Page 274 - Showsight March 2013

Like a lot of older breeds,
histories differ on the ori-
gin and evolution of the
Manchester. It’s (prob-
ably) safe for me to say
that they are generally
considered one of the foundation breeds
behind many modern Terriers. We know
they did originate in England. They are rec-
ognizable in paintings from the 1700s as a
small, smooth-coated, black and tan terrier.
It seems likely they were used in the develop-
ment of Dobermans. Beyond that, opinions
differ greatly and since I am not quite old
enough to have witnessed any of the above,
I will stop here.
Like most Terriers, they started out as
hunters of vermin. Probably first on farms,
later in towns and, finally, in homes. They
are still great hunters and that prey drive
allows them to do well in everything from
EarthDog and Barn Hunts to Agility and
Coursing. We even have some who have
completed Tracking titles with no trouble.
Obedience and Rally are also on the Man-
chester menu of THINGS I CAN DO
WELL. I am looking forward to seeing
one do a Freestyle dance routine with his
owner at our 2013 National Specialty in
September. With the right partner they
can pretty much do anything you want
them to. Keeping laps and feet warm are
other specialties.
In America, the breed is divided into
two varieties: Toys and Standards. Toys
must be under twelve pounds, Standards
between twelve and twenty-two pounds.
Our written Standard calls for Toys to
be a diminutive version of the Standard
Manchester but they must have a natu-
rally upright ear. The Standard dogs may
have a naturally upright ear, a button ear
or a cropped ear. In this country, most
are cropped. I believe America is the only
country where the two are not considered
separate breeds.
I was asked to mention why people
would buy a Manchester and why I love
having them. I had to stop and think about
both these questions. The very first Man-
chester I ever met (a Standard) impressed
me with her beauty, fierce loyalty to her
owner, her regal mien and her determina-
tion to check on my infant son every time
she heard him cry. I believe she would have
taken him home to raise if she’d been able.
I’d never met a dog like her before and I
never forgot her.
That was 1967 and I got my first Man-
chester (a Toy) in 1982. During the inter-
vening years, we had become involved in
showing Saints in Obedience and Breed so
I’d had some opportunity to see Manches-
ters at shows. I was flabbergasted when I
saw several at a local show and learned that
a woman I knew slightly had decided to ‘get
into’ the breed. She called me the first time
she had a litter, we got our first bitch and
have had them ever since. Skeeter got her
name because my not over enthused hus-
band insisted the pups were “smaller than
the skeeters”.
I loved that she marched into the house,
looked around and immediately started
arranging things to suit herself. My skep-
tical husband was first on her list. It may
have taken her half an hour to make him
understand that his life had not been com-
plete till she got there. I loved that she was
not afraid of the Saints. Not stupid about it
either – if she wasn’t up on a couch or a lap
she was always close to hidey hole and we
did our part by making sure there were no
unsupervised visits ’til the Saints realized
she was actually a dog. I loved the way she
approached the cats – very, very respect-
fully. I expect ours were not the first cats
she had known.
I loved that she was quick to learn the
rules, easy to house train and didn’t hold
grudges. I loved that wiping her down with
a damp towel, keeping her toenails back
and her teeth clean was all the grooming
needed to keep us both happy.
Thirty some years later, I still love all
those things about the breed.
Nobody is perfect. Manchesters are
Terriers. Maxwell Riddle described Terri-
ers as being born with more Original Sin
than other dogs. They are quick to use all
that intelligence to manipulate their own-
ers. It can be very hard to convince new
owners that the lovely, dewy eyed, tiny
puppy asleep in their lap is dreaming of
world domination but, believe me; it is
never far from their mind. Owners must
be every bit as smart and just as stubborn
as their dog is or they end up living their
own lives around what the dog wants –
and wondering how it happened.
Why would someone want to buy one?
They are striking animals. The combina-
tion of size and elegance makes them eye
catchers. Their size makes them attrac-
tive to people living a modern lifestyle.
It is nice to have a dog athletic enough to
go running with you and small enough
to pick up and carry as it grows up and
can match your distance. They are playful
in and out of the house and will quickly
learn your likes and dislikes. They are gen-
erally healthy and the puppy you buy for
your kid when he starts to school is often
around to see him off to college. Then they
will be there to comfort you.
Manchesters are dogs that demand a lot
of their owners in the way of attention and
training but they give it all back in love,
empathy and fun. After all these years of
living with them, I find it hard to figure
out why anyone wouldn’t want one.
By Jerri Hobbs
LIFE WITH MANCHESTERS
I STILL LovE ALL THoSE
THINgS AbouT THE bREEd.”
“Thirty some years later,
274 • ShowSight Magazine, March 2013