272 Modern Dogs. 



arriving at what was the correct type, or what the 

 origin of the dog had been. 



Of the latter many peculiar ideas had been pro- 

 mulgated, one writer urged that the odd shape and 

 long body were originally obtained by a cross at 

 some remote period with the dachshund ; and, 

 strangely enough, this idea is still believed in some 

 quarters. Others suggested a cross between the 

 otter hound and some kind of terrier; whilst from 

 another quarter the more correct solution of the 

 mystery would come, that the Dandie Dinmont 

 terrier had been originally produced in the same 

 way as other varieties of the dog. He was like 

 Topsy, " he had growed," and no one was old enough 

 to bring proof as to when he did " grow " or how. 

 As some writers might say, and with exceeding 

 truth, " the origin of the Dandie Dinmont is lost in 

 the mists of obscurity," and the less I tell about 

 him before he became known on the show bench, 

 the better for my readers and for future generations. 



As I have said, the Border farmers and others kept 

 a hardy race of short-legged terriers, answering to the 

 description of the Dandie Dinmont, even before the 

 end of last century. They assisted the hounds to 

 kill the otters, and of themselves were hardy enough 

 to destroy foxes in their holes, and the sweetmart 

 and the foulmart whenever they were come across. 



