English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan)
Other names: English toy terrier Black and Tan

The English Toy Terrier is an energetic, smart breed, who is also very affectionate and loyal to its owners. They are understood to be the oldest, native, toy breed and are quite difficult to find. This good-natured breed are quite playful and love to please their owners. However, as with most terriers, they have a high prey drive and might not get along with other pets and small animals.
Key facts about the English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan)
Access the rest of the content after the ad

Loading advertisement ...
Origins and history
This breed of toy dogs dates back to the 15th century, according to historic records. However, it gained in popularity around the 1800’s when they were used as ratters. The country was overrun with these vermin, and the little dogs did a fantastic job of keeping their numbers low. At this time, they were called Miniature Black and Tan terriers, until 1960, when the breed title was changed to the English Toy terrier.
In later years, breeders were known to interbreed dogs in an attempt to produce the smallest dog. This however, resulted in many congenital and hereditary health conditions and the reduction in terrier breed numbers.
FCI breed nomenclature
FCI Group
Group 3 - Terriers
Section
Section 4 : Toy Terriers
Physical characteristics of the English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan)
Adult size
Female : Between 10 and 12 in
Male : Between 10 and 12 in
Weight
Female : Between 4 and 7 lb
Male : Between 4 and 7 lb
Coat colour
The dog’s coat is always Black and Tan coloured. The tan shade being a rich chestnut brown and the black, a dark ebony shade. The colours must be clearly defined and not run into each other.
Type of coat
Short-haired.
The English Toy Terrier sports a close-hair, glossy coat.
Eye colour
Dark to black eye colour.
Description
It’s very easy to confuse the English Toy Terrier dog with the Miniature Pinscher, as they both have a very similar black and tan coat. Their body shape is also very alike, however the only noticeable difference is their size.
The English Toy Terrier has a narrow, long, and wedge-shaped head and a black nose. The eyes of the English Toy terrier are almond shaped, small and dark to black in colour. With ears having pointed tips and candle flame-shaped, yet very thin when touched. The dog’s front legs are strong, fine-boned and straight and he has a compact body shape. The back legs, likewise are very strong and muscly, ending in very small feet adorned with black toe-nails. The terrier’s tail is set low, tapered near to the tip but thicker at the root.
Good to know
The English Toy terrier, is currently recognised by the UK Kennel Club, as a vulnerable, native breed. Because of this, great emphasis is being placed on the breed to boost the dogs’ popularity. It is hoped that the more people learn and understand about the fabulous and appealing characteristics and personalities of the breed, then numbers will increase. If you wish to obtain one of these charming pups, you will have to register your interest with a breeder and be included on a waiting list.
Temperament
Behaviour of the English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan)
Access the rest of the content after the ad

Loading advertisement ...

Is the English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) right for you?
take the testLifestyle
Compatibility
Price
The average price of a KC registered, English Toy terrier is around the £930 mark and £515 for a dog not registered at the KC.
In addition, when you take into account the feeding costs to provide a good quality, nutritious dog food, either wet or dry, this can mount up to between £20 and £30 each month. Then you need to factor in the cost of either spaying or neutering the pup when they are old enough, plus annual health checks, vaccinations and annual boosters, together with pet insurance cover and the average monthly cost is between £50 to £80.
Grooming
The Black and Tan Toy terrier has a dense, short coat that doesn’t take a lot to groom and keep him looking well. A quick brush of his coat, once a week, and then a polish over with a chamois leather cloth. will keep his hair in pristine condition. His ears also need an inspection on a regular basis, to make sure they are clean and without any wax build-up.
Shedding
This canine breed shed their hair throughout the year, but as the hair is quite short, it shouldn’t pose too much of a problem.
Nutrition of the English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan)
Feed a proprietary, nutritious canine food product, either wet or dry. It’s best to continue with the same food type that they begin to eat as a small puppy, to prevent any digestive upsets. Some older Toy terriers are known to be quite finicky or fussy eaters. It is certainly not a good idea to pander to their whims, or you could make things worse. The ideal situation is to find which diet suits them best.
Health of the English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan)
Life expectancy
When properly cared for and given a good quality, nutritious diet, the average life expectancy of this terrier breed is between 11 to 13 years.
Strong / robust
As dogs that have been bred and used to chase and kill vermin, they need to be fearless, stubborn and alert.
Withstand heat
As the English Toy terrier has a relatively short coat, he doesn’t cope too well in extreme temperatures. Be aware that he can suffer from heat stress during the hot, summer months. However, one great advantage is that this little dog loves to swim, and he will dive into the water to cool down whenever he is too warm.
Withstand cold
With his naturally fine coat hair, he certainly feels the cold when the temperatures fall. You will possibly even discover that he doesn’t enjoy going outside for toilet duties in the chilly winter weather. A coat might be advisable to keep him warm.
Tendency to put on weight
Many small terrier-size dogs can very easily gain weight if they are fed too often and don’t receive sufficient, active, daily exercise. Toy lap dogs also tend to receive too many dog treats, which doesn’t help with their weight control.
Common illnesses
- Patella Luxation
- Congenital deafness
- Skin mange
- Von Willebrand’s disease
- Juvenile dilated cardiomyopathy
- Legg-Calve-Perthes disease
- Heat stress
- Eye problems including Glaucoma, Cataracts and Lens luxation.