Sporting Dogs: Their Points and Management in Health and DiseaseBarton, Frank Townend
Science
Sporting Dogs: Their Points and Management in Health and Disease
Barton, Frank Townend
Dogs
"Geordie Faa had a wire-haired dog that was the terror of all the
dogs in the district, and that was good at badger, fox, or foumart.
"A badger had been procured, and both the dog and bitch drew the
badger every time.
"Geordie Faa said to Jock Anderson, 'Let's have a big drink, the man
first down to lose his dog.'
[Illustration: DANDIE-DINMONT TERRIER DOG THISTLE GROVE BEN (Property
of Mr R. FISHER, Hawick).]
"'Done,' says Jock.
"Down they sat on the green, and in eighteen hours Jock was laid out,
and Geordie started off with the dogs.
"They were mated, and produced the first Pepper and Mustard, and
these were presented by Geordie to James Davidson ('Dandie Dinmont')."
The foregoing account would appear to be fairly acceptable, and one
that is in accordance with the gameness of these little Terriers.
The breed is a hardy one; are good-tempered, and make excellent
companions.
The chief points of the Dandie-Dinmont are as follows:--
_Head._--The skull ought to be broad between the ears, and the forehead
well domed. It should be covered with light, silky hair, softer the
better. The muzzle deep, and from it--excepting the bare part about an
inch from the back part of the nose--there ought to be hair growing, a
little darker than that on the head.
Level, strong, and sound teeth are a _sine qua non_.
Large, full round eyes, set well apart, and low down, with a lively
expression; a black nose; black inside mouth, together with large,
low-placed, pendulous ears, hanging close to cheek, and tapering on
their posterior borders.
The ears should be covered with soft, brown hair, forming a feathering
around the bottom, and 3 or 4 inches long.
_Neck._--Short and well rounded.
Body, long and strong, with well-rounded ribs, and a downward curve
behind the shoulders, but slightly arched at the loins.
_Tail._--About 8 inches in length, thick at the set-on, and then
thicker for 2 or 3 inches, afterwards tapering.
The upper face of the tail should be covered with wiry hair, and the
under side also have lighter-coloured hair. When at rest, the tail
ought to assume a scimitar-like curve, and under excitement carried on
a level with its set-on.
_Fore-and Hind-limbs._--Short fore-legs, set well apart, and if dog is
blue-coloured, the hair on them should be tan or fawn, in accordance
with body colour.
A couple of inches of feather ought to be present, and a shade lighter
than that on the front of the legs.
In a "mustard" Dandie the hair on the head is cream-coloured.
The hind-legs, have no feather, neither should they have any dewclaws.
If present at birth they must be removed.
_Colour._--Mustard or Pepper. If the former, the tint is from a
reddish-brown to a delicate fawn; the head creamy and darker.
Pepper-coloured Dandies are either steel-coloured, or a light silvery
grey, and are preferred with the body colour blending with that on the
limbs.
The most useful weight is about 20 lbs., and the height 8 to 11 inches.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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