About the Breed

First thing to point out is that the diminutive black and tan terriers that I show, breed, and love, are called English Toy Terriers throughout the world, but in the US , they were combined with the larger Manchester Terrier in 1958 to form the American Manchester Terrier Club, thus making it one breed with two size varieties in North America.

In the UK, the ETT is the oldest native toy breed in the country, number 11 on the vulnerable breed list (meaning fewer than 300 puppies registered in a year), and can trace its roots back to the 1400s.

For the history particularly of the US Manchester Terrier breed, the following explanation comes from Michelle Barlak's website which she kindly allowed me to reproduce.

"The Manchester Terrier is the world’s oldest existing terrier breed. The breed comes in two sizes, called varieties: toy (weighing less than 12 lbs) and standard (weighing 12-22 lbs). The breed was developed to control rat populations in England before modern sanitation systems existed. They were kept by families, farmers, commercial establishments (like pubs and warehouses) and even on ships.

Size comparison: Dot, left, is a female Toy. Jiggy, right, is a male Standard.
They also happen to be the only Master Earthdogs in the history of the breed. (photo: Barlak)

"People who own Manchesters are no stranger to the frequent comments about their resemblance to Doberman Pinschers or Miniature Pinschers (Min Pins) or Miniature Dobermans (this is not a breed of dog and I think people are referring to Min Pins). In fact, the Manchester Terrier was used to develop these other breeds. They are the original black and tan terrier and as such, they are behind the breeds that have this unique color pattern, either directly (like with the Doberman) or indirectly. This was an extremely popular breed in the United States in the 1940s and 50s and even though most people today cannot identify the breed, I am frequently stopped by seniors who recount to me their happy memories of growing up with a Manchester Terrier.


"What is the difference between a Manchester and a Min Pin?

For starters, the Manchester is a terrier and the Min Pin is a toy breed. Terriers were bred to hunt and destroy vermin, while toy breeds were primarily developed to be companions: these unique purposes give way to unique temperaments. They also have differences in structure due to their different purposes. The Manchester Terrier has a thicker, more sturdy build, smooth gait (Min Pins are known for their high-stepping hackney gait) and Manchesters are only black and tan in color (Min Pins can be red or blue and tan). Manchesters never have their tails cropped. The Toy Manchester never has his ears cropped, though the Standard has the option for cropped ears or natural ears (either upright or folded over in what is called a button ear).

Side-by-side, the difference in shape and movement are clear.
The minpin comes from www.marlexminpins.com (I have no connection with them)
The English Toy Terrier, Minnie, is owned by Julie Crowley (photo: Barrett-Williams) 

"Terrier Prey Drive

As terriers, the Manchester will hunt animals that are perceived as prey and can be difficult to recall if they are following a scent or giving chase . However, a good recall is possible with solid training and consistent positive reinforcement. No farmer or hunter could have a dog work beside them if the dog was not trained to recall on command. Prey drive is a poor excuse for lack of training.

                                The toy owl hasn't a chance against a TMT

"Fur and Allergies

They are sturdy, rugged and do not injure themselves easily. However, owners must understand that they have thin skin and thin fur, two things that don’t preclude them from hunting rats but do mean they should be prevented from tangling with larger prey. Their thin coat also makes them susceptible to cold but provides them some relief in the heat. They lack a true undercoat which means they are not as efficient at regulating their body heat and need to wear coats outdoors in cold weather. However, this causes them to produce less dander, a great thing for allergy sufferers. Their unique coat also means they don’t shed much, and they don’t carry the oil or odor that many breeds are prone to – another plus for allergy sufferers – and it contributes to their overall cleanliness.

Low allergy risks with eyelashes for fur!

"Great for individuals or families

Manchesters are intensely loyal to their owners. They are great family companions and do well with children, cats and other dogs when they are raised with them in the household. However, they tend to select one person in the family as their favorite (usually their primary caretaker) and seek them out for snuggle time. They are suited well to living in apartments or homes. Standards, as a larger dog, do require more exercise than the Toys, however as a breed, Manchesters adapt well to the energy level or their household – happy to spend a day hiking, or relaxing on the couch as their owner desires.

The companionship of Manchesters is magical:
here is my Bonnie with her brother Milo and his human, Jonny.
Milo is a therapy dog in London.

"Socialization is critical

It is very important for Manchesters to be socialized outside their home with as many positive experiences with strangers and new places as possible. Without critical socialization for the first year, Manchesters are prone to fear based behavioral problems such as attacking strangers or strange dogs, fear of house guests, anxiety when outside the home, constant alarm barking at noises and more. A properly socialized adult Manchester should love meeting strangers, enjoy traveling with their owners, visiting new places and eagerly greet guests to the home. Manchesters are generally not barkers, but they will develop the behavior if not properly stimulated (boredom or lack of training), not properly socialized, or taught the behavior by another dog in the home.

Pet stores are great places to socialize, or tractor supply,
and if your state/city allows, restaurants that allows dogs on the porch
(photo: Barlak)

"Training is key

I highly encourage all first time Manchester Terrier owners to enroll in a training class with an instructor that understands terrier breeds and temperaments. I am happy to assist owners in locating a qualified dog trainer. If you seek out a training class, please avoid pet store training classes. As a dog trainer who has worked in pet stores and witnessed both the quality of their classes and the instruction provided to the pet store trainers themselves, I can tell you that pet store training programs are not taught by knowledgeable individuals. They approach dog training with a one-size-fits-all approach that does not work well with the Manchester Terrier, and are poor substitutes for a proper dog trainer with knowledge of canine behavior. Manchesters are prone to separation anxiety when not given sufficient alone time to learn how to occupy themselves. It’s important to avoid carrying your Manchester around the home and excessively babying him or her because these behaviors will teach your dog to rely on you for all happiness and the dog will be extremely anxious when left alone – leading to disruptive barking and destruction to the home. Crate training is a great way to avoid this problem. Dogs who start crate training as puppies will learn how to be calm when left alone and are prevented from picking up destructive behaviors. Manchesters who are crate trained through puppyhood will grow into adults that can be trusted loose in the home even when their owner is away – and use their crate as a comfortable retreat when they need some time away from the family. As puppies, they can be difficult to potty train but crate training helps with this greatly, and done properly, there is little difficulty."

Train your Manchester from a young age for best results

Thanks to Michelle Barlak of Maximal Manchester Terriers and Health Officer for the American Manchester Terrier Club for her allowing me to copy her text for this page about the breed. The original can be found at this link where also you can find her page about dogs available for adoption, re-home, and upcoming litters for the whole of North America. All photos were either mine unless given credit.