are of a darker shade than its head, which is a creamy
white. In both colours there is a nice feather,
about two inches long, rather lighter in colour than
the hair on the fore-part of the leg. The hind-legs
are a little longer than the fore ones, and are set
rather wide apart, but not spread out in an unnatural
manner, while the feet are much smaller, the thighs
are well developed, and the hair of the same colour
and texture as the fore ones, but having no feather
or dew claws; the whole claws should be dark; but
the claws of all vary in shade according to the colour
of the dog’s body. COAT—This
is a very important point; the hair should be about
two inches long; that from skull to root of tail a
mixture of hardish and soft hair, which gives a sort
of crisp feel to the hand. The hair should not
be wiry; the coat is termed pily or pencilled.
The hair on the under part of the body is lighter
in colour and softer than that on the top. The
skin on the belly accords with the colour of dog.
COLOUR—The colour is pepper or mustard.
The pepper ranges from a dark bluish black to a light
silver grey, the intermediate shades being preferred,
the body colour coming well down the shoulder and
hips, gradually merging into the leg colour. The
mustards vary from a reddish brown to a pale fawn,
the head being a creamy white, the legs and feet of
a shade darker than the head. The claws are dark
as in other colours. (Nearly all Dandie Dinmonts have
some white on the chest, and some have also white
claws.) SIZE—The height should be from
8 to 11 inches at the top of shoulder. Length
from top of shoulder to root of tail should not be
more than twice the dog’s height, but, preferably,
one or two inches less. WEIGHT—From
14 lb. to 24 lb. the best weight as near 18 lb. as
possible. These weights are for dogs in good
working order.
* * * *
*
In the above standard of points we have a very full
and detailed account of what a Dandie should be like,
and if only judges at shows would bear them in mind
a little more, we should have fewer conflicting decisions
given, and Dandie fanciers and the public generally
would not from time to time be set wondering as to
what is the correct type of the breed.
A Dandie makes an excellent house guard; for such
a small dog he has an amazingly deep, loud bark, so
that the stranger, who has heard him barking on the
far side of the door, is quite astonished when he sees
the small owner of the big voice. When kept as
a companion he becomes a most devoted and affectionate
little friend, and is very intelligent. As a
dog to be kept in kennels there is certainly one great
drawback where large kennels are desired, and that
is the risk of keeping two or more dogs in one kennel;
sooner or later there is sure to be a fight, and when
Dandies fight it is generally a very serious matter;
if no one is present to separate them, one or both
of the combatants is pretty certain to be killed.
But when out walking the Dandie is no more quarrelsome
than other breeds of terriers, if properly trained
from puppyhood.