When you’re a dog lover, every breed feels special. Ree Drummond certainly thinks so! She has a soft spot for the big, goofy ranch pups in her life, which range from loyal Labradors to long-eared Basset hounds to lovable mixed breeds of all kinds. But she’ll also stop everything to watch a tiny terrier trot across a TV screen, as one does. And this Thanksgiving, one very rare little dog managed to capture hearts all over the country.
The spotlight landed on the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, a breed so uncommon that only a few hundred puppies are born worldwide each year, according to the American Kennel Club. For comparison, some popular breeds see tens of thousands of registrations every year. That alone makes them fascinating, but once you see one, you’ll understand why the crowd at the National Dog Show reacted the way they did. Picture a sturdy, low-to-the-ground pup with a long body, big round eyes, and a perfectly poofy head of hair that looks like it belongs on a Victorian-era portrait.
Dandies come in two coat colors, pepper or mustard, and typically weigh under 24 pounds—but don’t let their size fool you. The breed is famously alert, loyal, and intelligent, which makes them wonderful family companions. They’re known for having big personalities tucked into small frames, and longtime owners say they’re affectionate, a little opinionated, and incredibly devoted.
So why the sudden interest now? That Thanksgiving appearance introduced the Dandie Dinmont to millions of viewers who had never heard of the breed before. With so few of them in the world, any national spotlight helps raise awareness and encourages preservation efforts from breeders and dog lovers who want to ensure the Dandie’s future.
Their numbers dropped sharply after World War II and never fully recovered, which left the breed with a relatively small gene pool. They also tend to have smaller litters than other terriers, so rebuilding the population has been slow. On top of that, only a limited number of dedicated preservation breeders remain, many of them in the U.K., and they work carefully to protect the breed without overbreeding. And because there are so few Dandies out in the world, most families simply don’t realize the breed exists in the first place.
Whether you’re team big dog or forever loyal to the small-but-mighty crowd, this is one rare pup worth knowing. Dog people love discovering new breeds, and the Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a little reminder that the canine world still has surprises waiting!
More for Dog Lovers
Kelly O’Sullivan is the senior editor for The Pioneer Woman and manages the website’s social channels, in addition to overseeing content strategy and news.
