The Dandie Dinmont Terrier

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a dog that loves to please his owner, he is described as being intelligent and very loving, but not only that, it has been reported that this little guy has a protective streak that makes him a great dog to have around if you are in need of a watch dog.

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a breed that was developed on the borders of Scotland and England, in the Chevoit Hills in the 1600’s. They were originally bred to hunt badger, rabbit and otter but they became known for their usefulness in hunting down vermin such as rats.

Nobody really knows the exact origins of the Dandie Dinmont terrier but there are a couple of theories as to their ancestors. The first theory states that the Dandie Dinmont Terrier is nothing more then a cross between the Otterhound and some other type of terrier, this is the most popular theory and the most accepted, supposed evidence being that the Dandie has a really deep bark and hound like ears. The other theory says that the Dandie is an evolved version of the Rough-Haired Terriers of the Border District… Which one is true? We may never know, the important thing is that we have the Dandie Dinmont here with us today to love and enjoy.

Possessive of his food and toys, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier is known for his intelligence and willingness to please, although it takes an experienced owner to get him to want to please. Despite their size, the Dandies are very lively and playful, mixing intelligence with confidence and with a little mischievous streak running down the middle, this is a dog that people will not easily forget once they have met one.

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier gets along well with children, but only those children that he has been around with since puppyhood; on the other hand, this is a dog that gets along very nicely with strangers, always giving them a nice loving welcome…after he has alerted the entire household that somebody had come. When it comes to living peacefully with other pets, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier needs to understand at an early age that pets are his friends and not his prey, because this is a breed that has a strong prey drive so early socialization is something that must be done.

Training is fairly easy if the owner has firmly established himself as the alpha dog of the pack, if he has not, then the little Dandie can be stubborn and unwilling to comply with his owners wishes…why listen to a lesser dog?

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a little dog that stands at about 8 to 12 inches, this is a dog that has a sweet personality, his body is close to the ground and he has a coat that is silky to the touch, they have both a top coat and a undercoat and the colors that the Dandie comes in are pepper and mustard. This is a dog that can reach a weight of up to 24 pounds.

Now this beautiful coat that the Dandie Dinmont Terrier has, needs to be brushed right around two times a week to keep it in top condition; another thing to keep in mind when grooming the Dandie is to keep the hair around his bottom trimmed…you know just to keep everything clean and neat. Always make sure that the ears are kept clean and dry because these dogs are prone to ear infection.

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier can live a good full life of up to 15 years, the health problems that are associated with this breed are several; these include spinal problems, thyroid problems, epilepsy, elbow problems and some others.

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is the only dog that got his name from a fictional character in a book…in 1814 in a novel by Sir Walter Scott there was a character that was named Dandie Dinmont which owned a pack of these terriers.

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier came over to America aboard ships, killing rats and keeping people entertained, and two years after the AKC was founded, they recognized the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and he has been with us ever since.