Brought up in the 19th century to chase and catch rats and mice, the Manchester Terrier is a relentless hunter and vigilante, with lots of energy and a brave and affable character with his human family, including the little ones. If you like small and versatile dogs, you will fall in love with the Manchester Terrier, as it adapts to both rural and urban life, as long as its needs are adequately met, not only for physical exercise but also for mental stimulation.
Do you want to know more about this breed? In this article on our site we tell you about the most notable origin and characteristics of the manchester terrier, we talk about its temperament and we explain what you need to know about its education and its care, don't miss it!
Origin of the Manchester Terrier
As its name suggests, this dog originates from the Manchester region, in the United Kingdom. Although it is not known exactly how the breed arose, it is thought that among its ancestors is the whippet, a small dog similar to the greyhound, but smaller, from which the Manchester terrier has inherited its graceful and athletic figure that allows it to run high speed.
The manchester terrier reached its greatest popularity in the mid-19th century, when it participated with great success in competitions consisting of hunting down rats and rabbits. Given its enormous instinct and its great ability to find and catch these small animals, the Manchester Terrier dog began to be seen in practically all taverns, ports and warehouses in England, where its hunting skills were used to eliminate pests of rats and mice. that existed in the cities.
Over time, these dogs began to live together in homes as pets and, although they were about to disappear during World War II, their population has recovered and today we can find specimens of Manchester Terrier in many countries of the world. The breed was officially accepted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) in 1954.
Characteristics of the Manchester Terrier
The Manchester Terrier is a robust dog, but with an elegant and athletic, which is around 40 centimeters tall at the withers and the 7-8 kilos of weightIts head is narrow and elongated, with a very little marked stop and a fine snout that tapers towards the nose, which is shiny black. For its part, the Manchester Terrier's eyes are relatively small, almond-shaped and dark, and it has a pair of high-set ears in the shape of a "V", whose rounded tip falls over the eyes, but without covering them. Although today it is a prohibited and undesirable practice, Manchester Terriers used to have their ears cropped to keep them fully erect, which is why some specimens still wear them that way. However, we insist, cutting ears and tails is a forbidden and cruel practice, as we explain in this other article: "Why is it bad to cut dogs' ears and tails?"
Continuing with the characteristics of the Manchester Terrier, the neck of this breed is quite elongated, as are its limbs, which are very muscular and allow the Manchester Terrier to reach high speeds when running. In general, reminds you of a miniature Doberman
Manchester terrier colors
With regard to its coat, this dog's hair is characterized by being very short, smooth, shiny and hard in texture when touch. The only color accepted by the breed standard is bicolor black and tan, with the condition that both shades must be perfectly delimited and differentiated.
Character and temperament of the manchester terrier
As a good terrier, this breed stands out for being brave, tenacious and very energetic It has a highly developed hunting instinct, so it tends to to always remain alert to everything that happens around him and perceive any movement, no matter how subtle. The latter makes the Manchester Terrier a very vigilant dog that will not hesitate to bark to alarm the presence of a stranger.
Its marked character makes it necessary for the Manchester Terrier puppy to be well socialized to avoid behavioral problems, especially directed towards other animals, so special attention must be paid to its education during the sensitive period of socialization, which ranges from approximately three weeks to three months of age. However, with a good education, this dog is sociable and playful and greatly enjoys the company of people, including children, with whom he usually has an affectionate and tolerant attitude, as long as you are previously used to them. Don't miss our article on How to socialize a puppy.
Manchester terrier care
It is important to take care of the feeding of the manchester terrier, since an excess of food or a low quality of it can cause problems of he alth in the dog, as is the case of overweight or obesity. To avoid this, a food must be chosen according to their physical needs and their individual characteristics, whether it is in dry, wet, cooked or BARF format. You should also have clean, fresh water always at your disposal.
Regarding physical exercise, this breed is very active and loves to go for a run or a walk, so time should be dedicated to play or walk with the dog. Although each individual has their needs and preferences, the ideal in general terms is to walk the dog at least three times a day and give him the opportunity to freely explore large and new environments with some frequency, for example, taking trips to the field or the mountains on weekends. It is also an ideal dog for practicing dog sports such as Agility.
On the other hand, caring for his coat is very simple, as it only needs a brushing once or twice a week to remove dead hair and maintain the shine and he alth of the coat. If the dog does not have any dermatological or similar problem, it will not be necessary to bathe it too often, and it can only be done once a month or every two months.
Manchester terrier education
The Manchester Terrier is a very intelligent dog that learns quickly as long as the training sessions are sufficiently motivating and methodologies based on positive reinforcement and play. Of course, this dog can become quite stubborn, so it is advisable that your tutor has some experience in dog training and, above all, patience and time to devote to it.
Since the breed was used for many years as a hunter of rats, rabbits and mice, the Manchester Terrier has a strong chase instinct and will go after anything that moves fast, which can cause the dog gets lost or has an accident if it is loose. That is why it is essential to train the call and walk on a leash very well
On the other hand, being a small breed dog, many guardians tend to overprotect and isolate the animal, preventing it from interacting normally with other individuals. This causes significant behavioral problems, so it is essential to know their needs well and educate them in the same way as if they were a larger dog. Let us remember that, due to its hunting and alert instinct, if it does not receive adequate socialization it can bark at other dogs, animals or people.
Manchester Terrier He alth
The Manchester Terrier is robust and resistant and, in general, enjoys good he alth and a long life expectancy, which is usually around 16 years. However, some pathologies affect it more frequently than others, such as:
- von Willebrand disease: This is a genetic disorder that causes bleeding as a result of a defect (or lack thereof) of a protein with coagulation function. Its main symptoms are the presence of skin bruises and frequent bleeding from the nose, gums, urine or stool. This pathology has no cure, but it can be controlled.
- Periodontal disease: is an oral condition caused by the accumulation of tartar and plaque on the teeth that can cause serious infections in various vital organs, such as the liver or the heart. This condition can be prevented by maintaining good oral hygiene, giving quality food and brushing the animal's teeth frequently. If the disease is already present, it can be treated through ultrasonic cleaning and extraction of the most affected teeth.
- Diseases transmitted by ectoparasites: Fleas, ticks and mosquitoes can transmit diseases such as leishmania or ehrlichiasis. Although these pathologies affect all breeds equally, the type of hair or the habits of the dog influence the probability of being infested by parasites. Those Manchester Terriers that frequent the countryside, the mountains or humid areas such as lakes and rivers must be very well protected to repel the action of parasites.
It is essential to comply with the annual vaccination calendar and deworm correctlyto the Manchester Terrier to prevent it from getting sick.
Where to adopt a Manchester Terrier?
Most Manchester Terrier dogs are found in the United Kingdom, their country of origin, so in English shelters and protectors it may be easier to find a dog of this breed for adoption. However, there are also Manchester Terriers in Spain and unfortunately not all of them have a home. If you think this dog fits into your lifestyle and that of your family, we recommend that you get in touch with different animal protection associations so that they can can advise, and if you don't find any Manchester Terrier for adoption, don't worry! Many dogs, both mestizo and purebred, have very similar physical and behavioral characteristics, such as the Valencian Mouser, the Pinscher or the Andalusian winemaker.
