It's a mizzly morning so nobody is anxious to get out for the morning walk, least of all Jinks who is sitting near me while I'm on the laptop.
After he escaped twice during our week away, I started to think I must have 'raised' a delinquent dog.
So I googled 'cairn terrier temperament' and what I found corresponds so well to what Jinks is like: cannot be let off the lead, escape artist, stubborn, independent, loyal, good guard dog, not a lap dog, friendly towards humans, needs good exercise, sometimes aggressive towards other dogs etc etc......
One characteristic not true of Jinks is that a cairn can be possessive about food. You could take a bonio right out of his mouth and he wouldn't mind. (Probably knows there is a plate of ham and carrots around the corner.)
A small and belated September update for 2024, where I am still, after many years' membership, on 365 Project, also now posting elsewhere but wanting...
As if butter wouldn't melt !!! but after all he is a terrier -- or should I dare to say --a little terror !!
Lets be fair you went on hols. and what do you do but explore !! and what does a terror with a brave heart do ?--- but escape to do his own exploring !! -- Ooh , but it is so worrying and frightening until you find him again -- I know I would be frantic if Alfie would disappear !!
You are generous to think of Jinks wanting to explore on his hols! We got him back quickly each time. The worst time of course was when he was out all night, having escaped from our garden at home and we really thought we had lost him for ever. He also escaped from our garden twice when a puppy and once from our friends' garden - that time he really played us up running round and round their neighbours' garden, coming close to Ray and running off again. In the end Ray rugby tackled him! So that makes 6 escapades in total - the word 'delinquent' is coming to mind again!!
You've made me think of a quote, from Shakespeare I believe: 'There's nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.' (Yes a quick google finds it is from Hamlet.)
really cute. and yes, this type of dog can be aggressive towards other dogs, mainly to big dogs. I always hated it when I was walking with my german shepherd one of the neighbours was walking his little terrier terror dog :-)
Too true Marco. Jinks' least favourite dog was the local vicar's german shepherd. If we met them I could do nothing with Jinks and his barking was more frenzied than when he barked at anything else. Luckily the vicar has now retired and moved away so I don't have to keep a look out on our walks. The vicar used to be very aimable and we had shouted conversations above Jinks' racket!
'You talking about me?' He looks very innocent to me......you would have thought he might have learnt his lesson last time. Even worse that he escaped on his holidays as he would not be able to find his way back to you! You will have to have eyes in the back of your head!
Linda, the only water Jinks likes to be near is that in his drinking bowl. He shakes when I give him a bath. In the event neither Ray nor I got a swim either as we were too tired after the walk!!
Lets be fair you went on hols. and what do you do but explore !! and what does a terror with a brave heart do ?--- but escape to do his own exploring !! -- Ooh , but it is so worrying and frightening until you find him again -- I know I would be frantic if Alfie would disappear !!
You are generous to think of Jinks wanting to explore on his hols! We got him back quickly each time. The worst time of course was when he was out all night, having escaped from our garden at home and we really thought we had lost him for ever. He also escaped from our garden twice when a puppy and once from our friends' garden - that time he really played us up running round and round their neighbours' garden, coming close to Ray and running off again. In the end Ray rugby tackled him! So that makes 6 escapades in total - the word 'delinquent' is coming to mind again!!
Sooo true - cairns are too cute looking for their own good!
You've made me think of a quote, from Shakespeare I believe: 'There's nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.' (Yes a quick google finds it is from Hamlet.)
Colditz would hold no fear for Jinks!
Too true Marco. Jinks' least favourite dog was the local vicar's german shepherd. If we met them I could do nothing with Jinks and his barking was more frenzied than when he barked at anything else. Luckily the vicar has now retired and moved away so I don't have to keep a look out on our walks. The vicar used to be very aimable and we had shouted conversations above Jinks' racket!
Tammy, you'd have to let him decide when he wanted to sit with you and then he'd just jump up on the sofa!
From the Oxford online dictionary
" mizzly
1
Pronunciation: /ˈmɪz(ə)li/
adjective
Example sentences
It was a grey, mizzly day and I had no good reason to go out."
Think it's a bit of dialect!
I have been known to describe Jinks as Jekyll and Hyde....
I wish I could make him understand that, Bep!
He looks like that a lot of the time and we call it his Winston Churchill look......
Perhaps I should chain him to my person!
Janice, I'm not sure if that is comforting - or not!
What a lovely comment!
Linda, the only water Jinks likes to be near is that in his drinking bowl. He shakes when I give him a bath. In the event neither Ray nor I got a swim either as we were too tired after the walk!!
Linda, not a word of a lie: I get soaked. I put on old clothes and everything gets wet through including my skin. He just hates a bath!!