To maintain their naturally hardy constitution, Cairns should be given only such food and water as will benefit the dog’s physical health. For example, distilled water or reverse osmosis treated water is free of the contaminants such as pesticide and insecticide residues, traces of harmful metals, antibiotics, and the anti-depressant and hormone residues present in literally every city water supply. For the same reasons, we humans would be wise to drink distilled or reverse osmosis treated water, too.

Because we now know that domesticated dogs carry nearly identical DNA to that of the wolf and other wild canids, their food should more closely reflect what their wild relatives eat. For some dog owners, only a completely raw diet will do. Proponents of the B.A.R.F. (Bones And Raw Food) diet have a great many resources available to them that will assist in feeding a balanced diet. At the end of this article you will find a list of some of these helpful resources. Other breeders and owners of Cairns use an all-natural, meat-based kibble and add a raw meat diet that includes flesh, organs, and raw ground bone such as a wild canid would consume. Again, resources for such food are listed at the end of this article. For those of us who live in a dry climate, such as Colorado, we add extra help for the dogs’ skin and coat through daily fish oil capsules.

Some sort of kelp-sea vegetable supplement is commonly used to provide any trace minerals that their diet might lack. Raised on such a wholesome, natural diet, Cairn Terriers thrive – so much so that the veterinarian typically sees your dog only for its yearly physical exam.