Dandie Dinmont Terrier

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a dog breed that belongs to the terrier group. This short-legged terrier was probably created in the 18th century in the Borders region of Scotland. Certain morphological and historical clues seem to indicate that this dog would come from a cross between Skye Terrier and Otterhound. This crossing would have been carried out to obtain a very effective dog in otter hunting, a job in which his two ancestors excel. The Dandie would be the main ancestor of the Bedlington terrier. The legend says that the Dandie was first a dog of Bohemians. It is certain that its first recognized breeders were farmers, notably a certain Piper Allan and his son James Allan. It was Sir Walter Scott's novel Guy Mannering that popularized the breed by featuring a character named Dandie Dinmont and his terriers, all named Pepper (Pepper) or Mustard (Mustard). The Dandie was in fact a fashionable breed from 1814, the year the novel was published. He was one of the first dog breeds recognized by the official cynophilia. Today however, the Dandie is a rare breed. In England, the births are more than 150 per year, but in France it is the rarest Scottish terrier with barely ten annual births. Still, the Dandie is a charming, good-tempered and confident little dog. He is very affectionate, playful and has lost none of his talent as a hunter. Like three of its 4 Scottish cousins, the Dandie needs to be groomed. Like all terriers, he is a very hardy dog ​​capable of reaching 16 years of age in very good health.