Cairn Terrier Weight Chart

Cairn Terriers possess the usual traits of Terriers like being tough, courageous, stubborn, and alert, but they are a unique breed of dogs.

To ensure that your puppy is maintaining a healthy weight, keep a Cairn Terrier weight chart with you to record their weight changes.

So, how big does a Cairn Terrier get? Typically, a Cairn Terrier weighs between 13 and 14 pounds with a height of around 9.5 to 10 inches.

They reach their adult weight and height by the time they are around 10 to 12 months.

Certain factors can affect the weight changes of this breed, but with a healthy diet and adequate exercise, your puppy’s weight will remain ideal for their age group.

Read on to learn more about the Cairn Terrier growth chart, factors that can affect their growth, health issues associated with them, and what to expect as they grow.

When Is A Cairn Terrier Fully Grown?

Larger breeds like Great Danes take up to two years to reach their adult size but small breeds like the Cairn Terrier finish growing much sooner.

Most Cairn Terriers will finish their skeletal growth between the ages of 8 to 12 months, but the average is around 10 to 12 months. They reach their full length and height when the bones stop growing.

Cairn Terriers continue adding fat and muscle mass until they reach the age of 18 months.

They are sexually mature and able to reproduce at around the age of 8 months and mentally mature at the age of around 15 and 18 months.

Various factors can cause your Cairn Terrier to lose or gain weight. Overfeeding by giving your dog extra calories can turn a healthy, slender fog into an obese dog.

Underfeeding, on the other hand, can make your dog malnourished and emaciated.

Therefore, you should feed your puppy high-quality food from a reputable manufacturer to ensure that they are getting enough nutrients to maintain a healthy weight.

At 3 months, a Cairn Terrier should weigh around 5.5 to 6.6 pounds, at 6 months should weigh between 8.8 to 11 pounds, and at 8 months weigh around 11 to 13.2 pounds.

Cairn Terrier Puppy Weight Chart

Age	Weight (lbs)	Weight (kg)
3 Months	5.5 - 6.6 lbs	2.5 - 3 kg
6 Months	8.8 - 11 lbs	4 - 5 kg
8 Months	11 - 13.2 lbs	5 - 6 kg
10 Months	13.2 - 15.4 lbs	6 - 7 kg
12 Months	14.3 - 16.5 lbs	6.5 - 7.5 kg

Cairn Terrier Growth Chart – What To Expect

The following is what to expect from a Cairn Terrier growth chart:

Birth – 2 Weeks

This is the neonatal period where the puppy is fully dependent on its mother for grooming, warmth, and nutrition.

They cannot see or hear because their eyes and eyes are not developed and open that is why they spend most of their time sleeping and eating.

Their source of nutrients is from the mother’s milk, therefore, if the mother does not produce enough milk, you can feed them a formula to make sure that they get all the necessary nutrients they need for growth.

3 Weeks – 12 Weeks

During week three, the ears and eyes of the puppy open and they start exploring their environment. They start learning how to crawl, stand, and wag the tail.

You can start weaning your puppy at week four as their stomach can now handle food. Ensure that you add water to the food to prevent causing any stomach issues.

This is the phase to start training your puppy on socialization skills and obedience so that they are ready to transition to their new home when they are 8 weeks old.

Whatever skill they learn at this stage will impact them as adults. Also, make sure that your puppy receives all their vaccinations in this phase.

4 Months – 9 Months

At this stage, your Cairn Terrier will start showing their dominance and test boundaries.

They will also be more stubborn, territorial, and want to be the leader of the pack making it the right time to let them know you are in charge through more training and socialization.

They will also show signs of fear which is normal as they are going through the adolescent stage.

If you are not planning on breeding your Cairn Terrier, speak to your vet about spaying or neutering them as this is the recommended age to do these procedures.

Their baby teeth will fall off and they will start developing their adult teeth.

10 Months – 18 Months

Cairn Terriers reach their adult weight and height at the age of 10 to 12 months. At this age, they will be sexually and physically mature.

This is the stage to switch them from puppy food to adult food. Ensure that the process is done gradually to prevent stomach issues.

Your puppy will start showing their character traits such as being loyal, courageous, and friendly, so continuous training and socialization will help your puppy grow to be a happy adult dog.

Adult

As adults, Cairn Terriers have mentally, sexually, and physically developed and all they need from you now is attention, love, and care.

It is essential to monitor their weight at this stage to prevent them from being underweight or overweight.

Provide your puppy with a balanced and complete diet with all the necessary nutrients and reduce their portion sizes to ensure that they remain healthy.

Providing them with adequate exercise through going for walks and playtime will keep them active and fit.

How Big Do Cairn Terriers Get?

There are different ways to predict the adult size of your Cairn Terrier including looking at the parents, doing a DNA test, and looking at the paw size.

The size of the parents can tell you how big your puppy will get when they are fully grown.

If you took your Cairn Terrier from the breeder, ask them to give you information about the size of their parents and the size of the previous litters so that you can have an idea of your puppy’s size as an adult.

If you do not have access to the information about the size of the parents, do a DNA test and you can use the results to predict the size.

Finally, you can look at their paw size. If they look unusually big next to their legs and body, then they are still growing but if they look proportional to the legs and body, they have reached their adult size.

Generally, a Cairn Terrier weighs between 13 and 14 pounds with a height of around 9.5 to 10 inches as an adult.

Will Neutering/Spaying My Cairn Terrier Affect His Growth?

Neutering or spaying your Cairn Terrier is a recommended process for owners. Neutering refers to the removal of a male Cairn Terrier’s testicles while spaying removes the ovaries and the uterus from a female.

Neutering/spaying is not known to affect physical growth if it is done at the right time. If it is done too early, it may affect bone and muscle growth.

Although some vets will differ, neutering or spaying should occur between four and nine months for a Cairn Terrier.

For male’s, it’s recommended this takes place once they’ve reached puberty, while for females it should be after they’ve reached their first heat.

Neutering/spaying has positive effects on the health and behaviors of Cairn Terriers.

Neutering males reduces levels of testosterone and therefore reduces territorial and aggressive behaviors, while spaying reduces the chances of breast or uterine infections in females.

Cairn Terrier Size Chart

Keeping track of the height of your Cairn Terrier at home is useful because it enables you to purchase suitably sized equipment such as a kennel, harness, and clothing to name a few.

Owners presenting their dog at shows will be extra keen to monitor the Cairn Terrier Height Chart – but this practice should be maintained for all owners.

To measure your Cairn Terrier simply make them stand straight on a flat surface. Next, use a measuring tape and measure from the ground to the withers to get the full height.

On average, Cairn Terriers have a height of 9.5 to 10 inches. A Cairn Terrier should achieve its maximum height at around 10 to 12 months of age.

Westie vs. Cairn Terrier Size

The West Highland White Terrier or “Westie” is one of the short-legged Terriers. The males stand at 10 or 11 inches at their shoulders and weigh between 15 to 22 pounds, while females stand at 10 inches tall and weigh between 13 to 16 pounds.

Cairn Terrier males stand at 10 inches tall and weigh 14 pounds, while females stand at 9.5 inches and weigh 13 pounds.

Factors That Affect Cairn Terrier

Genetics And Gender

Female Cairn Terriers grow less in size as compared to males. Genetics play a role in the growth and development of a Cairn Terrier since they take after their parents on genetic traits.

Therefore, it is good to learn about your dog’s parent and health clearance certificates before adopting one. Ensure that the breeder gives you all the information about the parents.

Nutrition

Cairn Terriers require high-quality dog food, whether they are homemade or commercially manufactured. Ensure that the diet is appropriate for your dog’s age.

Provide a high-quality animal protein meal rich in fiber and healthy fats. Reduce the treats you give to your dog. If you have any concerns about your dog’s diet or weight, talk to the vet immediately. Ensure you provide clean and fresh water to your dog at all times.

Physical Activity And Health

A moderate amount of exercise is good for Cairn Terrier, and they can adapt easily to the various living situation when taken on daily outings.

They can live well in different environments from highland farms to urban high-rises.

Cairn Terriers are healthy dogs in general. Responsible breeders normally test their stock for any health disorders and communicate with other breeders.

You can exercise them through herding, tracking, or dog events. Exercise will help their bodies to be physically fit but do not over-exercise them.

What If My Cairn Terrier Is Not The Right Weight

Your dog does not have a healthy weight when they are overweight or underweight. The healthy weight of a Cairn Terrier should be between 13-14 pounds. Some reasons can make your dog’s weight to be above or below the normal weight:

Overfeeding – Some owners with good intentions give too much food and do not exercise their dogs. These extra calories can quickly make the dog obese.

Underfeeding – Underfeeding can lead to emaciation and malnourishment in dogs. It’s best to give the dog, a portion of high-quality food and follow the vet’s guidelines.

Wrong choices of food – Nutritional needs of a dog changes at different stages of life. That is why an old dog eats a different meal than that a puppy.

Other reasons for weight above or below the normal number are illness, lack of exercise, and hyperactivity.

If your puppy is not the right weight, consult your vet for advice.

Cairn Terrier Genetics And Common Health Problems

Cairn Terriers are healthy dogs but they are also prone to diseases like other dogs. Not all of the Cairn Terriers get these diseases but it is important to learn about them:

Cryptorchidism causes one or both testicles to fail to descend to the scrotum. The testicles should fully descend by two months of age.

When testicles do not descend, it is non-functional and can be cancerous. Therefore, it is treated through surgical neutering.

Craniomandibular Osteopathy – This condition affects the skull bones of a puppy and makes them enlarged irregularly.

Symptoms occur between the age of four and eight months. It is a genetic disease and the puppy’s glands and jaws become swollen and make the puppy unable to open his mouth.

Globoid cell leukodystrophy – This is also known as Krabbe’s disease. It is the degenerative disease of the white matter of the spinal cord and brain.

The puppies that are affected die at an early age or get euthanized. Testing is carried out to identify the carriers of the dog.

Other health problems include Hypothyroidism, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, patellar luxation, Ocular Melanosis, and Portosystemic Liver Shunt.

When buying a puppy, find a good breeder and ensure you see all the clearances for both the puppy and the parents.

Health clearance will help you prove that the puppy has been tested and cleared of a particular health problem.

Final Words

Hopefully, this article provides you with all the essential information you need to know about the Cairn Terrier weight chart.

Knowing recommended height, weight and growth trajectories of your Cairn Terrier is essential to support a strong and healthy pooch life.

Cairn Terrier’s are great characters and will give you so much amusement and joy.

If you ever spot potential health issues or are concerned with their growth in relation to the weight and height chart, you should get in contact with a vet as soon as possible to identify health issues are the earliest possible source.