English Toy Terrier Dog Breeds
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Height at the withers: Males 25 – 30 cm, Females 25 – 30 cm
Average weight: Males 3 – 4 kg, Females 3 – 4 kg
The English Toy Terrier could easily be mistaken for a miniature Dobermann because they boast the same black and tan colouring and very similar body shape with the only real difference being in size. Their heads are long and narrow being quite wedge-shaped with dogs having a slight stop. Their forefaces taper gently which accentuates the wedge shape of their head. Their noses are always black, and dogs have dark to black coloured eyes which are quite small and almond shaped being set obliquely on a dog’s face. These terriers always have a sparkle in their eyes which adds to their alert, keen appearance.
Their ears are shaped like candle flames with slight points to the tips and are set high on the head being quite close together and thin to the touch. The English Toy Terrier has a strong jaw with a perfect scissor bite where their upper teeth neatly overlap their lower ones. Their necks are graceful and long which dogs hold slightly arched and their shoulders are nicely laid back. Front legs are straight, fine-boned yet strong.
They have compact bodies which adds to the overall nice balance of an English Toy Terrier’s appearance. Their backs are slightly curved from behind the shoulder to a dog’s loin but falls away to the base of the tail. Chests are deep and narrow with dogs having well sprung ribs and a well cut up loin with slightly rounded buttocks. Back legs are strong and well-muscled with dogs having dainty little feet with well arched toes and jet-black nails. Their two middle toes on their front feet are slightly longer than their other toes and a dog’s back feet are more cat-like. Tails are thicker at the root, but taper to the tip being set low.
When it comes to their coat, the English Toy Terrier boasts having a thick, close and extremely glossy coat and the accepted breed colour for Kennel Club registration is as follows:
- Black and Tan
It is worth noting that the accepted breed colours for Kennel Club registration can differ from those set out in the breed standard which are as follows:
- Black and tan – the black being ebony and the tan being a deep, rich chestnut. Colours must not run into each other being clearly defined. A dog’s front legs are tanned at the front to the knees and the tan colour continues inside and on the back of the front legs up to their elbows. A thin black line up each toe and dogs have a clearly defined black mark on each of their pasterns as well as under the chin. Their hind legs are nicely tanned at the front and on the inside showing a black bar that divides the tan colour at the centre of their lower thighs. Muzzles are well-tanned with dogs having a tan spot over each eye and a small tan spot on each of their cheeks. The under-jaw as well as the throat is tanned with dogs having black lip lines. Each side of a dog’s chest has a little tan and their vents as well as under the root of their tails are tan too.
Gait/movement
When an English Toy Terrier moves, they do so with a determined extended trot with a nice smooth action from behind that also shows a tremendous amount of drive.
Faults
The Kennel Club frowns on any exaggerations or departures from the breed standard and would judge the faults on how much they affect a dog’s overall health and wellbeing as well as their ability to perform.
Males should have both testicles fully descended into their scrotums and it is worth noting that a dog can be a little lighter or heavier as well as slightly taller or shorter than set out in the Kennel Club breed standard which is only given as a guideline.