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Dandie Dinmont Terrier

The Westminster Kennel Club’s Best in Group for the terriers this year was the Dandie Dinmont Terrier — owned by none other than Doctor William H. Cosby! This terrier is a long, low dog, bred for going to ground and rooting prey like badgers and otters out of their holes.

The breed takes its name from a character in an 1814 book by Sir Walter Scott named Dandie Dinmont who kept six of these hunting dogs. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier was first recognized as a distinct breed of terrier around 1700, developed as a cross between native terriers in the hills between England and Scotland. Across the classes — from royalty to traveling gypsies — this dog has been a favorite. Queen Victoria herself owned a Dandie Dinmont Terrier.

This breed is smart and willful. Obedience can turn into a struggle of will, with the terrier sometimes reluctant to take commands. Despite this, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier is loyal and protective of home and family and very good with children. In a hunting or working situation, this dog is brave and tenacious.

Dandie Dinmont Terriers are adaptable, and well suited to live in an apartment in the city or a large yard with room to roam. The average dog is between eight and eleven inches high at the shoulder, and weighs in between eighteen and twenty-four pounds. But don’t think he’s a pushover — the Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a sturdy and muscular dog.

Life with a Dandie Dinmont Terrier includes a lot of coat care. The overcoat is longer and coarse; the undercoat is downy and often white. The two coats are mingled, known as “pily” or “pencilled” in the breeding world. A tangled coat may need to be stripped almost to the skin and regrown. On his head, the Dandie has soft, silky hair — a contrast to the harder hair on the rest of his body.

Dandie Dinmont Terriers come in two basic colors: pepper (ranging from blue-black to silvery-grey) and mustard (ranging from tan to fawn). In either “flavor”, the Dandie is an intelligent, adaptable, loyal dog.

You may remember that last year, the Westminster Kennel Club’s Best in Show came from the terrier group.