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A look at the Dandie Dinmont Terrier by a working terrier countryman
I ADMIRE pluck in a dog. More often than not, smaller terrier types carry far more of this ingredient than larger dogs.
Passing through the next village to mine I would often see a female in charge of a small pack of a breed of terriers I was not familiar with. They were always well controlled, exercising in the field next to her home. I would drive by in my donkey and trap to pick up my groceries .I suppose it was her love of donkeys that led us to become acquainted. Donkeys are the least stupid of the equine family; believe me, they have a memory to equal the elephant.Miss Heaton offered carrots one day, and now they come to a halt each time we pass the cottage, refusing to budge until they have been proffered their titbit. I began to learn more and more about her choice of dog, the Dandie Dinmont. I was impressed with one little fellow who I would see sneaking off to go rabbiting and, on occasions, all one would see of him was his tail disappearing down a hole in the bankside.These little characters are obviously highly trainable and seem to pack very well. So obedient are they that the lady trainer travels with her troupe to entertain many factions of the surrounding county, going through their routine of jumping obstacles and pushing others about in carts with enjoyment.To witness this, one would think that butter wouldn't melt, however, they were first registered 180-years ago, and have retained their hunting instincts. Somehow, they have been overlooked in the hunting field.Originating in the Northumbria Border lands, I believe they share the gene pool with the Border Terrier and the Bedlington Terrier. There are certain features they carry that remind me of these breeds. I have always found it too easy to breed down, and one would assume that the Dinmont came from the larger Bedlington. Not so, according to Ms Heaton, it was the reverse. If I was to set out to breed a Dinmont, I would use a Border and a Bedlington, but then I may need a touch of Otterhound, or maybe a hint of Dachshund. Who knows? Perhaps some way back in the mists of time they all played a part. The Dandie gained its name and popularity via Sir Walter Scott, who wrote Guy Mannering. It's the only dog I know that has derived its name from a literary source; quite a distinction. Prior to this it was probably just a hard working terrier type used for killing vermin above and below ground.One of this ilk, then known as the Piper Allen breed, was reputedly so good at its job that Willie Allen turned down a handsome offer for the dog, claiming that once his dog gave mouth he could sell the otter skin - otters in the Coquet and Rothbury area of Northumbria were considered a pest and were dealt with accordingly in the 17th and 18th Centuries. It is here that I am sure Otterhound blood entered the terrier line. There is such a resemblance; the Dinmont looks like an Otterhound with short legs. This surely cannot be just coincidence.
Honest eye
I do so like a dog with an honest eye, and these fellows have extremely large, appealing peepers framed in a linty top knot.
The coat should be a mixture of linty and rough hair, in fact, double-coated, or to use a word I have not head for a long time, 'pily.'The softer undercoat and the harder overcoat combined form an effective weatherproofing and is desirable in the breed. Weight, it seems, can be anything between 16 and 24lb. My own feelings on this are that by today's standard, I6lb would be ample. Years past, they were expected to work badger and indeed were said to excel at the job. If we take the average fox to weigh in at, say, 12lb, then a dog of 16lb would have the advantage. The outward appearance of the Dandie is one of a plucky, outgoing, busy character. Something else I admire in a terrier is an inquisitive nature and this breed seems intent on investigating every nook and cranny on their outings - a desirable temperament. It is to be hoped that somewhere someone has the foresight to concentrate on the working ability of this bouncy terrier. All too often too much emphasis is placed on a dog looking good in the show ring. Shows do promote dogs, but it can be a terrible mistake to breed away from the original guidelines. A dog, whatever breed, is best doing what it was meant to do. Once we start breeding for looks alone we are on the road to nowhere and only succeed in producing creatures that need ever more veterinary care.Good looks are not enough; some of my best dogs have been sadly lacking when it came to the beauty department. Last year there were only three litters bred in this country, so there must be a scarcity value attached to them. There is obviously a financial opportunity for the right person to get into this breed. Had I had more years left I think I would have liked to have concentrated on breeding a working pack of these handsome dogs.The extent of their popularity is mirrored by the esteem the aristocracy placed on them. It is from Sir Walter Scott that the breed became known as Dandie Dinmonts. Prior to that they were known as 'Peppers and Mustards.'The breed was favoured not only for its fashionable look of the day but for its ability to draw badgers. His faithfulness to men is glamorised in the legendary 'Greyfriars Bobby,' who must be the most famous Dinmont of all time.I think it is more than glamorised history that gangs of muggers and tinkers would meet to compare the prowess of their dogs. Travel in the I700s would not be as it is today, therefore, it follows that the dogs would be closely bred with the best going to the best. Meets were held and the Peppers and Mustards were tried against wild cat, foul mart, otter and most of all, badger. Dogs were put together for their working ability alone. I remember some years back reading of one Dandie drawing a badger from a wooden box after four days. A marvelous feat, some would think, but no mention of whether the unfortunate creature had been fed and watered. In its weakened state, a toy breed could have done the same job.
Rise in popularity
Following its rise in popularity, no doubt because of the writings of Scott, the Dandie Dinmont found its way out of the smaller circle of travelling men and into the ownership of less itinerant folk.
The yeomanry and sporting fraternity used these sporting terriers extensively on otter. The hard biting, rough-coated durable dogs were cherished by their owners. Huge sums were offered for the cream of these gamest of working dogs.Anyone who knows the rough terrain of, for example, Liddlesdale, will appreciate that one needs a dog of intelligence and gameness to tackle any sort of quarry in this most beautiful of areas.Having worked this part of the world as a youth, I can well see how the Peppers would be far better suited working the rough, boulder-strewn crag sides than the larger hound-types.The term 'low-slung bustler' springs to mind as I recall fox and rabbit playing hide and seek with me in the harsh rocky terrain.One authority in the I890s put forward the theory that the Dinmont was a result of a union between an Otterhound and a Dachshund - who am I to argue? Whatever the origins, we have a character here that I think has been seriously overlooked in the working field. I am particularly impressed with how well these long-bodied, short-legged terriers pack.
The high degree of obedience that Ms Heaton exacts from her group of six has to be seen to be believed, so come on you hunting folks, take a look at the Dandie Dinmont.
October 10th 2003 Countryman's Weekly
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Dandie Information 
