Scottish Blog

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a breed of terrier originating from Scotland.

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is different to other dog breeds originating from Scotland because of its “different” appearance, and while many of the Scottish breeds of dog are known throughout the world and have become so popular that many would be hard pressed to guess Scotland as their country of origin, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier is still an exception.

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is similar to other terriers in appearance, it is between 8 and 11 inches tall, weighing between 18 and 24 pounds, most of which is muscle. For the most part it has fur similar to a Scottish terrier, except for its back where the fur is disproportionately short. It is also famous for its white topknot, which consists of soft, long white fur.

Despite what its appearance might suggest, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a hunting dog in origin, specializing in otters and badgers. The breed was created in the 17th century in the Cheviot area of the Scottish-English border. It is the only dog breed in existence to draw its name from a fictional character, in this case being Dandie Dinmont, from the Sir Walter Scott novel “Guy Mannering”.