English Toy Terrier

The English Toy Terrier has an elegant appearance and looks like a new breed, although this dog can track their roots back to the 16th century. Gentlemen hunters carried this little dog in their pockets, and they would set them down once the prey was cornered, using them to flush out foxes and other game. Another use for this dog was for the sport of rat pitting. This involved the dog being set loose in an enclosed area with a large number of rats and spectators bet on how quickly the dog could kill them all. The sport was outlawed in 1898, so from then onward this little dog became more of a companion dog than anything else. As dog fanciers bred them smaller and smaller, the offspring of the  English Toy Terrier suffered many health problems. As a result of these problems, the popularity of the dog waned, and they began to disappear. Only the efforts of a few dedicated breeders who worked to increase the health and strength of the dog kept them from going extinct.  The  English Toy Terrier became popular in the conformation show ring, with its elegant appearance making them a favorite. During the 1920s, the Kennel Club split the breed by their size, with the larger dog becoming the Manchester Terrier, and the smaller dog the Miniature Black and Tan Terrier. It wasn't until the 1960s that the name English Toy Terrier was adopted. The  English Toy Terrier has had a rocky past, bouncing into popularity, then discarded,  and then back into the limelight again. Let's hope that it is finally here to stay and we get to enjoy the company of this interesting little Terrier.