Cairn Terriers have been a constant at my side since I was a young child.
Some of my earliest memories are based around these hardy little terriers. I have told before of my dear Cairn, Mandy, who was my 7th birthday present. But, there were Cairns before!
My parents had been breeding dogs since well before I was born in 1973. Any puppy bred at Carradine was, if the new owners’ circumstances changed, able to be returned to us as the drop of a hat.
Millie was one such dog. I couldn’t have been more than 5 years old at the time, and I was begging my parents to keep Millie. Ever practical, my parents said she couldn’t stay, but whilst a home was being sought, I pretended Millie was mine.
Millie was very understanding of my attempts for us to run away together. We spent hours running across fields together and would “run away” until our bellies rumbled and supper called us home.
My love for Millie had been pretty instant, and the hours we spent together were responsible for deepening the affection between us.
One day, Millie wasn’t well. She wouldn’t come out to play and despite my best efforts, Millie lay with sadness in her eyes. I fetched my parents, and I think it was Dad who took her off to the vets. I can’t really remember much other than the heartbreaking moment a few days later when I was sat on my Dads knee and received the devastating news that Millie wouldn’t be coming home.
Millie had done what dogs do and found some bones to eat. She must have found them out on one of our adventures. One bone had punctured through her oesophagus. The vet had removed the bone and stitched her up, but the stitches became infected, and due to the site of the wound, there was insufficient healthy skin to “mend” my Millie.
I am sure looking back, the vet trips and procedures were much more complicated than I remember. I am thankful that on this occasion, our memories become distorted over time, and our brains act to protect us from too much pain.
Loosing Millie devastated me, and this may well have contributed to me receiving Mandy as a treasured birthday present, a few years later.
Somewhere, I have a photo of me wearing oversized hand-me-down denim dungarees, carrying a shopping bag with Millie sitting in it. I can see the image in my head, and if I could draw, I would sketch it out for you. But, I can’t, so, won’t 😉 At some point, I will find the photo and share it for you to see the five year old me and my Millie!
I am sure my childhood adventures with Millie and Mandy ensured that I would be glued to dogs for the rest of my life. I ventured off a bit when the teenage me found boys (that is certainly not for blogging about!) but ultimately, the love for dogs that I was allowed to discover as a child, has carried me through those early years of heart break and taught me to enjoy the highs and ride through those lows.
Breeding dogs has certainly had its highs and lows. I used to kick against the lows and “hate” them but with maturing years, I now turn the lows into opportunities from which I can learn and grow.
When something goes wrong, there are not always answers. It is so, just because. Just because the genes didn’t work out in the mating or just because the dog decided to be a dog, like my Millie.
With each dog that comes along, we love them, nurture and cherish them, and we have to learn that we can not control everything in their lives.
The years of experience I now have under my belt have taught me to know “what will be, will be.” I can only do my best, make it fun, and enjoy the ride.
Enjoying the ride takes a lot of hard work, stickability, broad shoulders, humility, and love of our chosen subject…
Why after a lifetime in Cairns, would you look at another breed?
Somebody actually said that to me recently. They were disgusted that I could “abandon” Cairns. I have to admit, I was a little taken back by their statement.
I first looked at Norwich Terriers about 15 years ago, visiting a Club show where Lesley Crawleys Ragus Norwich Terriers swept the board. Having another breed was “put on the back burner” as my business started to grow. Once that was more established, my energy could be applied to other things, and thoughts of having a second breed started to emerge once more.
I looked at Manchesters, Dandies, Smooth Fox, Pumi’s, Spinones. It seemed to be an endless shortlist…
The wonders of Facebook could be blamed for reintroducing the idea of Norwich Terriers. Lesley had made several posts about grooming, and I messaged her to enquire about any training days. With no formal training in the near future, Lesley offered to show me the finer details. I readily accepted her kind offer, and Mum and I visited Lesleys.
I can only describe Lesley’s home as Norwich heaven!
The Norwich we saw were of all ages and colours. I was able to go over Smoker, a top winner in the UK, bred in USA. I think, looking back, this was one of those watershed moments, I was smitten, this was the second breed for me!
Lesley talked me through grooming and I took away lots of tips that I was ready to apply to the 5 or 6 Norwich that I groom at work.
A few weeks passed and I messaged Lesley… if you have any pups, please consider me…
I was so excited, just like the 5 year old me, when Lesley messaged one day, to say she might have a bitch pup and we could go visit. The rest, to use a well-known saying, is history…
For those that don’t understand and don’t “get” the joy of “starting again” with showing, grooming, and establishing a kennel in another breed, then maybe I can explain. For me, I will always love my Cairns, but venturing into a new breed is all about continuing to learn.
For me, I love my Cairns, and we have consistently produced some lovely dogs over the last 25 years, but I want more. I want to try my hand in another breed.
I want to perfect grooming the breed. This is not just for one Norwich. It is developing my skills over time to enable each Norwich to show off its virtues to best advantage.
Establishing a kennel isn’t easy and takes years of hard work, which can be lost overnight, but that’s part of the job.
We now have 4 Norwich running alongside a home full of Cairns. It wasn’t until I had my first litter of Norwich that I realised how busy Cairns can be. I realised that whilst Cairns are always going to be a massive part of me, there is also room for learning all about a new breed.
We should never stop learning, then testing, and applying that knowledge.
Evaluating where we are, adjusting and moving forward.
Having a vulnerable breed, a breed that is at risk of disappearing, is also important to me. We can do our bit to help preserve this breed for the future.
Putting all of this together means that I am learning so much, I am enjoying comparing my two breeds, and even getting stressed at shows about my two breeds clashing😫 But most of all, I am nurturing new skills and that refreshes me, challenges me and keeps me motivated.
I can’t finish this blog without mention of Freya, The Griffon!
Freya is the first toy breed to carry the Carradine kennel name, and we are very excited to see how she develops. Entered at her first show gives us a point to focus on. When we groom her, I keep saying the words “she is a Griffon, not a Cairn” 🤣
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