At a glance the quick version
FCI ideal weight range.
The Royal Kennel Club lists over 12 years.
Coat and looks how to spot one
short, smooth coat
A dense, short, glossy coat on a fine-boned, elegant little body. The ears stand upright in a shape often compared to a candle flame.132
Personality what they are like
A bright, alert little dog that mixes the affection of a toy breed with the spirit of a terrier. It is quick on its feet, confident rather than nervous, and still keen on chasing small critters.132
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Modest: up to about 30 minutes of exercise a day, plus play.3
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Weekly brushing or a wipe-over is enough for the short coat.3
The story where it all began
The breed was scaled down from the Black and Tan (Manchester) Terrier in Victorian England, when small, fast dogs were prized for catching rats. As ratting contests faded, the little terriers moved into the show ring, and the current name was adopted in 1960.32
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
A famous 1840s dog named Tiny the Wonder was reported to have caught 200 rats in under an hour.2
- 2
Its upright ears are described as candle-flame shaped.3
- 3
The breed standard asks for black 'pencil' lines on the toes and a black thumb mark on each pastern.1
- 4
The stud book was reopened so North American Toy Manchester Terriers could be registered as English Toy Terriers.2
Recognised by the official bits
- FCI
- Standard no. 13, Group 3 Terriers, Section 4 Toy Terriers; standard dated 26.03.2009, country of origin Great Britain.1
- The Royal Kennel Club
- Toy group; listed as a vulnerable native breed.3
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan). It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery week
- Bathevery 8 weeks
- Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery 3 weeks
- Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery day
- ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 10every year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FCI Standard No. 13, English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) fci.beused for recognition, size, weight, coat, colours, temperament
- Wikipedia, English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) en.wikipedia.orgused for other names, history, fun facts, registrations
- The Royal Kennel Club, English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) royalkennelclub.comused for exercise, grooming, lifespan band, history, vulnerable status
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.