Toy Manchester Terrier

History

The Toy Manchester Terrier traces its origins to the larger Manchester Terrier, a breed created in the 1800s by crossing an old Black and Tan Terrier with a Whippet and other dogs, mainly for catching rats. Meanwhile, a separate breed called the English Toy Terrier also emerged in Manchester during the same century. This toy breed became a favored companion in Victorian England, with some individuals bred so small they weighed only about one kilogram.

The Toy Manchester Terrier itself was developed by selectively breeding smaller versions of the Manchester Terrier. In the United States during the 1920s, this dog was known as the Toy Black and Tan Terrier. Its name later changed to Toy Manchester Terrier, and the American Toy Manchester Terrier Club formed in the 1930s. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1938, but its popularity dropped, leading to the club’s dissolution by the 1950s.

To address the breed’s dwindling numbers, the American Kennel Club reclassified the Toy Manchester Terrier as a size variety of the Manchester Terrier in 1958, and the parent club was renamed the American Manchester Terrier Club that same year, encompassing both sizes. Across the Atlantic, the similar English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) has also faced a steep decline and is now listed by the Kennel Club as a breed at risk of extinction. In an effort to save it, the Kennel Club has allowed select North American Toy Manchester Terriers to be registered and bred as English Toy Terriers. However, the two breeds are not viewed as identical, and their official breed standards contain differing requirements.

Appearance

The Toy Manchester Terrier found in North America is a compact, long-legged breed with a short black and tan coat, a long tail, and upright, pointed ears. Its color and overall structure match the standard of the larger Manchester Terrier, but it has a strict weight limit of 12 pounds.

Unlike its bigger relative, cropped ears are not allowed and will disqualify the dog from competition. The ears should be broad at the base and taper to a point; ears that flare out like a bell are considered a serious fault in breeding, though this does not affect the dog's quality as a pet. The black and tan coloring comes from a specific allele at the agouti gene, which can be identified through genetic testing.

Similar breeds

The Toy Manchester Terrier and the English Toy Terrier (Black and Tan) are considered the same breed, though the English variety is bred to be slightly smaller with wider ears. The Miniature Pinscher looks similar to the Toy Manchester Terrier, and while this resemblance has sparked debate, a 2017 genetic study revealed that the two breeds share a unique ancestry. It is possible their ancestors became geographically separated many centuries ago, with each line retaining similar traits through selective breeding for the same qualities.

The same study confirmed that the Toy Manchester and Miniature Pinscher are more closely related to each other than to any other breed. Another similar dog is the Russian Toy, which was developed in Russia from early imports of the English Toy Terrier. Unlike the Toy Manchester, the Russian Toy comes in various colors, not just black and tan, suggesting it may have origins in other breeds as well.