Shairn-Inu

The Shairn-Inu is a rare hybrid between the Shiba-Inu and the Cairn Terrier.  Not much is currently known about the hybrid, and the Shairn-Inu is only recognized by two competitive breed registries, the Designer Breed Registry and the International Designer Canine Registry.  Owners and those who are considering adopting a Shairn-Inu can review the histories, health concerns, and character traits of the parent breeds to get a better idea of the Shairn-Inu. The Shiba-Inu is an ancient dog of Japan that developed alongside the Akita.  The original role of the Shiba-Inu was a hunter that flushed out game animals.  Their name may originate from the brushwood where they hunted, which is Shiba in Japanese or from the red color of the brushwood in autumn.  The Shiba-Inu maintained relative obscurity on the island of Japan and faced near extinction during the bombing raids of World War II.  Following the war, the Shiba-Inu came to America in the 1950s, but the American Kennel Club did not recognize the breed until 1992.  The Cairn Terrier is a member of the Skye Terrier line of Scotland and aptly named for its vermin hunting grounds among the cairns.  The origins of the Cairn Terrier were not clear before its official development in the 19th Century in the Isle of Skye.  The Cairn Terrier was previously classified under the Scotch Terrier group, but fanciers began selecting for specific colors, sizes, and traits during the 1800s, which resulted in breed deviations between the Cairn Terrier, the West Highland Terrier, and the Scottish Terrier.  The Cairn Terrier, similar in appearance to the West Highland Terrier in all but coat color, came to the United States during the late 1800s and early 1900s.  The American Kennel Club officially recognized the breed in 1913, and the most famous Cairn Terrier to date was a little female named Terry who played the part of Toto in the Wizard of Oz.