Dog Breed Guide

Dandie Dinmont Terrier

Profile

Size

Small

Country of origin

United Kingdom (Scotland)

Origin

18th century

Bred for

Hunting otter and badger

Height

20 - 28cm (8 - 11in)

Weight

8 - 11kg (18 - 24lb)

Life span

12 - 15 years

A uniquely shaped terrier with short legs, a long body, a silky topknot sitting softly on its head and large, soulful eyes. Its back arches gently toward the loin. It comes in two colors: grayish "pepper" and tawny "mustard."

For a terrier the Dandie is gentle, dignified and composed. It is affectionate with its family but brave when it counts. It barks with a deep voice like a much bigger dog's.

It needs moderate exercise and is content with daily walks. Because of its long body, watch its weight to avoid straining its spine. The coat needs regular care.

Good to know

It is the only recognized breed named after a character in a novel. In 1815 the great Scottish author Sir Walter Scott published the novel Guy Mannering, featuring a farmer named Dandie Dinmont who kept a number of terriers. His dogs were named Pepper and Mustard after their colors. The novel was a huge success, and the dogs that inspired the character came to be called "Dandie Dinmont's terriers," which became the breed's name. That is why its colors are still called pepper and mustard today.

It was kept on farms in the Border country between England and Scotland as a hunting dog for otter and badger.

Today fewer than 300 are registered each year in Britain, and the Kennel Club lists it as a "vulnerable native breed." In 2023 only 102 puppies were registered in Britain.