Cairn Terrier vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison

Cairn Terrier vs Australian Collie - Breed ComparisonAustralian Collie is originated from Australia but Cairn Terrier is originated from United Kingdom. Australian Collie may grow 7 cm / 3 inches higher than Cairn Terrier. Australian Collie may weigh 17 kg / 38 pounds more than Cairn Terrier. Australian Collie may live 3 years more than Cairn Terrier. Australian Collie may have less litter size than Cairn Terrier. Australian Collie requires Moderate Maintenance. But Cairn Terrier requires Low Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Herding dogs
Terrier dog
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Australia
United Kingdom
Height Male:
36 - 40 cm
14 - 16 inches
25 - 33 cm
9 - 13 inches
Height Female:
36 - 40 cm
14 - 16 inches
23 - 33 cm
9 - 13 inches
Weight Male:
15 - 25 kg
33 - 56 pounds
5 - 8 kg
11 - 18 pounds
Weight Female:
15 - 25 kg
33 - 56 pounds
5 - 8 kg
11 - 18 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 18 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 6
2 - 10
Size:
Medium
Small
Other Names:
Australian Koolie, German Koolie, German Coolie
Cairn, Toto Dog
Colors Available:
red or blue patterned merle; some of them are born as one colored, usually red/chocolate or black. When they have two colors, they are red and white, black and white, black and tan, red and tan. Tricolor Collie is merle, with tan points and a white chest.
Black, Brindle, Cream, Wheaten, Red, Grey
Coat:
smooth and short or short and rough; double coated or single coated. Some of them have longer coat their legs or without.
Medium length and wiry
Shedding:
Moderate
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Social
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
Yes
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

australian collieThe Koolie, as a breed we know today, originates from Australia. But, before they were breed and imported, they were the mix made of Britain smooth coated blue merle Collie and the Black and Tan Collie from the Highlands of Scotland. The Koolie came to Australia to work as a kennel dog since they are known as the working, farm dog that can adapt to any weather condition. They were bred to be agile and non-aggressive quiet herding dogs, and they have kept most of those good characteristics until today.

cairn terrierThe Cairn Terrier originates in the Scottish Highlands. This feisty little dog was given the name Cairn, as he used to hunt prey between the Scottish cairns. At first the dog was grouped as a ‘Skye Terrier’way back in the 1900s with the Scottish and West Highland White Terrier. Then the different breeds began to be bred separately.

The name Cairn Terrier didn’t appear in print till 1887. It was in 1912 that the Kennel Club of the United Kingdom recognized the Cairn Terrier.

Description

australian collie puppy - descriptionKoolie is a medium bred. Their head is small, with a pointy jaw. Ears are pricked, semi-dropped or dropped. Their coat can be smooth or rough, short or medium length, always with the undercoat. The colours can be Red or Blue Merle, solid Red or Black, sometimes with minimal white or cream speckles. They are usually two-coloured or tricoloured, but some of them are actually one-coloured.

Some Koolie have one or two blue, green or yellow eyes. Eye colour is, of course, affected by the gene that creates the coat pattern and eye colour as well.

They are athletic dogs, with fine bone structure but great stamina. Actually, they were breed to be like that – to work hard, be noticeable among the sheep, eat little and be loyal to one person.

Temperament:

cairn terrier puppy - descriptionThe small sturdily built working Terrier is intelligent and courageous. Bright-eyed, he is small and active and he just loves to work- and party hard with his human family. You’ll see if you’ve got a ball you want to throw for him, his tail is quivering in anticipation and his ears are erect and alert to any noise. He is smart, independent and courageous.

Coat of Many Colors:

The Cairn Terrier has a tough, weather-resistant coat that can be any color but not white. He has a waterproof double coat – the outer one being wiry while the undercoat is soft. You’ll find the coat in man colours such as grey, black, red and brindle with dark points on the ears and muzzle.

The interesting thing with a Cairn is that when you get a puppy, you can’t be sure what color he will end up being as it changes over the years. The ears are fox-like, small and erect, and the natural medium-to-short tail is held straight out.

Characteristics

Around children

australian collie dog - characteristicsKoolie is naturally energetic, playful and affectionate so they are naturally very good to raise with children.

Special talents

They are known as great obedience dog. They are very famous as the tracking dogs.

Some of them are successful as the rescue dogs, therapy dogs or educators for school children.

Adaptability

This is not a type of dog that will be alone in the house, wait for you and then be quiet while you rest. They need a great deal of activity and they are not such great choice for indoor life anyways. The best thing for them would be the large yard, with somebody home most of the time. They are great if raised in a family, with children and active owners. They will be great for a loner at the farm as well since that is in their blood. They need enough place to run, chase, play, rest on the sun and be active as they please. They get affectionate towards their families, but they will be accepting their new home when they are older just fine.

Learning ability

They are very good at learning. Intelligent, yes, but yet very silly and playful to do what is told all the time. They will surprise you with how quickly they will pick up the new trick but not feeling like doing it every time you would like them to. Everything is a play for them, so it would be best if you know how to play, be affectionate and friendly to become a good owner of this breed.

cairn terrier dog - characteristicsThe Cairn Terrier is a fearless, jaunty little dog, known for his courageous spirit and inquisitive nature. He may be small, but he is stubborn. He will respond well to training and socialization which will turn him into the most awesome pet for families. He can make a wonderful friend and playmate for children too. Socialization and training ensures he gets on well with other pets in the household too.

He is small and energetic, and therefore not the kind of dog you can ignore in terms of exercise. He’ll need a good walk every day and he just loves to chase a ball as it takes him back to the days when he was used to chasing- and catching mice.

He isn’t your typical lap-dog at all and with the right care he becomes a devoted, loyal and loving companion.

Health Problems

australian collie puppies - health problemsIf you are careful enough, you will choose your Koolie form patiently chosen breeders, after checking the health history of the pup and the pup’s family. Advisable is to do these things in person and never to buy a Koolie from a pet shop.

Sometimes, pups can be born blind or deaf pups. They have the great chance of joint problems because of their extreme activity. Their need to run, jump and play all the time may result in damage to cartilage and ligaments, especially since they are not aware of their age most of the time.

There is a chance that pup has skin allergies or immune system issues if they are growing on a farm near the chemicals used for plants, so be careful what kind of herbicide you use if you have a Collie.

In some rare cases, they suffer from seizers. If untreated, they can cause death. If you decide to take him to a regular vet check, you will have a happy and playful life together.

cairn terrier puppies - health problemsThe Cairn Terrier is a robust little dog, and with good care can reach 14 years of age and even older. However, with every dog breed there are some health concerns particular to that breed. With your Cairn Terrier look out for a disease known as Globoid cell leukodystrophy (GCL).

Globoid cell leukodystrophy (GCL)

Known also as Krabbe Disease, Globoid cell leukodystrophy (GLD) is a rare but fatal disease. It is caused by a mutation on the dog’s DNA. There is abnormal processing of an enzyme needed for the production of myelin, a substance that protects the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. The dog is weak, it has tremors and isn’t co-ordinated. The Cairn Terrier is a breed of dog more susceptible to GCL.

Bone and joint diseases

Your Cairn Terrier may well suffer with joint diseases. These diseases, such as luxating patella which is about loose knee joints, and hip dysplasia which is a degenerative hip disease, can cause plenty of pain and discomfort for your pet.

Eye Diseases

Glaucoma is an eye disease where there is pressure on the eye, causing inadequate fluid drainage. Without treatment, there can be damage to the optic nerve which can lead to blindness.

Caring The Pet

Feeding the puppy and adult

australian collie dogs - caringWhether you choose canned food or dry food, treats as biscuits or left-overs, the quantity is the safest way of keeping the balanced diet for your Collie. They like raw meat and raw bones. Make sure not to feed them with cooked bones because they can do more harm than good.

Grooming

Since Koolie coat can be very short with the undercoat or a bit longer with undercoat, bristle brushing every 3 or 4 days will be enough for them. Some of them like the water and some of them don’t and that is perfectly fine since there is no need for a regular bath.

Points for Good Health

Lots of activities and lots of love. They express their love all the time and you can learn a lot from them actually. They like raw bones and from-the-table delicious treats but make sure not to overfeed them.

The best type of activity

Games that need them to be fast and think quickly. Running with them, driving a bike with them (but not on the leash!) would be a great fun for them. Why not leash? They are so playful and happy and they tend to jump and run to the side to chase a butterfly or catch the falling leaf.

Grooming:

cairn terrier dogs - caringThe Cairn Terrier sheds very little and the coat is easy to groom. Give him a thorough brushing twice a week to rid him of loose hairs. Some trimming will be needed as the coat can become shaggy and unruly.

Brush his teeth at least 2 or 3 times a week to prevent tartar build up that can lead to bacteria, gum disease and possible tooth loss.

Diet:

The Cairn Terrier is small but he is an active dog and therefore needs to be on a high-quality dog food. If you feed him a commercially manufactured food, make sure its appropriate to his age, size and activity levels.

He is a small dog so you want to be careful about not letting him become overweight. Try and alternate his commercially manufactured food with some home-made rice, vegetables and meat and also include some raw meat in from time to time. This is of particular importance as chronic skin allergies are common in all terrier breeds. Make sure that there is always a clean bowl of fresh water available to him day and night.

Comparison with other breeds

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  6. Australian Collie vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
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  8. Australian Collie vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Australian Collie vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Australian Collie vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Australian Collie vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
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  26. Cairn Terrier vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Cairn Terrier vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Cairn Terrier vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Cairn Terrier vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Cairn Terrier vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Cairn Terrier vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Cairn Terrier vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Cairn Terrier vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Cairn Terrier vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Cairn Terrier vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Cairn Terrier vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Cairn Terrier vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Cairn Terrier vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Cairn Terrier vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Cairn Terrier vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Cairn Terrier vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Cairn Terrier vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Cairn Terrier vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Cairn Terrier vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Cairn Terrier vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Cairn Terrier vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Cairn Terrier vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Cairn Terrier vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Cairn Terrier vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Cairn Terrier vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison