Origin
The Dandie Dinmont is a native breed that hails from the Scottish Borders where they were once used as hunting dogs. They are short-legged and boast long bodies with their head being covered with an abundant amount of hair which adds to their endearing looks and appeal.
They are a rare breed even though they are such adorable dogs that are known to be devoted to children. They are intelligent, although they do boast being a little wilful when it pleases them, but with this said the Dandie Dinmont makes for a wonderful companion and family pet. Although on The Kennel Club’s vulnerable list, the number of Dandie puppies is steadily growing with these charming dogs once again finding favour with many owners both here in the UK and elsewhere in the world.
The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a native breed that originated in Scotland during the 1700's. It is thought the breed was named after one of the characters in a Walter Scott book that was published in 1814. These little terriers came about by crossing local terrier-types with Dachshunds and the result was a charming, short-legged terrier that boasted a rather long body with their heads being accentuated by lots of hair covering it. There are those who believe, the Dandie Dinmont is oldest and the purest of all terrier breeds.
Originally bred to hunt otters and badgers, the Dandie Dinmont soon found favour as companion dogs too and in 1875, the first club was established to promote the breed. A standard was set soon afterwards and their popularity grew over the following years. However, the number of Dandies dwindled and the breed has been placed on The Kennel Club's vulnerable list with very few dogs being registered. Luckily, more Dandie puppies are now being registered and the breed's numbers are steadily growing.
