About Dandies
    
       

   
The Dandie is a charming little long dog, standing about 9-11 inches at the shoulder and is just under twice the length of his height. He has a very unusual body in that he is all beautiful arcs and curves, not a square part of him anywhere. The weight is between 20 – 30 lbs

He comes in two colours. MUSTARD which can be anywhere from a reddish brown to a light fawn, and PEPPER which can be from a bluish black to a light silvery grey.
     
 

Dandies have wonderful expressive faces, due mostly because of their large dark eyes, which seem to tell you that they have forgotten more than you have ever learned! Their eyes can be an owner’s undoing when they have been naughty as they gaze at you most innocently, conveying that it certainly was not them who got into that mischief, even though they may be the only dog in the house. It is hard to scold the guilty party when those soulful eyes are turned on you….

Their heads are crowned with a beautiful top-knot. A Mustard’s top-knot is usually a cream colour and a Pepper’s is usually silver.

    
They are amiable dogs, ready to get along with other dogs and even their own cats – but they are not so good with the neighbor's cats. They seldom will start a fight, but beware the dog which provokes them.
No Dandie has ever recognized itself as a “small” dog; in their own minds they are just as big as the biggest dog on the face of the earth…. The Dandie does, however, have a surprisingly deep bark for a dog of its size – no yapping with this terrier!  

They are hardy little dogs, very able to cope with changeable weather – in fact they love to play in the snow and think nothing of being outside on a cold day. It is the responsibility of the owner not to leave them outside too long and to remove all the snow balls which adhere to their legs and bellies when they have finished their play and decide to return to the house.

Dandies are HOUSE dogs; they do not do well in a kennel setting.

    
They are super dogs for people with allergies. They shed very minimally as they have hair rather than fur and they are generally hypoallergenic. They also have little or no dander.
   

They are usually easily house trained and are very clean animals . The exception to this is, of course, those Dandies rescued from puppy mills. A puppy will learn quickly, but older dogs require a lot of patience. It must be remembered that these dogs are kept only for the puppies they can produce and have spent their lives in cages. They most certainly are not house trained.

Usually the house training is done by the wonderful foster homes into which they are placed immediately after being rescued where they learn to live in a house in harmony with people. It is hard for them to start with, as they have never had any kind of interaction with humans but they do learn and usually very quickly – they are very intelligent dogs.

A person has to be firm but not harsh with a rescued Dandie. The Dandie can quickly appreciate that its life has changed very much for the better and they are eager to please. When they are placed in their “forever” homes, and as they grow to

love and respect their new person, that person must also respect the rescued Dandie and realize that it has gone through yet another, but hopefully the last, major change in its life. It may break its house training but this is only a temporary situation until the dog again adjusts.

Do not expect a rescued Dandie to immediately shower you with love and affection (although it does sometimes happen);  they have never had contact with people other than having food thrown to them – they have to feel their way as they get used to their new life. They may be a little shy to start with but they are summing up the situation and very quickly learn that hugs and kisses are the norm for their new lives. 

A new owner should not be disappointed if the dog is unable to return affection in the beginning, but it will come when the rescue finally realizes that this is the way life will be in its new home, so very different to the neglect and lack of affection it endured while in the mill. They blossom when they realize their love is returned and they can actually run and play with toys, get hugs, be fed regularly and have their medical needs attended to. No more do they have to suffer neglect or pain in a small crate, surrounded by dozens of other dogs in the same situation.
  
To learn more about adopting and the behaviours of rescued mill Dandies, please click here >>

    

                                                                      
   

All material © Dandie Dinmont Terrier Rescue League