Breed History
The modern Manchester Terrier hails from Manchester, England, and traces its origins to a breed called the Black and Tan Terrier, whose use in England as a ratter goes back to the Middle Ages....
In 19th century Manchester, ratting and rabbit hunting were popular pursuits and were often called poor man's sports, and it was there that a man named John Hulme mated a Whippet bitch with a Black and Tan Terrier, producing what we would recognize today as the Manchester. Many other dog enthusiasts liked what they saw, and the breed quickly gained popularity.In 1860, Manchester became a breeding center for these dogs which soon spread across Britain and eventually to the United States, where the breed would be recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1887. In 1923, the Manchester Terrier Club of America was formed. The Manchester Terrier comes in two varieties Standard and Toy. Before 1959, the two were recognized as separate breeds; since then, however, the standard has changed to recognize the Standard and Toy as two varieties of the same breed.