Dandie Dinmont Terrier

A Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a small Scottish breed of dog in the terrier family. The breed has a very long body, short legs, and a distinctive top-knot of hair on the head. A character in Sir Walter Scott's novel Guy Mannering has lent the name to the breed, with Dandie Dinmont thought to be based on James Davidson, who is credited as being the father of the modern breed. Davidson's dogs descended from earlier terrier owning families, including the Allans of Holystone, Northumberland. There are three breed clubs in the UK supporting the breed, although it is registered as a Vulnerable Native Breed by the Kennel Club due to its low number of puppy registrations on a yearly basis. The breed is friendly, but tough and is suitable for interaction with older children. There are no breed specific health concerns, but they can be affected by spinal issues due to their elongated body and the breed is affected by canine cancer at a higher than average rate.