The spunky little cairn terrier comes in a variety of colors, including solids and a mix of colors. The only color you won't find anywhere on a cairn terrier is white, which is considered unacceptable by the American Kennel Club.
The Coat Colors of the Cairn Terrier
The weather-resistant double coat of a cairn comes in many shades of cream, wheaten, gray, silver, red or black. Cairns can have either a solid or brindle coat, which contains more than one of the breed's standard colors. In terms of patterns, cairn terriers won't have a bicolored, patchy or a spotted coat. The tail tip, muzzle and ears on most cairn terriers are somewhat darker than the rest of the coat, which is considered a desirable trait by the AKC. As a cairn ages, his coat color may darken, meaning that the color of his coat may change throughout his life.
Characteristics and the Breed Mistaken for a Cairn
Your cairn's eyes should be hazel or dark hazel in color and his nose should be black, no matter what his coat color is. These traits are noted by the AKC in the breed standard for the cairn terrier. Note that dogs who appear to be white cairn terriers are actually West Highland white terriers, classified as a separate breed by the AKC.
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Based in Las Vegas, Susan Paretts has been writing since 1998. She writes about many subjects including pets, finances, crafts, food, home improvement, shopping and going green. Her articles, short stories and reviews have appeared on City National Bank's website and on The Noseprint. Paretts holds a Master of Professional Writing from the University of Southern California.