Manchester Terrier vs. Miniature Pinscher
Base on appearance alone (at a quick glance) both Miniature Pinscher and Toy Manchester Terrier look almost identical. Ironically their history origin, personalities, and temperament are quite a world apart.
Manchester Terrier was originally called Black and Tan. It was then renamed in honor of a single breeder who lived in the township of Manchester, England. This breed is very quick and agile, a trait that made it good in the rat pit. It is said that Manchester Terrier can killed 100 rats in just 6 minutes and 13 seconds! The Toy Manchester Terrier was developed as a direct descendant of the larger Manchester Terrier by breeders who wanted a smaller variety of this breed. Both the toy and standard were considered of two breeds until 1959. Beside their sizes, the Toy Manchester Terriers are not allowed to have their ears chopped unlike its larger counterpart.
The Miniature Pinscher originated in Germany where its history goes back over many hundreds of years. It was originally a barnyard ratter. It is often called the Reh Pinscher in Germany because its appearance is similar to a native species of miniature deer. They are called the Miniature Pinscher in the U.S.A. because their appearance is very similar to a “miniaturized Doberman Pinscher.” However, there is no genetic relationship between these two breeds. Miniature Pincher is a big dog in a small package. With its prancing gait and show-off tendencies, this dog is a natural in the show ring. Min Pin are not lapdogs despite its size or breed, they can’t stay still—a nonstop motion machine!
*Docking tails and cropping ears are cosmetic procedures. Cropping of ears was declared illegal in many European countries in 1990. Cropped ears on Toy Manchester Terriers will be disqualified.
| Breed | Manchester Terrier | Miniature Pinscher |
| Country of Origin | England | Germany |
| AKC / KC Groups | Toy (toy) and Terrier (standard)/ Terrier | Toy / Toy |
| Original Function | hunting small rodents | hunting small vermin |
Physical Appearance
| Coat Color | black and tan | black, black and tan, red |
| Coat Type | smooth, glossy, straight, and short | short, straight, and smooth |
| Head | wedge-shaped, long, narrow with a black nose, mahogany marking on the muzzle | narrow, tapering head with flat skull that is parallel to the strong muzzle |
| Eyes | small almond-shaped slant upwards, mahogany marking on the eyebrow | oval shaped almost black and bright |
| Ears | erect and thin, cropped* or natural, mahogany marking on inside of the ear | held erect, cropped* or natural |
| Body | compact, sleek yet muscular, tuck up abdomen, slightly arched topline, mahogany marking on the forelegs and chest | sturdy, compact, a muscular body that is wedge shaped |
| Tail | short taped to a point, mahogany marking under the tail | docked and held erect (best docked under 4 days of age) |
| Height | 10 – 12 inches (toy), 15 – 16 inches (standard) | 10 – 11.5 inches |
| Weight | 6 – 8 lbs (toy), 12 – 22 lbs (standard) | 8 – 10 lbs |
Temperament, Needs, and Learning
| Overall Temperament | alert dog, gentle, more sensitive, less active than the typical terrier breed | alert dog with vigor and spirit, fearless, self-confident |
| General Activity | high energy, provide plenty of mental stimulation games and dog tricks | very high energy, provide plenty of mental stimulation games, dog tricks |
| Exercise Requirement | low, moderate walk, and a good romp in the garden | moderate, 20 minutes daily walk is good enough |
| Grooming Requirement | wash-and-wear dog, bare minimum or very low, occasional brushing with rubber glove comb to remove dead hair | wash-and-wear dog, almost carefree, occasional brushing with rubber glove comb to remove dead hair |
| Ideal Home Environment | small apartment will do fine | small apartment however do not be deceived of its petite size, Min Pin can’t stay still for too long |
| Ideal Owner | firm, with semi active lifestyle | firm, assertive (not easily push over), best with some experience in handling dogs |
| Special Needs | early socialization and training | early socialization, supervision with children, will react aggressively when provoked |
| Intelligence / Ranking | fairly intelligent / ranked no. 32 | fairly intelligent / ranked no. 37 |
| Trainability | very high | very high but can be very challenging as they’ll always try to outwit you, need firm toilet training |
| Cold / Heat Tolerance | low / extremely high | low / extremely high |
Behavior
| Excitability | fair | moderately high, always busy |
| Playfulness | fairly high yet reserved, occasionally timid | extremely high, a perpetual motion machine |
| Demand for Affection | moderately high | moderately high |
| Watchdog Barking | extremely high, makes an excellent family watch dog | very high, makes an excellent family watch dog but also very territorial and possessive |
| Protection | moderately well especially the standard version | moderately well but don’t expect Min Pin to chew off a chunk of flesh from the intruder’s thigh nevertheless his fearsome snarl is scary enough to ward off any trespassers |
| Dominance Over Owner | low | high, big dog in small package |
| Good With Dogs | fairly well | very low tolerance, can be very aggressive at times |
| Good With Pets | low tolerance, may chase small pets | ow tolerance to animals that walk on ground |
| Good With Children | moderately low, the toy version should be protected from young rambunctious children | moderately low, they don’t dislike children but will not tolerate mishandling |
| Good With Strangers | wary | very low, always suspicious |
| Problematic Areas | digging, barking, possessive | brash—urine marking at home, possessive over belongings |
Health
| Life Span | 14 – 16 years | 12 – 14 years |
| Major Aliments | none | none |
| Minor Aliments | von Willebrand’s disease, cardiomyopathy | Legg-perthes, cervical, disk, patellar luxation, hypothyrodism, heart defects |
| Recommended Food | beef, oats, wheat, potato, beet pulp | venison, beef, wheat, potatoes, yellow corn, beet pulp |
Download a free copy of Manchester Terrier vs. Miniature Pinscher
Source on Intelligence Ranking:
The Intelligence of Dogs: A Guide to the Thoughts, Emotions, and Inner Lives of Our Canine Companions
Page 192 to 193
Jul 25th 2008
5:44 PM
We just rescued a puppy from the pound a few weeks ago. I was thinking miniature pinscher, but my grandad – who knows alot about dogs, thinks manchester terrier.
Pics here: miaminemo.blogspot.com
Jul 28th 2008
12:29 PM
Two years ago we got what we thought was a Min Pin puppy. We recently came across pictures of Manchesters and were surprised at how similar our “Min Pin” was to the Manchester standard. Picture http://www.flickr.com/photos/cactusatwatercooler/406832326/
In your opinion, does he appear to be a Min Pin, Manchester, cross or something else? More pictures available if needed, and thank you for your time.
Sep 8th 2009
4:07 AM
I bought a toy min pin from a breeder and its funny because they left her ears natural and they stand on end constantly so that they look like manchester terriers. I was wondering if it would be wise to breed a toy manchester with my toy min pin, any suggestions email me at Akinsey08@aol.com. Thanks
Sep 8th 2009
4:09 AM
To BL I would say thats definetly a manchester the long snout gives it away but i could be mistaken.
Feb 25th 2010
8:59 AM
@BL – that is a manchster for sure! In fact, the ears look like a standard type. There is nothing to compare the size with in the pic but if she is over 12lbs then it’s a standard manchester for sure. If she is under 12lbs then she is a toy with a standard cross in her pedigree. She is very cute a reminds me of a typical style of manchster from an infamous kennel which shall remain nameless… it’s a shame they won’t take responsibility for their breedings.
Feb 25th 2010
9:13 AM
@Hey there! Being a Manchester breeder and dog lover I will have to say she may resemble a manchester but looks more along the lines of shepard, maybe even a Burnese Mountain Dog. I will say however she does not have thumbprints. Thumbprints are on the carpals of the forelimbs AND incredibly important for a manchester to have! I know some people who paint them on for the conformation ring. This picture is obviously a puppy and looks at least 15lbs which WAY too big for a manchester pup. The white spot on the chest is something that’s a dead give-away for a shepard/herding dog. She could even be part dobe. She’s very cute. I hope you have a life-time of enjoyment with her. There is a test kit for DNA swabs that take cheek specimens and test breeds. It’s quick and painless…
Happy tails!
Feb 25th 2010
9:14 AM
* @ Will for the post above *