The Manchester terriër
History
The Manchester Terrier is considered the oldest of all terrier breeds. They were already mentioned in the works in the 16th century. For example, a mention of the ‘Black and Tan Terrier’ was made. However, this was about a breed smaller than the breed we know today. In the early 19th century, the dog began to resemble the current Manchester Terrier.
A full chapter is devoted to the Black and Tan Terrier in the book, The Dog in Health and Disease, and the breed was first recognized as an official breed. The description given then still applies: a coat with smooth hair, a long nose, a narrow flat skull, small and clear eyes and the chest more deep than wide.
At the beginning of the 19th century, England suffered from a rat infestation and rat hunting became a popular sport. An avid participant in the rat-hunting sport, a Whippet crossed with other terrier species to produce a fast-sleek animal that would be ideal for this hunt. This crossing turned out to be so successful that it was repeated en masse. This resulted in the Manchester Terrier.
By 1827, the breed’s fighting spirit had made it a popular hunting dog. The Manchester Terrier could knock down opponents twice his size.
In 1860, the breed was officially given the name Manchester Terrier. Until then, they were mostly known as “Rat Terriers”. The breed has been found in the Netherlands since 1890.
The Manchester Terriër then…
The Manchester Terriër now…
The breed
It is a compact and graceful dog with a good bone structure. The dog’s characteristics are fiery, observant, cheerful and very industrious. The Manchester Terrier’s nature is astute and devoted.
The hair is very short, dense, firm and smooth. There is no undercoat. As a result, a jacket is not an unnecessary luxury in winter weather. Partly because of the low shedding, it is also ideal for people with allergies.
The color of the coat is jet black and rich mahogany brown (tan from the name Black and Tan). The drawings on the fur are exactly evenly distributed?
Females (female) have a height of about 38 cm at the withers, males (male) have a height of about 40-41 cm. The life expectancy of the Manchester Terrier is 12 years and older.
The character
The Manchester Terrier is a working dog and lap dog all in one. The breed is therefore very fast and very manoeuvrable when it can run freely. Like a black whirlwind!
Nothing escapes the Manchester Terrier. He hears and sees everything. He doesn’t let go of anything he hears or sees until he knows exactly what’s going on. This makes the breed a very good watchdog in a compact format. When you hear the Manchester Terrier’s bark, you don’t expect it to be from a small dog.
The care / sports
You don’t need to brush the Manchester Terrier’s coat on a daily basis, although they do like it when you brush them. The Manchester Terrier really enjoys sports! Among other things, obedience, flyball, with a simple tennis ball or running with his owner.
