The Cairn Terrier: The Choice of Famous Pet Owners

When most people think of a Cairn Terrier, the first image that comes to mind is Toto from The Wizard of Oz. Released in the late 1930s, The Wizard of Oz was solely responsible for shooting Judy Garland to fame for her portrayal of the title character, Dorothy. However, Judy Garland wasn’t the only one to receive instant notoriety for the film.

In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy’s partner was a puppy named Toto, played by a Cairn Terrier named Terry. Terry’s handler, Carl Spitz, was one of Hollywood’s most famous dog trainers, an accomplishment due in large part to the work of his lovely little Cairn Terrier in the film. Carl Spitz and Terry worked together on more than a dozen films after The Wizard of Oz.

Judy Garland and Terry the terrier are said to have had a very affectionate working relationship and developed a very strong bond during the filming of the movie, which is most likely what led Garland to have a Cairn Terrier afterward. Garland’s daughter, as many know, is Liza Minelli, who is also a very famous owner of Cairn Terriers. Minelli is known for her love and care for dogs, but more specifically for this breed, an affection for which she undoubtedly acquired through her mother.

Prince Edward and his wife, Wallis Simpson, famous for their royalty and time in the public eye, are also known for owning Cairn Terriers. As pets of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, their pets certainly got the royal treatment! Edward and Simpson’s Cairn Terriers had their meals prepared by chefs specifically trained to make food for the dogs and served privately in the Duke and Duchess’s rooms with silver bowls, as if the dogs were royalty. The dogs are said to have even been spoon-fed by their owners.

Edward and Simpson owned several Cairn Terriers over the years, the first being Slipper, a multi-colored gray Cairn who had so much trouble with burglary that he was eventually nicknamed Mister Loo. After Mister Loo came a cream-colored female named Pookie, a gray brindle Mister Loo-like female named Detto, and a cream-colored brindle female named Prisie. However, after several generations of Cairn Terrier ownership, the Duke and Duchess finally began keeping Pugs as their pets.

The most famous Cairn Terrier breeders are Brenda and Ron Birch. After three decades of careful and selective breeding practices, birch trees have made a big name for themselves by producing champion after champion in their litters. Their dogs are so famous that their lineage bears their own name: Kinkim. Many people consider that their success with these dogs is the result of the intense interaction of the pair with them. While many breeders hire groomers and groomers, birch trees are known for showing and training their dogs. Their most prodigious Cairn Terrier, Champion Kinkim Ludvic, received more than 25 certificates in various competitions. How is that for a successful puppy?