Are Cairn Terriers good with children?
Because they were bred to hunt small game, cairn terriers have a highly developed prey/chase instinct. For that reason, they are inclined to give chase when small children squeal and run, which can be mistaken for aggression. Because they at times had to defend themselves from their prey, cairns do not respond well to teasing. Applications from families with children will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Because of the above, and because a rescue cairns history with children is often unknown, it is our strong preference to place cairns in families where at least one of the adults has experience with terriers. The Cairn Rescue League will not place a cairn in a home with children unless we know the cairn has a history of being good with children.
