MANCHESTER TERRIER Breed Standards
The modern Manchester Terrier hails from Manchester, England, and traces its origins to a breed called the Black and Tan Terrier, whose use in England as a ratter goes back to the Middle Ages. In 19th century Manchester, ratting and rabbit hunting were popular pursuits and were often called poor man's sports, and it was there that a man named John Hulme mated a Whippet bitch with a Black and Tan Terrier, producing what we would recognize today as the Manchester. Many other dog enthusiasts liked what they saw, and the breed quickly gained popularity.
In 1860, Manchester became a breeding center for these dogs which soon spread across Britain and eventually to the United States, where the breed would be recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1887. In 1923, the Manchester Terrier Club of America was formed. The Manchester Terrier comes in two varieties – Standard and Toy. Before 1959, the two were recognized as separate breeds; since then, however, the standard has changed to recognize the Standard and Toy as two varieties of the same breed.
SKILLS: A small, black, short-coated dog with distinctive rich mahogany markings and a taper style tail. In structure the Manchester presents a sleek, sturdy, yet elegant look, and has a wedge-shaped, long and clean head with a keen, bright, alert expression. The smooth, compact, muscular body expresses great power and agility, enabling the Manchester, to kill vermin and course small game. Except for size and ear options, there are no differences between the Standard and Toy varieties of the Manchester Terrier.
SIZE: The Toy variety shall not exceed 12 pounds. It is suggested that clubs consider dividing the American-bred and Open classes by weight as follows: 7 pounds and under, over 7 pounds and not exceeding 12 pounds. The Standard variety shall be over 12 pounds and not exceeding 22 pounds. Dogs weighing over 22 pounds shall be disqualified. It is suggested that clubs consider dividing the American-bred and Open classes by weight as follows: over 12 pounds and not exceeding 16 pounds, over 16 pounds and not exceeding 22 pounds. The Manchester Terrier, overall, is slightly longer than tall. The height, measured vertically from the ground to the highest point of the withers, is slightly less than the length, measured horizontally from the point of the shoulders to the rear projection of the upper thigh. The bone and muscle of the Manchester Terrier is of sufficient mass to ensure agility and endurance.
COAT: The coat should be smooth, short, dense, tight, and glossy; not soft. Color The coat color should be jet black and rich mahogany tan, which should not run or blend into each other, but abruptly form clear, well defined lines of color. There shall be a very small tan spot over each eye, and a very small tan spot on each cheek. On the head, the muzzle is tanned to the nose. The nose and nasal bone are jet black. The tan extends under the throat, ending in the shape of the letter V. The inside of the ears are partly tan. There shall be tan spots, called "rosettes," on each side of the chest above the front legs. These are more pronounced in puppies than in adults. There should be a black "thumbprint" patch on the front of each foreleg at the pastern. The remainder of the foreleg shall be tan to the carpus joint. There should be a distinct black "pencil mark" line running lengthwise on the top of each toe on all four feet. Tan on the hind leg should continue from the pencilling on the toes up the inside of the legs to a little below the stifle joint. The outside of the hind legs should be black. There should be tan under the tail, and on the vent, but only of such size as to be covered by the tail. White on any part of the coat is a serious fault, and shall disqualify whenever the white shall form a patch or stripe measuring as much as one half inch at its longest dimension. Any color other than black and tan shall be disqualified. Color and or markings should never take precedence over soundness and type.
CARE REQUIRED: The short, shiny black & tan coat is easy to care for, requiring almost no grooming. The Manchester Terrier is a good, easy-care breed for elderly people. The Manchester Terrier is an average shedder, while the Toy Manchester Terrier sheds little to no hair. Keep the ear passages clean and the claws short.
CHARACTER: The Manchester Terrier is neither aggressive nor shy. He is keenly observant, devoted, but discerning. Not being a sparring breed, the Manchester is generally friendly with other dogs. Excessive shyness or aggressiveness should be considered a serious fault.
EXERCISE: The Manchester Terrier demands plenty of exercise. In addition to the normal daily walks, let it run and play off the leash regularly. These dogs can run very fast and keep the speed up for a long time. This dog greatly enjoys exercising by running alongside a bicycle, provided the amount of exercise is built up gradually. Don't let this breed off the leash except in a secure area unless it has been trained, as he likes to chase.
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR: The Manchester Terrier is a good dog for apartment living. They are very active indoors and will do okay without a yard. Manchester Terriers prefer warm climates.
TRAINING: This breed needs thorough, firm training. Sources differ on the breed's combativeness with other dogs. Ask your breeder about this characteristic in specific lines. Manchester Terriers should not be trusted with other small non-canine animals and must be introduced to children as a young pup.
