Manchester Terrier: Children And Other Pets

Typically, a Manchester is devoted to his family and likes children but his small size makes him vulnerable to youngsters who aren't old enough to know it hurts when you yank his ears. Some breeders prefer homes without very young children. It helps to expose him to a lot of children, small and not so small, when he's young.

Show your children how to approach and touch dogs, and supervise any interactions between dogs and young children to prevent any biting or ear or tail pulling on the part of either party. Teach your child never to approach any dog while he's eating or to try to take the dog's food away. No dog should be left unsupervised with a child.

Manchesters and other pets depends on... the other pets. They are less scrappy than many terriers, but don't lose sight of why they were bred: to kill vermin. They have a strong prey drive. So while they generally do well with other dogs, cats might be pretty nervous around them, and small critters like rats, hamsters, and guinea pigs would be in permanent danger around this terrier.

« Feeding | Next: Coat, color & grooming »