English Toy Terrier

This breed can be traced back to the sixteenth century, and it is descendent from the black terriers of that period. It´s similarity with the Manchester Terrier is noticeable, and although they are two separate breeds, many people still view them as a toy version of the larger one.

However it was in the prime of industrial revolution that its popularity grew stronger. Used successfully in ratting in the industrial cities, rapidly this dog was forced to change it´s space of action, and started to enter in rat pits contests, where in a given period of time, the ability of theses dogs to hunt and kill rats was put to test.

With the growing tendency of miniaturizing the animals, these dogs suffered a major set-back, health wise, and their popularity decreased almost to the point of extinction. Dedicated breeder managed to solve some of these problems by enlarging their size. However this breed is still classified in Great Britain as vulnerable. 

The English Toy Terrier is a black and tan dog with candle-flame shaped ears. It is a 25 to 30 cm of thick, close and glossy coat weighting 2,7 to 3,6 Kg.

Small, well balanced and elegant this breed, has slightly longer than tall bodies. Because of this feature they appear to be compact and robust

Their almond-shaped eyes are dark and with a little bit obliquely set. The tail is thick at root, tapering to point. 

Alert, inquisitive and intelligent are the best words to describe this breed. They are never unduly nervous and are very independent.

Due to his background history it is not advisable leaving him with other small animals. If so, they need to be socialized since early age. The same is applied with young children since they don´t tolerate too much teasing. Yet, they are affectionate, friendly and devoted to their family. 

Having surpassed the major health problems that stroke the breed in the past, the English Toy Terrier is now a healthy dog with a lifespan of 12 to 13 years.

The main health concerns with this dog should be the allergies, which can be controlled with a hyper allergenic type of diet.