THE DANDIE DINMONT TERRIER 485 



his big, heavy-looking head is raised, and he emits a deep bark, 

 which grows louder and louder as the footsteps approach, until the 

 door is opened and a friend announced ; then the tail gets a wag, 

 and he resumes his place on the rug. 



There is no better watch-dog than a Dandie, and he will not 

 be quieted with fine words and bonny phrases. The Dandie is 

 a dog that does not take up with everybody. He has his friends, 

 and he sticks to them. He is of a ' dour ' nature, slow to rouse, but 

 when once roused, a veritable Bulldog. When two fall out in a 

 kennel, one has always to succumb. They may die ; but they 

 will not give in. 



As rat-hunters Dandies are very efficient, and no rat has a 

 chance once the Terrier gets hold of him, no matter where it is. 

 They are excellent rabbit -dogs, not too fast and not too noisy, 

 though they have the bad habit of breaking all the bones of any 

 rabbit that they capture. They are not difficult to train to retrieve, 

 but I have always found them very hard in the mouth. They are 

 excellent all-round dogs for the single sportsman, and may be used 

 for almost any sport ; their nose is so good and their pertinacity 

 in following up a scent extraordinary. 



Dandies are far from being quarrelsome, and can be taken 

 anywhere. They will not interfere with another dog, and will not 

 try to pick quarrels. * Defence, not defiance,' is their motto. 

 Unlike their cousins the Bedlingtons, they are easily kept under 

 control, and have such an amount of sense as to know what to 

 worry and what to leave alone. Though not quarrelsome, as 

 already stated, yet he does enjoy a fight, once he is in it." 



Such is Mr. Thomson Gray's vivid word-picture of the Dandie 

 Dinmont as a companion and worker, and no more faithful picture 

 could be presented. With regard to the faults seen in the dog of 

 to-day, Mr. Thomson Gray says those mostly seen are " flat skulls, 

 small eyes, big ears, weak jaws, and plain bodies. The first and 

 most important point in this Terrier is the head, which must be 

 large and full, the skull domed as true as a ball on the top, the 

 eyes very large, placed wide apart, of a dark hazel colour. The 

 beautiful ridge of black hair that surrounded the eyelashes of 

 the older Dandies is somewhat rare. The shaving of the hair from 

 the ridge of the nose and below and around the eyes to make 

 them appear large, is objectionable. Many of the large ears do not 

 taper sharply enough to the point, and are often destitute of hair, 

 which spoils an otherwise good dog. The beautiful fringe of silky, 

 light-coloured hair which hangs from the tip of the ear is a beauty- 

 point often removed by the ignorant faker. There is some bother 

 with young Dandies to get their ears to hang properly, many of 

 them having ears that double over ; but patience and a little 



