- Jet black and rich mahogany tan distributed as follows: On head, muzzle tanned to nose, nose and nasal bone jet black.
- Small tan spot on each cheek and above each eye, under-jaw and throat tanned with distinct tan V.
- Legs from knee downward tanned with exception of toes which shall be pencilled with black, a distinct black mark (thumbmark) immediately above feet.
- Inside hindlegs tanned but divided with black at stifle joint.
- Under tail tanned, vent tanned by marking as narrow as possible so that it is covered by tail.
- A slight tan mark on each side of chest.
- Undesirable: Tan outside hindlegs, commonly called breeching
- In all cases black should not run into tan or vice versa, but division between colours clearly defined
About the Manchester Terrier
Origin: Great Britain
- Size
- Small — from its typical weight
- Weight
- 5-10 kg
- Height
- 38-41 cm
- FCI status
- Recognised by FCI
- FCI group
- Terriers
- Origin
- Great Britain
- Known hereditary risks
- Not researched yet
About
What is a Manchester Terrier?
Sleek, elegant terrier with distinctive black-and-tan coat and keen, alert expression. Known as the 'Gentleman's Terrier' in Victorian England, this racy, athletic breed exists in both Standard and Toy varieties with a clean-cut, spirited appearance.
Manchester Terrier history and origins
Developed in 19th-century Manchester by crossing Black and Tan Terriers with Whippets. Created as proficient rat-killer and rabbit-courser for working men of the industrial era. Recognized by AKC since 1886.
Manchester Terrier appearance and size
Typically 5-10 kg and 38-41 cm at the shoulder — published as one range rather than separately for males and females.
What the breed standard says
- Bred for
- Terrier
- Behaviour and temperament
“Keen, alert, gay and sporting; discerning and devoted”
Quoted from FCI standard n°71. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Characteristics
- Size
- Small
- Exercise needsRead from what the breed was bred to do, in the registry’s own words: “Terrier” That is a working purpose, not a measured exercise requirement — an individual dog’s needs depend on its age, health and household.
- 4 of 5
- Easy to train
- —
- Amount of shedding
- —
- Grooming needs
- 2 of 5
- Good with children
- —
- Cost to keep
- —
- Tolerates being alone
- —
- Intelligence
- —
- Health of breed
- Not researched yet
Pros & cons
Pros & cons for the Manchester Terrier
What you get with the Manchester Terrier
- Purpose stated in the standard: “Terrier”
- The standard describes the breed as: “Keen, alert, gay and sporting; discerning and devoted”
- Low grooming needs, fitting for a busy owner — the coat is “Close, smooth, short and glossy, of firm texture”
What you are taking on
Nobody has written this side yet. It is a judgement rather than data, so it waits for a person — not for a missing source.
Drawn from sources rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. FCI breed standard. One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
Characteristics
FCI standard · Manchester Terrier
Coat and colour
As the FCI standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording, tagged undesirable.
Coat
- Close
- Smooth
- Short and glossy
- Of firm texture
Colour
- Preferred
- Permissible
- Undesirable
- Disqualifying
Preferred, permissible, undesirable and disqualifying are FCI’s own words about the breed. They describe what the standard asks for — not an assessment of any individual dog, and not ours.
Shortened from FCI standard n°71 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
What the breed standard says
- Size
- “Ideal Height at the withers: Males: 41 cms. Females : 38 cms”
- FCI distinguishes an ideal from what is permitted.
Quoted from FCI standard n°71. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the Manchester Terrier in general; any individual animal can differ.
Health guide
What to ask for in a Manchester Terrier
No breed-specific health panel has been written up for the Manchester Terrier on this platform yet. That is a gap in our records, not a clean bill of health — ask the breeder which hereditary conditions their lines are tested for, and ask to see the results for both parents, dated and from a named laboratory.
Gallery
No photographs yet
This is where Manchester Terrier owners’ own photographs will go, from the pet profiles they keep here. Nobody has added one to a public page yet.
A photograph in a pet profile stays private to its owner. We will not put one here unless they ask us to.
Puppies
No puppies listed right now
No Manchester Terrier breeder has a record on this platform yet, so there is nothing to list. That is a gap in our coverage, not a fact about the breed.