Introduction

Tam O'Shanter

Plaid

Lucy Lavender

Miss Martina

Dandie Art

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a curiosity not only in name but also in physique. Unlike most terriers with their squat, square features, the Dandie Dinmont has a long body, an arched back, and a tail shaped like a scimitar. Beneath a silky topknot and an abundant crop of bushy hair, its large, round, hazel eyes express dignity, intel­ligence, and great determination. Though it has been popular for centuries with hill farmers along the border between Scotland and England, it is still rarely seen outside the British Isles. Originally, the Dandie Dinmont was bred to de­stroy farm vermin such as rats, stone martens, and field-mice. It later proved to be equally adept at hunting rabbits, otters, and badgers. After its sudden climb to popularity in Britain in the last century, breeders began emphasizing its domestic qualities and unusual, but appealing, appearance. The modern Dandie Dinmont makes an excel­lent companion dog. It is happy, affectionate, and loyal, and loves to play with children and other dogs. Easy to transport, it adapts readily to almost any living condition and can be as content to live on a boat or in a tent as it would be in a large house. It is a strong-willed dog, however, and re­quires a firm owner. The Dandie Dinmont’s extreme loyalty also makes it an excellent guard dog. Reserved when introduced to strangers by its owner, it is also highly suspicious of unannounced intruders and warns of their presence with loud, resonant bark­ing that is startling for a dog of this size.

Origins The Dandie Dinmont Terrier’s ancestry has never been firmly established. Most people be­lieve it originated in Scotland, where it may have descended from the Skye Terrier, which used to have droopy ears like the modern Dandie Dinmont. Some experts also see links with the Border Terrier, the Cairn Terrier, and the Scottish Terri­er. It may have been crossed with the Bedlington Terrier and the Otterhound. There is even a theory that one of its ances­tors may be the Basset Hound. which William the Conqueror brought to England from Flan­ders. What is known for certain is that in the seventeenth cen­tury a dog resembling the mod­ern Dan die Dinmont lived in the border country between Scot­land and England. It was first noted as a distinct type at the beginning of the eighteenth cen­tury, and around 1820 acquirer its unusual name. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier Club, founder in 1875, drew up the initial breed standard. That standard has changed little over the years.

Practical Information: A strong, healthy dog, it needs two walks daily and a lean diet to prevent it from becoming obese. Brush the coat every day with a medium-hard, long-bristle brush. The eyes tend to water; clean them with a cotton swab dipped in water that has been boiled and cooled, or in a special solution you can get from a veterin­arian or pet supply store. Cut the hair around the eyes regularly. Check the nails often, clipping and filing them when necessary.

Characteristics General appearance: hardy, long, low-slung Height: 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 in.). Weight: 8 to 11 kg (17 to 24 lb). Head:large and strong. Jaws well developed. Skull broad between the ears. Forehead well rounded. Nose black. Teeth very strong, es­pecially the canines; good bite. Interior of mouth black, or a dark colour. Eyes:large, round, not protruding, set wide. Bright and prominent. Dark hazel. Expression sad. Ears:pendent, hanging flat to the cheek, set well back, wide apart, and low, with slight feathering of light hair. Neck:well developed and strong, very muscular. Body:long, strong, flexible. Ribs round, well sprung. Back rather low at the shoulder. Brisket well developed with good depth. Tail:rather short, 20 to 25 cm (8 to 9¾ in.), covered with stiff hair, darker than the body hair, nice feathering of about 5 cm (2 in.). Forequarters: legs short, muscular, strong bone structure. HIndquarters: legs a little longer than the forelegs, set rather wide apart. Thighs well developed. No feathering, no dew-claws. Feet:hind feet smaller than forefeet. Nails more or less dark, varying in coloration according to the shades of the coat. Coat:hair about 6 cm (2½ in.) long, from the skull to the base of the tail; mixture of stiff and soft hair feeling fuzzy to the touch. The hair must not be too stiff. Hair on underside of the body is lighter and softer than on top. Colour: pepper or mustard. The pepper goes from dark bluish black to light silvery grey. Body colour extends well under the shoulder and hips and gradually merges into the colour of the legs. Mustards vary from reddish brown to pale tawny, with the head creamy white. Paws and feet darker than the head. Almost all Dandie Dinmonts have a little white on the chest, a few have white toes. White feet are consid­ered a fault.

The Legend and Lore of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier In the seventeenth century, families living along the border between Scotland and England kept terriers. The head of one of these families was Willy Piper’ Allan of Northumberland, a musician. His particularly fine pack of terriers so charmed the duke of Northumberland, according to legend, that he offered Willy a farm in exchange for just one of his dogs. But Willy the Piper had no interest in becoming a farmer, and he refused repeated offers from the duke. After Willy’s death in 1704, several generations of Allans kept the strain alive and occasionally traded dogs for favours. The story goes that James Davidson, a border farmer, had a pair of Allan dogs, which he bred, and that he named them and their offspring Musfard and Pepper, according to their colours. Sir Walter Scott knew Davidson and his dogs. When Scott wrote his novel Guy Mannering he created a character named Dandie Dinmont, a gentleman farmer who, like the real-life Davidson, never left home without his pack of mustard and pepper terriers. The six fictional dogs were called AuId Pepper, AuId Mustard, Young Pepper, Young Mustard, Little Pepper, and Little Mustard. The hugely successful novel spread the terrier’s fame throughout Britain, and owners of similar dogs started calling them Dandie Dinmont’s terriers..