meet the...Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Breed Summary
Breed Group Group 6: Terrier Breeds
Sub-group :
Origin Country Great Britain
Weight Males: 18-24 pounds. Females: 18-24 pounds.
Height Males: 8-11 inches. Females: 8-11 inches.
Breed Type Pure
click here for FULL BREED STANDARD
Origins
The Dandie Dinmont Terrier breed is a very old breed that was developed around the 1600s to specialize in the eradication of otters. These dogs were kept throughout the Scottish-English border by local families, and they were prized for their grit and working ability, being only traded for other goods are services. They remained fairly unknown outside of the communities until they were discovered by Sir Walter Scott, whose novel "Guy Mannering" brought them into the public eye. Based on the character of his book, Dandie Dinmont, the dogs became known as Dandie Dinmont Terriers. Today, these hearty little dogs remain rare, even in their own home country of Great Britain.Breed Characteristics
Head: Mesaticephalic skull type, moderate in size, and appearing somewhat large, but always in proportion to the rest of the body. The skull is broad and tapers slightly towards the eyes. It is approximately equal in breadth (measured across the top in front of the ears) as it is long (from stop to occiput). The forehead is well domed, with the coat giving it a more exaggerated, rounded appearance. The head is strongly muscled, especially in the maxillary region. It is clean-cut and without excess skin or wrinkles.
Eyes: Moderate in size, yet appearing large for the overall size of the dog, somewhat open-oval to round in shape, and dark hazel to brown in color. The eye rims are well-fitted, well-pigmented, and black, further emphasizing the expression. The whites of the eyes should not be visible. The eyes are never bulging. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes.
Ears: Medium in size, set well-backed, and somewhat low on the skull. They are pendulous or drop, with the inner edge and tips hanging close to the head. The leathers are somewhat short, being 3-4 inches in length. They are broad at the base, triangular, and taper toward a pointed tip. They should never appear high, broken, overly large, or "fly-away."
Muzzle: The muzzle is well-developed, fairly broad, and powerful. The muzzle should never be weak or snipey. The plane of the muzzle is level and straight. The upper and lower jaws are equal in length with good substance. They are well-developed, giving depth and strength to the muzzle.
Nose: The nose is well-pigmented and black. The nostrils are well opened.
Neck: Sufficiently long to allow for a proud head carriage. Strongly muscled with a slight arch. The neck tapers smoothly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.
Chest: Deep and broad, but never wider than deep. The sternum is well-developed yet not overly pronounced. The brisket lies below the elbow, with the point of the elbow to the brisket equaling one-third of the entire depth of the body (measured from the withers to the brisket). The distance from the brisket to the ground should equal one-third of the dog’s height at the withers.
Body: It appears somewhat long in comparison to the height. It is compact, solid, and of good substance. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters. Overall, the body should appear long, strong, flexible, low, and weasel-like.
Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads. Forefeet may orient forward or turn just slightly outward.
Tail: Set neither high nor low on the croup, thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. Carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level, it is either above or below the level of the topline but never tucked or carried up over the back. The tail is of a long length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending beyond the hock joints when held down. The tail is gently curved.
Movement: The Dandie Dinmont Terrier breed’s movement is free, quick, agile, and energetic. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs may remain parallel with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out, or the forelegs may slightly converge under the dog’s body. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament: The Dandie Dinmont Terrier breed possesses equal parts of terrier charm and grit. They are known to be affectionate and clownish. However, they still retain a high amount of prey drive and quick reactivity, which can result in problems with smaller pets (especially rodents or pocket pets) and aggression issues between the same sex. They can also be very independent and stubborn, having little buy-in for activities that aren’t their idea. For this reason, strict socialization and companion obedience should be started as a puppy. Their daily routine should include ample bouts of exercise and mental and physical stimulation to curb any potential issues arising from boredom or frustration. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
Breed Standard
BREED GROUP 6: Terrier Breeds
Proportions: A very rectangular breed, with the length of the body measured from the point of the forechest to the point of the rump, being greater than the height at the withers. The height at the withers is approximately half the length of the body (measured from the point of the sternum to the point of the rump). There should be sufficient distance from the brisket to the ground (at least 1/3 the total distance from the withers to the ground) to allow for ground clearance. The substance is sturdy and of solid bone. The weight of males or females is always in proportion to height.
Head
General Appearance: Mesaticephalic skull type, moderate in size, and appearing somewhat large, but always in proportion to the rest of the body. The skull is broad and tapers slightly towards the eyes. It is approximately equal in breadth (measured across the top in front of the ears) as it is long (from stop to occiput). The forehead is well domed, with the coat giving it a more exaggerated, rounded appearance. The head is strongly muscled, especially in the maxillary region. It is clean-cut and without excess skin or wrinkles.
Expression: Dignified, intelligent, and soft.
Stop: The stop may be slightly accentuated to somewhat marked.
Skull: The ideal muzzle-to-skull ratio is 3:5, with the topskull being slightly greater in length than the muzzle.
The ideal muzzle-to-skull axis may range from parallel, convergent, or divergent.
Muzzle: The muzzle is well-developed, fairly broad, and powerful. The muzzle should never be weak or snipey. The plane of the muzzle is level and straight. The upper and lower jaws are equal in length with good substance. They are well-developed, giving depth and strength to the muzzle.
Lips or Flews: The lips are clean and fit tightly over the teeth and jaws, revealing the elegant taper of the muzzle.
Nose: The nose is well-pigmented and black. The nostrils are well opened.
Cheeks: The cheeks are well-padded, but they should never appear coarse.
Dentition and Bite: Forty-two strong, clean, and white teeth. The bite may be level or scissor. Contact must be made between the top and bottom incisors. Missing or broken teeth due to routine work are not to be penalized.
Eyes: Moderate in size, yet appearing large for the overall size of the dog, somewhat open-oval to round in shape, and dark hazel to brown in color. The eye rims are well-fitted, well-pigmented, and black, further emphasizing the expression. The whites of the eyes should not be visible. The eyes are never bulging. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes.
Ears: Medium in size, set well-backed, and somewhat low on the skull. They are pendulous or drop, with the inner edge and tips hanging close to the head. The leathers are somewhat short, being 3-4 inches in length. They are broad at the base, triangular, and taper toward a pointed tip. They should never appear high, broken, overly large, or "fly-away."
Body and Tail
General Description: It appears somewhat long in comparison to the height. It is compact, solid, and of good substance. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters. Overall, the body should appear long, strong, flexible, low, and weasel-like.
Neck: Sufficiently long to allow for a proud head carriage. Strongly muscled with a slight arch. The neck tapers smoothly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.
Chest: Deep and broad, but never wider than deep. The sternum is well-developed yet not overly pronounced. The brisket lies below the elbow, with the point of the elbow to the brisket equaling one-third of the entire depth of the body (measured from the withers to the brisket). The distance from the brisket to the ground should equal one-third of the dog’s height at the withers.
Topline: Withers are somewhat low, with a topline that drops just slightly right behind the withers and then arches over the loins, gradually running into the gently sloped crop. The back is long, broad, strongly muscled, and rising from shoulder to loin. It is supple and strong. The loin is taut, arched, and supportive. The back is never short, swayed, or roached.
Croup: Broad, long, and gently sloped.
Underline: A slight tuck-up is present, or the underline may run parallel to the topline. The underline is taut and firm without any indication of sagging or excess weight.
Ribs: Long, well-sprung, well-laid-back, and oval-shaped, never barrel-chested or slab-sided.
Tail: Set neither high nor low on the croup, thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. Carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level, it is either above or below the level of the topline but never tucked or carried up over the back. The tail is of a long length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending beyond the hock joints when held down. The tail is gently curved.
Forequarters and Hindquarters
Forequarters: The forequarters are always balanced with the hindquarters and well-angulated with well-laid-back shoulder blades. The shoulder blades are approximately equal in length to the upper arm and forearm, which is dwarfed. The growth of the long bones (scapula, upper and lower arm bones) are achondroplastic or stunted, resulting in the breed’s characteristic shortened limbs that, in turn, result in the body appearing elongated.
Elbows: The elbows are close to the body. The point of the elbow lies between 1/3 to 1/4 the distance of the withers to the brisket.
Forelegs: Frontal View: Straight, of good muscle, solid bone, and parallel to one another, or may be set somewhat under the dog in individuals with a traditional “wrap-around” front.
Side View: The forelimbs appear straight with strong pasterns.
Pasterns: Never weak, broken, or knuckled over.
Hindquarters: The hindlimbs may be slightly longer than the forelimbs. However, like the forelimbs, the growth of the long bones (upper thigh, lower thigh, and rear pastern) is achondroplastic or stunted, resulting in the breed’s characteristic shortened limbs that, in turn, results in the body appearing elongated. The pelvis, upper thigh, lower thigh, and rear pastern are all short and equal in length. The hindquarters are strong, sturdy, solid bone, and well-muscled.
Rear View: When viewed from the rear, the rear pasterns are parallel to one another.
Side View: Good angulation will allow the rear toes to align with the point of the rump or within one to two paw-lengths behind the point of the rump, with the rear pasterns remaining perpendicular to the ground and parallel to one another.
Stifle Joint: Well-angulated with a good bend to well-let-down rear pasterns. Front feet may orient straight.
Angulations: The angulation of the hindquarters is always in balance with the angulation of the forequarters.
Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads. Forefeet may orient forward or turn just slightly outward.
Coat
Skin: Well-fitted, yet supple. The skin should never obstruct the outline of the dog.
Coat Type: Weather-resistant double-coat with a harsh, crisp topcoat. The coat on the body and tail is harsher and somewhat wiry. However, the coat on the head, underside of the tail, and limbs tend to be softer.
Coat Color or Pattern: “Pepper” (agouti) or “mustard” (various shades of wheaten). All with white to cream points. Minimal white is permissible.
Movement
The Dandie Dinmont Terrier breed’s movement is free, quick, agile, and energetic. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs may remain parallel with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out, or the forelegs may slightly converge under the dog’s body. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament
The Dandie Dinmont Terrier breed possesses equal parts of terrier charm and grit. They are known to be affectionate and clownish. However, they still retain a high amount of prey drive and quick reactivity, which can result in problems with smaller pets (especially rodents or pocket pets) and aggression issues between the same sex. They can also be very independent and stubborn, having little buy-in for activities that aren’t their idea. For this reason, strict socialization and companion obedience should be started as a puppy. Their daily routine should include ample bouts of exercise and mental and physical stimulation to curb any potential issues arising from boredom or frustration. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
Faults
All dogs should be in proper, healthy condition, free from disease or defect. Any departure from this description is considered a fault. Unless altered, all male dogs should have two fully descended testicles.
