Dwarves:

Dwarves are shorter than humans, but taller than Hobbits, standing at about four-and-a-half feet tall. They are sturdy and strong, and hardier than most other races.

They are a proud people, and cannot be easily dominated by evil. However, other lusts and desires can cloud their judgement. Dwarves see much beauty in minerals and gems, and hence prefer to make their homes in the depths of the Earth, which they skilfully mine to extract all of the natural wealth. At times, they have delved too greedily and too deep ...

Dwarves are not overly friendly with other races, and can be easily maddened. When enraged, they can prove to be very ferocious, and as such they go to war frequently, where their weapon of choice is the battleaxe. Their tendency towards wrathfulness and possessive nature has lead to numerous foolish conflicts, such as that nearly witnessed during The Hobbit.

Gimli:

Gimli and his father, Gloin (one of Thorin's companions), go to Elrond's Council seeking counsel. A missionary of Sauron had come twice to Erebor to ask for news of Bilbo. Each time, the missionary had been sent back without an answer, and yet the King of Erebor felt it wise to warn Bilbo at the very least. Whilst present, Gimli volunteered his axe in aid of Frodo's quest, and as such represented his race within the Fellowship. While with the Fellowship, and then in the war after he got many chances to do as he loved best - slaying Orcs!!

Thorin and Company:

These 13 dwarfs who travelled under Thorin Oakenshield, feature primarily in the Hobbit. Along with Bilbo, they travel to the Lonely Mountain to retake the Mountain Kingdom from the Dragon Smeag. Their adventures are not necessary in the storyline of Lord of the Rings, except it is on this quest that Bilbo 'wins' the One Ring from Gollum.

Gloin, one of the members of this party features briefly in Lord of the Rings, when he and his son, Gimli, come to the Council of Elrond.

Also, Balin is mentioned in brief in Lord of the Rings, as the ill-fated Lord of Moria - the tomb around which the Fellowship fight off the first Gollum attack.