THE DANDIE DINMONT. 



399 



dog Peachem ; Mr. J. H. Murchison, the 

 Rev. J. C. Macdona, Messrs. James Locke, 

 W. Carrick, James Cook, A Irving, A. H. T. 

 Newcomen, \V. Dorchester, T. F. Slater, 

 J. Finchett, Captain H. Ashton, the Earl of 

 Antrim, Captain Keene, Messrs. T. Coup- 

 land, A. Steel, T. Stordy, D. J. T. Gray, 

 A. Weaver, A. Kemball Cook, W. Walker, 

 J. Sherwood, the Rev. E. S. Tiddeman, 

 Messrs. Houliston, T. Maxwell, A. Mutter, 

 J. Clarke, C. H. Lane, and Dr. Haddon. 



As a result of the controversies that were 

 continually recurring with regard to the 

 points of a typical Dandie Dinmont there 

 was formed in the year 1876 the Dandie 

 Dinmont Terrier Club, with the object of 

 settling the question for ever, and for this 

 purpose all the most noted breeders and 

 others interested were invited to give their 

 views upon it. 



The standard of points adopted by the 

 club is as follows : — 



1. Head. — Strongly made and large, not out of 

 proportion to the dog's size ; the muscles showing 

 extraordinary development, more especially the 

 maxillarv. 



2. Skull. — Broad between the ears, getting 

 gradually less towards the eyes, and measuring 

 about the same from the inner comer of the eyes 

 to back of skull as it does from ear to ear. The 

 forehead well domed. The head is covered with 

 very soft silky hair, which should not be confined 

 to a mere top-knot, and the lighter in colour and 

 silkier it is the better. The cheeks, starting from 

 the ears proportionately with the skull, have a 

 gradual taper towards the muzzle, which is deep 

 and strongly made, and measures about three 

 inches in length, or in proportion to skull as three 

 is to five. The muzzle is covered with hair of a 

 little darker shade than the top-knot, and of the 

 same te.xture as the feather of the fore-legs. The 

 top of the muzzle is generally bare for about 

 an i.-ich from the back part of the nose, the bare- 

 ness coming to a point towards the eye, and being 

 about one inch broad at the nose. The nose and 

 inside of mouth black or dark coloured. The. 

 teeth very strong, especially the canine, which 

 are of extraordinary size for such a small dog. 

 The canines fit well into each other, so as to 

 give the greatest available holding and punishing 

 power, and the teeth are level in front, the upper 

 ones very slightly overlapping the under ones. 

 (Many of the finest specimens have a " swine 

 mouth," which is very objectionable, but it is not 

 so great an objection as the protrusion of the under 

 jaw.) 



3. Eyes. — Set wide apart, large, full, round, 

 bright, expressive of great determination, intelli- 

 gence and dignity ; set low and prominent in front 

 of the head ; colour a rich dark hazel. 



4. Ears. — Pendulous, set well back, wide apart 

 and low on the skull, hanging close to the cheek, 

 with a very slight projection at the base, broad at 

 the junction of the head and tapering almost to a 

 point, the fore part of the ear tapering very little, 

 the tapering being mostly on the back part, the fore 

 part of the ear coming almost straight down from 

 its junction with the head to the tip. They should 

 harmonise in colour with the body colour. In the 

 case of a pepper dog they are covered with a soft, 

 straight, brownish hair (in some cases almost black). 

 In the case of a mustard dog the hair should be 

 mustard in colour, a shade darker than the body, 

 but not black. All should have a thin feather 

 of light hair starting about two inches from the 

 tip, and of nearly the same colour and te.xture 

 as the top-knot, which gives the ear the appearance 

 of a distinct point. The animal is often one or 

 two years old before the feather is shown. The 

 cartilage and skin of the ear should not be thick, 

 but rather thin. Length of ear, from three to four 

 inches. 



5. Neck. — Very muscular, well developed, and 

 strong ; showing great power of resistance, being 

 well set into the shoulders. 



6. Body. — Long, strong, and flexible ; ribs 

 well sprung and round, chest well developed 

 and let well down between the forelegs ; the back 

 rather low at the shoulder, having a slight down- 

 ward curve and a corresponding arch over the loins, 

 with a very slight gradual drop from top of loins to 

 root of tail ; both sides of backbone well supplied 

 with muscle. 



7. Tail. — Rather short, say from eight inches 

 to ten inches, and covered on the upper side with 

 wiry hair of darker colour than that of the body, 

 the hair on the under side being lighter in colour, 

 and not so wiry, with a nice feather, about two 

 inches long, getting shorter as it nears the tip ; 

 rather thick at the root, getting thicker for about 

 four inches, then tapering off to a point. It should 

 not be twisted or curled in any way, but should 

 come up with a curve like a scimitar, the tip, 

 when excited, being in a perpendicular line with 

 the root of the tail. It should neither be set on 

 too high nor too low. When not excited it is 

 carried gaily, and a little above the level of the 

 body. 



8. Legs. — The fore-legs short, with immense 

 muscular development and bone, set wide apart, 

 the chest coming well down between them. The 

 feet well formed, and not fiat, with very strong 

 brown or dark-coloured claws. Bandy legs and 

 flat feet are objectionable. The hair on the 

 fore-legs and feet of a pepper dog should be tan. 

 varying according to the body colour from a rich 



