Manchester Terrier (Toy)

Grooming Tips

The Manchester is a very easily maintained “wash and wear” kind of dog. An occasional bath with a shampoo formulated for dogs is all that is necessary to keep him looking quite dapper.Wiping him down weekly with a damp towel or a hound glove will give the coat a healthy shine. Toenail trimming should be done every couple of weeks to maintain the proper alignment of his joints.Ears should be cleaned regularly to keep them free of excess wax or debris that can cause a painful ear infection. The Manchester will look forward to these grooming times as a bonding experience with the human whom he loves.

Exercise Tips

Active, swift, and athletic, the Manchester will require a couple of good walks with his human every day to maintain his mental and physical health.He can enjoy relaxing on the sofa with his owner but will be equally eager to go outside and chase a few tennis balls or run around and play vigorously.

Feeding Tips

The Manchester Terrier should do well on high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian’s supervision and approval.Dry food will help prevent the buildup of plaque, tooth loss, gum disease and bad breath. Tooth loss is a problem with the breed that can be easily prevented. Manchester Terriers love to eat and tend to become overweight very quickly. Their food intake should be limited to prevent overeating.Learn about whichhuman foodsare safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet.Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.

Health Tips

Manchester Terriers have an average life span of about 15 years. Breed health concerns may include von Willebrand disease, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, pattern baldness (mainly in females), Ehler-Danlos syndrome (cutaneous asthenia), lens luxation, cataracts and generalized progressive retinal atrophy (GPRA). These short-haired dogs become easily chilled and should wear a sweater or coat when outside in icy weather for any length of time.

Trainability

The Manchester is very intelligent and likes to think his way through every situation. He enjoys pleasing his people and can be easily trained using positive, reward-based methods.He does not react well to harsh corrections, so keep your training sessions fun and filled with lots of effusive praise for jobs well done. The breed is an ideal candidate for a variety of dog sports including obedience, rally, agility, lure coursing, barn hunt, earthdog, tracking, flyball, scent work, and even freestyle dancing. They love a challenge! They should be wellsocializedearly on.

Long before Manchester was famous for a soccer team, it was a center of England’s booming textile trade. Local mill workers of the mid-1800s had two favorite sports: hunting rabbits with small hounds and the revolting pastime of rat killing (turning a terrier loose in a rat pit and betting on the results). Breeders worked toward a two-in-one dog to excel at both. They crossed a popular ratter called the Black and Tan Terrier with Whippets; the result was a distinct Manchester type of terrier.The breed reached the height of its popularity during the Victorian Era. TheStandard Manchesterwas thought to be a fitting companion to the “discerning gentleman” but theVictorian women wanted a smaller dog. To meet this demand, the Toy variety was created by breeding the smallest Standard Manchesters together. Though the early breeding of the Toy Manchester grew extreme and unhealthy, today’s Toy Manchester Terrier is much healthier and sounder, although slightly bigger than its early ancestors.Up until 1959, the Standard Manchester and the Toy Manchester were registered as separate breeds, although interbreeding was permitted. Since then, the two breeds have combined to form one breed, the Manchester Terrier, with two varieties: the Toy and Standard. However, the AKC has grouped the two varieties separately. The Standard Manchester belongs to theTerrier Groupwhile the Toy belongs to theToy Group.