Like many breeds, the earliest origin of the Manchester Terrier is clouded in obscurity. What is known is that Black and Tan Terriers have existed in Great Britain for hundreds of years and are cited as one of the oldest of the terriers. In fact, the earliest illustration of a black and tan terrier type dog appeared in a manuscript known as, ‘The Hours of the Virgin’ dated around 1500.
A Manchester breeder, John Hulme, is credited with crossing the rough Black and Tan Terrier with the Whippet in the 1800s to produce the sleek, agile and powerful Manchester Terrier we know today. The dogs were bred to hunt vermin, a job at which they excelled.
For a time, “rat baiting” or “Rat Pit” was a popular sport in England involving the dispatch of rats, and while the “sport” eventually fell out of favor, most Manchesters retain their ratting instincts.
In 1895, ear cropping was banned in England which impacted the Manchester Terrier’s popularity. Many didn’t care for the look of uncropped ears and it took a time for breeders to develop lovely button ears now required in the English standard. In North America, cropping remains common and many Manchesters here retain the original “look” of the breed.
By 1909, the breed was making gains on regaining its earlier popularity, but then WWI erupted. Regulations curtailed travel, dog shows were impacted, a fear of disease and challenges in keeping dogs fed lead to a drop in breed numbers. Dedicated fanciers kept the breed from dying out and numbers slowly recovered after the war.
“Jilted” by Briton Riviere (1840 – 1920)