Meet Rusty. I have been seeing Rusty in the neighbourhood for a while now. Dapper in his raincoat, with an inquisitive little face, Rusty is a real character. He is not afraid to speak his mind either. The very first time my Dachshund Kevin decided to open his perfectly shaped muzzle to indulge in a bit of doggie argie-bargie, Rusty did not hold back and barked back feistily. I must say that, for once, Kevin was lost for words.
Rusty gets his unusual looks from his Cairn and West Highland Terrier parents. The bat-like ears and greyish black rough coat come from the Cairn Terrier, whilst his stocky, compact body and white socks and tie are the markings of a West Highland Terrier.
It's hard to believe, but Rusty is 7 years of age. He may be Rusty by name but definitely not by nature. He is so lively and full of beans that you would be justified in thinking that he was a puppy.
Despite jumping up to me to say hello, he refused the treat (unheard of!) and kept on barking excitedly. I only managed to get one photo of him with his mouth closed and, fortunately, it was a good one. Just look at these ears and his sparkling intelligent black eyes! He is a lad with attitude, that's for sure!
The Cairn terrier is an old Scottish breed from the Isle of Skye. The name comes from a Scottish word 'cairn', meaning rock. Cairns are lively, intelligent and strong-willed, so need a consistent and firm owner. Interestingly, Toto, the little dog from The Wizard of Oz was a Cairn terrier.
To find out more about Cairns visit the The Cairn Terrier Club.
To meet a West Highland Terrier see Poppy.
