(This
letter was written for the Centenary Magazine, published my Miss Soutter Miss
Greenlees of the Drevaburn affix)
I
got my first Dandie, a bitch, in 1973 from a kennel which is known to breed for
show rather than work. She was six months old, and she settled down with my other
terriers at once. Having kept working terriers for 20 years or more, I wanted
to get to know all about the Dandie and its ability to work. I started by taking
her out long walks in the fields and she thoroughly enjoyed them. When 10 months
old I was able to say that she was a better dog than I ever thought. I had got
her killing rats and was surprised how quick she was, and hedgehogs, which she
pulled to bits in no time. I then had her down to fox (cubs), and, my word, she
had the makings of a really good dog. I kenneled her but brought her into the
house most of the day, and she was very good, really quiet, but as soon as I set
off into the fields she was a different dog, hunting and into the hedges, and
any holes or setts we came across she would go and investigate. At about twelve
months old (after going out with other terriers) I tried her to a dog fox. After
we had dug down and left about four foot of the burrow she went straight in, barking
and baiting and it was a pleasure to hear and see her at work. When I got her
off she had some real bites on her face, but she never whimpered all the time
she was at the fox. Later I noted that I had had her to 9 foxes, and she was
still going grand. These had all been in drains or in earths, so the fox could
have bolted easily. Most of them had been cubs, but I got one nearly full
grown, and Cindy was in at the kill, and proved herself to my friends, and I was
very pleased. She is now 2-1/2 years old, she can work fox as good as any
dog I have had, and I have had some of the best. She is still very soft till she
knows where we are going, and then she seems another dog altogether, and she can
follow a scent for miles, just like a hound. She has had two seasons at fox, has
killed 2 herself and been in at the kill of 11 others. I would have thought her
now ready to go to badger, but, with the law as it is I don't think she will have
the chance. I have kept and worked terriers for 26 years or more and judged at
many Working Terrier Shows, and I can honestly say that knowing the ability of
my Dandie bitch, there is no reason why the Dandie should not take its rightful
place among the real working terriers. A terrier is a terrier, whether pedigree
or not, and should have a bit of fire in it somewhere and, in the right hands,
it can be brought out. I have found out too, that Dandies are not as yappy as
most terriers. Alfred Rhodes
