High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! A Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a small Scottish breed of dog in the terrier family. The breed has a very long body, short legs, and a distinctive "top-knot" of hair on the head. A character in Sir Walter Scott`s novel Guy Mannering has lent the name to the breed, with "Dandie Dinmont" thought to be based on James Davidson, who is credited as being the "father" of the modern breed. Davidson`s dogs descended from earlier terrier owning families, including the Allans of Holystone, Northumberland.