The Dandie Dinmont Terrier. 307 



The fact is, in my opinion, we have claimed too much for the dog ; 

 enthusiasm has idealised him, and strong desire has created good qualities 

 as inherent and never wanting in the breed, but which are not always 

 found. It is a mistake to claim for every Dandie all the best attributes 

 of a terrier ; as a class there is no dog more game, and with gameness 

 they generally possess considerable intelligence and tractability ; but I 

 have known Dandies of the bluest blood that were worth very little. 

 Although, speaking broadly, as a terrier he is unexcelled ; a good speci- 

 men has all the courage and perseverance of the bull terrier, and is under 

 far better control, and in comparison with his cousin, the Bedlington, 

 his temper alone gives him the palm. I think no one can reasonably 

 object to my speaking of the Bedlington as a relation of the Dandie 

 the two breeds have so many points in common that it appears to me 

 impossible to ignore their relationship. 



Another point much insisted on is absolute purity of descent from 

 Dandie Dinmont' s dogs well, I confess myself a sceptic, and I think this 

 has been made too much of. I have little faith in the absolute purity of 

 any specimen living, and I must add I think it a matter of very little 

 consequence ; there is abundance of proof that the very great bulk of our 

 Dandies have at least a large proportion of the blood of Mr. Davidson's 

 terriers in them, but to suppose that they have been kept absolutely free 

 from crosses, whether occurring by accident or design, is to take up with 

 the improbable. When the Dandie Dinmont terrier stud book is 

 compiled we may have more light thrown on this subject, but I confess 

 I have little faith in many of the oral traditions on which we are asked 

 to place implicit confidence. 



I have a letter before me in which the writer says he was, when a boy, 

 on the most intimate terms with Hugh Purves, one of the few who had 

 dogs direct from Charlieshope, and assisted in keeping up the old breed ; 

 and my correspondent says that Purves more than once used a brindled 

 bull terrier to his Dandie bitches, and I think it is rather unreasonable 

 to ask us to believe that the Dandie of the day is absolutely, and without 

 the slightest admixture, descended from Pepper and Tar. 



The Dandie Dinmont Terrier Club have drawn up a standard of points, 

 and if a dog agrees with that standard, possessing all the points required, 

 it is of little consequence whether his ancestors were whelped at Ellwan 

 foot or in Coaly Newcastle. Purity must, in speaking of dogs, always 



