Dog
Group:
Terrier 
Dandie Dinmont Terrier Champions
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Pronunciation:
dan-dee din-mont ter-ee-er
Breed Description:
The Dandie Dinmont Terrier breed of dog is a robust breed that should be small in size while still appearing to be sturdy. The breed should have a large size head without it appearing out of proportion and they should have long, pendulous ears. The build should be elongated with a longer length than height and the top line should be level. The long tail should be tapered and should have a scimitar like curve to it.
The coat of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier should have a soft undercoat that is dense and covers the dog completely. They shoul dalso have a longer top coat that measures 2 inches in length and the hair should have a slightly rough texture to it. The only exception to this is the hair on the head, which is usually silky anbd features a topknot. The coat can either be dark blue with light silver on the legs, which is known as the "pepper" coat or they can be reddish brown with pale fawn legs and a creamy white head, which is known as a "mustard" coat.
Temperament:
The Dandie Dinmont Terrier breed of dog is a lively and intelligent breed that is known for being very playful. They are usually affectionate with their owners and love to spend time with them, although they don't often suffer from separation anxiety. The breed can be a bit gruff from time to time and may not be too patient with children, making them better suited to homes with older children. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is usually reserved with strangers and can suffer from aggression problems with other dogs. They can learn to accept them with proper socialization. The breed is not recommended for homes with small pocket pets since they tend to have a high prey drive.
Height:
The average height for a Dandie Dinmont Terrier is between 18 to 24 pounds.
Weight:
The average weight for the Dandie Dinmont Terrier is between 8 to 11 inches.
Health Problems:
The Dandie Dinmont Terrier breed of dog is a very healthy breed and has only a few known health problems including Glaucoma, Cheyletiella Yasguri Mites and Epilepsy. Some Dandie Dinmont Terriers can be prone to spinal problems so it is important to purchase a puppy from a reputable breeder who has health clearances on his dogs.
Living Conditions:
The Dandie Dinmont Terrier breed of dog an do well in apartments, however, the ideal is a home with a large fenced yard where they can enjoy their terrier activities. This is a breed that enjoys digging, chasing and barking so giving them a fenced area to do all of this is the best option for their living conditions. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier should not live outdoors and it is important to have a fence for them since they will chase after neighborhood animals.
Exercise:
The Dandie Dinmont Terrier breed of dog is a very energetic breed but usually two or three good walks each day will meet their exercise needs. It is important to keep them on leash when they are not in a secure area since the Scottish Terrier does have a high prey drive and they will not back down from other dogs.
Life Expectancy:
12 to 15 years
Grooming:
The Dandie Dinmont Terrier breed of dog can be easy or difficult to groom depending on whether you are showing them. For pets, simply keeping the coat clipped every six to eight weeks is all you need to do. They are very easy to maintain and a weekly brushing will keep the debris out of the coat. If you are showing your Dandie Dinmont Terrier, then brushing will need to be done two or three times a week. The top knot and face furnishings will need to be maintained and some trimming may be required to keep the overall shape of the dog. The dog should never be clipped if you are showing it since clipping will soften the coat. Regardless of how the coat is kept, bathing should be done only when it is necessary. Nails should be trimmed once or twice a month and ears should be cleaned weekly.
Origin:
The Dandie Dinmont Terrier breed of dog has unknown origins and while we are not sure how the breed came to be, we do know that it was developed on the border of England and Scotland and may be one of the oldest terrier breeds today. The breed is believed to have been developed by crossing the Scotch Terrier with the Skye Terrier or by crossing a number of local terriers with the Dachshund or the Otterhound. Many of the theories agree that the Dandie Dinmont Terrier was developed in the 1700's but from there, little else is known. For much of its history, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier was unnamed and while it was a popular breed, it wasn't until 1814 that the breed was named Dandie Dinmont Terrier by Sir Walter Scott who described a terrier that was owned by "Dandie Dinmont," although they were originally known as Dandie Dinmont's Terrier. The breed was originally described as being between 10 to 40 pounds but by the 1920's, the breed standard was refined to today's current standards. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a very rare breed and is one of a handful of endangered breeds listed by the Kennel Club of England. Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
