Manchester and Welsh Terriers
Akin to the direct descendants of the Old English White Terrier, two modern pure breeds descend directly from English Black and Tan Terrier listed in the First English Stud Book published in 1874. The Manchester Terrier developed in the city of Manchester, is a direct descendant of the Old English Black and Tan smooth coated terrier while the Welsh Terrier was developed from the Old English Black and Tan rough coated terrier, his coat protecting him from the elements as well as the natural hazards of the countyside.
The Manchester Terrier
The Manchester Terrier is of special significance as its basic construction has not altered in two centuries. This is because breed devotees over this time have selected for precise black and tan colour markings rather than exaggeration of either head or other body features. So examination of the Manchester is like stepping back in time to appreciate how far the show ring has altered the construction of some of the other terriers we see today.
History
Manchester Terriers developed in the English city of Manchester which is described as the world’s first industrial city. From the early 1800’s it grew at an enormous rate because its damp climate made it suitable for cotton manufacture. It also had coal for a nearby power source, and the sea port of Liverpool accessible firstly by a shipping canal followed by one of the earliest railways. By 1844 Manchester had estimated 400,000 inhabitants. The squalor these people lived in is unimaginable[1]. So a tough, game smooth coated ratting dog became one of life's necessities.
Demonstrating prowess amid the squalor, it was common for sportsmen of the day to use the Manchester Terrier as a ratter in the rat pit. This involved exchanges of money for not only the dogs, but also as bets and for seats to watch the action. As the dogs became more admired, ladies of fashion adopted the smaller Black and Tan Terriers. So the breed became split into two weight varieties, the Manchester Terrier and English Toy Terrier (Black and Tan).
As rat pitting became illegal, the dog show scene was evolving. So in England, Manchester Terrier breeders concentrated on stabilizing the colour. In 1879 Stonehenge, a prominent English writer of that time wrote
‘First the black must be jet without admixture with the tan or a single white hair; secondly the tan must be rich mahogany, defined distinctly by a marked and clear line where it meets the black'.[2]
To this day the unique markings of both varieties is this black and tan terrier's most defining characteristic.
Characteristics
The Manchester Terrier has remained a keen alert sporting dog despite his colour being so ruthlessly selected for over two centuries. It has a wedge shaped head, with a long flat skull, a normal scissors bite and tight lips. Becaause historically the ears were cut or cropped, today unlike its Toy counterpart its button ears are small and carried well above the line of the skull. In North American naturally pricked ears are also allowable.
It has a fairly short body, deep chest and straight front legs with small semihare feet. It is slightly arched over the loin with the carriage of the tail continuing the line of the arch and not carried over the back. However, it is a short tail and, typical of a terrier it should be thick where it joins the body. The Manchester Terrier should stand 15 to 16 inches tall.
Colour
As his colour description dominates the breed standards of both the Manchester Terrier and the English Toy Terrier Black and Tan (Toy Manchester) counterpart, it is also elaborated upon here in some detail.
The dog must jet black (ebony) and rich mahogany tan (likened to a rich chestnut). White hairs forming a patch anywhere is totally undesirable. The colours must not run or blend into each other, but must meet abruptly, forming clear and well defined lines of colour division.
Head and muzzle colour
- Black on head, nose, nasal bone and lips.
- Small tan spot on each cheek and above each eye
- Under-jaw and throat tanned with distinct tan V with the Toy having a black thumbmark under the chin.
- Especially in the case of the Toy, the hair inside ears should be tan but tan behind ears is undesirable
Body colour
- Body black except for a slight tan mark on each side of chest.
- Under tail tanned, vent tanned by marking as narrow as possible so that it is covered by tail.
Forelegs and hindlegs colour
- The forelegs should be tan on the inside of the front legs, from just below the elbows
- From knee downwards the front of the forelegs should also be tan except the toes which are pencilled with a thin black line
- There should be a distinct black mark (thumbmark) immediately above all 4 feet
- There should be tan on the front and on the inside of the hind legs all the way up. From the stifle joint the outside of the hind legs should be black. Breeching or tan on the outside of the hind legs is undesirable.
The Welsh Terrier
History
It appears that the Welsh Terrier is not uniquely Welsh in origin at all! In 1886, its first entry in the English Stud Books was under the name “Welsh or Old English wire-haired black and tan terriers”! Common as far south as Devon, with the largest numbers found at Shows in Liverpool and Birmingham it was described as
“a grand-looking a lot of working terriers as man need desire to see”.
Around this time, there was evidence to prove that this identical dog of comparatively pure blood had long flourished in the north of England, and in some districts was still to be found unaltered.
It appears that for a couple of years, the same type of dog could be dual registered with the Kennel Club as a ‘Welsh Terrier’ and as an ‘Old English hard-haired black and Tan Terrier’. But the English fanciers failed to establish a club. So in 1888 the Welshmen persuaded the Kennel Club to drop the English name and the entries in the English Stud Books have been under the name Welsh Terrier ever since![3] Also in 1888 it was taken to the United States where it was recognized by the American Kennel Club also as the Welsh Terrier.
Characteristics
Unlike the Manchester Terrier, the Welsh Terrier has altered in conformation and today outwardly appears like a black and tan version of a Fox Terrier (Wire) or Lakeland Terrier[4]. This is possibly because Breed Standard requires the Welsh Terrier to be smart and workmanlike, yet retain his game and fearless temperament.
He has a flat skull of moderate thickness, and around the same length as his foreface. He has a slight stop and deep and powerful jaws housing a normal scissors bite. Like a typical terrier he has small eyes and ears set on fairly high and carried close to the cheeks.
He has a short back, his forelegs having ample bone with upright pasterns and small round cat-like feet. He has strong hindquarters with good angulation to match his front. This enables him to move with fore and hind legs carried straight forward, the elbows working free of the sides to facilitate the specialized terrier front of a working terrier. He has a hard, wiry broken coat with undercoat. He is always black and tan or grizzle and tan, free from black pencilling on the toes or below the hocks. He weighs around 20-21 pounds and should not exceed 15.5 inches.
References and Further Reading
[1] Friedrich Engels, The Condition of the Working-Class in England in 1844 (London: Swan Sonnenschein & Co., 1892), pp. 45, 48-53.
[2] Stonehenge, "The Dog in Health and Disease" Third Edition, London: Longmans, Green, and Co 1859 Chapter 111, XVI.- The English Terrier Pages 113 - 114
[3]Rawdon B. Lee, "Modern Dogs" of Great Britain and Ireland (Third Edition) London:Horace Cox, "Field" Office, Windsor House, Bream's Buildings, E.C. 1903 Chapter X, Pages 263 - 266
[4] Comparison between Fox Terrier (Wire), Welsh and Lakeland Terriers