This character, Dandie Dinmont, is thought to be partly based on James Davidson, who is credited as the originator of the modern breed.

Davidson's dogs descended from earlier terrier-owning families, including the Allans of Holystone, Northumberland.

Scott spent time in the area whilst the Sheriff of Selkirk learned of the prowess of these types of specialist terriers for working both fox and otter.

The Dinmont character was partly based on the real life farmer and terrier owner, James Davidson,[6] who too used the generic terms of Pepper and Mustard for his dogs depending on their coats.

[11] The Dachshund theory was first introduced by John Henry Walsh under the pseudonym of "Stonehenge" in the 1880s,[13] and was denied by many breeders of that era.

For a while several breed clubs were created in Scotland, but none lasted particularly long except for the Scottish Dandie Dinmont Terrier Society which merged into the DDTC in 1929.

During the Second World War many kennels were dispersed and the dogs destroyed, due to both the lack of food caused by rationing and that of manpower.

[18] Dandies continued to be bred up at Bellmead up until the early 1990s, when it passed into the hands of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.

Additionally numbers had dropped to low levels in America as well, with the AKC registering only 75 puppies in the same time period.

Pepper ranges from dark blueish black to very light silvery gray; mustard can vary from reddish brown to fawn, with the head appearing to be almost white.

The colour of the coat is usually set by the time the dog reaches eight months of age, but the Dandie Dinmont Terrier will continue to mature physically until around two years old.

[25] It makes both a good companion and a guard dog but is among the most docile of the terrier breeds; they are usually quite undemanding of their owners.

[15] A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 12.8 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.

Symptoms depend on what part of the dog's back is affected; they can include weakness, paralysis, and/or loss of bladder control.

[23] An American study found a higher risk for extra-hepatic congenital portosystemic shunts, with 1.6% of Dandie Dinmont Terriers having the condition compared to 0.18% overall and 0.05% for mixed-breed dogs.