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Dandie Dinmont Terrier

General
Other Names		Charlie’s Hope Terrier: Mustard & Pepper Terrier
Dog Group Kennel Club		Terrier
Breed Classification		Dandies belong to the Terrier group and were originally used to hunt otters, weasels and badgers and small ground vermin, but are now used as family pets and seen in the show-ring.
Cost of Ownership
Average Food Cost		£4-7.50 per week
Feeding Requirements		Feeding costs will be around £5 per week depending on the choice of food.
		Try Royal Canin Breed Specific Dog Food
Other Expenses		A puppy will cost about £600.
Average Puppy Price		£500-800
Lifespan		9 - 15 years Their age expectancy is 13 years.
Average Litter Size		3 The average-sized litter is 3 puppies.
General Physical Description		With short, sturdy legs, Dandies are easily recognisable by their distinctive heads which have beautiful silky topknots and ear feathering. Their soft, wise expressions will melt the hardest of hearts. They have a free, fluent and easy stride which allows them to move surprisingly quickly. Their ‘crisp to the touch’ coat is a mixture of one third soft, linty hair and two thirds hard hair. The double coat is very distinguishable and should not shed down the back but lie in “pencils” caused by the harder hair coming through the softer undercoat.
Height Min Max Bitch 22cm (9") 28cm (11") Dog 22cm (9") 28cm (11") Weight Min Max Bitch 8kg (18lbs) 11kg (24lbs) Dog 8kg (18lbs) 11kg (24lbs)
Size Category		Small
Weight Height Range		Their height (at the shoulder) should be approximately 22 - 28cms, their weight between 8 – 11kgs.
Ailments		Dandies, as are other long, low dogs, are susceptible to intervertebral disc problems and care must be taken when choosing and rearing a puppy. Stair climbing, jumping on and off furniture and other high-impact activities, should be restricted, particularly during the first 12 months of their life. Hip dysplasia, kneecap luxation and torn ligaments are also known in the breed, but are unusual. As with many breeds arthritis can be common in older dogs. Eye testing of both parents for Glycoma is strongly recommended.
Common Ailments
Susceptibility To Illness		Medium
Other
History		This short legged terrier was developed in the 17th Century as an otter and badger specialist in the Cheviot and Teviotdale Hills. Sir Walter Scott was so impressed by them that he included them in his book ‘Guy Mannering’ published in 1814. This fictional character also gave his name to the breed and the colours, pepper and mustard, were adopted from the names of his dogs. The Dandie Dinmont is the only breed to be named after a character from fiction and some say is the most ancient of all “pure” terrier breeds.
Intelligence		This is a highly intelligent breed and is therefore relatively easy to train providing you make allowances that they can be stubborn at times. Start training early to eradicate barking at an early age.
Show Characteristics		A large, strong head with a broad skull narrowing towards the eyes with a well-domed forehead covered in very soft, silky hair. The nose should be black. The eyes should be a rich dark hazel colour, set wide apart, large and full and round. The pendulous ears should be set wide apart and tapering almost to a point. The thin feather of light hair should start about 5cms from the tip and be of nearly the same colouration and texture as the top-knot. The jaws should be strong with a complete scissor bite. The neck should be very muscular, well-developed and strong. The shoulders should be well laid back but not heavy. The forelegs should be short with immense muscular development and bone; the hindquarters being slightly longer than the front legs and set rather wide apart. The body should be long, strong and flexible with a well-sprung and round rib cage. The feet should be round and well-padded. The tail should be rather short (20 –25cms) and reasonable thick at the root, getting thicker for approximately 10cm and then tapering off to a point.
Country Of Origin		Scotland/Border Counties
Famous Examples
Records Held
Characteristics
Energy		Low
Overall Exercise		0 - 20 minutes per day. They will easily adjust to the family circumstances, but care should be taken off the lead, as they are hunting stock and will disappear after a squirrel or rabbit given half a chance! Care should be taken when using “flexi” type leads.
Distress Caused if Left Alone		Medium
Personal Protection		Low
Suitability As Guard Dog		Low
Risk of Sheep Worrying		Low
Tendency to Bark		Medium
Ease of Transportation		High
Level of Aggression		Low
Compatibility With Other Animals		Medium
Suitable For Children		High
General Character And Temperament		Whilst being sensitive, these game little dogs are still workmanlike. They are devoted to their owners and families. They are independent and persistent, typical traits of the ‘terrier’ group. They are very sociable dogs and will behave perfectly with other household pets as long as they have been introduced when they are young.
Grooming
Coat Length		Short/Medium
Grooming Requirement		Every Day
Trimming		Frequent
Requires Professional Groomer		True
Grooming		The puppy coat only needs a comb through daily to avoid matting but the older Dandies will need to be hand stripped two or three times a year (normally a job for an expert). The feet should be trimmed regularly. They should never be “Clipped Off”
Colour		They have two colour combinations: mustard and pepper. Mustard varies from pale fawn through to reddish-brown with a creamy white top-knot. Pepper ranges from silvery grey to dark bluish black with a silvery white top-knot.
Shedding		Little
Suffers From Allergies
Tendency to Cause Allergies

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