Manchester Terrier Did You Know?

• Until 1959, the Manchester Terrier and 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: Toy and Standard.



• Development of the Toy from the larger Manchester Terrier was first a matter of chance and later the business of selective breeding.



• Manchesters were excessively inbred during the Victorian era, at which point the weight of the average specimen dropped to an alarming 2.5 lbs.



• Frustration with ear shape caused Manchester breeders to slow and eventually stop breeding altogether but for a few staunch devotees who continued to keep the breed alive.



• The sole difference between the Standard and Toy Manchester, besides size of course, is ear shape.



• At one point, the Toy Manchester was so highly prized that it is rumored that surreptitious matings with Italian Greyhounds occurred to keep size to a minimum.