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A Novel Dog: Dandie Dinmont Heritage Trail Concludes at Rothbury

The sound of pipes and the patter of paws filled Rothbury on Sunday 21st September, as the final panel in the Dandie Dinmont Heritage Trail was unveiled by the River Coquet. Around 30 Dandie Dinmont Terriers – one of Britain’s rarest native breeds – and their owners gathered to mark the completion of a cross-border project celebrating the history, culture, and survival of the “novel dog” made famous by Sir Walter Scott.

The Trail, first imagined by Mike Ramansen in 2019, was designed to link the towns, villages, and landscapes associated with the Dandie Dinmont Terrier. The first board was installed at Yetholm in 2023, and over the following months panels have been added across the Scottish Borders and Northumberland. Each tells a different part of the story of the breed, its people, and its deep roots in the Borderlands.

The Allans of Rothbury

The final stop in Rothbury pays tribute to William Allan and his son Jamie Allan, figures whose lives intertwined music, working dogs, and the rugged countryside of Northumberland in the mid-1700s.

William Allan was a renowned Northumbrian piper, a keen fisherman, and for a time held the role of ‘keeper of the Coquet’. He was also an early breeder of what would become the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, keeping as many as a dozen dogs at a time. The terriers were not pets in the modern sense – they were hard-working dogs, used to keep otter numbers down along the riverbanks.

Jamie Allan, better remembered as Piper Allan, inherited both his father’s musical talent and his passion for Dandies. A gifted musician, Jamie played on many occasions for the Duchess of Northumberland, and it was likely her patronage that shielded him from harsher punishments for his frequent misdemeanours. By all accounts a rogue as well as a piper, Jamie eventually pushed his luck too far. After being convicted of horse theft, he was imprisoned and died in Durham Jail in 1810. His name and legend live on in Northumberland’s piping tradition.

The Novel Dog

The breed itself owes its fame to Sir Walter Scott, who in his 1815 novel Guy Mannering immortalised the terrier and gave it its name. Scott referred to the Dandie Dinmont as the “novel dog”, and from that moment the little working terrier of the Borders became a literary celebrity.

But fame has not guaranteed survival. Today, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier is officially classed by the Kennel Club as a Vulnerable Native Breed, with only a small number of puppies registered each year. Without greater awareness and support, the breed risks fading into history.

Celebration and Legacy

For those behind the Trail, the day marked the culmination of years of work. “The Dandie Dinmont Heritage Trail is not about us,” said organiser Shona Allan, “it’s about shining a light on the breed, its story, and its future. What began as an idea from Mike Ramansen has grown into a lasting legacy.”

A Trail Worth Following

Now complete, the Heritage Trail offers visitors a journey through some of the Borders’ and Northumberland’s most scenic and historic spots, with each panel highlighting a different chapter in the Dandie’s story. From Yetholm to Rothbury, the Trail encourages walkers, history-lovers, and dog enthusiasts to explore at their own pace, pausing for overnight stays or short stops along the way.

It is, like the Dandie Dinmont Terrier itself, something both distinctive and enduring – a reminder of the close ties between people, place, and the dogs that have shared their lives for centuries.

There are Dandie Dinmont puppies available. See link for more information. Find a puppy | The Kennel Club