Dandie Dinmont Terrier Breed Magazine features information, expert articles, and stunning photos from AKC judges, breeders, and owners.
TERRIER DANDIE DINMONT
Let’s Talk Breed Education!
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Official Standard of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier General Appearance: Originally bred to go to ground, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a long, low-stationed working terrier with a curved outline. The distinctive head with silken topknot is large but in proportion to the size of the dog. The dark eyes are large and round with a soft, wise expression. The sturdy, flexible body and scimitar shaped tail are covered with a rather crisp double coat, either mustard or pepper in color. Size, Proportion, Substance: Height is from 8 to 11 inches at the top of the shoulders. Length from top of shoulders to root of tail is one to two inches less than twice the height. For a dog in good working condition, the preferred weight is from 18 to 24 pounds. Sturdily built with ample bone and well developed muscle, but without coarseness. The overall balance is more important than any single specification . Head: The head is strongly made and large, but in proportion to the dog’ s size. Muscles are well developed, especially those covering the foreface. The expression shows great determination, intelligence and dignity. The eyes are large, round, bright and full, but not protruding. They are set wide apart and low, and directly forward. Color, a rich dark hazel. Eye rims dark. The ears are set well back, wide apart and low on the skull, hanging close to the cheek, with a very slight projection at the fold. The shape is broad at the base, coming almost to a point. The front edge comes almost straight down from base to tip; the tapering is primarily on the back edge. The cartilage and skin of the ear are rather thin. The ear’ s length is from three to four inches. The skull is broad between the ears, gradually tapering toward the eyes, and measures about the same from stop to occiput as it does from ear to ear. Forehead (brow) well domed. Stop well defined. The cheeks gradually taper from the ears toward the muzzle in the same proportion as the taper of the skull. The muzzle is deep and strong. In length, the proportions are a ratio of three (muzzle) to five (skull). The nose is moderately large and black or dark colored. The lips and inside of the mouth are black or dark colored. The teeth meet in a tight scissors bite . The teeth are very strong, especially the canines, which are an extraordinary size for a small dog. The canines mesh well with each other to give great holding and punishing power. The incisors in each jaw are evenly spaced and six in number. Neck, Topline, Body: The neck is very muscular, well developed and strong, showing great power of resistance. It is well set into the shoulders and moderate in length. The topline is rather low at the shoulder, having a slight downward curve and a corresponding arch over the loins, with a very slight gradual drop from the top of the loins to the root of the tail. Both sides of the backbone well muscled. The outline is a continuous flow from the crest of the neck to the tip of the tail. The body is long, strong and flexible. Ribs are well sprung and well rounded. The chest is well developed and well let down between the forelegs. The underline reflects the curves of the topline. The tail is 8 to 10 inches in length, rather thick at the root, getting thicker for about four inches, then tapering off to a point. The set-on of the tail is a continuation of the very slight gradual drop over the croup. The tail is carried a little above the level of the body in a curve like
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a scimitar. Only when the dog is excited may the tip of the tail be aligned perpendicular to its root. Forequarters: There should be sufficient layback of shoulder to allow good reach in front; angulation in balance with hindquarters. Upper arms nearly equal in length to the shoulder blades, elbows lying close to the ribs and capable of moving freely. The forelegs are short with good muscular development and ample bone, set wide apart. Feet point forward or very slightly outward. Pasterns nearly straight when viewed from the side. Bandy legs and fiddle front are objectionable . Hindquarters: The hind legs are a little longer than the forelegs and are set rather wide apart, but not spread out in an unnatural manner. The upper and lower thighs are rounded and muscular and approximately the same length; stifles angulated, in balance with forequarters. The hocks are well let down and rear pasterns perpendicular to the ground. Feet: The feet are round and well cushioned. Dewclaws preferably removed on forelegs. Rear feet are much smaller than the front feet and have no dewclaws. Nails strong and dark; nail color may vary according to the color of the dog. White nails are permissible. Flat feet are objectionable . Coat: This is a very important point: The hair should be about two inches long; the body coat is a mixture of about ⅔ hardish hair with about ⅓ soft hair, giving a sort of crisp texture. The hard is not wiry. The body coat is shortened by plucking. The coat is termed pily or pencilled, the effect of the natural intermingling of the two types of hair. The hair on the underpart of the body is softer than on the top. The head is covered with very soft, silky hair, the silkier the better. It should not be confined to a mere topknot but extends to cover the upper portion of the ears, including the fold, and frames the eyes. Starting about two inches from the tip, the ear has a thin feather of hair of nearly the same color and texture as the topknot, giving the ear the appearance of ending in a distinct point. The body of the ear is covered with short, soft, velvety hair. The hair on the muzzle is of the same texture as the foreleg feather. For presentation, the hair on the top of the muzzle is shortened. The hair behind the nose is naturally more sparse for about an inch. The forelegs have a feather about two inches long, the same texture as the muzzle. The hind leg hair is of the same texture but has considerably less feather. The upper side of the tail is covered with crisper hair than that on the body. The underside has a softer feather about two inches long, gradually shorter as it nears the tip, shaped like a scimitar. Trimming for presentation is to appear entirely natural; exaggerated styling is objectionable. Color: The color is pepper or mustard. Pepper ranges from dark bluish black to a light silvery gray, the intermediate shades preferred. The topknot and ear feather are silvery white, the lighter the color the better. The hair on the legs and feet should be tan, varying according to the body color from a rich tan to a very pale fawn. Mustard varies from a reddish brown to a pale fawn. The topknot and ear feather are a creamy white. The hair on the legs and feet should be a darker shade than the topknot.
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In both colors the body color comes well down the shoulders and hips, gradually merging into the leg color. Hair on the underpart of the body is lighter in color than on the top. The hair on the muzzle (beard) is a little darker shade than the topknot. Ear color harmonizes with the body color. The upper side of the tail is a darker shade than the body color, while the underside of the tail is lighter, as the legs. Some white hair on the chest is common. Gait: Proper movement requires a free and easy stride, reaching forward with the front legs and driving with evident force from the rear. The legs move in a straight plane from shoulder to pad and hip to pad. A stiff, stilted, hopping or weaving gait and lack of drive in the rear quarters are faults to be penalized. Temperament: Independent, determined, reserved and intelligent. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier combines an affectionate and dignified nature with, in a working situation, tenacity and boldness.
Approved February 9, 1991 Effective March 27, 1991
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JUDGING THE DANDIE
By Betty-Anne Stenmark
Group of Dandies from a painting by John Emms (1879-1890)
Ch. Brigadoon Telstar (1968) - Twice national specialty winner, a great sire, a dog who could compete today, 45 years later.
Austr. Grand & Am. Ch. Hobergays Fineus Fogg (Harry) - Top dog all breeds 2007, handled to 30 all breed Bests in Show by Emma Greenway in Australia and 66 all breed Bests in Show in America by Bill McFadden.
I n America we judge by com- parison so if you are already approved for other short-legged long-bodied breeds you will find judging the Dandie easier than those who are not. Th ere are three essential elements of breed type that must be present. 1) A very long silhouette 2) Silhouette must be a series of gentle curves in the right places 3) Crowned with an impressive, distinc- tive head
Th e Dandie is rectangular. Like the Sus- sex Spaniel, Basset Hound, Dachshund, Skye Terrier, and both the Pembroke and Cardigan Welsh Corgi, lowness to ground and great length of body is desired. Th e Dandie is twice as long as he is tall, less one to two inches, measured from the withers so this is a very long dog indeed. When is the last time you saw a Dandie in the ring who was as long as the Skye Terrier? Unlike the Skye, unfortunately the Dandie as a breed has di ffi culty keeping the virtue of great body length. O ff type would be
upright and square, anything bordering on cobby, all are very wrong in the Dandie. Th e outline is a series of gentle curves; in the breed we call it “weasely,” a breed hallmark. Th e arch in the neck, the slight downward curve over the withers, the slight arch over the loin, and the very slight drop over the croup to the upright curve of the scimitar-shaped and carried tail, describes the correct topline. Th e Standard describes it well when it says; “the outline is a con- tinuous flow from the crest of the neck to the tip of the tail.” Balance and symmetry
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Ch. King’s Mtn. Mouse Trap - BOS Montgomery 2004, dam of the top winning Dandie bitch of all time, Ch. King’s Mtn. Minnie Mouse
are paramount. “Slight” and “very slight” are the adjectives that describe the curves. Exaggeration of these curves results in a caricature and will a ff ect the dog’s flexibil- ity and gait. If the body is too short the curves even if in the right places will be accentuated, highly undesirable. Th e lon- ger the body the more gentle the curves. Th e curves are seldom observed when stacked, sometimes present when the dog self-stacks on the ground, and are best observed when the dog is on the move. In the breed we say “no outline, no Dan- die.” Th ose who judge the curvy sight- hound breeds such as Borzoi, Greyhound and Whippets, will easily understand this topline, the symmetry of it, the only real di ff erence is how the Dandie finishes over the croup, that drop is not as pronounced. Of course the Dandie’s distant cousin, the Bedlington Terrier is a curvy breed as well but not of the short-legged class. Th e tail set is important; it is set on a very slightly sloping croup. Th e tail is scimitar shaped and carried in an upward curve, never over the back. Th e tail pro- vides the proper finish to the correct sil- houette and for me a highly carried tail is like a waving flag, it disturbs my eye. I like to see the tail carried at 2 o’clock. Th e head appears large for the size of the dog. Th e skull is basically the same distance
Ch. King’s Mtn. Mouse Trap on the move, showing good reach in front, holding her topline on the move with good drive behind.
from stop to occiput as it is from ear to ear. In the breed we say it should “fill your hand.” Which brings up another point, you must put your hand on the skull, without regard to crushing the topknot. One good shake by the dog and the correct topknot is back up and standing. Th e muzzle is strongly made, good fill at the cheek, and is in a proportion of 3 parts muzzle to 5 parts skull. For those who judge the Cardigan and Pembroke these are the same proportions. Th e eyes are large, round, dark hazel, face directly forward and set wide apart.
Th e ears are set o ff the side of the skull and hang framing the face. A scissors bite with large even teeth is desired. Th e expression is wise, not cute. Th e Dandie front assembly is exactly as written in the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Standard. A well laid back shoulder with an upper arm to match, placing the forelegs directly under the withers. Th e forelegs wrap around the chest and are almost straight, the pasterns slope slightly and a very slight turn- out is permissible. Feet are tight with thick pads, meant for relentless digging.
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Ch. King’s Mtn. Stuart Little on the move, good reach in front, holding his topline, good drive and follow through behind
Ch. King’s Mtn. Stuart Little , a Harry son out of Mouse Trap, at six months of age WD & BOW at the 2006 National, and Best in Sweepstakes. Shown with good length of body and naturally curvy.
heights and weights apply to both dogs and bitches. Dogs should be masculine; bitches feminine. Th e upper weight limits are most often seen on a Dandie of proper length and substance. Th e Dandie comes in two colors; mus- tard and pepper. Mustard is simply a clear red, varying from a light cream to a dark red and the furnishings are creamy col- ored. Th e pepper puppy is born black and tan but begins to silver as the coat grows, the tan points usually fading out to silver, and the black becomes the same “salt and pepper” as seen on the Schnauzers. Peppers can vary from a light gray to a blue black. Visual tan points are occasionally seen on the peppers and perfectly permissible. Th e coat is a mixture of 1/3 soft under- coat to 2/3 crisp outer coat. Th e so-called “penciling” of the coat is the result of some undercoat showing through the outer coat, and hanging in what looks like penciling. Crisp coat is exactly that, it should feel sort of crisp to the hand. Th e furnishings are softer, silky to the touch, not cottony. Th e coat must be of su ffi cient length to feel texture. Th e color is in the tips of the hair shafts so a dog in very short coat will appear very dark with no penciling. A coat approach- ing 2 inches in length will look blousy
Ch. King’s Mtn. Elsbeth Elfwish , at six months of age, free handled showing great length of body and naturally curvy outline.
I can tell a lot about a judge’s under- standing of this breed by where the judge puts his hands. You must put your hands between the forelegs of the Dandie and there must be a significant prosternum filling your hand. If there is nothing in your hand the dog is straight in front, a very serious fault in the breed. You must put your hands on the withers, the point of shoulder and the elbow, the length and angle of the shoulder blade and the upper arm must be almost the same.
Th e rear quarters are in balance with the forequarters, of course. Th e first and second thighs are well developed and meaty with good muscle, with a short well defined hock. Th e Standard states that the, “hind legs are a little longer than the fore- legs…” a statement I feel would be more correctly described as “the hind legs appear to be a little longer than the forelegs…” Th e Dandie should never appear stern high. Th e Dandie is 8 to 11 inches at the shoulder; and 18 to 24 pounds. Th e same
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and ready to be worked. Th e body coat is continuously pulled so new coat is always coming in. Grooming the Dandie to the level needed to be truly competitive in the ring is an art. It takes a great deal of prac- tice and dedication and I think one of the reasons so few Dandies are shown today. Th e Dandie should move out freely and easily on a loose lead. A properly con- structed Dandie when viewed from the side should reach out well in front, hold his topline on the move with a notice- able slight arch over the loin and drive with evident force from behind. As speed increases there is a very slight inclination toward the centerline of travel. Coming and going you will notice the tail acts as a rudder for balance. Old-timers will refer to the “Dandie roll,” which in more than 37 years in this breed I have never seen on a Dandie who was properly constructed. Certainly dogs that are not in good mus- cle tone, overweight or built too widely in front will roll to compensate for poor structure. Th e Dandie today is usually shown like the Pembroke with the han- dler standing up and the dog out the end of a loose lead, self stacked. Th e Dandie is an extremely di ffi cult breed to breed, anchondroplastic, and with so much detail making up the whole. It is also an extremely di ffi cult breed to judge as you must have the big picture, the cor- rect breed silhouette, firmly placed in your mind’s eye and know where the priorities lie. Th ere are many tradeo ff s to be made, but do not lose sight of the big picture and get mired in the detail. Tips for Judges: Do not spar Dandies with each other, or in the Group ring. If you wish another look then bring the Dandie out into the center of the ring to stand on his own. Never go down to a Dandie stacked on the floor or the ground. If you wish to re-examine the Dandie, put him back up on the exam table. Th is practice holds true for all breeds examined on a table. BIO Betty-Anne is the author of the “Dandie Dinmont Terrier”, a comprehensive breed book published by BowTie Publishing and available online from AmazonBooks.com
Ch. King’s Mtn. Elsbeth Elfwish at six months of age coming at you, showing the natural incline of the forelegs
Ch. King’s Mtn. Elsbeth Elfwish at six months of age, going away, showing the natural incline as the speed increases and the tail acting as a rudder for balance
“IT TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF PRACTICE AND DEDICATION and I think one of the reasons so few Dandies are shown today.”
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LENGTH, SHAPE & TOPLINE IN THE DANDIE DINMONT TERRIER
BY SANDRA PRETARI HICKSON
B ecause length, shape, and topline are the most misun- derstood areas of our Breed Standard and, consequent- ly, of our breed, it is where I focus most when giving our breed’s judges education presentation. I start there, I end there, and we revisit it over and over again throughout the presentation. The three are intertwined, and when judging “goes off” in our breed, this is invariably where it does; judges thinking that more is better or that any old curve in any old place or any topline at all will do. All, of course, are equally incorrect. If you do not understand length, shape, and most importantly, topline in our breed, you will be completely lost judging it. The height of the Dandie is 8 to 11 inches at the top of the shoulder. Length from the TOP of the shoulder to the root of the tail is twice the height of the dog, less 1 to 2 inches, so a 10-inch Dandie should be 18 to 19 inches long. Let’s use the Skye Terrier as a comparison. The Skye Terrier Standard calls for a Skye to be twice as long as it is tall; a 10-inch dog would be 20 inches long. However, that measurement is taken from the CHEST BONE, the PROSTERNUM, not from the TOP of the shoulder as is the Dan- die. Using this as an example, the average Dandie should be as long as the average Skye, but generally is not. And while the Skye Terrier does not have a problem maintaining its length of body, the Dan- die very much does. Length is very difficult to achieve and main- tain in a Dandie, and consequently, must be coveted and rewarded. When first looking at a class of Dandies, your immediate impression should be one of great length, and in the end, all things being equal, the longer of the two dogs must go up. I always get asked if a Dandie can be too long and the short answer is, “No, I’ve never seen it.” Now, if you have a Dandie come into your ring
that is longer than the Standard calls for, that Dandie would be too long. However, as I have just said, I have never seen one and I have measured and examined hundreds of Dandies. Consequently, in a nutshell and to borrow the mantra from the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Judges’ Education presentation, “long is good, short is bad!” Our Standard is very clear about what the outline and topline of a Dandie should be, and it is as follows: “ The topline is rather low at the shoulder, having a SLIGHT downward curve and a corresponding arch over the loin, with a VERY SLIGHT gradual drop from the top of the loins to the root of the tail. ” [EMPHASIS added.] The downward curve is SLIGHT, ergo, the corresponding arch over the loin is also SLIGHT, with the VERY SLIGHT drop over the croup. In looking at the drawing below from our Illustrated Standard , you will see that the degree of arch over the loin very much mirrors the degree of downward curve at the shoulder, both are SLIGHT. No exaggerated curves, no camel backs, no roaches, no swamp backs—all are seen quite often being rewarded in the ring, along with the equally egregious ski slope/ stern high topline. Additionally, the rise must be over the loin, with the apex of the rise being over the center of the loin and not drift- ing forward towards or in the middle of the back, both of which are quite common. The above-described toplines are not only incorrect but almost always denote weakness, not only of the topline but in other areas as well. A Dandie with a roached and/or camel back is almost always short in body and straight in front, with little to no proster- num. A Dandie with a ski slope topline is almost always straight in the rear and, of course, would not have the required very slight drop from the top of the loin to the root of the tail. And so it goes.
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LENGTH, SHAPE & TOPLINE IN THE DANDIE DINMONT TERRIER
The correct shape of the Dandie’s body is key to correct type, and the key words used to describe it are “slight” and “curves.” But another word I like to use to describe the Dandie is “wea- selly.” In every Breed Standard other than the AKC Standard, the word “weaselly” is used in the General Appearance section to describe the Dandie. Why it was omitted from ours I don’t know, as it’s such a beautifully descriptive word when referring to our Dandie. Why? Well, what is a weasel? It is a long, low, curvy, flexible, athletic, killing machine; everything a Dandie should be. You should see all of that when looking at a Dandie. It is the correct outline and topline that are not only critical to Dandie type but also what makes those toplines flexible, supple, well-muscled, and strong, with no weakness. Remember, “No Outline, No Dandie.” Yes, we say this same thing about a num- ber of breeds, but while there are other breeds with curvy out- lines, the Dandie’s outline is unique and like no other. It should never be a mystery as to what you’re looking at when looking at a correct Dandie silhouette. In 1951, the late Phyllis Salisbury of Salismore Dandies in the UK wrote, “The construction and mechanics of a well- made Dandie, with its short legs and long, arched and flexible body, must attain a high degree of perfection in order that the animal move with the balanced agility to carry out its work of vermin killing.” Again, one would say, well that is true of any dog bred to do a job, and yes, it is. However, I put to you that because the construction and mechanics of the Dandie are so very distinctive and unique, it is even more so in our breed. The trickle-down effect of an incorrect outline and topline are very, very real.
MBIS/MBISS/NBIS CH King’s Mtn. Angelina Ballerina Top-Winning Bitch in Breed History
MBIS/NBIS Am. CH/Aust. GCH Hobergays Finneus Fogg Top-Winning Dandie in Breed History
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Unlike a lot of dog people, Sandra Pretari Hickson was not born into the dog world. Sandra purchased her first show dog, an Akita, in 1993 when in her late 20s. She exhibited the breed for many years and is now a judge. Sandra is also currently licensed to judge the Working Group (minus four low-entry breeds that she will be applying for shortly), Dandies, Dachshunds, and Otterhounds. In 1996, Sandra met Betty-Anne Stenmark and her Dandies. Little did she know that it would be the start of a long friendship and partnership. After a couple of years helping Betty-Anne with her Dandies, Sandra received her first, CH King’s Mtn. Mouse Trap, a lovely bitch who had some great wins, but more importantly, changed King’s Mtn. Dandies forever in the whelping box. The King’s Mtn. partnership had begun.
In that litter was Sandra’s first All-Breed BIS winner, GCH King’s Mtn. Minnie Mouse, the top-winning owner-handled Dandie in breed history, and her first National Specialty winner, CH King’s Mtn. Stuart Little, sire to MBIS/MBISS GCHB King’s Mtn. Angelina Ballerina, the top- winning Dandie bitch in breed history with seven All-Breed Bests in Show, 10 Reserve Bests in Show, a National Specialty Best of Breed from the Veteran Class, winner of two All-Terrier Bests in Show, over 40 Group Firsts, numerous Group placements, and a Group IV at Westminster in 2015. The most remarkable thing about all of this winning is that “Angelina Ballerina” did it between the ages of 7.5 and 8.5 years, winning the National at nearly nine. She never met a dog show she didn’t like. Angelina is, by far, our most famous Dandie, but Sandra and Betty-Anne have certainly had several other Dandies of note. Most notable is MBIS/MBISS GCHB King’s Mtn. Prima Ballerina, Angelina’s daughter, the top Specialty-winning Dandie in breed history with four National Specialty wins (2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019), numerous Regional Specialty wins, and six Bests in Show. Having a mother and daughter win back- to-back Nationals and then having the daughter go on to win three more is probably Sandra’s proudest accomplishment as a breeder. “Darcy’s” sire, NBISS CH King’s Mtn. Robert the Bruce, was also a sire of note, producing 11 champions, bred sparingly, and was the 2011 National Specialty Best of Breed winner. Sandra is the former Show Chair and current Assistant Show Chair of the Del Valle Dog Club of Livermore and Skyline Dog Fanciers of San Mateo County. She is a member of the Akita Club of America, the Border Terrier Club of America, and the Dandie Dinmont Terrier Club of America, holding numerous positions in the latter; Judges Education Chair, Mustard & Pepper Editor, National Specialty Show Chair, and former Board Member.
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Living With The DANDIE DINMONT
By Peggy Carr Photos courtesy of Barbara Baese
A
nyone who lives with a Dandie or multiples of Dandies must possess two bones. Th e first is a strong backbone to maintain boundaries
in the home as the Alpha individual. Th e Dandie, with his melting expression, can easily develop bad habits. Because a Dan- die puppy is so “cute” it is hard for a new owner to correct bad behavior. Don’t let that happen to you! Th e other bone is the most important: a funny bone. Th rough the years I have managed to tap into my funny bone with all the antics the Dandies provide and want to share some of my favorites. Most show dogs have a very limited time in the show ring. Th eir roles as fam- ily members make them the memory keepers of our lives. Th ey seldom forget the routines they enjoy with their owners. I am often asked if more than one Dandie can share their lives. One must remember Dandies are terriers. Th ey can pose prob- lems if they are not taught from puppy- hood how to get along with all the family members, including the household dogs and cats. A family took an older puppy into their home. As weeks went by, the puppy got into several tussles with their older Dan- die. I received a phone call from the fam- ily, as well as the breeder of the pup. Long story short, the pup came to me for just a “few weeks.” Th at was three years ago! Th e first night he was here, I was dosing in my recliner when all of a sudden I heard a loud “No!” My husband had grabbed him by the scru ff of the neck much as a mother dog does. He tossed him across the room into my lap. Seems the pup had growled at my “heartdog” Denison. It was probably lucky it happened when we were able to correct him immediately. Now a champion, he
shares our home with two other Dandies and two Miniature Dachshunds. And who is the canine Alpha bitch? It is the thirteen- year-old rescue Dachshund! She only has to stare at him to correct improper behavior! Th ough one may live with multiples, each dog must be given private time away from the others. Many of our national club members are very active in performance events. It is obvious these Dandie owners are showcasing our clever breed. Kudos to them! Several years before Earthdog trials
came to AKC, I was active in the American Working Terrier trials. One of my friends had a Smooth Fox Terrier. Her husband had a construction company. He made a dig for us to practice in at a site. My husband dug a dig at our rural property. Her son dug one at her house, so we had three practice areas. One evening I loaded up a couple rats and cages and my Dandie, Buckwheat. We worked in the cool of the evening. My com- mand was, “Find the mouse.” My friend’s command was, “Get the rat.”
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“EACH AND EVERY ONE OF MY DANDIES HAS BROUGHT ME JOY. And like any dog, they can put us in embarrassing situations.”
Both dogs were working well when we heard a police siren. Lo and behold the siren ceased in her driveway. Th e police o ffi cer banged on her gate, hollered “Police” and entered her backyard. “I’ve been called here with a complaint of cat killing,” he exclaimed. I immediate- ly grabbed my funny bone! Seems one of the neighbors called in the complaint and was unable to decipher the “Get the rat” command. Luckily, the o ffi cer grabbed his funny bone! He was impressed when we showed him what we were doing. Living with Dandies a ff ords us the time to share daily events with them. “ Th e Dust- man” loved to ride with me on errands. I was driving a little sports car and I believe he was remembering riding shotgun in a former life. We went to the feed store for grain for the goats. Th e fellow who brought it out saw Dusty peeping around his seat. “Ma’am,” he shouted. “ Th at dawg ain’t got no legs.” I told him I would take Dusty out so he could see he really did have legs! I shared the history of the breed and why he had short legs. Th e man enjoyed petting him and after awhile, Dusty jumped back in the car. “Ma’am, I don’t want to hurt your feelings but do you know he has a bump on his back?” Enter my funny bone! I occasionally saw the fellow
and he always asked about Dusty. ’Course has been gone for several years now, but he will always be my ‘dawg with no legs’! We do show our dogs. It is pretty obvi- ous from their behavior they love the ring as much as the couch. Each and every one of my Dandies has brought me joy. And like any dog, they can put us in embar- rassing situations. Possibly the most embarrassing moment came when I was showing Cruise. He was the kindest dog that ever lived and he loved to show. He won the breed at Th e Garden but was equally excited when he was invited to the Secord Gallery. He greeted visitors as they came in and spent the afternoon doing tricks for cookies. Later, I was showing him in the group at an Oklahoma show and on the final go round my petticoat fell down around my ankles. I simply took my foot and tossed it out of the ring. Cruise wanted to retrieve it—I wanted the floor to open up and swallow us both! He won the group and went on to win Best in Show. From the crowd, I had to endure chants of “Will Strip for Wins.” A moment I’ll never forget, for MANY reasons. All our dogs mean the world to us. We all have stories to share. Th e proudest I have ever been of one of my dogs did happen
at a show. Dusty was resting on a groom- ing table when a woman wheeled a young man with cerebral palsy into our setup. She asked if her son could touch Dusty. Th e young man was very excited. His body and limbs were very spastic, as well as his voice being very loud and guttural. Dusty, along with his multiple titles, was a therapy dog with his TDI title. I agreed to let him touch Dusty. His mother wheeled him very close to Dusty. He roughly grabbed his topknot while squealing with delight. Dusty slowly inched forward and planted a soft, tender kiss on his cheek. Suddenly the boy became very still. His legs and arms were stilled and his voice transferred into a big quiet smile. His mom had tears in her eyes, as did I. Th is is why I love living with Dandies! BIO Peggy, a retired art and music teacher, along with her husband, Larry, a retired steel executive, began showing Saint Ber- nards and Skye Terriers in 1969. Th ey became active with Dandie Dinmonts in l983. Th ey have bred and finished multiple Group and Best in Show Dandies under the “Schooner” prefix. Dogs are their lives. Th ey have a successful grooming salon, as well as a boarding kennel in Oklahoma.
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VERSATILITY IS JUST DAN DIE! By BJ Pumfrey & Heather Van Oen D ANDIE DIMWITT… these were the first words spoken to me by the instructors while I was registering for my first Obedience class and you will need to have them slow down which is not that fun. If you achieve this though… your Dandie can do just as well as any herding breed out there.
in life is to make you happy. A Dandie’s whole purpose is to find a way for YOU to make THEM happy. Your Dandie is not going to respect a person who barks out an order expecting instant adherence to some- thing that really isn’t important to them. Rally is a fun and attainable first sport since you are allowed to talk to your dog, pat your leg, clap your hand or even sing in the ring (if you so desire). In conventional Obedience you give a single command and expect instant compliance while withhold- ing praise or feedback until the end of the exercise… your novice Dandie could be two rings away by that time making friends with some nice person or sitting on an available lap. Dandies get bored with rep- etition even when they are being rewarded but your first rally title can be done “on leash.” From this title you are set up to pass your Canine Good Citizen test and Th era- py Dog International test too. For the Dandie adventurers there are other sports for Dandies to excel in. Although some say Dandies shouldn’t do Agility because of their long backs, the Dandie has a natural rise in their back making it possible to do jumps (albeit certain heights), A frames, teeter totters, tunnels etc. Th ey may not be the fastest time-wise as they have very short legs but they do very well and enjoy the sport. If you ever see a picture of a Dandie doing Agility, you will see a smile on their face. Nosework is a fairly new sport but one that allows your Dandie to work indepen- dently and find that “hidden” scent. Th ey are natural hunters and very accurate once they understand the purpose of the “hunt.” Once they find “it” they need to tell you and it builds a unique communication bond with your Dandie. Th ere are four obtainable titles in Nosework. Although there are VERY few Dandies that do Herding, the ones that do man- age very well. You as an owner will need to be able to move fast and be in control of your dog. Perseverance is needed with this sport as your Dandie will love the “chase”
If you’re completely ready to have your Dandie embarrass you, try Canine Free- style Dance. Th is is probably the most di ffi cult sport of all. I have a Dandie that knows 65 commands that he does amaz- ing tricks to. We set that to music and we dance and sometimes we get our title and sometimes not. On more than one occa- sion, my Dandie has decided it was far more interesting to stop in the middle of the ring and watch me dance for the audi- ence. Entertainment at its finest, he has won Judges Choice and Most Memorable routine prizes for his “comedic stage pres- ence.” If you’re not so hung up on winning and interested in FUN, this is the sport. So… As you can see the Dandie Dinmont is a great little dog with versatility plus. Th ey are a fun breed with loads of personality. BIOS BJ Pumfrey grew up with Bassets, hav- ing parents who showed in Conformation and Obedience. She started competing in Juniors with the CKC and after complet- ing college, reentered the dog world by showing Cairns for over 30 yrs. She finally got her ‘Dream Dog’ Dandie 8 years ago and has been competing with Dandies in AKC Conformation and Rally ever since, adding two more female Dandies to her family who are also working on Agility. Her oldest Dandie is also a Th erapy Dog working at Children’s Hospital in Canada. Heather Van Oen has had pet dogs all of her life, but has never trained them before. Her first Dandie love came into her life in 2005. In 2007 and 2011, she added her current Dandies, Sam & Gracie Mae who participate in companion events from Ral- ly, Herding, Nosework, Agility and Free- style Dancing - the first and only Dandies to compete in dog dancing. She’s active in Canadian and Pacific NW events and has been a DDTCA member since 2010.
with Hannah. I was crushed and then I got mad and vowed to make them eat their words. Since then I have heard this expres- sion on numerous occasions at ringside (including from 2 judges) and delight in showing them just how wrong they were. I’m not claiming that Dandies are easy to train (they aren’t Border Collies) but they are far from stupid. In fact, Dandies are probably overall one of the cleverest breeds around once you figure out what their moti- vation is and keep them from getting bored with the training process. Th is is nothing new… we must remember that besides being vermin hunters, they were highly prized as “Tinker’s dogs” back in the 1700 and 1800s when they were used to entertain and draw in potential customers by these travelling salesman. If you decide that you would indeed enjoy working with a Dandie, you must first and foremost possess a sense of humor, a lot of patience, the ability to recover from public humiliation and be prepared to spend a lot of time hunched over with you knuckles almost dragging on the ground in an “ape-like” position. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the reception you’ll get work- ing them at “their” level. You have to real- ize is that your Dandie’s head is below your knee and because of their confirmation, it isn’t natural for them to walk around gaz- ing up at you. Th ey want to look where they are going, not follow you blindly into who knows what situation. Th e next important di ff erence in work- ing with Dandies, more so than other breeds, is that they are so smart that they get bored quickly. When they do some- thing right, they see no reason to keep beating it into the ground. A Border Collie or a Golden will just keep doing what you ask ad nauseum since their whole purpose
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