How to Brush a Cairn Terrier

Brush your Cairn outside only when the weather is warm.
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Your adorably shaggy Cairn terrier might not be the worst shedder, but weekly brushing of this double-coated pup will distribute his coat's natural oils and give him an overall neater appearance. To do this, you must brush his coarse, hard outer coat and his dense, but ultra-soft undercoat.

Step 1

Brush your Cair terrier's entire coat with a pin brush. Start at his rear and work frontward so you brush his chest and head last. This first brushing removes major tangles and dead hair from the outer coat. Brush in the direction of hair growth and apply enough pressure so the pins reach through his double coat to stimulate the skin. If you encounter a tangle, use a spray bottle and lightly mist the hair with an even mixture of dog conditioner and water. Then, use short, gentle strokes to remove the snarl.

Step 2

Repeat step one, but this time brush against the direction of hair growth. Brushing against the grain fluffs up your Cairn's soft, dense undercoat, exposing it more fully to your brush strokes. Having his coat standing straight off his body makes it easier to loosen and remove dead hair from his undercoat. When finished, return his hair to its original position by brushing his entire coat again, going in the direction of hair growth.

Step 3

Comb through his entire coat again, this time using a fine-toothed metal comb. Move in the direction of hair growth, starting at his hindquarters and finishing with his head. The comb should flow smoothly through his coat, removing the dead hairs you previously loosened with the pin brush. The fine teeth of the comb also catch any small tangles missed by the pin brush. Move slowly over his underarms and genitals, as these areas are particularly good at hiding small mats and tangles.

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