Dandie Dinmont Terrier Grooming

Dandie Dinmont Terrier‘s are small terriers which originate between England and Scotland and are probably related to the extinct Scotch Terrier. They were originally used by farmers to hunt vermin and became a favorite of gypsies and the very wealthy. They have a weasel like body, but a broad head and topknots over their feet.

Although their temperament makes them suitable for even novice owners, their coats are very unique and require special care and even more care must be taken if you’re going to show this dog because they have a very distinctive appearance and shape.

Brushing Your Dandie Dinmont Terrier

Every day, you’ll have to brush a Dandie Dinmont Terrier’s coat with a sticker brush, a pin brush, and a bristle brush. This is because this terrier has a very soft overcoat and a softish undercoat, both of which need to be carefully brushed and have the dead hairs pulled from them. With regular care, this breed of dog hardly sheds at all, so if you want to keep from having fur all over the place, regular brushing is a must.

Plucking and Hand Stripping

A couple times a year, a Dandie Dinmont Terrier has to be plucked and hand stripped, either by a groomer, or you can do it yourself. It’s very important with this breed to have a professional do it at least once so you can see how it’s done. This is because of that this breed of terrier has a very distinctive shape and appearance, which can only be seen through careful stripping and plucking. You should let a professional do it first to see how it’s done before attempting to do it yourself. Every couple of months you’ll have to trim your Dandie Dinmont Terrier with thinning shears and a #4 or #5 blade to get rid of clumps of matted hair and to clean up your Dandie Dinmont Terrier’s appearance, especially along the back and sides to maintain the ‘weasel like’ appearance; that is, the long appearance of this particular terrier. A #10 and #15 blade is used for the stomach and feet because this fur is much softer.

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a great companion

Dandie Dinmont Terriers don’t need a lot of bathing; you’ll mostly just have to wash yours if it gets into something smelly. Use dog shampoo and lots of patience and make sure to rinse out shampoo carefully as dried shampoo is itchy. Dandie Dinmont Terriers make great companions as they do well even in apartments where they can’t get a lot of exercise. However, they do have particular grooming needs so be certain to either have a groomer you trust or that you learn how to do it yourself so that your terrier looks great all the time.

Dandie Dinmont Terrier Resources

Dandie Dinmont Terrier Grooming Supplies

Dandie Dinmont Terrier on Wikipedia