odd things and these are things to be aware of. Also be aware of the dangers of Christmas decorations, salt and chemicals used to melt ice, and other things around the house during this time of the year.

Aluminum Foil
Plastic Food Wrap
Anti-Freeze
Poisonous Plants
Christmas Tree Ornaments
Bones
Chocolate
Corn Cobs
Bloat
Electrocution
Candles
Hypothermia
Ice-Melting Chemicals and salt

Bridget's puppies

2007-12-13T15:07:00.000-06:00

Bridget's puppies are growing and doing really well. They're just now walking and sitting up on their own. I caught this shot yesterday and thought it was so cute. I've been busy sanitizing and repainting inside the puppy house. Christmas is just around the corner and the cards aren't out, the decorations aren't completed, and I haven't even started shopping! I'm not a procrastinator, I just can't find the time. We've been passing around some sickness and it's then hard to catch up let alone get ahead. Hope your holiday season is treating you well. We've been lucky to avoid the ice and terrible weather that so many places have now.

The Cairn Terrier Ear

2007-12-04T14:32:00.001-06:00

Someone inquired that they had a Cairn Terrier who's ears did not stand up, and wondered if they were supposed to be cropped. I tried responding and my email was rejected, so I decided to post it here. Cairn Terrier's ears are dropped as puppies and they stand up on their own between 5 and ?12wks, depending on the individual. I was once told that they stand upon the molars coming in, but since they can stand on their own as early as 4 1/2-5wks I would say that is innaccurate. Ear sets can vary in size and at Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers, we breed for a small ear set with correct placement on the head. The AKC breed standards says Ears - Small, pointed, well carried erectly, set wide apart on the side of the head. Free from long hairs.

Cairn Terrier ears are never dropped and are never cropped. If someone has a Cairn with drop ears it is either a mix or an extremely poor quality Cairn, as I have never seen a full Cairn with drop ears. As the puppy's ears are starting to stand, they look quite commical with 1 ear up, 1 ear down, and it may change for a few days as they try to stand on their own. Nothing cuter than this awkward ear stage! LOL This is Daisie at 9 weeks, with 1 ear up and 1 ear down.

A Puppy For Christmas

2007-12-03T11:00:00.000-06:00

Getting a puppy as a gift for Christmas sounds like such a romantic thought. But the reality is that puppies don't make good Christmas gifts. It's kind of along the same line, that you wouldn't surprise a family member with a baby adoption, just because you thought they would like a baby. It sounds rediculous, I know. But puppies require a similar preparedness and responsible decision because it's a lifetime commitment to that puppy for 10-15 years. Parents may want to give their children a puppy, and as long as they are making the decision in a responsible way, that may work out fine. But I caution against bringing home a puppy during the hectic holidays. The transition home should be a quiet transition, with the puppy coming into a normal family routine. Let's face it, the holidays are usually not quiet or routine! There's often travel, visitors, and a lot of commotion surrounding the holidays. Not to mention that having a lot of visitors coming into the house may risk your puppy's health when they aren't fully vaccinated and protected until 12-15 weeks of age. If your plans for the holidays revolve around a nice quiet period of being home and off of work, then with being prepared and mindful of the puppy's transition, it may work out to adopt a puppy at this time. But just be prepared with a normal schedule and minimal visitors for puppy.

Crooked Creek Cairn Terrier Update for November

2007-11-27T09:14:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We had a great visit with family in Missouri. Even with the turmoil and stresses we're faced with on a daily basis, there is so much to be thankful for. Christmas is in the air and I'm still in shock that we're heading into December. I don't know where the time goes but it definately goes faster as each month goes by.

We received a preliminary report on Libby's puppies that died. It was a bacterial infection, but we are puzzled since antibiotics did not treat them. Further testing is being completed to see what strain of bacteria it was to see if it was a resistent strain, and we're waiting for recommendations on treatment and prevention for the future. I'm glad it wasn't viral and all of the dogs and puppies are doing fine here, so hopefully we won't have it occur again. We can only learn and move forward. With all the sanitizing I do, I'm still in shock that anything could have infected them. How do dirty puppy mills EVER raise puppies in the first place!? I even switched last year to a professional strength vet/kennel sanitizer instead of my good old Lysol that I used to use. I use bleach on the outside runs so the mama can't step in something and bring it back into the whelping box to her puppies. I just don't know what else I can do and it's frustrating to think you do a good job and still have something as simple as a bacterial infection occur. I know life isn't perfect, but I want it to be!!! LOL

I have planned upcoming litters for the year. The preliminary plans are posted on the Our Cairns page of the website. Sires and/or dates are subject to change if someone cycles at a different time than planned. We're holding upcoming litter choices for those that did not get a puppy recently, but we'll resume deposits after everyone has their puppy. In the meantime we'll accept a waiting list for next available puppies, and upon assuring that the puppies are available, we'll accept deposits.

I have several dogs that need new photos as they are maturing. Lanie & Bailie are just gorgeous and Miyah is still a puppy but so far she's making it into the breeding program. She's a beautiful gray brindle color and has everything headed in the right direction. Daisie is still as cute as a button! I'm really excited about the quality of the next generation for Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers.

Bridget whelped

2007-11-15T15:07:00.000-06:00

Bridget whelped this morning. She had a male that was just huge. He is the size of a 3 week old already! I waited around a couple hours and when she continued to push with no results, I checked her. She had a puppy that was trying to come down and she wasn't able to make progress. I took her in and we did a c-section. Another healthy female but much to my surprise, that was it. Just 2 HUGE puppies took up enough room for 6! Bridget is in pain, but is doing pretty well. The puppies are latching and are strong. After losing Libby's puppies, I really hoped for extra puppies. We'll make plans to save the next upcoming litters for those already waiting. At this point we're at nature's mercy. So we're hoping and waiting for strong healthy puppies and some nice litter sizes.

Brindle Cairn Terrier Color

2007-11-14T07:36:00.001-06:00

The brindle gene causes a striping pattern in the coat. Cairn Terriers are often mislabeled in color, because with a long coat it's difficult to tell if a dog is a wheaten with black hairs in their coat, or a light brindle. A light brindle has black striping that goes all the way through the undercoat and has a lot of light colored hair in their coat. A dark brindle has the same striping in the coat but may have much more dark than light. A true brindle can not lose the brindle gene, even though Cairns do change color over time and from season to season. You can have a very dark puppy that appears to be a brindle because of the dark color. But if it does not have the tiger striping, it is not a brindle. I only know about the brindle gene because I owned a horse with the brindle gene and was so intrigued. In horses, the brindle gene is so rare there are not enough brindle horses in existence to trace the genetic marker!!! Shai was quite a rare Quarter Horse!!!!! Attached is a photo of his left side, where the tiger striping is very obvious. This is how the striping appears in the Cairn Terrier at birth and as the coat grows longer, the striping looks more mixed throughout the coat and they can be from a dark color to a light color. Also attached is a photo of Hailie from the side, showing her striping of silver, wheaten, and streaks of red. The black goes all the way through the undercoat and she is genetically a brindle even though she is very light in total color.

Ella Update

2007-11-13T13:05:00.000-06:00

Ella is doing wonderful in her new home! He says she's a wonderful dog and I was pleasantly surprised that what we thought was a grade 1 luxated patella, his vet could hardly get it to move and said they would only call it a 0.5 grade (which the grades start at 1). So that's great to hear for Ella and it confirms that Dr Gail is very cautious. I'd rather be over cautious than not cautious enough. His vet said Ella was the prettiest Cairn she'd ever seen. That makes me happy to hear compliments like that! Ella lives in the city and is doing litter box house training. They wanted to pass along the recommendation of Purina Dog Litter which erases odors completely, doesn't stick to the fur, is less messy than clumping cat litter, and is working just great. They're very happy with her and I'm so happy for Ella that she has such a great forever home!

Hailie

2007-11-13T11:23:00.000-06:00

We picked up Hailie over the weekend and attended an all breed dog show in Springfield, MO. We met at the dog show to get Hailie, and her full sister is being shown in the AKC circuit down there so I got to meet her. They look identicle and are such a unique color. She's a very light wheaten brindle, but appears more like a silver wheaten with a black mask. She has bits of red in her coat but is primarily wheaten. She's got a really nice confirmation and is so sweet. She's a bit scared coming into our busy household. But I think she'll adjust and do just great. Her pedigree is incredible and I'm really excited to add her to our family and our breeding program. Her first litter will be June 2008 and I haven't decided on a sire yet. I will groom and get more photos for the website soon. Most of the dogs need new and better photos as soon as I can find the time!!!!

Loss of Puppies

2007-11-13T11:03:00.001-06:00

We've had a very traumatizing experience over the weekend. Libby's 2 5 week old puppies suddenly got sick and died within 12hrs, despite my extensive treatment with medications, fluids, and supportive care. We started the litter on antibiotics on Friday and the remaining puppies acted perfectly fine. Sunday night I found another puppy dead suddenly, and again Monday morning, a puppy who acted fine a few hours before was dead. I took the last puppy to the vet for an emergency IV and antibiotics. They decided to change the type of antibiotic and by yesterday afternoon his condition became grave. He has hung on through the night which is a miracle, so I'm hoping the antibiotics are helping. But it will be a miracle if he survives. We have sent tissue samples to the university for culture and my veterinarians believe it is some type of bacterial infection that has effected the puppy's livers. Since none of my adults or other older puppies are sick, it must have something to do with their immature immunity. It's heartbreaking to have something like this happen, but even worse to tell families just after a happy update and photos, that the puppies have died. I know I'm not in control of nature, but there is just nothing more upsetting than to have something happen and not know the cause. I'm very medically minded and need to know a diagnosis, treatment plan, and how to prevent it and so far no one can tell me anything. It's hard to understand when I'm such a thorough sanitizer, and jokingly call myself a "Germ-phobic", how something could possibly infect my puppies. I sanitize outside with bleach, inside with kennel with vet strength sanitizing solution, and even Dr Gail has commented several times on how clean my place is. The puppies were young enough that although they had been in the puppy house floor and the kids had played with them, they had not been in the yard yet or anywhere that they could have picked up something. It's driving me crazy trying to figure out the how/when/where/why.

Update 11-7-07

2007-11-07T17:09:00.000-06:00

Libby's puppies are petite little adorable puppies. They're only 14-16oz, but are healthy and doing well. They clumsily chatter and attack each other. Although they are 5 weeks old now, they are much like 4 week old puppies in that they aren't responsive to noises enough to get good photos or see personality. In another week, they'll be more physically active with a more stable gate and will be showing more activity. Attached is a photo of one of the brindle females.

We have a new girl coming this weekend. We will welcome Crooked Creek's Fancy Hailie into our Cairn Terrier family! She's a 1yr old wheaten female and is a niece to Bridget and Thea. Her first litter will be next summer.

Bridget is due next week. We're looking forward to her litter. It's always like Christmas as we anticipate the number, sex, and color of the puppies!

Gourmet All Natural Treats

2007-11-07T15:59:00.000-06:00

Cairn Terrier customers often ask me, what kinds of treats are good. Of course, anything without preservatives, and that contain natural, and healthy ingredients are best. I have added a line of gourmet natural dog treats to Designer Dog Avenue.com. The company offers a full line of wheat, corn, and soy free treats, pie's, and cookies. I have added a few treats and pie's, including soft baked birthday pie's topped with real fruits, nuts, and veggie's. If it's popular, I will add other flavors and treats upon demand.

Libby's tiny female puppy

2007-10-31T13:36:00.000-05:00

My efforts to raise Libby's tiny female puppy are not looking promising. Although she has grown some, she continues to lag behind and shows signs of abnormalities. I tried to reassure myself by providing her feedings, antibiotics, and thought I had nothing to lose as long as she kept hanging on. But by 4wks of age, she is still only the size of a normal newborn. Her growth is not proportional, she has difficulty keeping herself upright, and at first I believed that she had neurological damage. I then discovered last night, that she is blind. I'm not sure what went wrong but she could have any number of serious complications which is not a good outcome. It's heart wrenching to make the decision, but Dr Gail and I have decided that her future doesn't look good and we should put her to sleep before she shows any sign of suffering.

It's times like these that shows that regardless of a breeder's love, compassion, and caring for a living being, sometimes nature has to take it's course. Even good breeders have bad things happen, it's part of nature, part of life, and we have to let go. For me, I just have to assure myself that I did all that I could and gave her a better chance than some would have given her. She has had an enjoyable life. She loves her milk and is never satisfied with her tiny amounts, so I would hold her and let her suck my pinky until she seemed satisfied. I enjoyed the time with her so much. I have just told myself that it's time for her to "go home".....

Why Register Your Cairn Terrier Puppy?

2007-10-31T13:20:00.000-05:00

Once in a while, I have someone ask if there's any reason to actually register their Crooked Creek Cairn Terrier puppy, since they're just a spayed or neutered pet. There are a few reasons that I think it is important to complete the registration process.

1. Accurate record keeping. A puppy not registered or not transferred effects my record keeping as a breeder. I have multiple retired dogs still in my name online, which makes it difficult to keep track of my active records (current breeding records).
2. A buyer only has 1 year from the date of purchase to register the puppy without additional late fees. It's only $20 if completed within the 1st year. Avoid unnecessary late fees. By the 2-3rd year, it's very expensive to register them.
3. Delaying registration may mean that you lose the paperwork in the meantime.
4. With immediate registration of your puppy, you receive a free check up with participating veterinarians. You're required to take your puppy to the vet within 3 days of purchase, why not get that visit FREE? You also receive a 60 day complimentary healthcare policy.
5. People purchase AKC registered puppies because they want known heritage from a quality breeder. Take full advantage of what you've already paid for, complete the registration process.

As a breeder, I'm always glad to register a puppy for a buyer. I can simply collect the transfer fee upon pick up of the puppy and complete the registration process for you!

Miss Daisey

2007-10-24T11:21:00.000-05:00

Miss Daisey is home and doing great! She's a beautiful puppy that promises to be a very nice addition to our breeding program some day. She is a cousin to our Maggie, coming from my friend and fellow breeder Tami Calise, of Breezy Hollow. She did a great job, sending me such a nice quality puppy!

Libby's female Cairn Terrier puppy

2007-10-21T16:54:00.001-05:00

I've been busy with one of Libby's little girls. She slowly lagged behind in growth and has been similar to a failure to thrive infant. She sucks well, latches on, and is active. But she is remarkably smaller now at 2 1/2wks of age. I started supplementing her intially and am now fully syringe feeding her in order to monitor her intake. I've added a high calorie supplement to her formula and put her on antibiotics. I'll continue to monitor her growth. I took this photo with my chin! It's not in focus, but shows how tiny and sweet she is. She's about 1/3 the size of her siblings, who are very small Cairn Terrier puppies. My scale isn't very accurate but I believe she's about 2 oz. She takes her milk and still acts hungry so I let her suck my finger until she seems satisfied. It's so hard not to get attached when they are so tiny and innocent.

Cairn Terrier Puppy Supplies

2007-10-13T17:08:00.000-05:00

You'll find a new page on Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers, identifying a list of Cairn Terrier puppy supplies. The product links are not live yet, but there will be links to products on Designer Dog Avenue to make shopping easier and/or give an example of products that I recommend. I can get Midwest brand wire crates with a divider in 3 styles- single door, double door, or triple door. Since I haven't placed them on Designer Dog Avenue.com yet, please contact me if you are interested in getting one. crookedcreekcairns@verizon.net. I may add other supplies later, but these are the basic supplies that I would recommend.

Why not show?

2007-10-09T23:31:00.000-05:00

People often ask me why I don't show my Cairn Terriers. I've actually considered it many times. I even went so far as to keep back a show prospect (Cooper) and contacted 2 show handlers. I intend to learn more at some point in time, but my first limitation is time. I do not have time to travel and participate in the act of showing.

Second of all, the true purpose of showing is a grand idea. It is intended for a breeder to prove the quality of their breeding program, by comparing their dogs to the breed standard. What a beautiful concept. But unfortunately, there are those that believe in winning at all costs. To some, it's only about titles and they are willing to lie and cheat to ensure that they have their titles. I have had mostly negative experiences with show breeders in my career as a breeder. I thought I could avoid the politics and rudeness by hiring a handler, and that may be the only answer for me. We will see. But at this point in time, I am not capable of competing in that type of world. I'm not competitive, I believe all quality dogs have a right to "win", not just those who happen to be handled by the right person in front of the right judge. I believe in honesty, integrity, and the golden rule. The first person that made a negative comment about me behind my back would make me cry! It's not worth the emotional stress to me.

Another "rule" you may read about is that a good breeder not only shows their dogs, but they belong to breed clubs. I live 2-3 hours from the closest breed club. For most clubs, this means that I'm not eligible to be a member. If I were eligible to be a member, I live 2-3hrs away and simple geography limits my ability to participate. I'm not a cluby person. I was once told that I should join a club, it would make me a better breeder. But the problem I have, is that one club in particular requires that you know a current member for a minimum of 2 years. That's not about who you are, that's about who you know. So, if you aren't part of the clique, you're not a good breeder? I don't believe that. I have developed friendships with several good breeders who have quality Cairn Terriers, they monitor the health and quality of their lines, and have the goal to improve the breed over time. We share support, knowledge, and pedigrees. Am I less of a breeder because I'm not a club member or I don't show? I don't think so.

I think we should implement a system of quality ranking that is noncompetitive. Let's judge the quality of our breeding stock based on the individual. We should apply a score based on disposition, confirmation, and health. All breeding dogs should be eligible for scoring, and breeders would have a universal communication score for judging the quality of our dogs and therefore our breeding program. For example, if Cooper was scored on a 1-100 scale for confirmation in the areas of the ear set, tail set, top line, bite, over all Type, etc. Then disposition, and finally health testing. If completely perfect (which there are no perfect dogs) he would have the capability of scoring a 300. Anything less than a certain score would be pet quality, over a certain score, breeding or show quality. It's universal, mostly objective, and we would have a concept that doesn't rule anyone out based on the lack of notoriety. Now isn't that a grand concept!!?? It would benefit the breeder, the breed, and everyone's happy! Maybe I should just implement that for my breeder friends and maybe the concept would become popular. Greater things have happened. LOL

Crooked Creek Cairn Terrier Update

2007-10-08T20:27:00.000-05:00

Libby's puppies are growing and doing well. They've doubled their weight already and have fat little tummies. She is doing fine with all 6 puppies. We have 5 brindles and 1 dark wheaten female. I don't believe she has the brindle gene. Even though she is dark in color, she does not have the brindle striping pattern. They are adorable puppies!! Of course, I say that about all the puppies, but they're all so adorable!!

For those that have been asking about Miyah, she is growing! After being 2lbs until 13wks of age, she suddenly gained 1 1/2lbs in only 2 weeks. So we will continue waiting to see if she develops into breeding quality. Our hopes are that she will continue with her growth spurt. Her vet check was normal and healthy today, and she is very cute! She is a wheaten brindle.

We have a new baby coming in a couple weeks from our friend Breezyhollow in VA. Our little red girl is named Daisey and we're excited to welcome her home soon. Tami and I are very good friends and have shared several of my lines. I'm excited to get a line back!

Bailie & Lanie continue to be very nice quality and so far, both are making it into the breeding line up. It takes time to hold back puppies, monitor their growth, confirmation, and characteristics. Upon a healthy vet check at 6 months, they will make their final entrance into our breeding program.

Gracie has passed all her assessments and she is planning her first litter in the Spring of 2008. She is a remarkable cream with a black mask. She has that nice tail, ear set, short level back, and overall confirmation. We're very excited to see what she contributes at Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers! Her personality is quiet but happy go lucky and that is my favorite personality. I couldn't be more pleased. Chloe has been an outstanding producer and she has done it again.

We look forward to Cooper's first litters coming this Spring. He has continued to prove himself in confirmation, disposition, and health. He's a remarkable Cairn and has impressed 2 show handlers. However, I have decided not to hire a show handler at this time. Although it is something I truly think is valuable for the purposes intended, I can't help but want to avoid the political and dishonest games that occur in the show world. I just don't think I can participate at this time. I plan to continue raising show quality Cairns and will focus on charity, improving the breed, and education of the public to improve the lives of pets. Somehow I feel that these things are what really matters rather than show titles.

Libby's 7 Puppies!!

2007-10-04T09:13:00.000-05:00

Libby whelped on Tue evening. She had 7 puppies, which really surprised me!! 5 females and 2 males. The puppies are really small and 1 female had a difficult time. We did surgery to repair the abdominal wall when the cord pulled off and caused a severe umbilical hernia. She was strong and nursed with assistance for the first night. But by yesterday she was getting weaker and soon refused to suck. I pumped colostrum from Libby and syringe fed her and by afternoon I realized I wasn't going to save her. She was just too weak and small, and there may have been some intestinal insult from the cord injury. My vet had never worked on such a tiny puppy and I even wonder if she was premie. Although all the puppies are small and they were 59 days, this puppy had a smooth head and shiny skin. This is how you determine prematurity in humans, so I can only guess that maybe this puppy was fertilized up to 48hrs after the others, which would make her 57 days. She just didn't look quite term.

I know most breeders would have disgarded the puppy at birth, but I couldn't help but think she had a chance. I don't believe in letting an animal suffer, but I think we gave her the best chance possible without prolonging suffering. I feel good knowing I did what I could for her.

Libby's other puppies are small but have gained already and are doing very well. Libby is a good mama and I enjoy just sitting and watching them nurse. Amazing nature......

Crooked Creek Website

2007-09-27T07:58:00.000-05:00

I wanted to let everyone know, I'm just fine. My website domain name www.crookedcreekcairnterriers.com is down and they are working on it. It has gone through a migration, just like the Designer Dog Avenue website and now there are features that are not functioning correctly and now I believe the domain is down. This is why you see a different temporary page. I trust that they will get it up as soon as possible. Thank you for the calls and emails, we're all ok!!! You may contact Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers at crookedcreekcairns@verizon.net.

Just a thought on Nature

2007-09-26T15:15:00.000-05:00

Regarding nature and separation from the young. (after the previous blog about puppy development and 8wk old puppies annoying their mother!) Ever wonder why teenagers are so difficult!? Think about nature and the time period that a parent needs to separate from their young. Teenagers are growing up, needing independence and are preparing to step out on their own. Just like 8 week old puppies, weanling foals, etc, Teenagers annoy the heck out of their parents. My father once told me, parents are supposed to be annoyed by their teenagers and teenagers are supposed to be annoyed by their parents. That's how they are prepared for separation and stepping into the world on their own. I didn't quite understand what he meant until I became an adult. Now as I look at these little 8 week old puppies that are jumping in their mother's faces, licking, nipping, pouncing on their mom, no wonder she's ready to say "See Ya!" I hope I'm ready when my teenagers grow into adults and are ready to separate...... My father is a smart man. I hope my kids think that about me some day.

How old should a puppy be before being sold?

2007-09-26T14:04:00.000-05:00

Years ago, puppies would be weaned from their mother's and sold at 6 weeks of age. This is no longer acceptable practice. The breeder's code of ethics say a puppy should be 8 weeks of age, before being sold or adopted. There are 15 states which have laws governing the age by which a puppy may be sold or adopted to a new family and in most states it is 8 weeks of age. At Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers, puppies may go home at 8-9 weeks of age if being picked up, and may be shipped at 9-10 weeks of age.

Puppy mills and bad breeders will take puppies from their mothers at 5 weeks of age and sell them. Puppies don't even have all their teeth through their gums at 5 weeks of age. They've only been toddling around since 3 1/2- 4 weeks of age. At 5 weeks, they are toddlers in that they are starting to be playful but are clumsy and they still sleep most of the time. At 6 weeks, they are gaining coordination and are being weaned from their mothers, but most still nurse along with their solid foods. At Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers, we don't wean the puppies from their mothers. We allow the mothers and puppies to decide when to wean based on their instinct and individual needs. Puppies are introduced to solids at 4 1/2- 5 weeks of age, but most aren't eating on their own until closer to 6 weeks of age. Most of our puppies wean on their own by 7 weeks.

By watching puppies and their mother's instinct, you can tell developmentally when weaning and separation should occur. Mother's are so protective the first few days of life that they usually have to be forced to leave the puppies to go potty and eat/drink. It is their instinct to keep the puppies warm, and frequently nurse the puppies to nourish them and maintain the fragile puppies. Pupppies are like infants in that they have difficulty maintaining their temperatures initially. It's being snuggled up to Mom and littermates, that they stay warm. Their blood sugar stays stable by nursing frequently.

By the time the puppies are 1 week of age, the mother's instinct is still strong, but she is more willing to leave them for short periods of time. Watch out if you think you can touch or take them without her noticing though! By 3 weeks she's more relaxed about the human interaction and seems content to let you touch them and hold them. By 4 weeks she may leave the puppies for longer periods of time, just returning to them to nurse them. At 5-6 weeks, she's completely comfortable with the puppies being taken for longer periods of time, but is anxious to see them returned to her. She starts to wean them usually at 6 weeks, but some bitches vary in when they wean their puppies. By 8 weeks, the mother is annoyed by these little bundles of energy and says "See ya!" as the family takes their new puppy home.

My parents raised Siberian Huskies when I was a child and teenager, and as I said, it was common practice to sell the puppies at 6 weeks of age. Our Lobo would howl and cry for days when the puppies were taken from her so early. My father said he quit breeding because he couldn't bare to hear them cry for their puppies. But from what I understand now, if we had weaned them and sold the puppies at 8 weeks vs 6 weeks, their instinct would have been ready to give up the puppies and it wouldn't have been traumitizing.

So as you see, if we understand and listen to nature herself, we would understand why puppies should not be sold until developmentally ready. If a breeder sells puppies before 8 weeks of age, it may be reason for concern about the practices of that breeder.

Dogs and Children

2007-09-19T10:11:00.000-05:00

I was reading an article that was kind of interesting and I can honestly say I have no opinion since I've (in whisper....never seen the show by Cesar Millan on "Dog Whisperer"). I whispered that because I do love training and honestly, our TV rarely gets changed from Nickelodeon or Discovery Channel because I rarely sit down to watch it! So I can't comment on the show. I can comment on people's views and comments. Some seemed to be relatively good observations, others were just expressed opinions.

My experience with training has been from living with and training my dogs. My formal education in training has primarily been in horses, which being a prey animal they do have a set of slightly different instincts and responses. The rest of my knowledge just comes from behavior modification that I learned in my degree of Psychology. I haven't had formal dog training classes but really want to find time to take some with my friend and trainer, Ashli. I enjoy it all very much, it's just hard to make time! I come from the the thought of making good behaviors easy and bad behaviors difficult. I've read some books but the rest of my knowledge is from experience.

I did want to comment about dogs and children since I've lived that! Dogs are animals with a set of instinct first, and training brings out the ability to react in a thinking manner. Without training, dogs respond by their own instinct (which isn't necessarily socially appropriate in the world of humans). Dogs respond to others (including humans) with their own pack & dog social rules. Direct eye contact and an upright stance means aggression or domination. Since children are the same eye level as large breeds, and stand with an upright position, they appear aggressive to large dogs and this is why children often get bitten. Children also don't heed a dog's warnings, they don't speak dog and don't usually understand that a dog's growl is a warning- back off, quit, show me submission. If you're going to have dogs with children, it takes a great deal of training and teaching of both the children and the dog. The dog needs to be shown they are submissive to all family members, including the children. Dogs have a pecking order in the pack. Your family is their pack. Their ranking is at the bottom. Some dogs will challenge this ranking and try to be above the children. This should never happen, and if it does the dog will nip and dominate the child and you have a recipe for disaster. Children (whether you have dogs or not) need to be taught respect, empathy, and kindness to others. They have to be taught not to put their face in the dog's face, not to hit, pull the dogs ears or tail, jump on them, ride them, and all the things that children think must be good ideas at the time. My children are empathetic, loving little kids, and before the age of 4, you'll still catch them doing inappropriate things like chasing the dog with a stick. They can't think through their actions and understand that it would hurt the dog if they hit them. It just seems like a good idea at the time. Here's a stick, that dog is running, let's chase it! Young children aren't able to empathize and understand the point of view of the dog's. But what a perfect time (at age 3+yrs) to start teaching them and talk through what a dog might feel if you were to hit it. I've seen children who were not redirected and puppies who were being held by one leg or abused in public. Parents are at fault and then when the dog bites a child, it's "the dog's fault". Good dogs will defend themselves too. It's so important to never let it get that far.

If you have small children and are interested in getting a dog, choose a small but non-fragile breed that is good with children. Many large breeds are good with children, but choose the breed wisely due to the size and height of a child's eye contact. The Cairn Terrier is good with children, with parents who are willing to spend the time to train the dog and the child, monitor their interaction, and redirect the child or the dog when interacting inappropriate. This means a lot of work! Puppies have sharp nails, sharp teeth, and they go through a nipping stage. Their sign of submission is to lick in the face, but we don't want our children licked and/or nipped in the face. It takes a lot of effort to observe and control their interactions and ensure that they are good interactions. Prevent problem behaviors in both the dog and the child and as they grow, and they will have a relationship that can't be replaced by any other. Children who learn to nurture, be empathetic, and be kind to animals carries over to appropriate social interaction and they will become well adjusted children and adults.

Did You Know?

2007-09-16T19:02:00.000-05:00

Did you know that Cairns usually blow their coat upon having a litter of puppies? The bitch often loses their undercoat and sometimes their top coat as well. The hormonal changes associated with pregnancy and whelping causes the hair to fall out and some bitches will go almost bald. By 6 months later, they have a full new coat that has grown in and is beautiful again. With humans, the hormones that maintain pregnancy cause the woman to maintain their hair throughout the pregnancy. They grow stronger finger nails and keep the hair that they would have normally lost during the time of the pregnancy. Upon having their baby, with the change in hormones, the hair then falls out. They are actually losing the hair they normally would have lost if not pregnant. This may be the case with the Cairn as well, but if you visit the dam of your new puppy and they aren't as beautiful as you expected, don't be alarmed. She's just blowing her coat due to having puppies and she'll grow it back after the hormone fluxuations. I've also had bitches blow their coat with their heat cycles, and this is another reason spaying is such an advantage.

Visitation Policy Change

2007-09-16T13:57:00.000-05:00

We have had a visitation policy change at Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers. Due to several scary instances over the last few years, but a more serious personal threat recently, we no longer accept puppy visitors to our home.

I am more than empathetic to a buyer, that wants to see the facilities and the cleanliness and quality of the environment. I also think it's important to see the dam and sire and meet the breeder. But I also know how it is to be a buyer and understand how rare it is to have a website available that is thorough and offers photography and information that gives a virtual tour of a breeding program and facilities. My website is intended to communicate and answer the questions desired by any buyer. The facilities and my yard are pictured. The only pictures not shown are those that would identify my home from driving by. I do not want predators to recognize my home and know where I live!

There are photos of all the Cairns in my breeding program. We also have 1 retired Cairn that will stay with us for her lifetime, as well as a spayed protection Doberman. There are no surprises with the number of dogs I own. For any visit, I previously ensured with mitculous detail that all was clean and the dogs were groomed. Someone visiting on any other day of the year may see a Cairn 1/2 stripped and waiting for the next session, as it kills my hands and I get frequent interuptions. But my kennel is cleaned daily, sanitized every few days, unless there are small puppies and it's sanitized every other day or as needed. They have fresh food & water available at all times, and appropriate housing. We do have plans for a new facility and enclosed adult quarters and septic system to ensure there is no "kennel smell". I'm very consciensious and am always thankful to those who point out how clean my kennels are and how good it smells, considering they are dogs!

And I have to share some funnies from the last several years of visits. The funniest comments I've received were: On a wet humid rainey day, a customer paused as she came out of my puppy house and with a long uncomfortable silence, she finally said "Hmmm.....sure smells like wet dog, huh?" Well, considering you're staring at 10 wet dogs, that really surprises me! Here's your sign! LOL The other comment that I still chuckle with, we live in a rural community and we have fields of corn and beans. The customer drove over from the city and says "There's so much.........corn........................and weeds..............." Yep, it's takes a while for those darn farmers to get all the fields weed eated and landscaped! Here's your sign. LOL

The nicest comments I've received are how nice our home is, how beautiful and quiet our yard is with the shady mature trees, how quiet and well behaved the dogs were, how pretty my Cairns are, how nice it must be to live in the country with horses and dogs, and all that I love. I've been thanked for the hospitality and have received many thanks for such wonderful little puppies. It's all these wonderful sweet people that make me want to continue breeding! They offer the puppies I love so dearly, wonderful forever homes, and how can I let a few freaks ruin that for us!?

My testimonials on my website are from previous customers, as well as my veterinarian's observations and reference. But a buyer has to realize how much more risk there is to a breeder than a buyer. I would never risk my reputation and presence as a breeder by doing something dishonest. A person can check the validity of the information and considering that I sell my puppies before they are born, there is no greater risk visiting my puppies in a public place vs visiting them at my home. A buyer still gets to see the dam & sire, the puppies, and meet me. They've seen the facilities through photos and can validate the accuracy from my references if they choose to do so.

We have to realize what's important these days. What's more important- seeing facilities in real life just to "Experience" a breeder's home, or having a breeder be at risk to predators who may attempt to murder her and her children? I'm quite offended by anyone that could say that visiting someone's facilities that they can see in photos is more important than a person's safety. I have sold many puppies to people across the nation that I never meet in person. They can attest to having had a wonderful experience, only seeing photos, and having the puppy shipped to them. I can be empathetic to somone that wants to visit a breeder in person, but I no longer believe it's a necessity. I can not live, feeling vulnerable and fearful to have people come into my home and know where I live. I always argued that I met the nicest people, nothing bad would happen. But killers don't have a sign across their forehead. Murderers look just like the boy next door. They gain your trust and can be charming. That's HOW they get you. It wasn't until a friend said "Of course murders are nice, that's how they get you!!!" that I realized I'm placing myself and my kids at risk by allowing people to come into my home. This just isn't a necessary part of breeding. So I will continue breeding only as long as I feel that my family's safety comes first. People are still getting wonderful, quality puppies from Crooked Creek. They can still enjoy the experience. But we'll both enjoy the experience knowing that we're reducing the risk to predators and that we're safe.

Stripping Cairn Terriers

2007-09-15T08:59:00.001-05:00

Stripping and grooming Cairn Terriers is probably the single biggest question I receive, and the hardest question to answer. Most pet owners don't need to follow the stripping zone method which is used in show grooming. Zones on the body are stripped at week intervals, so the end coat has some zones a bit longer than the rest. The primary necessity for pet owners is to keep the Cairn healthy, clean, and appearance kept up. My methods of stripping & grooming are only based on my experience with my dogs. Several of my Cairns need a variance in method, due to the way their hair happens to grow out.

The first strip can be completed when the puppy is about 12-14wks of age. The long scraggly puppy hair is being replaced with a new coat underneath that is harder. These long hairs that were once the fluffy puppy coat can be pulled out. Pull ALL of it out.

After a dog is about 1 - 1 1/2yrs, they'll start to have a long coat that is being replaced with their next new coat. Some dogs will have long hairs that you pull out, while the new coat is growing in underneath. My Libby will grow a complete new coat underneath and it will be about 3/4" long when the longest hairs are pulled out, leaving a fresh new coat behind after stripping. The hair that needs to come out, pulls easily. I just take small locks and go slowly, and she acts like she enjoys it. Some of it even seems a little itchy and it's a relief to get it out.

Some of my other dogs will start blowing their coat, which means losing their hair and it comes out easily all over their body. They may have very little hair left and they require a complete strip. This means all the top coat is pulled out. They look a bit funny for a month or 2 while the new coat grows in. But the new coat is new, healthy, and goes through the process all over again. They need stripped annually.

Others will have some shorter hairs, some longer hairs, and the longer hairs are pulled on a continuous basis. This is rolling the coat and it's something that can be kept up on continuously. Not all coats can be rolled.

For a photo example of grooming, you can visit my grooming page. As I groomed Chloe, I took photos to show how I did it and what the before & after looks like.

Scammers are back

2007-09-15T07:36:00.000-05:00

The scammers are still at it. Buyer beware. I posted this photo with an ad about Scammers and that they repeatedly steal photos from breeders. The scammer ads were gone immediately upon posting this photo. Then it seemed that they weren't present, and as soon as puppyfind.com removed my ads with the photo alerting about scammers, there are pages of scammer ads again.

Here's how to recognize a scammer:
1. Little real information about the puppy's dam, sire, breeding program, and little or no photos

2. Price is too cheap- $350 with shipping included, shipping is $225-250 by itself!!!

3. Seller pushes sale of puppy rather than assisting the placement to a forever home, and asking questions about the home the buyer can provide

4. Seller wants Western Wired Money, never send wired money for a purchase of any kind!

5. Check "all ads by this seller" and scammers will have pages of ads of all different breeds. If a breeder breeds more than 2-3 breeds they aren't a breeder you want to work with even if they aren't a scammer. It's hard to be an expert in that many breeds.

The Doberman

2007-09-06T09:31:00.001-05:00

Ok, this is a Cairn Terrier blog, but I have to tell our friends about our new Doberman protection dog. I'm so impressed with the breed! I grew up with large breeds, and our first "child" was a German Shorthair who was so impressive with his advanced training. I taught him verbal and sign language commands and his mind set was so quick and responsive, he was eager to please! I could tell him to sit & stay outside of the grocery store (after walking him to the store), run in quick, and he'd still be in his position when I came back out. No one dared to come into our house without our knowledge. He wouldn't touch them, but would stand with his nose next to their hand growling, and they didn't dare take another step. Cairns have been a much different breed, and I had forgotten the characteristics I enjoyed that were different than a Cairn.

So, we bought this adult, trained, Doberman for protection. I researched breeds and because of the shorter coat to groom, and the fact they are such a family dog in addition to protection, I felt it was the best fit. Then we got hooked up with Zora. I can't believe how quickly she bonded to us!!! She understands so much daily language in addition to commands, and responds with amazing instinct! She gets very alert and can be dead asleep, hear something, and she's on the prowl ensuring that everything is secure! I tell you what, if she came running at me barking, I would climb a tree! And I'm comfortable with dogs!!!! LOL Chances are we'll never need to use advanced protection training. (at least I hope not) But it sure feels better to know she's on alert at a moment's notice. I'm so used to admiring the beauty of a quality Cairn. I'm not experienced with Doberman confirmation, but I admire her beauty! Her sire is an International Champion in Indiana.

So anyone looking for a family dog that has good instinct and is protective, I'd recommend looking into them! We just love Zora!

My Breeder's Blog

2007-09-06T08:15:00.000-05:00

I started my blog to assist in keeping our Cairn family, who has grown to about 135 families, in communication. I think continuing education is important regardless of the field or subject. It's also been important to me, to educate about puppy mills, unethical breeding, and let knowledge become power to increase the quality of living conditions for breeding animals and pets across the nation.

It takes a detective these days to see an advertisement and decide if they're a scammer, unethical breeder, or ethical breeder. There has to be certain rules applied, in order to separate an advertisement that appears legitimate vs an advertisement that in the least leads you to believe they are either a scam or an unethical breeeder. I have attempted to help buyers understand these generalizations.

If you are a breeder, email me and I'd gladly offer my observations about the scammers who take my photos, identity, and make me feel vulnerable to a dishonest realm beyond my imagination. I'll also gladly educate about our breeder's code of ethics and how we should be raising our puppies so that buyers can easily see that we're an ethical breeder. Dogs deserve to have proper living conditions with mental stimulation, exercise, love, compassion, and wonderful homes. Puppies deserve to be born into sanitary, daily socialized, and lovingly cared for hands. They deserve to have a breeder ENSURE that they have a deserving forever home for the rest of their lives. If we as breeders, take nature into our hands, by planning offspring, we owe it to those lives to ENSURE that it is for the purpose of improving the gene pool and characteristics of those offspring. Sure we have to sell the puppies at a fee that demands a quality home and makes our budgets balance. But if someone believes that they can enter the world of breeding just to make a little cash on the side, they're going to get a wake up call eventually. If you breed long enough, you WILL have c-sections, emergency fees, and vet bills get big very quickly. It quickly eats away at any profit.

I have formed my breeding policies with the guidance of a published breeder's code of ethics. My policies have come about by "The bad apples" that I've seen through either my experiences or the experiences of fellow breeders. I try to keep the perspective of the buyer in mind, as well as the protection of the puppy's well being. By all means, my policies will change over time since I will continue to learn and grow in time. If a buyer doesn't like something about my policies, by all means they are welcome to purchase their puppy from someone else. I'm never more interested in a sale than the well being of my puppies and a great relationship with my buyers. The rewarding relationship with buyers is what it's all about! (beyond the love for the breed of course) I'd forgotten that while I was upset with somone sending me threatening hateful emails. But you know what? I've had the BEST experiences with families who are wonderful people!!!!! I can't let 3-4 people over the last several years, overshadow 135 WONDERFUL families!!!!!! If someone doesn't like or want my opinion, don't read my blog. But for those that want to learn, grow, and explore the world of Cairn Terriers with respect for nature and each other, welcome to my blog!

New Personal Protection Dog!

2007-08-30T12:39:00.001-05:00

Please welcome our new personal protection dog! With Rick working so many hours I felt more comfortable having the protection of a trained dog in our home. It'll make me sleep better at night knowing Zora will be protecting us. We're looking forward to the new addition to our family!

Grooming & Stripping Photos

2007-08-30T12:35:00.000-05:00

The grooming & stripping information with photos has been posted on our website color/grooming page. The photos give a visual example of the grooming & stripping process. Not all Cairns grow a coat in the same manner but it fits most of our Cairns and their coat stages. Hope it's helpful!

The Ugly Stage! LOL

2007-08-29T10:38:00.000-05:00

Maggie 1yr

Maggie 12wks

Cairn puppies are all very round puppy fluffs at 6wks of age. By 8wks of age, some have a more fluffy coat, some a little smoother coat. I didn't know the difference in coat other than I've observed that some of the smoother coated puppies have a little harder coat upon maturity. I just wanted to point out that they go through a rather awkward stage at 3-5mo of age. Their puppy coat is growing out to be long scraggly hair, their new hard coat is coming in underneath. (The first strip can be done when the long hairs come out easily at 3-4mo - pull it ALL out!) Depending on the puppy, some have gigantic ears, long legs, and grow into them about about 6 months. Others grow in proportion and suddenly look like a Cairn at 6 mo of age. I just wanted to prepare buyers that looking for quality at 8wks sometimes looks very different than looking for quality at 12wks. In general, it's very difficult to see quality until 5-6mo of age. This is why show breeders keep their puppies longer, and price the puppies according to quality (pet, breeding, and show quality). Because we cater to pet homes, we send our puppies home at 8-9wks of age and they are all priced for pet homes or occassionally to a show/breeding home.

I remember bringing Maggie home at about 12wks and being very excited about her! Rick looked at her and bursted my bubble when he said "But....she's kind of ugly." Like so many, he was unable to see her potential! She could have developed into something I didn't like, it's sometimes hard to tell. But I saw her potential and was so pleased when she suddenly became a little perfect Cairn at 6mo! And as a side note, the Cairn generally gains most of their growth by 6 mo of age.

What's the Difference?

2007-08-29T10:14:00.000-05:00

Puppy A
Puppy BI once had a gentleman call and ask "Why are your puppies so much more expensive than this one in MO that I found?" "What's the difference?" He had found a $300 puppy in MO and he thought there must be a catch, but couldn't figure out what it was. After doing a lot of education over the phone about puppy mills, back yard breeders, quality, ethical breeding, etc, I told him to keep shopping and he'll figure out the difference. I told him to send me some pictures and information about a puppy that he was looking at, and I would give him my opinion and help him find something. He agreed and called me back in a few days to ask my opinion on a puppy he found. It was a gorgeous little brindle male that was show quality and very well priced for his quality at $650ish? I asked what the story was on the puppy, the pedigree, and it all sounded legitimate. The breeder was ill with cancer and her friend was selling her puppies for her here in IL. He said "Boy, I know what you mean. It's like a night and day difference between this guy and the $300 puppy!" I told him to give the breeder my name, I really liked their lines.

I didn't hear anything for probably a year and had forgotten about the breeder and puppy. I then got an email that the breeder was ready to sell all her Cairns, she was very sick with Cancer, and they wondered if I would be interested. As I looked at the pedigrees, I noticed the name Aquarius. I said "Who is Aquarius? My original lines dating back 17yrs ago have the kennel name Aquarius in them!?" She replied "That's Linda!" I'm not superstitious, don't necessarily believe in fate. But what a small world! Linda died before I had the opportunity to meet her and it made me sad for the family who had to arrange to get me the dogs all the way from TN. Those dogs were Keagan, Bridget, Thea, and their puppies including Cooper. The above photo in burgundy is that little show quality male's full sister, Bailie (our future breeding female).

I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings that may be breeding a puppy that appears as the other photo above. But I think it's apparent what the difference in quality is. If it were me, I would much rather pay a few more dollars for a cute Cairn appearing puppy with the expression of a Cairn. In the end, you're probably going to get a more healthy, long lived puppy. By only purchasing from reputable ethical breeders, you're also narrowing the market for puppy mills and bad breeders. Let economics and supply and demand, help us improve the lives of pets!

AKC Registration Only

2007-08-29T09:10:00.001-05:00

AKC (American Kennel Club) is a registry for purebred dogs. Although there are various other registries such as CKC, APRI, etc, I always felt that they were not as quality but I didn't understand exactly until more recently.

AKC has the strictest guidelines for registry. They are also the only registry that does spontaneous breeder inspections. AKC inspectors come to a breeder's facility and they go through documentation of litters, check identification records against the dogs in person (they scan microchips and/or check tatoos), they pull up records on puppies sold and who they went to. They go through a breeder's records in detail to check that breeding and whelping dates match, etc. They will also do DNA checks on present puppies, and check parentage. They view the facilities and make notes on kennel conditions, cleanliness, and the conditions of the dogs.

Inspections are completed on breeders who breed 7 or more litters a year. My first kennel inspection was in 2006 and I was scared to death of this "big mean AKC inspector" that was coming to "investigate" me and my dogs. I was literally shaking as he drove into the drive. Having learned all the documentation on my own and having AKC be less than helpful in the process, I was just sure he was going make me cry! I was pleasantly surprised to meet a gentle man, and when I asked for any information or guidance that would help me become a better breeder, he offered tips and advice along the way. After carefuly going through all my paperwork he even told me how impressed he was, that I passed with flying colors and did much better than most on a first inspection. I was proud to have a little "AKC Compliance Report" that proved I was in fact a "real breeder" with a great big "In Compliance" and a whole lot of "acceptables" on it! Of course it's still stressful to know they can come unannounced at any time from that point forward. In the mornings, when there's poop in the kennel runs and I have puppies who've gone home with their paperwork all in a pile waiting to be filed and organized, I get a panic feeling of "What if they showed up right now. I would just die!!!" I'm sure they've seen much worse, but it takes a lot of work to look good and have everything ready for scrutiny at any moment's notice.

Now AKC isn't perfect to work with. I've had more errors in my records with my records mixed up with people I've never heard of. I've had them lose paperwork, later to be found in their system that just got separated from the rest, they've sent me pedigrees for dogs and breeds I've never heard of. Sometimes I wonder why I would ever put up with so much. But I do like the fact that they give the breeder the right to say what puppies are to be spayed/nuetered and live life as a pet, and what puppies are either quality or are going to the correct environment for showing and breeding.

A breeder can give full or limited registration. Full registration means that the animal can be shown in AKC licensed events for confirmation, to prove it's quality as a breeding animal. They can also be bred and their offspring registered through AKC. Limited registration means that they are an AKC registered dog themselves, but are to be spayed/neutered and can not be shown or bred. This gives the breeder control in a couple ways. For puppies that aren't up to the standards for breeding, they can ensure that the puppy is not used for breeding. But they also don't want their puppies ending up in a back yard breeder, bad breeder, or puppy mill environment, so by giving limited AKC registration, this enforces that the puppy go to an appropriate pet home. For ethical breeder's, it's a device used for quality control.

What I didn't know is that some registries accept a registered dog regardless of full or limited registration and they allow all dogs to be bred. So when you purchase a CKC or APRI dog, you have no idea if the animals were all breeding quality. A dishonest person can purchase a pet puppy, register it with a different registry and produce puppies to make money. I didn't want to give the secret away to any dishonest people that might read this blog, but then I figured dishonest people probably already know about this. If we want to promote healthy puppies and quality puppies, lets just buy AKC and the people making money off of various other registries won't have a market! When you breed pet quality dogs over and over again, guess what happens to the offspring? You get pet quality, health disorders, and some day you get dogs that don't even resemble the breed standard. People say they don't care about show quality, they just want a pet. But don't you want a cute Cairn that actually looks like a Cairn? And don't you want a pet that is healthy and doesn't die at 9mo of age of liver failure!? (happened to a customer of mine that bought a pet store puppy from unknown origin) Ethical breeders and quality control is how you maintain production to resemble the breed standard and have the healthiest puppies possible.

Another story recently was that a guy had a dog that resembled a Great Pyranese. It wasn't of registered stock, but looked like one. So he sent photos of him to a registry, they said "Yep, looks like a Great Pyranese" and sent him papers for him!! What kind of registry sends you papers for your mutt!? It's against all reasons for having documented pedigrees and known heritage in the first place!

Here's a new one, The American Hybrid Club. Lets take our breeds, mix them up, create mutts and register them as "Designer Dogs". Now I will admit, that there is purpose to some designer breeds such as labradoodles which create a hypoallergenic service dog. In some cases outcrossing to a different breed expands the gene pool on a breed that is overbred and is ridden with health problems. But just creating mixes to make money is unethical. My own brother in law heard my piece of mind when he failed to spay his beagle and the neighbor's schnauzer bred her. She had 9 healthy beagle schnauzers and I jokingly made up a sign for him to sell his lovely "Schneagles" just to see his hair turn more fiery orange and his face turn red. Come on, spay & neuter and don't become part of the problem of pet overpopulation! It's not fair to these 9 little puppies who may or may not find quality homes. Nothing makes me more angry and I'm not afraid to make family members mad by saying so!

List of Puppy Supplies

2007-08-28T12:27:00.001-05:00

Here's a quick list of supplies to obtain before bringing your puppy home.

Adjustable Collar & Lead- ask your breeder the size of your puppy’s neck, Cairn puppies are usually 6-7”, toy breeds should wear harnesses rather than collars for leading, since they have fragile tracheas
Food & Water Bowls- stainless is preferred by some, but when washed and kept sanitary, crocks and plastic are ok too, match your décor!
Food- ask your breeder what brand they use, feed a premium puppy formula until 1yr of age
Crate- large enough for the puppy to stand and turn around comfortably, but not so large that they can potty on one end and sleep on the other
Crate bedding- washable towels or waterproof liner, if puppy soils their crate remove the bedding so that they are uncomfortably wet, to encouraged them to hold it
Training Treats- small and easy to keep in your pocket for rewarding your puppy
Chew Treats- for teething puppies
Shampoo- dog shampoo only, never use human shampoo, they have a different ph balance
Between Bath Spray- handy to freshen up between baths
Puppy play pen or puppy gates- offer an appropriate play area to protect your carpets and keep your puppy safe
Potty accident clean up supplies- a carpet cleaner and/or sanitizer to clean up accidents
Booster Car Seat, harness, or crate for safe travel in the car- appropriately restrain your puppy during travel
Dog Bed- used not only for comfortable sleeping outside of the crate, but for training purposes
Toys- appropriate for age and breed size, too small of toys for your breed is a choking hazard, puppies need comfort toys, chew toys, and things that are interesting and stimulate them
ID tag- all dogs and puppies should wear an ID tag with your contact information
Sweater, Jacket, or Coat- for cold or wet weather, dogs and puppies acclimated to indoor temperatures need protected from weather
Soft Sided Carrier- handy for small dog breeds and puppies
Books on Training- don’t wait for puppy classes to start training, learn how to crate train and start your puppy’s training before bringing them home

Maisie in Modern Dog Magazine

2007-08-27T23:05:00.001-05:00

My issue just arrived today! Check out pg 96 in the Fall 2007 Modern Dog Magazine. Maisie is featured in her pink raincoat! "Awesome anoraks. Anoraks are all the rage right now. This sporty, reflective rain slicker, with hood and stylish pocket over the back, fits the bill. Available in blue, pink, orange, and yellow. designerdogavenue.com" I was so excited! Our usual ad is showed on page 79, although they mistakingly printed our Spring/Summer ad vs the Fall ad! But I guess the bonus feature will make up for it.

Crooked Creek Website

2007-08-27T10:07:00.000-05:00

You'll notice a fresh new look on our home page at www.crookedcreekcairnterriers.com. There are various changes that have been on my mind for some time now, so we'll slowly try to get updates and improvements made to the site.

I would very much love to receive updated photos from our previous Cairn Terrier pupppies! Please email photos of your Crooked Creek dog along with stories about them, or updates, so we can add this additional information to our website. I attempt to place photos of previous puppies with our breeding female's information, but they haven't been updated recently. I believe an adult photo of their previous puppies would be even more helpful to prospective customers.

Any other ideas that would make our website more helpful or educational for those looking at the breed? I hope to incorporate more about grooming, which is our biggest question about the breed. It's not an easy answer, but maybe we can get photos of a dog in progress to give a better look at coat growth and stripping. After years of practice on lots of Cairns, I still don't feel like an expert. But we'll do what we can.

After more experience building websites and doing SEO (search engine optimization), I've learned of things I can do to make the website more searchable and user friendly. We'll update it as we have time.

Thanks for your input! I'm feeling much better about my work load and thank you so much for the sweet, funny, and supportive emails! Love you all!
Traci
crookedcreekcairns@verizon.net

Explanation of a Health Guarantee

2007-08-26T18:46:00.000-05:00

So what is a health guarantee and what should I expect when purchasing a puppy?

The first guarantee that a breeder should offer, is an initial money back guarantee for any defects. This protects the buyer by allowing time to visit your veterinarian and ensure the health of the puppy that you purchased. For any health defects found, the breeder agrees to offer your money back or a replacement puppy if one is available. These guarantees are usually for a 3-5 day period, proving that upon receiving the puppy it was also free of communicable disease. Due to the gestation period of parvo and other communicable diseases, we require that our Cairn puppies be checked within 3 days of receiving them.

A puppy's health can change from week to week for the first several months of life, and thereafter. Some defects such as lion jaw or luxated patellas may not be apparent until several months of age. Although ethical breeders attempt to breed healthy puppies, they can not guarantee against all possibilities. Therefore, a breeder should offer an extended health guarantee such as a 1-2yr guarantee for genetic and hereditary defects. This does not usually cover bites, hernias, or cosmetic defects for pet puppies (although you should notify your breeder if any of these occur so they can track them). Some breeders require that the puppy be returned upon diagnosis, and will replace the puppy or dog with a healthy puppy. Some breeders may offer partial refunds and allow you to keep your puppy or dog. These health guarantees can be difficult to put into writing and sometimes they are vague and cause problems when interpretted differently. It's easy for a disappointed buyer to penalize a breeder if their puppy develops an overbite or underbite, which usually doesn't effect the dog's daily life. It was a situation with a friend that proved to me that I would not offer partial refunds. The buyer felt that their puppy wasn't worth the value paid because they expected to purchase a perfect puppy, and after several months of age the puppy developed an overbite. He refused to return his pet of course, but demanded a partial refund. It was this situation that guided our policy of no refunds. We do not believe a 'defective' dog or puppy should be uprooted from it's home and be returned to a breeder who will only have to find it another home. We will instead, offer a replacement puppy for documented life threatening hereditary or congenital defects. Because diagnosis can also have such a gray area, we made our contract black and white and not open to interpretation by requiring that the animal die before 2 years of age. Our veterinarian guided us with the statement that most all serious genetic or congenital defects will cause death of the animal by this age. This is not to say that I couldn't be more lenient and compassionate to a family that I've grown to know through the adoption of one of our puppies. If a puppy died at 2 1/2 or 3yrs of age, I'm going to replace the puppy! But I didn't want placed in the situation if a dog that had a heart murmur and still lived to 10yrs of age, that the family expect it to be replaced.

Facilities

2007-08-25T21:20:00.000-05:00

Our facilites at Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers are pictured on my website. Due to a hurtful criticism by a not so nice breeder recently, I'll offer a description and explanation of our facilites and care we provide to our Cairns.

You will see that we have a puppy house, which houses my grooming, storage, and puppy areas. I raised 1 litter in my laundry room years ago, and I will tell you now, I will NEVER do it again. The first 3 1/2-4wks of life are no issue. Our Cairn Moms frequently keep their puppies in our home, particularly in the winter time when I'm fearful a pilot light will go out in the middle of the night and get too cold for newborns. They require 80-90 temps for the first couple of weeks, and a stable temperature with no drafts. But when puppies are 4-5wks old, and they start on solids, the mother stops cleaning up after them. This equates to lots of puppy poop! I watched puppies at 4wks who could barely walk, wake up from their naps, leave their bedded area, go potty, and return to their bedded area. This proved to me first hand, the instinct that puppies naturally posess. It's a den instinct. Having 6 puppies in a single room, not knowing where the poop area is, is a disaster. They pooped all over, played with potty pads, and smeared the disaster even when cleaned up 5-6 times a day! They were difficult to potty train and to this day, my friend has a female from that litter that will make potty accidents upstairs in her home! At this point, I called Daddy to come to IL and build me a doggie door'ed puppy house! At 4-5wks of age, when the puppies start on solids, we leave a pile of Mama's poop outside. Sometimes the puppies need assisted through the doggie door the first time, but as soon as they realize where the 'poopy spot' is, they go potty outdoors! It's amazing to watch nature at work!!!! If some puppies don't understand the system, we put the divider in to close the space down inside, and this pushes them to go outside with only enough room inside for their "bed area" and the potty area is outside. It's no fail, and customers report puppies who potty train much more easily!!! The only problem with the puppy house is my realization that without 2x4 construction, it's impossible to correctly insulate and finish the inside as I had planned. So within the next year, we are making plans for a new facility with the same type of set up, but fully insulated and finished with separate adult quarters that mimic the current puppy house.

The criticism that I received revolved around my dogs having an outdoor kennel. Now if I lived in a northern state, this would not be appropriate for the Cairn Terrier. However, in our southern IL climate, we have mild winters and summers and it's quite conducive to the breed. Dogs, horses, and various animals prepare with the seasons by building a thicker winter coat and their bodies are prepared for weather conditions. Dogs that are kept inside year round, don't build an appropriate natural coat, aren't acclimated beyond potty breaks mid-winter, and they do need a sweater or coat to protect them from the temps. But dogs that are used to the exterior temperatures and have an appropriate coat do quite well in our climate. I do want to point out that they do have adequate housing. An appropriate sized dog box surrounds the dogs with their own body heat and keeps them warm. We do bring them inside the puppy house at night for the coldest weeks of the year, but most days are warm enough I hose the kennel out with water and it's above freezing.

The comment that was so incredibly hurtful was, that she couldn't imagine the isolated life my dogs must live in our back yard. (a breed bred for hunting who loves the outdoors?) I was kind of a smart elic by showing her the above photo of poor Bentley being "isolated" in our back yard. (I kept myself from sending many more photos) It made me chuckle when I think of my 3 boys who beg to play with the puppies and bring the dogs to the back yard to play. Our poor dogs have to play with kids and run around in a yard! Can you believe it!? LOL Now, this breeder thought I should have all my dogs in the house full time. I can't imagine such a situation when males and females mark their territory, and both Rainey & Carmie (females!) even hike their leg on my bushes! Can you imagine a house filled with 10 dogs hiking their legs on furniture, marking their territory.....with 3 boys under the age of 6, and litters of puppies pooping and pulling their potty pads around smearing such a wonderful mess for me to clean up? Hmmmm......as a nurse and someone who is almost freakish about germs and sanitation, it sounds like a nurse's horror flick!

Now I realize, that a full time indoor home sounds wonderful and I want that for my dogs. That's the purpose of a very expensive indoor facility for all my dogs in the near future. With tile floor and indoor play space, my dogs will enjoy air conditioning and constant temps indoors. But there is one more element involved in an ethical breeder's home. An ethical breeder requires that the goal of breeding be to "Improve the breed". I'm here to tell you that the production of a couple bitches (appropriate for a full time indoor home) will in no way "improve a breed". It requires the production and management of several litters a year, to accurately monitor and maintain a quality breeding program. So if I had to pick a sanitary, ethical, loving environment for my Cairn Terriers vs back yard breeding or having 10 dogs in my household full time? I choose a sanitary, safe environment and knowing that when my Cairns are finished with their breeding career, they're rewarded with an indoor forever home where they are pampered.

For now, I assure you that an insulated dog box lined with water resistent beds, more than adequate kennel space, planned exercise, socialization and mental stimulation, chew toys and treats, a sanitary clean environment, and fresh water and food accessible at all times, is very appropriate for the Cairn Terrier. I assure you that I adore our Cairns and that they are very much our family pets and adored by my children and family. At some point in time, we have to gain some common sense and realize that there are different views in life. And as long as the views provide a safe loving environment for animals, there is always a polite way to treat others. There is never an excuse to be rude or treat others badly.

Cairn Terrier Characteristics

2007-08-25T21:08:00.001-05:00

Cairn Terriers are a hardy breed. This makes them a good breed for families with children, who might otherwise "break" a toy breed. Children should be supervised closely with any dog, but with obedience and appropriate dominance training, the Cairn is a great family pet.

Cairns were bred to hunt vermin and these instincts still hold very strongly in the breed. They enjoy the outdoors, tracking scents and chasing squirrels! They must have a safe fenced yard due to their strong instincts to hunt, regardless of how well trained they are. If there is a squirrel across a highway, they WILL chase it and this leaves them vulnerable to injury and death. Therefore, a family interested in the Cairn must be prepared to keep them on a leash or within a fenced yard at all times.

I've been caught off guard myself when I trusted Maisie to stay with me in the front yard. Now you have to understand that Maisie is my shadow and is deeply attached to me. Regardless of what I'm doing, she's at my feet or nearby watching me or sleeping. Contrary to many Cairn personalities, she's extremely laid back and quiet!!! Well one afternoon, she took off running at full speed from me, yipping at the top of her voice in excitement. I look up to see the neighbor's cat, Tess, high tailing it across our yard, hopped the creek ditch between our yards, and across their yard they go.....towards a main busy highway!!!! I'm here to tell you "You can not trust them off the leash, regardless of how well trained they are!"

Thank you Dr Gail

2007-08-25T20:33:00.000-05:00

I've had the pleasure of having a top quality veterinarian, Dr Gail Bushur-Irwin for several years now. She came to Newton, a small country clinic, and brought medical advances and services to our small town. We developed a friendship through our love for horses, dogs, and animals in general. Our conversations frequently start with my comparison of medical knowledge in humans to medical care in my animals "So Dr Gail, in humans we do this.....can I do this for my dogs!?" Dr Gail frequently humored me with in-depth educational responses to my questions, and fulfilled my hunger for knowledge!

I'm happy for Dr Gail, but sad to announce she is leaving our local Newton clinic at the end of August. I've had the luxury of being 2 miles from immediate emergency care and I truly appreciate the care and support that she has provided to my animals. She's received more than one tearful phone call with an "I need help" plea and she's always been a supportive friend willing to listen. She was willing to give me Dr's orders and allow me to practice my nursing knowledge and skills on my dogs and puppies, whom I love so dearly. Not many breeders have the luxury of such perfect teamwork with their veterinarian.

The good news is Dr Gail has accepted a position at Effingham, IL which is about 30 min from me, so it will still be possible to receive her care. I hope that she enjoys her next adventure. From the bottom of my heart Gail, I appreciate everything you do for us! Here's a big thank you from "all the Dow's"!

Love Ya!

Horses- Emma, Makina, Kiah, baby Mahala, Jazzy, baby Chase, and Dolly the Donkey!

Rex- the tortoise

Riley- the cat

Cairns- Keagan, Bridget, Thea, Cooper, Maggie, Chloe, Camille, Carmie, Ella, Gracie, Bentley, Libby, Rainey, Miyah, Bailie, Lanie, and Maisie!

Pronunciation of "Cairn"

2007-08-25T19:56:00.001-05:00

Have you ever wondered how Cairn is really pronounced? The correct pronunciation is [kairn] meaning a heap of stones set up as a landmark, monument, tombstone, etc. In the US, it is not pronounced "Karen" or "Karn" which are both common mispronunciations.

What's next?

2007-08-24T11:23:00.001-05:00

I feel a little bit like I'm on a witch hunt lately! In the last 3 weeks, I've had my name used by scammer's twice with a large number of false ads trying to scam people. I've had my photo of Cooper posted multiple times and each time, puppyfind.com removes the ad and the scammer's just post them again. So in a rage of irritation, I posted the above photo with an ad describing that people should be aware of these idiots. Don't send wired money, and if there's a $1500 puppy pictured for $400 with shipping included (a $250 value), don't you think that's a little bit of a clue that something isn't right? What was funny was that within minutes of posting my photo & SCAMMER alert ad, the scam ads with Cooper's photo were removed. The African jerks must watch the website all the time. (You can probably read my frustration between the lines here! LOL)

As if it isn't enough to have people stealing your photos and scamming buyers, I've had 2 Cairn breeder websites directly plagarize my copyrighted text from my website that is all original verbage written by ME. Maybe it wasn't intentional, but just a word to those that may read this. Taking photos or text from a website that clearly states it is copyrighted, and then using the text in your 0wn website without giving recognition to the author is plagarism. The text has to have the author cited, or be original text. I don't mind if someone wants to link to my website stating "more information about..." as I do on my own website. But please don't take information and photos from my website without my permission. In my world that's just being polite but it's also a legal matter.

I don't want to be on a "witch hunt" and have to ask breeders to remove photos and text that they've taken from my website. I don't want to be offended by other breeders when they may or may not have philosophies different from my own. I just want people to be kind, polite, respectful and show compassion towards others. Is this too much in this day and world? I hope not.

First Nights Home

2007-08-23T10:50:00.000-05:00

So you've been waiting months for this new little bundle of energy to come into your life. Then you bring them home and they poop, pee, and cry!!!! What can I do!?

The first step in successfully bringing a new puppy home is to do your homework BEFORE you pick up your puppy. Read up on training, crate training, puppy care, prepare your home for this new little arrival. It's just like having a human baby! Find out what kind of food your breeder feeds and have it purchased (along with supplies) before the puppy comes home. Ensure you have puppy proofed your home, have a schedule, and a plan. Who will be the primary trainer/care giver (needs to be an adult in the household)? If you work outside the home, who will let the puppy out to potty mid-day? What will your schedule be for crate training? What are the first few commands you should work on before puppy classes start? What type of training treats should you use? Read, plan, and prepare!

On the day you pick up your puppy, it's helpful to take a soft toy to the breeder's to rub on the siblings and/or mother for a comforting scent. There are warm puppy cuddle pals that you can warm in the microwave to give puppy a warm companion to sleep with. It may also be helpful to place something in their crate that you've worn, to comfort them with your scent after a day of bonding.

After dinner, potty time, play time, and last minute potty time again, it's bed time. Puppies sleep in a crate, not your bed. Their needs for food, and potty have been met and they are worn down and sleepy at bed time. Place them in the crate and ignore their cries to be let out and held. After 10-15min if they are still crying, firmly tell them no and ignore them. They will soon quiet down and realize crying doesn't get them out of their crate. Most puppies can hold it in the night for 6-8hrs. Taking a puppy out of the crate upon crying at bedtime teaches them all they have to do is cry, and they trained you to come get them. So as hard as it is, don't let them train you! It may be helpful to place their crate by your bed, so they know where you are.

The first few nights and weeks can be difficult with potty accidents, crying, puppy nipping, and chewing. But hang in there! It gets better! And try to enjoy those sweet snuggly puppies because just like children they grow up all too fast!

Shipping Dogs and Puppies

2007-08-23T10:15:00.000-05:00

I get frequent questions about shipping. Is it really safe? Isn't is scary for a puppy? Is it ok to ship an adult dog? Should the dog or puppy be sedated first? Isn't it better if I travel by car 10hrs, to pick up the puppy? Are there any other options?

Shipping has become common place. It's convenient for a buyer to have the option to shop for a good breeder across the nation.

There are 2 methods for shipping, ground and air. Ground shipping would be an option for relatively close distances. But it is usually more expensive ($300 and up?) and I do not recommend it for long distances due to the time necessary for travel. We want to make transport as short as possible for a puppy.

Air shipping is the other option. It's safe, convenient, and affordable at $225-300, depending on the airline, location for shipping, and this includes the breeder's expenses. The buyer keeps the crate the puppy arrives in, which at Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers is the perfect size for crate training your puppy.

A breeder usually chooses an airline based on cost, convenience for their location, and I personally only work with a few of the top quality pet shipping services. Temperatures usually limit shipping due to extreme hot or cold conditions. Puppies can not be shipped if temps are over 85 degrees. Extreme cold temps are also hazardous. However, Conintenal airline's pet services are temp controlled even during transport to and from the airplane. Pets are either hand carried to the plane, or placed on a cart specifically for pets. They are handled with care and personel that I have met are excited to see cute puppies arrive.

Since incident reports are public knowledge, you can check on different airlines and see if they have had any issues. The reports that I read were related to a crate that was not properly secured (therfore we zip tie crates closed), or animals that were elderly or had health problems to start with.

Is shipping overly stressful to a puppy? Cairn Terrier puppies are generaly fearless little creatures. I've had them run into the garage to investigate the loud noise when Rick was sawing a piece of lumber! Most of our puppies are not bothered by traveling in cars and loud noises. Puppies are resilient creatures, learning at a very high rate, and investigating new things and their surroundings. Is it stressful to take them from their litter mates and mother? Yes, they've never been alone before so just going home is stressful. Is traveling by car vs traveling by air, or being presented with new circumstances unhealthy? NO, not in my opinion. From 8-16wks, puppies are like children in that they soak up new experiences like a sponge. I recommend exposing them to scary and loud objects like blow dryers, traveling in cars, clipping their nails, visiting with strangers (after fully vaccinated), etc. Introduce them to as many things as possible and they don't know it's any different than exploring the world they're so inquisitive about! Start them early and they don't know it any differently than normal life. So is shipping too stressful? No, not in my opinion.

Adults who have not had proper socialization or who are fearful of car travel should not be shipped. Since it is not known how a dog or puppy would react at high elevations under sedation, we never sedate an animal for shipping. If there are concerns about an adult, don't ship them. But I've never had a puppy that wasn't wagging their tail and happy to see their new family upon arrival.

For those that live 5-6hrs or more from their breeder, we do not recommend traveling by car. Frequent stops are not healthy for a puppy that is not full vaccinated before 14-16wks of age. With so many people traveling with their pets, rest areas, gas station grassy areas, and stops along the way could be contaminated with parvo, distemper, etc and your puppy can get sick and die even after 2 vaccinations. It is somtimes best to place a puppy in a crate and send them straight to their destination than to risk stops along the way by car.

Another option would be to fly to your breeder's location and pick up your puppy in person. Small dogs and puppies can be carried on to an airplane and hand carried home.

In Memory

2007-08-19T22:10:00.001-05:00

Our Little Man June 19-August 19, 2007.

A Sad Day in the Life of a Breeder

2007-08-19T20:57:00.000-05:00

When people tell me they want to breed to make a little extra money, I cringe and try to explain the heartache, time, and expertise involved in breeding. There is so much more that can and does happen. I had once told a fellow breeder how lucky I was. I had never even had a still born, no c-sections, no loss of puppies. She said "You will." I fully believe her now. Eventually it all happens and you're lucky if you can recognize the symptoms early and treat them appropriately for the best outcome possible.

Camille delivered in June and had 5 healthy puppies. Since she usually had puppies that were small and we had lost a couple to unexplained deaths beyond failure to thrive, I planned to treat the puppies early and vigorously. I dewormed them more than our normal protocol and started early. I also did a full 10 days of Albon when the puppies had mattery eyes and seemed to be small. In case Camille was a carrier of coccidia and she had passed it along to her puppies, we would treat them early and prevent the puppies from having any problems.

The smallest female of the litter then had an acute case of hypoglycemia at 4 1/2wks. She was tested for a liver shunt since we hadn't explored that avenue previously. We also did a fecal for parasites and coccidia. All was negative and normal and she made a recovery after 2 days of treatment by Dr Gail. Her growth continued to be stunted and she fell well behind her litter mates by failing to grow. But nothing was cuter than a 7wk old 1.1 lb puppy, with a tail going 100mi/min! We explained everything to the families waiting for puppies and planned to keep the puppies an extra week and delay their vaccination schedule by 1wk.

Yesterday, all seemed normal on the video monitor. I had been letting the dogs run, and had done some bathing and grooming. I noticed Camille's male seemed sleepy. I watched him a few minutes later and he was mopey and didn't feel good. I thought he may have been overheated and brought him in. His temp was low, and I offered him puppy formula to boost his blood sugar and he refused. I syringe fed him some formula and he vomited it back up. I then gave him subq fluids, placed him under a heat lamp to stablize his temp, and called Dr Gail. She's offered to come over and see him on her way back into town. His blood sugar was low so we supplemented him and it took 3 testings and supplementing before it came back into normal range. Everything else including his temp seemed normal except for vomiting. We left him under the heat lamp and went into the clinic to run some blood tests and get some Reglan for the vomiting. The testing came back with some slightly low electrolytes that only said that he had been vomiting. So all seemed normal and he just needed a little Reglan to settle his stomach, eat, and keep his temp and blood sugar stable through the night. The Reglan didn't help and although he was thirsty he refused to eat. I force fed him supplement to keep his blood sugar stable and since he continued to vomit all fluids, I gave him subq fluids throughout the night, every 2-3hrs.

After the 2nd dose of Reglan this morning and continued vomiting, I called Dr Gail to ask for an IV and some dextrose fluids. We took him into the clinic and she decided to explore his abdomen to ensure he didn't have an obstruction or anything. The xray and ultrasound didn't show anything abnormal and he was neg for parvo (although we didn't think that was it, at least we could rule out one more thing). We started an IV with D10 fluids. Our plan included Reglan, antibiotics, and IV fluids to get him through his vomiting. I fully expected him to perk up with the D10 and feel better soon. He was stable and resting and I laid down for a few minutes. I got up to check his IV drip rate and he had died. I felt complete shock and disbelief.

I realize most breeders don't take all the precautions and do IV drips at home. Dr Gail knows me personally and since I'm an OB nurse, she knows I'm fully capable of doing these cares for my puppies, particularly when she's not even on call and has other plans. But in the sense that in less than 24hrs, things can go very badly, this is what I want to communicate about why breeding should be left up to experienced breeders. It isn't just the knowledge of confirmation, breeding lines, and being an expert in the breed. It's about giving a life the best chance possible.

I'm tearful and it's been a very sad day. Nothing hurts more than to have to wrap up a little warm body and know you did everything possible and it still wasn't enough. Nothing is harder than to not know. Why did he die when "there is no good reason for him to feel bad". I exhaust my bank account with what some may consider extreme measures. But in my mind, this is just basic, quality care that every puppy deserves. Nothing is harder than to tell a family that the puppy that was supposed to go home on Sat has died and I have no explanation. I just try to cope the best way I know how, and give a tribute to a little guy that was part of our life for the last 8 weeks.

Now I'm headed into another long night as my son started vomiting this evening. There seems to be a virus going around that although is short lived, must be pretty contagious and causes wretched vomiting. This is child #2 to get it and we have one more to go! Nothing is worse than small children and vomiting. For some reason they don't know how to contain it in one spot, and unlike puppies you can't contain them in a crate for easy clean up. Oops...here he goes again.....gotta go!

Nigerian Scammers Update

2007-08-13T16:42:00.000-05:00

I have just been forwarded the emails from the Nigerian scammer that is using my name, and posing as a valid seller. Thankfully the buyer saw my warning on my website!

Here's the initial reply to the buyer's inquiry about the puppy advertised on puppyfind.com.

"Dear ,
Calvary greeting to you. Regarding to your mail, i quite apreciate your interest in adolpting my little baby. I have actually been looking for a caring parent to adopt my baby. I have prayed fervently about it and I believe the lord has answered my prayer. I believe you are a God fearing person? She's a loving pet that love to play with kids, she's akc registered, recently dewormed and had all their shot up to date. The puppy is still very much available and she's here with me in West Africa, because i was posted to West Africa countries by the united state christain organisation for (Worldwide Missionary Outreach) to preach for the world. I want you to know that am not happy to give my lovely PUPPY , but i have to do these because of the weather here is harsh, am not only selling her but giving it out for someone that will take good care of the puppy for me. If you know that you are interested in adopting the puppy, send me your name,your delivery address,phone number including nearest airport and more also i will shipping her through Express Pets Delivery on next day delivery which i use in bringing her down here on next day delivery. Exactly why i am giving the puppy to you for adoption,you will be responsible for her shippment to you,which is 350 usd adoption fee ,shipping and other travelling document to avoid any delay at the airport. l feed her with Nutro's, and Eukanuba. I will like her to stay with a lovely family that will take good care of the puppy for me. kindly make sure you take along your id card to the airport when the puppy land at your nearest airport after your payment is been confirmed at the shipping desk..

Thanks

Rev Harmony Antonio"

You will notice the poor english and writing, and the fact that the word "PUPPY" has been inserted in a form type of email. They probably sell various items. I frequently get inquiries for my puppies that say "I would like to know the condition of and final price for your PUPPY" as if the word Puppy was inserted. Who in their right mind asks about the condition of and final price for a puppy? Again, NEVER wire money for merchandise or a puppy. I never respond to inquiries worded in this manner.

Spread the word, tell friends and family members about the Nigerian Scammers. If a breeder doesn't have an established website, visit in person or shop elsewhere. It isn't worth the risk.

Miyah update

2007-08-12T22:06:00.000-05:00

I've had families ask about "The Little Puppy" and thought I'd post an update. Camille has a little female that had a very close call. At 4 1/2 wks, she suddenly became lethargic and had what we believe was hypoglycemic seizures. She spent a couple days with Dr Gail and we tested for a liver shunt, coccidia, round worms, etc and everything was normal and negative. Since she responded immediately to feeding, we attributed the attack to simple hypoglycemia. She has not grown much since then, but is doing quite well. At almost 8wks of age, she is only 1.1lbs and runs around with all the "big kids" as if she's just as big. Her tail goes 100 miles/min and she seems like a normal puppy! We will keep her and see how she grows and matures. We've named her Miyah and the kids and I are getting attached. I may have yet another that I can't give up and she'll have to be my little pocket puppy!

More scam ads

2007-08-12T21:58:00.000-05:00

Yet, more scammers! I was alerted after someone saw my warning on my website, that they had seen my name advertising an Akita puppy on puppyfind.com. Sure enough, 5 PAGES of ads with all kinds of various breeds. Please be aware of these scams and let others know if they're searching for a new family member.
The ads had the below information attached to them.
Traci Dow
Location: Wilmington, DE, United States
Telephone: (302) 434-3200
weâ€™re a Big breeder of quality AKC puppies, and have selected lineswith great health and disposition. Although we arenâ€™t currentlyshowing.they love playing with toys and some other home pets.Email formore Information.

This was NOT ME!!! I have no affiliation with any breed other than Cairn Terriers. Please contact me if you see my name posted with ads other than my Cairn Terrier ad with MY information. Thank you to Michelle for alerting me to this scammer! Puppyfind removed the ads immediately upon notifying them.

Crooked Creek News and Update

2007-08-07T17:53:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone.... I'm sorry for the absent blogs and fewer emails. It's been so incredibly busy. I've been a bit overwhelmed with losing my babysitter and having the kids, businesses, and everything on my own. It seems that everything tends to pile up at once. Please excuse the absent memory and stressed out Traci! :)

My husband has been promoted to a position with even more travel, so we will be temporarily canceling Cairn Terrier litters after the December 2007 timeframe. I've already promised puppies for the litters before then, so we will continue the schedule as planned until then. I'm unsure how our schedules are going to work out and it's becoming increasingly more difficult to make 2am runs to the airport. Although I love the visits, it's also become more difficult to allocate enough puppy visit appointments. Designer Dog Avenue has been more demanding and I've been running on super overdrive which is very tiring. I'm hoping a little vacation from breeding and a new babysitter will lift my spirits and remind me of why I love breeding and my businesses so much.

Thank you for your support. I've had friends email with concern and support, asking me not to retire from breeding. I think "a little vacation" will be just what I need.

Dangers of Invisible Fence

2007-08-05T22:27:00.000-05:00

I get frequent questions about invisible fencing and whether it is appropriate for the Cairn Terrier. You will read that it is not appropriate for Cairns because they will accept the shock to chase a squirrel, but will not accept the shock to return to their yard. So the containment system doesn't necessarily work. What I didn't realize is the threat to your dog's safety, because it may keep your dog contained but does not prevent dogs or coyotes from entering your yard. We recently had a Cairn family member attacked at dusk in a St Louis suberb. She went out to potty and when she didn't return, her owner found her dead from a coyote attack. We do not recommend invisible fence containment systems for dogs that are left unattended. Particularly be watchful and never send your dog out to potty without supervision in the evening. Coyote attacks are common, particularly at dusk or evening hours.

Another note on fencing to prevent you from making the same mistake we did. Smaller Cairns can go through a standard picket fence. We planned an open feel to our extended yard but wanted a safety parameter for the kids and dogs. But the spacing is too wide for most of our Cairns and although they have a huge fenced yard, the acres beyond are always more interesting! I would recommend solid fence panels set at ground level. Cairns should then have supervision since they love to dig and may find a way under the fence if they get too bored.

How to Choose A Dog Breed and find an Ethical Breeder

2007-07-11T08:02:00.000-05:00

So you’ve decided to pursue adding a canine family member, but how do you find the right breeder? The first questions you need to ask, are what breed will fit my lifestyle? Am I prepared to offer a lifetime commitment, which for most breeds is 10-15yrs? Am I financially stable and able to afford premium food and care to my new addition?

The first step in a successful lifetime commitment to a dog is ensuring that you’ve chosen a breed that fits your lifestyle. There are more to breeds than looks. Each breed has its own set of characteristics that guide its instincts, behavior, temperament, training needs and care. Consider your lifestyle in the size, activity level, grooming needs, healthcare needs, trainability, etc. Some breeds have a large number of health problems that require extra medical attention and cost. Do they require professional grooming? Consider all aspects of upkeep and care rather than the purchase price of a puppy. Visit http://www.akc.org/ and read about breed groups, and breeds that you think may fit your needs. After narrowing down to a few breeds, contact breeders and discuss with them what you are looking for in a companion. Ask for more information and guidance about their breed. Are you able to be home with a puppy, or let them out mid day, or would an adult fit your needs better? Ethical breeders retire adults to loving forever homes, and this may be a way to avoid the negative aspects of puppy-hood.

The next step in acquiring a new addition is understanding where to look for a puppy and what an ethical breeder is about. Puppy mills flourish on uneducated buyers and those that believe they are rescuing a puppy from undesirable conditions or pet stores. The fact is, continuing to purchase from non-ethical breeders and pet stores supports the puppy mill market. Dogs in puppy mills live a horrific life, producing as many puppies as possible in their breeding career, only to suffer emotional and physical abuse, and then be euthanized. Purchasing puppies from non-ethical breeders or back yard breeders (those that breed their pets) supports ongoing ignorance, poor quality pets, and as a result, pets with ongoing health problems that could be reduced or eliminated with ethical breeding methods.

An ethical breeder abides by a code of ethics. They maintain a quality breeding program, and provide clean and healthy conditions with emotionally healthy environments for their puppies and breeding adults. They have goals to improve the breed rather than to make money by breeding. Ethical breeders seek to educate the public and place their puppies in the best of homes. When searching for an ethical breeder, understand what the code of ethics is, and have a check list in hand:
1. Puppies are born on premises
2. Breeder does not sell to brokers or retails shops
3. Facilities are clean and well kept
4. Puppies have been handled, and introduced to children & other dogs
5. Breeder interviews you and offers information on the breed to ensure a good match
6. Puppy comes with limited registration and is to be spayed/neutered
7. Breeder promises to take the dog back (not return your money) if you can’t keep it
8. Breeder provides a 3 day money back guarantee, and a 1-2yr health guarantee by contract
9. Breeder raises no more than 2-3 breeds, it’s difficult to be competent in more breeds
10. Breeder’s primary concern is finding a good home for the puppy rather than making a sale
11. Breeder was happy to answer questions and makes you feel comfortable asking for advice
12. Breeder is familiar with and abides by breeder’s Code of Ethics

The internet is a great source to find an ethical breeder, but it may take a lot of searching to sift through an array of back yard breeder’s advertisements and even scammers. The websites that are free classified advertising have been abused by scammers by posting fake ads. They steal photos from reputable breeders and pose as a seller. They are easy to recognize if they push the sale of the puppy, require wired money, and don’t offer additional information about the dog such as pedigrees. Most recently I had my name, phone number, and website posted in multiple ads for various breeds, but they used a different email. They were hoping people would email, never realizing they weren’t communicating with an ethical breeder. If you have any question, call. If a Cairn Terrier breeder has a “pug for sale”, you know something is wrong! Check a breeder’s website. It should be thorough and offer information about the breed and their breeding program at a glance. Visit http://www.crookedcreekcairnterriers.com/ for more information.

If you find a bargain puppy, know that it is no bargain. Back yard breeders or puppy mills may sell a $350 puppy, when market value is generally $800, but if you consider the quality and health problems with the puppy, it’s not a bargain! Nothing is more heartbreaking than to adopt a puppy that dies at a few months of age of liver failure. Bad things happen to good breeders, but it’s not as likely when the puppies come from careful breeding programs. Visit websites that are paid advertising for breeders rather than classifieds. http://www.breeders.net/ promotes ethical breeding and you can search for a breeder by zip code. http://www.puppydogweb.com/ is also a paid advertising site, where the ads are posted by the webmaster. It would be more difficult for a scammer to use these sites.

When you’ve found an ethical breeder, be prepared to wait for a puppy. It’s a good sign if they have a waiting list and don’t readily have puppies available at all times. If they don’t have what you are looking for, ask if they know of other ethical breeders that you may contact. They should be happy to assist you in finding a good match rather than making a sale.

It’s a great idea to visit the breeder in person. However, don’t be surprised if the breeder doesn’t allow casual visits. Closed kennels don’t allow dogs or frequent visitors for risk of communicable disease being brought into their facilities. Many breeders don’t allow visits until after puppies have had their 1st vaccine, and there is a contract on file. Not only do I personally have so many inquiries that I can not entertain a visit with all of them, but I’m fearful for my safety, opening my home to the public. Breeders have been murdered by casual visitors, and their children kidnapped. Understand the breeder’s need to keep themselves and their families safe from the general public. Check a breeder’s references and offer references and/or photos of your home in return. They want to know that you are an honest forever home for a puppy that they have a lot invested in emotionally.

New Spay/Neuter Program

2007-07-08T19:06:00.000-05:00

We're adopting a new program for spay/neuter at Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers. Families who adopt a puppy from Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers will place a $200 deposit, that is refunded upon proof that their puppy has been spayed or neutered. We recommend that the spay or neuter be completed by 6 months of age. The attending vet will then send a letter citing the microchip number of the puppy, and the surgery performed. When we receive confirmation that the puppy has had it's surgery, we'll refund the $200 deposit. Although I'm not a fan of laws requiring all animals to be spayed or neutered, I do believe we have the responsiblity to do our part. Our program will give an incentive to keep buyers on track with timely spaying and neutering. It will also keep buyers honest in their intentions when they know they can not purchase a pet puppy and then breed it to produce "pure bred puppies without papers".