The Manchester Terrier or Black & Tan Terrier, as it was previously known, is a very old breed.

In 1570 Dr, Caius described a possible ancestor of the M. T., a small rough coated dog, black and tan terrier. Old references and prints show the breed to be recognisable by the 1800's.

The type of dog used in the make up of the M.T. have been the subject of speculation for years.

Given it's 'Sporting' past, notably the rat pit and rabbit coursing, it is possible that many sorts of dog, including the now extinct English White Terrier, were crossed with black & tan terriers to give us the M.T. we know today.

In 1874, The Kennel Club's first Stud Book and many entries for Black & Tan Terriers, the breed was obviously enjoying the wide popularity as a show dog at this time.

1898 saw the abolition of ear cropping, and this hastened the decline in the breed that started with the outlawing, in 1835, of several of their 'sporting' pursuits. By the end of the Second World War the breed was on the verge of extinction in the country of its birth.

With only an handful of pure bred dogs left in this country, a small band of enthusiasts set about reviving the breed. Their success was such that by 1955 the Kennel Club were once again offering Challenge Certificates for Manchester Terriers, the name having been changed from Balck & Tan Terriers in the 1920's.

The breed now enjoys a select followers of fanciers, who are enamoured with this most elegant of all terriers.