General Appearance:  An active, fearless, sturdy but small terrier, strong but not heavy.

Size, Proportion, and Substance:  Height-males, 10 inches at the withers; females, 9 1/2 inches.  Weight-males, 14 lbs; females, 13 lbs.  Length from chest to tail-14 1/2 to 15 inches.  These are the ideal sizes at two years of age.

Background:   Cairns tend to prefer exploring and playing to the life of a "lap dog."  He desires to be part of his family, even if he seems a little independent.  True to his terrier nature, Cairns like to dig in the yard and hunt for vermin.  Cairns are great with older children, but won't tolerate rough handling by the younger ones.  Due to his wiry coat, the Cairn sheds very little