The Kashon, or Bairn, is a cross between a Cairn terrier and a Bichon Frise. Like the Bichon, the Kashon is a sprightly little dog. She's cheerful and loyal but may have a stubborn streak that you can coax out of her with consistent training.
Also, like her Bichon parent, a Kashon can be a bit of a diva. She loves being the center of attention and may cause trouble just to get back into the limelight.
The Temperament and Personality of a Cairn Terrier Bichon Mix
When a Cairn Terrier mates with a Bichon Frise, the result is a gentle and affectionate dog.
There are five traits that you must know about the Kashon temperament before you bring her home. For instance, she’s:
Playful
This is a dog that loves to play. She enjoys playing as much as she enjoys being by your side.
If you socialize her well enough and early enough, then she’ll also want to play with every new friend that comes her way, dogs and humans alike!
Loving
She loves following you around as much as she loves playing – and that’s a lot! She adores her family and wants to spend every moment she can with them.
Active
If you love to jog, then this is the dog for you! She loves any and every opportunity to go outside and run her little legs off!
Alert
Her Cairn side makes her a fantastic hunting dog, always on high alert. Of course, this means you can’t have any smaller animals in the house with her as pets, like cats or hamsters.
Anxious
If you were hoping to get a dog who could easily survive your tough schedule, this dog is not it. The Kashon also loves to play. What she does not love is when you leave her alone for long hours. Learn about the signs of separation anxiety in dogs and what you can do to stop this kind of behavior in your Kashon.
If you know you'll have to leave your Kashon alone, it's best to keep her in a crate with her favorite toys until you return. This will help her loneliness by giving her an outlet for her nervous energy.
Influence of the Cairn Terrier Temperament
The Cairn terrier side of a Kashon makes her a fantastic hunting dog, despite her small size. In addition to being a great watchdog, she's also good at guarding those she loves and hunting smaller prey.
Influence of the Bichon Frise Temperament
The Bichon side of the Kashon makes her easy to get along with. However, her Cairn terrier side will put her on high alert if she has even the slightest sense that something is off.
Training a Kashon
You need to be strict when training your Kashon, but you must also be gentle with her. She does not do well with yelling, harsh scolding, hitting, or other extreme forms of punishment.
She does have a stubborn streak to her – that's her Bichon side. It is therefore important to establish that you are the dominant figure, the leader of her “pack,” if you will.
As with many other breeds, it is easy to train your Kashon to do tricks. Some of her favorites include “play dead” and “go fetch.” Reward her for her accomplishments with treats and praise – but go light on the treats. The last thing you need is an obese dog and the health problems that come with it.
Helpful Dog Training Resource:
For help with training your Kashon or Bairn dog, you should take a look at The Online Dog Trainer by Doggy Dan. Doggy Dan is an expert Dog Trainer based in New Zealand. His online resource contains Hundreds of Excellent Dog Training Videos that will take you step-by-step through the process of developing a healthy, happy well-behaved dog.
Exercise
While the Kashon does not require a lot of daily exercises, she is rather adept at jogging. She just loves to run!
If you're not up for it, she has no problem running around her house or yard to get out her excess energy.
While she may not need regular exercise, it's still good to take her out for a daily walk.
Walking your Kashon gives her the chance to socialize with other people and animals.
The more socialization the better for a Bichon terrier mix, as it makes her a friendlier, more easygoing dog.
Kashon Health Concerns
Some of the more major health concerns that can affect the Kashon are:
- Cataracts
- Dermatitis
- Heart disease
- Bone disease
On a less serious note, she can also suffer from:
- Shaker dog syndrome
- Eye issues
- Hemophilia
- Congenital heart defects
- Hip issues
Shaker dog syndrome may sound scary, but you've probably already seen it before, especially in smaller dogs.
Shaker dog syndrome is a condition that mostly affects smaller dogs by causing full-body tremors. In some cases, dogs with SDS may also suffer from seizures and experience difficulty walking.
Bichons are of the breeds most commonly afflicted with SDS. Therefore, any dog that is a Bichon mix is at risk for developing this condition.
In spite of these concerns, however, the Kashon's typical life expectancy is 12 to 15 years old.
Also, it is worth noting that an average Kashon weighs between 10 and 18 lbs. and is about 10 to 13 inches tall.
While it is typical that smaller dogs tend to live longer, this is still a lengthy life expectancy. A healthy Kashon can keep you company for a very long time.
Note: Don't let the many issues above scare you. The best way to approach health problems is to prevent them in the first place. The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health is a great place to start. Get a copy to keep at home. It will help you prevent the painful health issues that can plague your lovely Canaan pet from expressing his winning personality and maximizing his life expentency.
Grooming a Kashon
While other aspects of owning a Kashon may be easy to manage, grooming is perhaps the one that requires the most amount of work.
A Kashon's coat is thick, which means it holds onto the fur as she sheds. In order for her to release this fur, you must brush her regularly.
By “regularly,” I mean daily. Otherwise, her coat will get all tangled and matted, and it will hurt her when you try to get all of those tough knots out.
Further, because a Kashon's coat is so thick, it can take twice as long to dry – especially if you have not regularly maintained it.
In addition to making her cold and uncomfortable, being stuck in a wet coat can also cause a Kashon to suffer from skin issues. Moisture being near the skin for longer than necessary is no good.
Before you even think of bathing your Kashon, you must brush her thoroughly. Think of it like mopping your floor. Mopping is certainly more effective if you sweep or vacuum first.
As far as colors go, the Kashon tends to be on the darker side, with a dark brown or black coat.
Kashon vs. Keeshond
Aside from their names being similar, the Kashon and the Keeshond don’t have much in common. For one thing, grooming a Kashon is hard work, while grooming a Keeshond is not nearly as taxing.
Keeshonds are better dogs for someone who has never owned a dog before. However, the Keeshond is a barker/howler, so unless you can train him out of it, you may not be your neighbors’ favorite on the block.
Finding the Perfect Kashon
If, after reading all of this, you have decided that the Kashon puppy is the right kind of dog for your family, then that’s great! However, you’re probably now wondering where you can get one.
You can find a Kashon for sale either from a breeder or through your local animal shelter or rescue organization.
In either case, when you’re buying a mixed breed dog, you must be incredibly careful. It is always important to do your research and not just jump head-first into such a commitment, but this is especially true for mixed breed dogs.
Kashon Puppies for Sale
Typically, you can expect the Kashon price to run you between $350 and $600.
You should just take this as a loose guide insofar as what you should expect to pay.
For instance, if the dog is significantly cheaper than that, say around $150, be wary. Something may be wrong with the dog’s health or temperament. However, if the dog is too expensive, like around $1,000, then the breeder may be trying to rob you.
Kashon Adoption and Rescue
Most of the Kashons available for both adoption and rescue are adult dogs who did nothing wrong but ended up in the shelter anyway through no fault of their own.
For example, many people surrender their dogs then they can no longer afford to take care of them, or when they have to move out of state.
However, for you
If you find that the Kashon Rescue group does not have any dogs that make for a good match, don’t forget about your local animal shelter!
Adoption fees vary. Some places ask for mandatory “donations,” which you can also use as a tax write-off, and which they put toward taking care of the animals that continue to come in. These donations range from $75 to $150.
The more private the rescue group, typically the higher the fee. However, two things you don’t have to worry about:
Shelters and rescue groups both neuter their animals and give them one final check-up before sending them on their way.
However, with animals in the shelter, you may never have a full picture of that dog’s particular history because even the shelter doesn’t know. They see a dog on the street, and they take it in, hoping to give it a good home.
With mixed breeds, this may mean you don’t end up getting a “First Generation” dog, or a dog that is only comprised of the two breeds that make up the mix.
This may mean that the dog has even more temperament traits than you can possibly be aware of, and that she may also be more susceptible to illness. So just be mindful of these things if you choose to adopt.
Kashon Breeders
Some people decide to work with a Kashon breeder instead. If you decide to explore the world of Kashon breeders, you must take extra caution to make sure you find an ethical breeder and avoid puppy mills and brokers.
Irresponsible breeders and puppy mills produce puppies for one reason: profit. They don’t care about the puppies’ health or temperaments – it’s sad, but true.
Something else they don’t care about: breeding mixed breeds with even more breeds. This may mean you don’t end up getting a First-Generation dog. This is not good.
The more breeds a breeder mixes together, the more likely the dog will have health and temperament issues. Plus, how can you possibly keep track of the kind of dog you’re going to get if she’s a mix of six different breeds?
Finding an ethical mixed breeds breeder can be even more difficult than finding an ethical breeder in general, but it is far worth the extra effort.
Never just order a Kashon puppy over the internet or buy one at a pet store. It may seem easier, but it is not a good investment, and you are more than likely supporting a puppy mill in the end.
A Final Word about the Kashon
The Kashon temperament will warm up your home and light up your life. This Cairn Terrier Bichon Frise mix is just a lovable little scamp. .
Keep in mind that the Kashon is a sensitive soul, so no loud or forceful scolding, please!
She will do just fine with gentle but persistent reminders of how you expect her to behave.
You need to regularly groom a Kashon, though you can go a little easier with the exercise.
And despite the health concerns that can afflict a Kashon, the life expectancy for this Bichon mix is 12 to 15 years. That is a long time for the Kashon to enjoy a spirited life filled with love and playfulness.
More Bichon Frise Mix-breeds
If you did not find what you looking for maybe our article on the Top Bichon Frise Mix will answer your question. Or you can check out each Bichon mix directly by clicking on the links below:
- The Bichpoo – Bichon Frise Poodle Mix
- The Shichon – Bichon Frise Shih Tzu Mix
- The Maltichon – Bichon Frise Maltese Mix
- The Yorkie Bichon – Bichon Frise Yorkie Mix
- The Chi Chon – Bichon Frise Chihuahua Mix
- The Goldichon – Bichon Frise Golden Retriever Mix
- The Chonzer – Bichon Frise Miniature Schnauzer Mix
- The Glechon – Bichon Frise Beagle Mix
- The Corgi Bichon – Bichon Frise Corgi Mix
Kailyn has worked as a professional freelance writer since 2012, and during that time she has written about nearly every dog breed imaginable. Her mother loved Collies, and so Kailyn grew up with three of them throughout her childhood – including a blonde one who was half-blind! Now her home belongs to her first official dog, Macho, a Dogo Argentino rescue.