|
History
of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier
This short legged terrier was developed in the 17th
century as an otter and badger specialist in the Cheviot
and Teviotdale Hills in the border country of Scotland
and England. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is named after
Dandie Dinmont, a jovial farmer in Sir Walter Scott's
novel Guy Mannering. Scott also gave the names to the
breed's colours, pepper and mustard, which were adopted
from the names of Dandie Dinmont's dogs. The Dandie
Dinmont Terrier is the only breed to be named after
a character in fiction.
In the 1870s, exhibiting dogs became popular. The Kennel
Club formed in 1873 and, just after this time, moves
were made by Dandie enthusiasts to form a club. On November
17, 1875, at a meeting held at the Fleece Hotel in Selkirk
on the Scottish Borders, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Club was formed. It is one of the oldest pedigree breed
clubs in the world.
The first task was to draw up a breed standard and Mr
William Wardlaw Reed, a founder member of the DDTC.
worked on this, smoothing out the many differences.
The following year at the Red Lion Hotel, Carlisle,
the standard was agreed and adopted.
The breed was first registered with the American Kennel
Club (AKC) in 1888. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier was recognized
by the United Kennel Club (UKC) in 1918.
Today the Dandie Dinmont is amongst the rarest and most
endangered of all pure breeds/pedigree dogs. The UK
Kennel Club list the Dandie as one of the UK's Vulnerable
Native Dog Breeds and there is a very real chance of
the breed becoming extinct.
|
