Dandie Dinmont Terrier

This crossing would have been done to obtain a dog very effective in otter hunting, work in which both its ancestors excel. The Dandie is believed to be the main ancestor of the Bedlington Terrier. Legend says that the Dandie was first a Bohemian dog. It is certain that its first recognized breeders were farmers, including a certain Piper Allan and his son James Allan. It is the novel Guy Mannering by Sir Walter Scott that popularized the breed by featuring a character named Dandie Dinmont and his terriers, all named Pepper or Mustard. The Dandie became a fashionable breed as of 1814, the year of the novel's release. It was one of the first dog breeds recognized by official cynology. Today however, the Dandie is a rare breed. In England, births are over 150 per year, but in France it is the rarest Scottish terrier with barely a dozen births annually. Nevertheless, the Dandie is a charming small dog with a good character and confident. It is very affectionate, playful and has lost none of its hunting talent. Like three of its four Scottish cousins, the Dandie needs to be groomed. Like all terriers, it is a very sturdy dog capable of reaching 16 years in very good health.