Welcome to DanBar Cairn Terriers
DanBar Cairn Terriers
~ For Farm or Family ~
The DanBar Difference? Ethics, Experience & Superior Breeding Practices Since 1979
Since becoming a certified Police K9 Trainer in 1979, I have spent a lifetime as a serious student of high-level dog training, management and breeding practices. When I retired from 20 years as a professional animal control officer, award-winning canine author and international speaker on canine behavior for law enforcement*, I turned my passion for dogs into developing a family of rustic, health tested, good natured cairn terriers. Fantastic with children, death on rodents, my cairns are a great choice as active companions for hiking, fishing, dog sports, farm life or family pets. Best of all, I breed for the true hard coat - so rare today; my dogs do not require expensive plucking, stripping or trimming to look like a cairn!
These are NOT dogs bred for show ring fads. The "type" I breed for is the original, true Highland terrier - faithful, hardy, hard coated and smart as a whip. Show fads are making the breed what it never was - short backed with a long, soft coat unless plucked out constantly, so you will find my dogs with longer backs and harder coats than those bred for ribbons. These dogs are bred for those who appreciate the original cairn as hunter and family companion; personality and health is the #1 priority.
Unlike commercial kennels I don't farm out females to other people to breed and raise the pups for me. ALL my girls and boys are part of my family and sleep on my bed. ALL DanBar pups are born in my bedroom and raised under my feet - how else would I know their unique personalities to best match them to your desire? And I'm not going to charge you an arm and a leg for your next best buddy. This is my passion and my hobby - not a way to make money. After 20 years working in a large animal shelter I know one thing: the puppies of ETHICAL breeders do NOT end up in shelters. I want to help those wonderful people who choose to support ethical breeders to get a well-bred, health tested purebred at a reasonable price. Charging $3000 or $4000 (or more!) for a purebred dog only forces many good homes to have to buy a backyard bred dog off CL or some puppy peddling website. A "business" makes money - a "passion" drains your bank account! LOL!
Come visit and experience why DanBar is different.I proudly display health testing results on all my dogs (available on this site!)I proudly welcome you to come into my home and see where my dogs live. No kennels, crates or cages here - my dogs are "cage free"
* click link near bottom of page "About DanBar" to lean about more about me and my lifelong dedication to dogs
Since becoming a certified Police K9 Trainer in 1979, I have spent a lifetime as a serious student of high-level dog training, management and breeding practices. When I retired from 20 years as a professional animal control officer, award-winning canine author and international speaker on canine behavior for law enforcement*, I turned my passion for dogs into developing a family of rustic, health tested, good natured cairn terriers. Fantastic with children, death on rodents, my cairns are a great choice as active companions for hiking, fishing, dog sports, farm life or family pets. Best of all, I breed for the true hard coat - so rare today; my dogs do not require expensive plucking, stripping or trimming to look like a cairn!
These are NOT dogs bred for show ring fads. The "type" I breed for is the original, true Highland terrier - faithful, hardy, hard coated and smart as a whip. Show fads are making the breed what it never was - short backed with a long, soft coat unless plucked out constantly, so you will find my dogs with longer backs and harder coats than those bred for ribbons. These dogs are bred for those who appreciate the original cairn as hunter and family companion; personality and health is the #1 priority.
Unlike commercial kennels I don't farm out females to other people to breed and raise the pups for me. ALL my girls and boys are part of my family and sleep on my bed. ALL DanBar pups are born in my bedroom and raised under my feet - how else would I know their unique personalities to best match them to your desire? And I'm not going to charge you an arm and a leg for your next best buddy. This is my passion and my hobby - not a way to make money. After 20 years working in a large animal shelter I know one thing: the puppies of ETHICAL breeders do NOT end up in shelters. I want to help those wonderful people who choose to support ethical breeders to get a well-bred, health tested purebred at a reasonable price. Charging $3000 or $4000 (or more!) for a purebred dog only forces many good homes to have to buy a backyard bred dog off CL or some puppy peddling website. A "business" makes money - a "passion" drains your bank account! LOL!
Come visit and experience why DanBar is different.I proudly display health testing results on all my dogs (available on this site!)I proudly welcome you to come into my home and see where my dogs live. No kennels, crates or cages here - my dogs are "cage free"
* click link near bottom of page "About DanBar" to lean about more about me and my lifelong dedication to dogs
Latest News: Updated 09.12.26
NEWS - Early Fall 2026
I would like to encourage anyone curious about cairn terriers to come visit now, while the weather is still good.I won't have pups till next spring, but you are always more than welcome to just come hang out with a bunch ofcairns and see if they are the breed for you. I'm always honest about their pros and cons. That is the only way to get the appropriate pup in the appropriate home.
I always think I can't get busier - and then I do! Having adjusted to life in a wheelchair, I am now cruising around the property fixing fences and getting everything ready for winter. I am working on getting some video to add to the site for each of my dogs so you can see their personalities. Of course, visiting is the best way to see that! I am also excited to announce that I have started serious work on my fourth book, a non-fiction dog book. You can find information on my other books elsewhere on this site.
Go to my "DanBar Cairns" page to meet my new pups!"Brie" and "Morag" are young girls joining the DanBar family. "Stripey McStriperson" is a little runt male who experienced some health issues at birth so will be staying with meas I do not feel comfortable selling him. He will never be used for breeding.
Looking for a pup?The purpose of this website is not to sell pups - I breed very little and all my pups are spoken for very quickly without advertising.But even if I am not going to have the pleasure of meeting you during the purchase of a puppy, I would love to offer informationwhich will allow you to make an educated decision no matter from whom you ultimately buy a pup. This site is all about educationand I strongly encourage you to help yourself to the educational material you will find on this site before you buy a pup. This site is designed to help you avoid disappointment while navigating the crazy world of purebred dog breeders - it can be daunting! You will find authoritive articles on grooming, feeding, health testing, training, breeding methods, home vet care - just about everythingyou will need to make intelligent decisions when purchasing a cairn terrier pup and keeping it happy and healthy for life. I'm adding new stuff all the time! Let me know if there is a subject you would like to see information on.
PLEASE feel free to reach out to me with ANY questions on any subject.(I'm a retired 'crazy old dog lady' so I have time to help you!) And, unlike SO many dog breeders, I'm actually friendly! LOL!
NEW!: Article on Cairns and the OFANEW!: Article on The 'Original Cairn'NEW!: Article on the TRUE HARD Cairn Terrier COAT! (PLEASE READ THIS!)
IF YOU LIVE ANYWHERE NEAR GOLDENDALE, WA feel free to contact me about AKC Earth Dog Trial and Barn Hunt practice here at DanBar Ranch.Dreadlives@outlook.com
Come on out and visit, bring the kids; I'm proud to show you my dogs, how they live, and discusswhat makes a DanBar Cairn terrier a bit different from others you may be looking at. As the ONLY cairn breeder in the PNW that has all CHIC certified breeding dogs, find out why OFA health testingis the hallmark of ethical breeders.
This is a "cage free" facility! My dogs do not live in crates or kennels.ALL dogs used for breeding live HERE, in my home and sleep on my bed.DanBar Ranch is 20 dog-proof fenced acres of oak prairie for their enjoyment.
NEWS - Early Fall 2026
I would like to encourage anyone curious about cairn terriers to come visit now, while the weather is still good.I won't have pups till next spring, but you are always more than welcome to just come hang out with a bunch ofcairns and see if they are the breed for you. I'm always honest about their pros and cons. That is the only way to get the appropriate pup in the appropriate home.
I always think I can't get busier - and then I do! Having adjusted to life in a wheelchair, I am now cruising around the property fixing fences and getting everything ready for winter. I am working on getting some video to add to the site for each of my dogs so you can see their personalities. Of course, visiting is the best way to see that! I am also excited to announce that I have started serious work on my fourth book, a non-fiction dog book. You can find information on my other books elsewhere on this site.
Go to my "DanBar Cairns" page to meet my new pups!"Brie" and "Morag" are young girls joining the DanBar family. "Stripey McStriperson" is a little runt male who experienced some health issues at birth so will be staying with meas I do not feel comfortable selling him. He will never be used for breeding.
Looking for a pup?The purpose of this website is not to sell pups - I breed very little and all my pups are spoken for very quickly without advertising.But even if I am not going to have the pleasure of meeting you during the purchase of a puppy, I would love to offer informationwhich will allow you to make an educated decision no matter from whom you ultimately buy a pup. This site is all about educationand I strongly encourage you to help yourself to the educational material you will find on this site before you buy a pup. This site is designed to help you avoid disappointment while navigating the crazy world of purebred dog breeders - it can be daunting! You will find authoritive articles on grooming, feeding, health testing, training, breeding methods, home vet care - just about everythingyou will need to make intelligent decisions when purchasing a cairn terrier pup and keeping it happy and healthy for life. I'm adding new stuff all the time! Let me know if there is a subject you would like to see information on.
PLEASE feel free to reach out to me with ANY questions on any subject.(I'm a retired 'crazy old dog lady' so I have time to help you!) And, unlike SO many dog breeders, I'm actually friendly! LOL!
NEW!: Article on Cairns and the OFANEW!: Article on The 'Original Cairn'NEW!: Article on the TRUE HARD Cairn Terrier COAT! (PLEASE READ THIS!)
IF YOU LIVE ANYWHERE NEAR GOLDENDALE, WA feel free to contact me about AKC Earth Dog Trial and Barn Hunt practice here at DanBar Ranch.Dreadlives@outlook.com
Come on out and visit, bring the kids; I'm proud to show you my dogs, how they live, and discusswhat makes a DanBar Cairn terrier a bit different from others you may be looking at. As the ONLY cairn breeder in the PNW that has all CHIC certified breeding dogs, find out why OFA health testingis the hallmark of ethical breeders.
This is a "cage free" facility! My dogs do not live in crates or kennels.ALL dogs used for breeding live HERE, in my home and sleep on my bed.DanBar Ranch is 20 dog-proof fenced acres of oak prairie for their enjoyment.
Contact Me
DanBar Ranch ~ Goldendale, WA USADiane Jessup 509 767 7127Dreadlives@outlook.com(I spend time with my dogs, not on social media, so no Tik Toks and so forth.)
DanBar Ranch is located 2 hours east of Portland, Oregon, 2 hours west of the Tri-Cities, 1.5 hour south of Yakima and 1 hour North(ish) of The Dalles, Oregon. Visitors are welcome 7 days a week, just call so I can make sure to be home. Please visit the "Visiting DanBar" page for more information.
DanBar Wee Barbary Allen ("Brie") out of an AKC champion sire and my own DanBar Diana The Huntress, CHIC (Barb). The next generation of cairns for home and farm.
(L) DanBar The Wee Hyena (Left) and her runt son, "Stripey McStriperson", who is staying here.(R) Stripey and DanBar's newest "outside" pup for the breeding program, "Morag".