Appearance of the Cairoston
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The external appearance of your Cairoston hybrid will depend on which breed parent dominates the biological gene pool. Ultimately, your pet will have a strong, sturdy body without being heavily built, ears that are small and carried erect, eyes that are set wide apart, either hazel or dark, round, the muzzle may be of medium length with strong jaws that are neither protruding nor inferior and large teeth or may be shorter and squarer with smaller teeth, strong jaws that are equal to or sufficiently inferior to square the muzzle of the Boston parent. The tail may be even over the back or set low and may be carried cheerfully or low and may be of various lengths. The paws can be round and compact with thick pads and arched toes and short nails. |
Temperament of the Cairoston
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The Cairoston hybrid can have the temperament qualities of one or both of the breed's parents. Both the Cairn Terrier and the Boston Terrier share Terrier temperament qualities such as intelligence, courage and aggression. In addition to these traits, your Cairoston may also be affectionate, friendly, gentle, lively and playful. He will be loyal and loving to his owners and family members, with a certain mistrust of strangers. Early socialization with humans and other animals will help develop this trait into cautious mistrust instead of shyness, avoidance or inappropriate aggression. He'll probably get along with your children and other pets in the house, but keep in mind the purposes for which each parent breed was created: hunt, fight, chase, dig. This means he can get along with the cat, but perhaps not so much with the hamster or gerbil that the toddler likes to let run around the house. He's very intelligent but can also be stubborn when you train him. Its energy levels are most likely in the moderate range, with high levels provided by the Cairn breed parent. |
Needs and activities of the Cairoston
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Your Cairoston hybrid will require daily walks lasting around an hour, or more, a total of 60 minutes, as well as daily exercise activities such as retrieving, Frisbee, agility and obedience games. This is a dog that can successfully live in an apartment or family home with or without a fenced yard, provided owners and family members are willing to keep it exercised appropriately. He's a wanderer and a hunter, so he must be kept on a leash whenever outside or properly secured in a fenced area. Additional steps to provide underground barriers under the fence may be necessary as he is bred to dig and does so very well. He will bond with his family, so will not do well if left alone for long periods, as this encourages the development of unpleasant and unacceptable habits such as barking, digging and chewing. It can live in rural or urban environments and in a variety of climates. |
Maintenance of the Cairoston
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The Cairoston hybrid falls into a moderate level of grooming maintenance in that it will need to be brushed once a week to keep its coat clean and free of debris. He will only need to be bathed when necessary. He is a minimal excretor, but is not considered totally hypoallergenic. He will need regular eye and ear examinations to monitor the various eye problems known to afflict the breed's parents, and proper attention to the cleanliness of his ears to prevent infection. Like many other canine and hybrid breeds, proper attention should be paid to oral health. Regular teeth cleaning and dental check-ups will help prevent periodontal disease and tooth loss. |