Meet Dandie Dinmont Terrier Breeder Betty-Anne Stenmark of King’s Mtn. Dandies

Melanie Haid
2 days ago
4 min read

Originally published here at AKC.org on October 23, 2025 by Melanie Haid

Sometimes the first breed that you get doesn’t end up being “your breed.” With an open mind, research, and often, some fate intervening, you can end up with the breed that’s perfect for you and your lifestyle. And sharing that love of the breed with others becomes part of the great joy of being an owner. And, in Betty-Anne Stenmark’s case, a breeder and judge at prestigious dog shows, such as the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, too.

Stenmark started out breeding Saint Bernards, but has now been heavily involved in breeding and advocating for Dandie Dinmont Terriers for the past 49 years.

Getting Into Dog Breeding

The first breed that Stenmark fell in love with wasn’t the Dandie Dinmont Terrier. And it’s understandable: though the breed was recognized in 1886 by the American Kennel Club, they’re ranked 180/202 in popularity of AKC-registered breeds as of 2024, making them a rare breed.

Stenmark’s first love was the Saint Bernard, who she was introduced as a child. “A schoolmate’s mum brought her Saint Bernard to school, an early version of ‘show and tell,’ and I fell in love with the breed.” She whelped her first Saint Bernard litter in North Vancouver, B.C. in 1969, but says she didn’t have much luck in the whelping box.

Dandies still weren’t in the picture yet. Her boyfriend’s parents, who owned Urray Salukis, introduced her to the Saluki breed. When she married Roy Stenmark in 1975, they were given a Saluki dog and bitch as a wedding present. But this also didn’t go as they’d hoped. “We soon discovered it was difficult to responsibly place Saluki puppies, and thought best to remain Saluki fanciers,” Stenmark recalls.

Nearly a Half-Century of Dandies

The same year that she married Roy, she acquired her first Dandie Dinmont Terrier, a 2-year-old dog that would become their foundation bitch named “Bess.” At this point, they’d been in dogs for about a decade, and were looking for a mature dog to breed. Bess did have some issues, like her coat, that were bred out in later generations. “She was probably hyperthyroid, which was a common problem in the breed back then,” Stenmark says. “But we knew little of that all those years ago.”

“I have been ‘in Dandies’ for 49 years now,” Stenmark reflects. “Yes, it’s the breed for me.” But there are challenges. The breed is so small that they aren’t able to plan the breedings years in advance like breeds with bigger gene pools can. They often use frozen semen, and Stenmark says that they have access to frozen semen from dogs that they bred 20–25 years ago that they’re still able to use. “The King’s Mtn. family of Dandies is closely linebred, and we are looking for outcrosses that make sense.”

“I often think back to myself in the beginning. After a year, I was fairly sure I knew a lot about breeding dogs. After five years, I was certain I knew a lot about breeding dogs,” Stenmark says. “And after 10 years, I realized how little I actually knew about breeding dogs!”

Dandie Temperament and Terrier ‘Tude

Stenmark says that there are three hallmarks of the Dandie breed: the biggest one being their outline. “Phyllis Salisbury of Salismore Dandies in the UK coined the phrase, ‘no outline, no Dandie’ – and never forget that!” The second thing is the length of their body. Dandies are the longest members of the Terrier Group, even longer than the Skye Terrier. Finally, they have a distinctive shape.

Like many terriers, these dogs are sturdy, willful, and independent. “The Dandie is one of the few breeds who’ll look you right in the eye and not look away,” Stenmark says. And it’s true, among other things, that these dogs definitely belong in the Terrier Group. “The Dandie is a big dog on short legs, and requires a strong leader with a gentle touch,” she says. They’re not a benign lapdog by any means, bred to be farm exterminators.

They do well as active breeds, and enjoy participating in dog sports. Aside from conformation, Dandies do well in sports like Fast CAT, Earthdog, Barn Hunt, AKC Scent Work, agility, and AKC Rally. “There are Dandies with obedience titles,” Stenmark notes, “but the repetitiveness of that discipline is often too boring for a Dandie.” One of her current dogs, who also has her championship title, is the fastest Dandie in Fast CAT. “If you asked her, she’d tell you that conformation show rings are boring, and Fast CAT is the best fun.”

Prospective Dandie Owners

When looking for a potential owner for her Dandie puppies, Stenmark prefers the tried and true method: old-fashioned communication. “I like to get to know the owner, today it’s via emails,” she says. “There is a lovely couple who I’ve been corresponding with for more than a year; they asked the best questions and made the effort to come across the country and visit. Through that communication, I quickly knew the Dandie was a good fit for them.”

Stenmark wants an owner that is first and foremost concerned with the Dandie’s temperament and health. Asking questions about health testing, living with other pets, etc. are all important questions that she considers when placing her puppies.

The Building Blocks of Breeding

While Stenmark herself is very invested in breeding Dandies, she worries that there isn’t as much enthusiasm. “I am very concerned about the lack of interest in learning more about the better breeding of dogs today,” she says. “I don’t mean the physical breeding of dogs, I mean the art and science of breeding dogs.”

She also notes that it’s important for conformation and judging to understand dog breeding, both as a handler and a judge, to get a full understanding of the sport.

For those looking to get into dog breeding, she recommends doing research and first finding a knowledgeable breeder to be your mentor. “You cannot strike out on your own,” she says. “There is too much to learn.” Novice breeders, she says, will not be as experienced in evaluating their litters and identifying what features are worth keeping. “Rome wasn’t built in a day, as they say,” she says. “Realize that those first litters are the building blocks of a line.”