Toto was born September 12, 1993 in Avon Massachusetts to breeder Nancy Barrett. He was the runt in a litter of 8. His mother was light brown and his father was dark brown. Like Terry, the 6 month old Cairn Terrier in The 1939 film, our pup was quite dark, almost black, when he was 6 months old. As an adult he is brindled.
 
  I knew the minute I saw him that he was the one for me. He was 6 weeks old and so weak that he couldn't hold his little head up to eat his puppy food. Nancy was trying to wean the puppies and his little chin and nose was laying in his food and he was a bit messy. All seven of his siblings were running around the house and a lot bigger than Toto. But I couldn't take my eyes off him. After watching the puppies for a while Nancy asked me which puppy I wanted and I said, him! She responded in surprise, you don't want HIM, he's the runt! There was no way of talking me out of it. I picked him up and he nestled his little head between my bosom and went to sleep. I had always wanted a Toto dog and this little guy was it! It was a 4 hour trip to Massachusetts but well worth it. He should have stayed with his mother another 2-4 weeks though.
 
Today when he gets upset like when no one will play ball, he will go to the bedroom and wean on his favorite pillow. His pillow is his "blankey". I picked him out of the line up at 6 weeks old and went back to pick him up on Saturday November 5th. Only a real mother would remember dates like this. His Dad certainly doesn't remember, he can hardly remember when we met 14 years ago but that is another story. I was so afraid that Nancy would get my dog mixed up with another or give him to a friend who thought he was cuter, Much to my relief, Toto was there waiting for his new momma and daddy.
 
Boy, I had my work cut out for me! It was a l-o-n-g trip back to Maine. We had purchased a kennel cage for him and made a vow to Nancy, and ourselves, that we would not give in and hold him every time he cried. Yeah, right! We didn't even get down to the end of the road and he started; " igh, igh, igh, igheeeeeeee." So back to the bosom for the ride home but that was it! I promised I wouldn't give in after we got home. Yeah, right!  
 

Nancy said the biggest rule was to not let him sleep with us. Put his bed in his kennel cage or fence off a place for him and IF he fusses put a clock in there and the ticking should put him to sleep. Yeah, right! The first night Tim tucked him in with a baby blanket in his space off the living room by the front door. Tim crept down the hall quietly covered up and whispered to me, "hey that wasn't bad. I think he'll be fine." Yeah, right. "Igh igh igh ighee, I don't wanna be alone!" We were sure that was what he was saying. Tim went out, brought him into bed, covered him up with the baby blanket, and went to sleep. Carefully, Tim carried Toto back out to the living room. As Nancy instructed, Tim put Toto his bed with a clock and covered him up. Then he put the fence back up and Toto seemed undisturbed. Tim sneaked back to bed, got covered up and breathed a sigh of relief when he heard, "igh igh igh igh igh." So we compromised. Toto was fine as long as he could see us. He was too little to jump up on the bed so we brought his bed into our room. Now he sleeps with us as well as in his bed.

 
  The day we went to pick him out Nancy sat down and sort of interviewed us to see how we would be with a Cairn. She said things that we just couldn't possibly have understood. Things like Cairns are very intelligent dogs. She also explained that Cairns talk. When we come home from work he comes wiggling all over and talking. It is not a bark, wine or growl. It is short or long emotional vocal sounds that resemble speech. There is a big difference is the dog vocabulary he uses when we return from work and when we have been out socializing. He appears to be scolding us for leaving him behind or leaving him alone too long. How does he know if we were at work or the movies?
 
There is no way we could have believed that Toto would be so smart. I had heard or read that must dogs can only understand about 6 words. I think sometimes he understands 10 times that. If Toto thinks it is time to get up in the morning and you're not up, he will pounce on you, give kisses or uncover you by taking the covers in his teeth and walking backwards until the blankets are off. Toto also brushed his teeth as long as there Arm & Hammer Mint Gel Toothpaste on his brush.
 
He loves his tennis ball. When Tim first threw the tennis ball down the hall, Toto ran behind it and just looked at it and ran back to Tim. Tim said, "Hey dummy, you are suppose to get it and bring it back!" There are times when we are watching TV and Toto will want us to play. He is very demanding and will stand in front of the TV so you can see him with the ball in his mouth. If you try to ignore him he will throw the ball in your lap with his mouth. Then he will reprimand you for ignoring him.  
 
He is very accommodating too. If your hand is open he will drop the ball in it and run down the hall to get in position. Toto is a great pitcher but prefers the outfield. There have been a few times when Tim has said he should have never introduced the tennis ball. I hope you enjoy Toto's baby pictures and his sports pix. You can see more about his ball games captioned under his pictures.
 
Please do not download any personal pictures without my written permission.