The Cairn Terrier is a feisty small dog (remember ToTo in “The Wizard of Oz”?) that requires a small amount of grooming to keep them looking their sharpest. By grooming your Cairn Terrier at home you can save as much as $50 every four to six weeks. Just follow these step-by-step instructions.
Tools: slicker brush, steel comb, clippers, clipper blades #5, #7F or #9 and a #10, grooming shears, thinning shears, ear cleaner, cotton swabs, ear powder, nail clippers, styptic powder, dog shampoo, blow dryer and towels.
1. Use the slicker brush to brush through the entire dog’s coat. Carefully break up any mats using the steel comb.
2. Squirt a small amount of ear cleaner in each ear and work in gently from the outside. Remove any dirt and dry the inside of the ears with the cotton swabs. Place a small amount of ear powder in each ear and remove any hair growing in the ear canal with your fingers.
3. Clip the Cairn’s toenails to even with the floor. Use styptic powder to stop any bleeding on toenails that you cut too short. Find more instructions on how to clip a small dog’s toenails here: How to Clip Your Chihuahua’s Toenails and Survive.
4. Use the grooming shears to clip the hair between the foot pads to even with the bottom of the foot. Repeat on all feet.
5. Use the #10 blade on the clippers to clip away the hair a half inch on each side of the anus.
6. Use the #10 blade on the clippers to trim from the mid stomach to the groin. You may want to trim down the inside of each back leg too if you have a particularly messy Cairn Terrier.
7. Use the #5, #7F or the #9 blade on the clippers to trim from the base of the neck to the tip of the tail. Do not trim the underside of the tail with the clippers.
8. Using a light hand and the same size blade as you used on the back of the Cairn clip down the sides of the dog blending in with the skirt. Lift the tail and clip the rear legs to form a ‘V’ under the tail.
9. Use the same size blade on the clippers to clip from the base of the neck down to the breastbone in front on each side to form a wide ‘W’.
10. Use the #10 blade to clip from the base of each ear to the tip inside and out. Use the grooming shears to carefully trim the edges clean.
11. Use the #10 blade on the clippers to carefully remove the hair at the inner corner of each eye.
12. Grab the towels and dog shampoo and head to the tub or sink to bathe the dog. Be sure to rinse the dog until the water runs clear after shampooing.
13. Towel dry the Cairn and finish with the blow dryer until the dog is completely dry.
14. Use the thinning shears or scissors to make the face appear rounded. Take your time, this may take a little practice. Hold the fur under the chin to keep the dog still while trimming the face.
15. Trim the eyebrows so in profile they jut out like an awning or canopy. They should not hang over the eyes.
16. Trim the top of the feet to give them a rounded appearance.
17. Use the thinning shears to trim away any stray hairs on the body.
By following the steps above you can save quite a bit of money at the dog groomer’s shop. A Cairn Terrier should be groomed every four to eight weeks. Don’t forget to reward your Cairn Terrier for good behavior during the grooming process with some individual cuddle time.
More great dog grooming instructions:
How to Groom an Airedale Terrier
How to Groom a Maltese
How to Groom a Cocker Spaniel
