Dandie Dinmont Terriers need regular brushing and combing to keep their coats tangle-free. Depending on the type of coat, dead hair needs stripping out a couple of times a year.

Dandies should be hand-stripped. A statement you will see frequently and is the way to keep the Dandie coat as it should be - a crisp, pily top coat with a soft, linty undercoat. Hand-stripping removes the dead hair and usually you will find a wonderful new coat 'ready to go' underneath. Clippering this coat changes it - over the years the back coat will lose the colour and can become whiteish fluff. Clippering does not remove dead hair, it just shortens it.

A good professional groomer should be able to hand strip a dog so do check before you make the appointment if you are not doing this yourself. The Caledonian does hold grooming 'educationals' and the mentoring scheme would be able to help you learn to do this yourself or be aware of what you require from a professional groomer.

However, there are circumstances where skillful clippering can be done - an old Dandie, a Dandie that lives in a very hot climate - individual circumstances need to be taken into consideration.

Grooming your Dandie shouldn't be considered a chore. It is a lovely 'bonding' time with your dog and a time you can check for problems such as ticks, skin irritation, ear cleanliness - a general health check. Most Dandie Dinmonts love this time of closeness and cuddles when you are concentrating on nothing else but him!

It is not unusual for a Dandie to reach 15 years of age. A general range would be between 11 years and 15 years.

No more than other breeds and less than most.

If you remember that they are an intelligent breed and provide them with things to occupy them when you are not available, generally it isn't a problem.

Dandie Dinmont Puppies are no different from any other species of youngster - everything gets explored by putting it in their mouths. If it tastes good they will have a gnaw on it. This phase in a Dandie's development passes with love and patience from you, the human.

Dandie Dinmont is a fictional character in Sir Walter Scott's "Guy Mannering", published in 1814, who had mustard and pepper terriers. Although Dandies were in existence for many years previously, it is this character that gave our breed their name.

Some do and some don't! It totally depends on their location and training. They will protect your property against unknown intruders by alerting you. They might bark if they are concerned or worried and if they hear noises they are not used to they will bark. Some Dandies go outside and bark 'just in case' but others will go out quietly, sit and sniff the air, and assess the situation silently. It generally is within your gentle but firm control.

Please do not use an electric collar on a Dandie. It should never come to that. Little tricks you can use if you do have a problem are one sheet of newspaper, loosely rolled up. Hit yourself, not the Dandie, on your arm or leg and the noise stops them. Say the word 'newspaper' as you do it and soon they will stop barking by you just using the word. Another way is with a hand water spray - the kind you mist plants with - a quick squirt with an instruction also does the trick and soon just the word 'spray' or whatever you choose to use will stop any incessant barking.

note: Dandies do not yap! They have a magnificent deep bark worthy of a much larger dog.

Dandie Dinmont Terriers love children but it it important to remember that young children under about 8 do need responsible adult supervision when playing together. This is particularly important when a puppy arrives as they have needle-like first teeth and everything goes into their mouths. A young child would not be able to understand and care for a puppy on their own and of particular concern would be the inadvertant leaving of gates and doors open allowing the dog to escape with perhaps dire consequences. If a young puppy is frightened by a child, they will remember it for life.

Dandies have a crisp pily top coat with a soft, downy, waterproof undercoat. Normal grooming ensures that they shed very little hair in the house.

Yes - in the right situation.

As long as you know your Dandie well and they have had basic obedience training there should be no problem But it is up to you to keep him safe. If, when he is off the lead, he (out of his natural friendliness) approaches an agressive dog who is on the lead - you would be putting your Dandie in legal danger because he would be deemed to have caused any fight/injuries that might ensue.

That sweet little obedient soul that lives with you might only have to see a sheep or a squirrel for example to run off for the chase and be quite difficult to retrieve until he decided it was time to return.

Dandies are quite happy walking with an extending lead although a short lead is recommended for walking near traffic or in a busy place.

There are two correct colours for a Dandie Dinmont Terrier - mustard and pepper. Peppers are a dark bluish black to a light silvery grey with a silvery white topknot whilst the Mustards are a reddish brown to a pale fawn with a creamy white topknot.

see Breed Standard for full details

"A Dandie is supposed to look at you as though it has forgotten more than you ever knew"

First and foremost a Dandie is a Terrier - they were bred as working dogs and Dandies today retain those strong instincts. Most Dandies are also very intelligent and the combination of these two traits can be quite interesting and sometimes challenging which is part of the attraction of the breed. Dandie Dinmonts are loyal and affectionate to their owners and often it is the Dandie boys that are more affectionate and 'cuddley' than the girls. Depending on their upbringing, Dandies are good with adults, children and other pets including cats.