Manchester Terrier Dogs Information

Written by: Shawna L. Krautheim

Copyright 1997 to 2010 Dogs and Puppies Central
All rights reserved.

Alternate Names: Manchester, Mannie

Common Misspellings: 

Learn all about Manchester Terrier Dogs and Puppies through our indepth guide to the Manchester Terrier dog breed. You'll find solid information about Manchester Terrier dog history, Manchester Terrier life expectancy Manchester Terrier dog appearance, Manchester Terrier temperament and personality, Manchester Terrier health problems, Manchester Terrier puppy care, training Manchester Terrier puppy dogs and more. Also includes important information about choosing a responsible Manchester Terrier dog breeder.

A descendant of the famous Black and Tan, the Manchester Terrier is a clean, lively and engaging little dog that people are quick to warm up to, despite his somewhat unsavory past.

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Manchester Terrier Facts

The Manchester Terrier Dog Breed In Brief

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Manchester Terrier Height: 10-12 inches for Toy and 15-16 inches at the shoulder for standards.

Manchester Terrier Weight: 12-22 pounds for Standard, Toy anything under 12 pounds.

Manchester Terrier Color Variations: Black and Tan only.

Manchester Terrier Size Variations: Standard and Toy varieties are available.

Manchester Terrier Exercise Needs: Moderate

Manchester Terrier Grooming Demands: Minimal

Manchester Terrier Trainability: Moderate

Manchester Terrier Life Expectancy: 15-18 years

Average Manchester Terrier Prices: $750 to $2500, depending on Pedigree

Good With Children: Yes, with supervision.

Good With Other Pets: No

Breed Group: Terrier

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Manchester Terrier Dog History

The Manchester Terrier can be found in two different size varieties; these are the Toy Manchester Terrier and the Standard Manchester Terrier. The Standard weighs 12 to 22 pounds, while the Toy Manchester Terrier must be less than 12 pounds as an adult.

During the 1800s, a common sport amongst the poor was holding ratting contests, where small scruffy dogs were pitted against rats and timed to see which Terrier could kill the most rats within a given amount of time. A crossbred descendant of the English Black and Tan, the Manchester actually earned his name simply because they were particularly popular in this city, with many people participating in the sports of rabbit coursing and rat killing. One Manchester Terrier, a fine specimen by the name of Billy, is rumored to have killed 100 rats in just a little over 6 minutes. While this may have seemed a bloodthirsty sport, the Manchester Terrier's amazing rat killing skills was essential to help keep the rat population under control - something desperately needed for public health.

However, as times changed and Britain humanely decided to put an end to blood's sports such as rat killing and bull baiting, the Manchester Terrier's existence became threatened. The rat population was being brought under control and Britain had also outlawed the practice of ear cropping, another practice which helped define the Manchester Terrier as a breed. It would be the dedication and hard work of a man named Handly that would help keep this magnificent breed going.

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Manchester Terrier Dog Appearance

The Manchester Terrier puppy possesses a very sleek and shiny coat; jet black with rich red markings, the English Black and Tan's influence is unmistakable. The ears of the Manchester Terrier can either be natural or cropped in the Standard version, but cropping the ears of the Toy Manchester Terrier is considered a disqualification.

Often compared to the Doberman Pinscher or the popular Toy, the Minpin, the common ancestry of these dogs is obvious. However, a stockier build and more solid bone structure can often help to tell the difference between the toy varieties - While the Minpin is dainty and slender, even the Toy version of the Manchester Terrier should bear the resemblance to a good game ratting dog, muscular and athletic.

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Manchester Terrier Grooming

Grooming the Manchester Terrier is very simple and easy - brushing his coat once a week will help to remove any dead hair is or dander from his skin. This is also important because it provides hands on time with your dog; something that's a very good, not only for your dog, but for your mental and physical health as well. Pay close attention to the Manchester's ears, particularly if they are not cropped, ensuring they stay clean and healthy.

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Manchester Terrier Exercise Needs

Your Manchester terrier puppy will not require you to run a daily marathon with him. While they do enjoy exercise and a chance to explore, the Manchester terrier only requires a reasonable amount of exercise to keep him healthy; the challenge however, is ensuring that your Manchester terrier puppy has plenty of mental exercise. A bored terrier puppy can quickly become a destructive terrier puppy. If you have to leave your Manchester terrier puppy unattended for a couple of hours, ensure that he is crated for his safety as well as your furniture's.

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Manchester Terrier Temperament

It's said that the Manchester Terrier is an excellent and loyal family dog, quickly bonding with his human family members and taking every available opportunity to cuddle and snuggle. While too small to be an effective guard dog, the Manchester Terrier is alert to his surroundings and quick to vocalize should he hear anything is amiss, making him a good watch dog. Most tend to have a very even and stable temperament, provided they are given something to help them keep busy. It should always be noted that this is a terrier breed, and many terriers can be notoriously independent and difficult to work with.

Also important to realize is that the terrier's natural born hunting instinct can cause a potential risk to cats, gerbils, hamsters, rabbits, Guinea pigs (cavies) and other small pets - even dogs who have been socialized with these kinds of animals must still be supervised at all times when other animals are present.

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Manchester Terrier Training

Manchester terrier is a very intelligent and quick-witted dog that is generally very loyal to its owner. They often respond well to obedience training, with their desire to please, although some individuals do tend to be rather independent. Very alert and lively, they respond well to training methods such as clickers and positive reinforcement, but tend to react very negatively too loud voices and quick movements. For best results, be patient and consistent with what you want your Manchester terrier puppy to learn and chances are he will strive to make you happy.

Manchester Terrier Health

The Manchester Terrier is generally a very healthy dog, but there are a few health risks they can affect this breed. When deciding to choose a Manchester terrier puppy, it's best to discuss various health concerns with your potential breeder. Some of the health problems that can affect the Manchester terrier include, but are not limited to the following:

Cardiomyopathy
Hypoglycemia
Von Willebrand's disease
Hydrocephalus (particularly in the Toy variety)
Birthing difficulties for females

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Is the Manchester Terrier Right For You?

The Manchester terrier is a very loving and royal family dog. However, one must realize that they are not only a terrier breed, but that their hunting instinct is very strong. Bred for many years, for the sake of hunting and killing rats, they can be a potential risk to small animals, cats, and can often be prone to same sex aggression with other dogs. Additionally, the Manchester Terrier's intelligence demands a bit more attention than other breeds and they can occasionally become destructive when bored.

If you have an active family that desires an active dog that will take part in an active lifestyle, the Manchester terrier may be the perfect dog for you!

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Manchester Terrier Prices

Average Manchester Terrier Price: $750 - $1000

Price always varies when it comes to the purchase of a quality, home-raised healthy Manchester Terrier dog or puppy. It's of utmost importance that you place the most weight on acquiring a great Manchester Terrier puppy from a highly responsible, reputable breeder, and put the price as a secondary concern in making your decision.

Buying a Manchester Terrier dog or puppy at a cheap price from a breeder of questionable reputation can be a one-way ticket to heartbreak and great additional expense throughout the dog's life, should your Manchester Terrier puppy have hereditary health problems or behavior and temperament issues (which very often is the case with cheap-priced puppies). Buying from a highly reputable Manchester Terrier breeder is your best insurance for acquiring a well socialized, healthy puppy of stable temperament.

Manchester Terrier prices also will vary according to the puppy's conformation; puppies placed as pets and companions will generally be less expensive as show-quality Manchester Terrier puppies intended to be shown in conformation.

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Finding Manchester Terrier Puppies For Sale By Reputable Breeders

If you are ready to add an adorable Manchester Terrier puppy to your family, be sure to check out Dogs and Puppies Central's directory of Manchester Terrier Puppies For Sale, where you will find photos and information posted by reputable Manchester Terrier breeders. We actively screen Manchester Terrier breeders who wish to advertise on our service by asking that they meet and follow our Guidelines For Responsible Dog Breeders. We also ask for - and check - three references from each breeder.

By performing an initial dog breeder screening, it is our hope that we can help put you in touch with a caring, responsible Manchester Terrier breeder near you. We cannot physically inspect the premises and dogs owned by breeders advertising with us, so you need to be responsible for doing the final inspection and interview.

Let's stop the cruelty of puppy mills. Please help us keep money out of the hands of puppy mills, back yard breeders and pet stores. Buy your Manchester Terrier puppy only from a responsible, caring hobby breeder that raises their dogs and puppies in a loving home environment.

When you locate that perfect Manchester Terrier puppy - please be sure to send us some photos to be included in our growing gallery of Manchester Terrier dog and puppy pictures!

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Additional Manchester Terrier Resources:

• Manchester Terrier Wikipedia Profile
• AKC Manchester Terrier Breed Profile
• Manchester Terrier Pictures
• Manchester Terrier Videos

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