The unique-looking Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a tough but dignified little exterminator. Sturdily built for the rigors of farm life, they will agreeably adapt to city living. Dandies are compact companions blessed with a big personality.
Terrier
Physical hallmarks of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier include a large head covered with profuse, silky white hair; long, hanging ears tipped with feathering and coming almost to a point; big, round eyes full of brightness and expression; and a long, low torso and short legs. The crisp body coat comes in two spicy colors: pepper (bluish black to silvery gray) and mustard (reddish brown to pale fawn). Weighing no more than 24 pounds, Dandies are alert and intelligent watchdogs with a big baritone bark. Dandies enjoy romping and cuddling with kids, but aren’t as hyper as some small dogs. They are terriers, though, with typical willfulness, independence, and courage. Dandie owners get best results with positive, motivational training.
The terrier that would become known as the Dandie Dinmont made its debut in written history in about 1700. Described as a “rough native terrier owned by border hunters in the Cheviot Hills between England and Scotland,” the breed was said to be especially good at dispatching such four-legged poachers as otter and badger. Sir Walter Scott, Scotland’s foremost novelist, was an admirer of the breed. For his 1815 novel “Guy Mannering,” he created a character named Dandie Dinmont, a farmer who keeps a pack of curious-looking pepper and mustard terriers. Scott based the fictional Dinmont on a real-life breeder of such dogs, James Davidson, who kept a pack of working terriers—Old Mustard, Young Pepper, Young Mustard, Little Pepper, Little Mustard, and Old Pepper—the “immortal six” still spoken of with reverence by Dandie fanciers. (It is said that every Dandie alive today can be traced back to a dog named Old Ginger, sired by Old Pepper.) In acknowledgement of the exposure the breed received from Scott, who called it the “big little dog,” these bright-eyed, long-backed earthdogs came to be known as “Dandie Dinmont’s terriers.” They remain the only AKC breed named for a fictional character. Dandies caught the attention of 19th-century royals, such as French king Louis Philippe, who kept a brace of pampered Dandies as part of his royal entourage. England’s Dandie Dinmont Terrier Club, established in1875, is still in operation today as one of the world’s oldest breed clubs. The Dandie entered the AKC in 1886, and retains a small but steadfast following.
Originally bred to go to ground, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a long, low-stationed working terrier with a curved outline. The distinctive head with silken topknot is large but in proportion to the size of the dog. The dark eyes are large and round with a soft, wise expression. The sturdy, flexible body and scimitar shaped tail are covered with a rather crisp double coat, either mustard or pepper in color.
The Dandie Dinmont should be fed a high-quality dog food appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior) . Some dogs are prone to getting overweight, so watch your dog’s calorie consumption and weight level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Give table scraps sparingly, if at all, especially avoiding cooked bones and foods with high fat content. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet.
The Dandie Dinmont Terrier does not shed, but that doesn’t mean he requires no grooming. His coat must be stripped of dead hair at least a couple of times a year. This can be done by hand by his breeder, or the owner can learn to do it using a special stripping tool recommended by the breeder. Long hairs can be plucked daily from the coat using thumb and forefinger to maintain a neat appearance. The Dandie will also need to be brushed daily to avoid matting Toenails should be trimmed at least monthly, and care of the ears should be included in maintenance grooming.
A Dandie will do best exercising a half hour or so twice a day in the form of a brisk walk, or perhaps chasing a ball across the yard. When outdoors he should always be on a leash or in a securely fenced area. The Dandie was bred to hunt, and even the best trained will dart away given the chance to chase what they perceive as prey. Most Dandies will do very well in a home environment with moderate exercise. With their long-and-low build, Dandies are not made to run long distances, and the breed is not the ideal fit for owners looking for a jogging or biking partner.
Dandies are tough but dignified big dogs in a little body. With lots of patience and a positive reward-based approach you will get wonderful results. They are “rough-and-tumble,” sturdy little dogs with lots of energy but are very adaptable and eager to please. Typical terriers, they can be stubborn, independent, and a little too sure of their ability to take on all comers. It is imperative that you train the Dandie well so that you not only have a companion with good manners, but also that you can take the lead in unexpected situations.
There is no breed that is completely disease free, but a Dandie comes closer than many others. A rare few develop lymphoma, but otherwise the breed is typically quite healthy. Responsible breeders do genetic testing on their breeding stock to avoid any potential problems. As with all breeds, a Dandie’s ears should be checked regularly for signs of infection, and the teeth should be brushed often, using a toothpaste designed for dogs. Regular visits to the vet for checkups and parasite control help to ensure the dog a long, healthy life.
Originally bred to go to ground, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a long, low-stationed working terrier with a curved outline. The distinctive head with silken topknot is large but in proportion to the size of the dog. The dark eyes are large and round with a soft, wise expression. The sturdy, flexible body and scimitar shaped tail are covered with a rather crisp double coat, either mustard or pepper in color.
Height is from 8 to 11 inches at the top of the shoulders. Length from top of shoulders to root of tail is one to two inches less than twice the height. For a dog in good working condition, the preferred weight is from 18 to 24 pounds. Sturdily built with ample bone and well developed muscle, but without coarseness. The overall balance is more important than any single specification
The head is strongly made and large, but in proportion to the dog’s size. Muscles are well developed, especially those covering the foreface. The expression shows great determination, intelligence and dignity. The eyes are large, round, bright and full, but not protruding. They are set wide apart and low, and directly forward. Color, a rich dark hazel. Eye rims dark. The ears are set well back, wide apart and low on the skull, hanging close to the cheek, with a very slight projection at the fold. The shape is broad at the base, coming almost to a point. The front edge comes almost straight down from base to tip; the tapering is primarily on the back edge. The cartilage and skin of the ear are rather thin. The ear’s length is from three to four inches. The skull is broad between the ears, gradually tapering toward the eyes, and measures about the same from stop to occiput as it does from ear to ear. Forehead (brow) well domed. Stop well defined. The cheeks gradually taper from the ears toward the muzzle in the same proportion as the taper of the skull. The muzzle is deep and strong. In length, the proportions are a ratio of three (muzzle) to five (skull). The nose is moderately large and black or dark colored. The lips and inside of the mouth are black or dark colored. The teeth meet in a tight scissors bite. The teeth are very strong, especially the canines, which are an extraordinary size for a small dog. The canines mesh well with each other to give great holding and punishing power. The incisors in each jaw are evenly spaced and six in number.
The neck is very muscular, well developed and strong, showing great power of resistance. It is well set into the shoulders and moderate in length. The topline is rather low at the shoulder, having a slight downward curve and a corresponding arch over the loins, with a very slight gradual drop from the top of the loins to the root of the tail. Both sides of the backbone well muscled. The outline is a continuous flow from the crest of the neck to the tip of the tail. The body is long, strong and flexible. Ribs are well sprung and well rounded. The chest is well developed and well let down between the forelegs. The underline reflects the curves of the topline. The tail is 8 to 10 inches in length, rather thick at the root, getting thicker for about four inches, then tapering off to a point. The set-on of the tail is a continuation of the very slight gradual drop over the croup. The tail is carried a little above the level of the body in a curve like a scimitar. Only when the dog is excited may the tip of the tail be aligned perpendicular to its root.
There should be sufficient layback of shoulder to allow good reach in front; angulation in balance with hindquarters. Upper arms nearly equal in length to the shoulder blades, elbows lying close to the ribs and capable of moving freely. The forelegs are short with good muscular development and ample bone, set wide apart. Feet point forward or very slightly outward. Pasterns nearly straight when viewed from the side. Bandy legs and fiddle front are objectionable.
The hind legs are a little longer than the forelegs and are set rather wide apart, but not spread out in an unnatural manner. The upper and lower thighs are rounded and muscular and approximately the same length; stifles angulated, in balance with forequarters. The hocks are well let down and rear pasterns perpendicular to the ground.
The feet are round and well cushioned. Dewclaws preferably removed on forelegs. Rear feet are much smaller than the front feet and have no dewclaws. Nails strong and dark; nail color may vary according to the color of the dog. White nails are permissible. Flat feet are objectionable.
This is a very important point: The hair should be about two inches long; the body coat is a mixture of about ⅔ hardish hair with about ⅓ soft hair, giving a sort of crisp texture. The hard is not wiry. The body coat is shortened by plucking. The coat is termed pily or pencilled, the effect of the natural intermingling of the two types of hair. The hair on the underpart of the body is softer than on the top. The head is covered with very soft, silky hair, the silkier the better. It should not be confined to a mere topknot but extends to cover the upper portion of the ears, including the fold, and frames the eyes. Starting about two inches from the tip, the ear has a thin feather of hair of nearly the same color and texture as the topknot, giving the ear the appearance of ending in a distinct point. The body of the ear is covered with short, soft, velvety hair. The hair on the muzzle is of the same texture as the foreleg feather. For presentation, the hair on the top of the muzzle is shortened. The hair behind the nose is naturally more sparse for about an inch. The forelegs have a feather about two inches long, the same texture as the muzzle. The hind leg hair is of the same texture but has considerably less feather. The upper side of the tail is covered with crisper hair than that on the body. The underside has a softer feather about two inches long, gradually shorter as it nears the tip, shaped like a scimitar. Trimming for presentation is to appear entirely natural; exaggerated styling is objectionable.
The color is pepper or mustard. Pepper ranges from dark bluish black to a light silvery gray, the intermediate shades preferred. The topknot and ear feather are silvery white, the lighter the color the better. The hair on the legs and feet should be tan, varying according to the body color from a rich tan to a very pale fawn. Mustard varies from a reddish brown to a pale fawn. The topknot and ear feather are a creamy white. The hair on the legs and feet should be a darker shade than the topknot. In both colors the body color comes well down the shoulders and hips, gradually merging into the leg color. Hair on the underpart of the body is lighter in color than on the top. The hair on the muzzle (beard) is a little darker shade than the topknot. Ear color harmonizes with the body color. The upper side of the tail is a darker shade than the body color, while the underside of the tail is lighter, as the legs. Some white hair on the chest is common.
Proper movement requires a free and easy stride, reaching forward with the front legs and driving with evident force from the rear. The legs move in a straight plane from shoulder to pad and hip to pad. A stiff, stilted, hopping or weaving gait and lack of drive in the rear quarters are faults to be penalized.
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