Questions about Manchester Terrier -Please help

[doggyasker]

I'm new on this forum, so I'm sorry if there is already a thread for these kind of questions.

If you do not like to read, just go over the bolded for the main points and questions of this post.

I'm interested in information regarding the Manchester Terrier primarily from owners of the dog or other pet owners who have had personal experience or have extensive knowledge on the breed.

I have read many resources online about this particular breed however there seems to be much conflicting information surrounding it. For one, some sources say that this dog does not get along with other pets at all while others say it is a matter of early socializing. Another point would be some sites claiming that the breed needs inordinate amount of exercise while others say it does just as well in a lazy apartment environments with one or two walks a day.

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My Questions:

I have one cat and would like to know if a Manchester Terrier would be able to get along with it if they were socialized early in it life.

I also would like to know how much exercise this breed requires, if it is considerably more than most other breeds need.

Does this type of dog bark a lot? Also, would you consider it a watch dog, guard dog or both?

I'm looking for the following characteristics in a dog, please tell me how much these are present in the Manchester Terrier. Highly intelligent, Loyal exclusively to it's owner(s) (doesn't roll over for strangers), very affectionate and playful and also trainable.

It's a beautiful dog btw.

Thank you for your help

[Giselle]

Have you checked the Machester Terrier Club of America yet?

They have a lovely FAQ's:

Q: Will a Manchester Terrier get along with my other pets?

A. Manchester Terriers get along quite well with other dogs. While they are an assertive breed, they are not generally an aggressive one. They also can get along with cats, provided they were raised with them from a young age. However, as Manchesters were developed for centuries to hunt and kill small rodents and to course hare, it is inadvisable to ask them to live with rabbits, rats, mice or other rodent pets. Their terrier instinct is generally too strong to allow peaceful co-habitation with pets of this sort.

Q: Do Manchesters bark a lot? Are they yappy?

A. Manchester Terriers do bark, although most Manchester Terriers do not bark to excess unless they have been left to their own devices uncorrected, or are bored. With most Manchester Terriers, barking can be curbed early on or avoided entirely by taking a few preventative steps. The most important step is to socialize your puppy properly. Make sure your Manchester Terrier is exposed to a wide variety of people, animals, and noises at a young age. It is especially important to expose your Manchester Terrier to a variety of people visiting your home and a variety of noises within the home while he is still a puppy. This will teach your puppy that these things are normal and acceptable and not to be barked at. If barking problems begin to develop, they can usually be dealt with either with some training, a bark collar, or (as a last resort) a surgical de-barking procedure.

Q: What is their activity level? Are Manchesters "hyper"?

A. Manchester Terriers are busy, intelligent, active, inquisitive and looking for a job and are not overly active indoors. Most Manchesters, as adults, match their activity level to that of their owner(s). Puppies, of course, are more energetic and “busy” than adults. A single Manchester Terrier will often not be overly active indoors, however, multiple dogs living in the same household will play together.

Outdoors, Manchesters have an abundant amount of energy. They are quite athletic and enjoy a variety of activities from playing with other dogs at the park, to playing ball, to running agility courses. In fact, the Standards can make good running companions as they have both speed and endurance. Standard Manchester Terriers require a bit more exercise than the Toys, usually between 30 minutes to 1 hour per day. Toy Manchesters can often get enough exercise inside, if the home or apartment is large enough.

Also, I do want to make a comment on this prerequisite you posted: "Loyal exclusively to it's owner(s) (doesn't roll over for strangers)". While that loyalty may seem very sweet and honorable, it doesn't do you a whole lot of good in the real world unless you're training your dog specifically for something like the French ring or Schutzhund. Reason is your dog will have to see a vet or some other authority at least once or twice in his/her life. The last thing you want is a very non-compliant dog. Manchesters are naturally wary of strangers so they naturally won't listen to every command from a stranger, but you should encourage others to ask your Manchester for a sit or a down. You don't have to ask them to ask your dog to roll over, but it's a good idea to let your dog take commands from others. When something bad is about to happen, dogs know. Their instinct is much better than ours, so you needn't worry about loyalty