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The CKC Breed Standards
A History Lesson

By Dean Tomes (then CMTC Historian)
The Ratter's Review, November 2000

There has been some discussion in the past year regarding the differences between the American and Canadian breed standard for the Manchester Terrier.  As part of a trip to the CKC archives, I investigated the history behind the current Canadian breed standards.  Although the Manchester Terrier is treated as one breed with two varieties for registration purposes, there are two separate and distinct breed standards in place in Canada.  The reason for this was discovered in the CKC Archives.

In the early days of the Canadian Kennel Club, rather than writing its own breed standards, the CKC set a policy that it would adopt the breed standard set forth by the American Kennel Club.  In 1959, it was brought to the attention of the CKC Board that changes had been made in a number of AKC breed standards, one of which was the Manchester Terriers.  At this time the AKC made several notable changes to the standards for the Toy Manchester Terrier and the Manchester Terrier resulting from their unification from two breeds into a single breed with two varieties.  One of the notable aspects of this new AKC breed standard was the inclusion of a size disqualification for the Standard Manchester Terrier.  Once adopted, the new AKC breed standard was placed before the CKC Board of Directors for consideration.

At a meeting held August 15, 1959, item number 7 R 45 was a discussion of the proposed changes to the CKC breed standard for the Manchester Terrier.  at this meeting members of the Board were provided with letters from Mrs. Anne Bullock, Mrs. Ruth Turner, Mrs. Rheata M.H. Code, the All Terrier Club of Canada, Miss V.E. Meyers, D.R. Wilson, Mr. Mac C. McLean, and Mrs. Ruth Coates.  Following a discussion, a motion was made by Mr. Irving and seconded by Mr. MacKenrick that "we take no action on the standards for the Manchester Terrier and the Toy Manchester Terrier, their breed standard to remain as in 'the Complete Dog Book' dated July 1, 1956."  This motion was carried unanymously.

This is the history behind the current breed standards use by the CKC.  The Manchester Terrier breed standard was originally approved by the AKC on April 8, 1947; the Toy Manchester Terrier breed standard was originally approved by the AKC on October 11, 1938.