THE DANDIE DINMONT TERRIER. m 



the best weight as near 18 lbs. as possible. These weights are 

 for dogs in good working order. 



Several slight additions have been made to the above by the 

 Club since the code was first published, founded on Mr. Bradshaw 

 Smith's notes ; but I do not think them of sufficient importance to 

 embody them. 



At the present time (December 1878), the war between Mr. 

 Matthias Smith and the modern breeders is waging fiercely, 

 and, as far as it has yet gone, he has the best of it, being 

 supported by the following letter in " The Field " of December 7, 

 1878, from a Mr. Davison, who was formerly a Border man, but 

 has left the North more than forty years : — 



Sir, — I, as rather more than a sexagenarian and a Border man, and one 

 who in almost his childhood took up with Dandies, can, I think, throw some 

 light on the origin of the Dandies by Mr. Davidson. The Border " muggers " 

 were great breeders of terriers — the Andersons on the English side, and the 

 Faas and Camells on the Scotch side. In their perambulations they generally 

 met once or twice a year at Long Horsley, Rochester (the ancient Bremnium 

 of the Romans), Alwinton, or some other Border village. If they could not 

 get a badger, they got a foumart, wild cat, or hedgehog, at which to try their 

 dogs. The trials generally ended in a general dog fight, which led to a battle 

 royal amongst the tribes represented. This afterwards led to a big drink and 

 exchange of dogs. Jack Anderson, the head of the tribe, had a red bitch, who 

 for badger-drawing, cat, foumart, or hedgehog killing, beat all the dogs coming 

 over the Border. Geordy Faa, of Yethom, had a wire-haired dog terrier, the 

 terror not only of all the other terriers in the district, but good at badger, fox, 

 or foumart. They met at Alwinton, where Willy and Adam Bell (noted 

 terrier breeders) had brought a badger they had got hold of at Weaford, near 

 the Cheviots. Both the red bitch and other black terriers drew the badger 

 every time they were put in. " Jock Anderson," says Geordy, " the dogs 

 should be mated ; let us have a grand drink, the man first doon to lose his 

 dog." " Done," says Jock. They sent for the whisky, which never paid the 

 King's duty, to Nevison's at the little house, having agreed to pay two shillings 

 a quart for it. Down they sat on the green, fair drinking ; in eighteen hours 

 Jock tumbled off the cart-shafts, and Geordy started off with the dogs. They 

 were mated, and produced the first Pepper and Mustards, which were presented 

 by Geordy to Mr. Davidson (Dandie Dinmont of " Guy Mannering "). Strange 



