Manchester terrier

The Manchester Terrier probably descended from the Old Black and Tan Terrier, a well-known ratter in northern England in the 19th century, and the Whippet. Ratting dog competitions were fashionable in the mid-19th century and particularly in Manchester, where they took place every week. The popularity of this activity led to the creation of the Manchester Terrier. At the time, dogs' ears were cropped; when the Prince of Wales banned this practice by decree in 1898, the breed's numbers declined drastically. In the United States, ear cropping is still traditionally practiced. With only 14 registrations in the French stud book (LOF) in 2012, the breed is very little known in France. In the United Kingdom, with between 107 and 198 registrations in the English Kennel Club records each year, the breed is considered a vulnerable native breed. In the United States in 2013, the Manchester Terrier was the 120th most popular breed out of 127, according to the American Kennel Club.

The character of the breed is described in the Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard as alert, cheerful and loyal. The Manchester Terrier is still a dog with a strong hunting instinct, which will pursue all small animals outdoors.

The Manchester Terrier is a medium-sized terrier dog with a compact, elegant and sturdy appearance. The body is short, with a well-defined chest. The short tail is thick at the base and tapers to a point. The gait is free, straight and balanced. The skull is long, flat and narrow, wedge-shaped. The muzzle tapers toward the tip, the nose is jet black. The rather small eyes are almond-shaped and dark in color. The small V-shaped ears are worn above the upper line of the head and droop above the eyes. The coat is tight, smooth, short and shiny. The coat is black and tan. The tan markings tend toward intense mahogany and are clearly demarcated from the jet black. On the head, the tan markings are distributed on the muzzle and in a small patch on the cheeks and above the eyes. On the lower jaw and throat, the tan markings form a clearly drawn V. From the wrist downward, the front limbs are tan except on the toes, described as "penciled black" with a black mark, known as a "thumb mark" above the foot. The inner surface of the hind limbs is tan. A slight tan mark is present on each side of the chest.