A History lesson……………

The CKC Breed Standards
   

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By: Dean Tomes
CMTC Historian
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There has been some discussion in the past year regarding the differences between the American and Canadian breed standards 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, there are two separate and distinct 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 then writing it's own breed standards the CKC set a policy that it would adopt the breed standards 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 Terrier. At this time the AKC made several notable changes to the standard for the Toy Manchester Terrier and the Manchester Terrier resulting from the change from two breeds into a single breed with two varieties. A new AKC breed standard was adopted. One of the notable aspects of this new AKC breed standard was the inclusion of a size disqualification for the standard Manchester Terrier. This new standard was placed

 before the CKC Board for it's 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, 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 unanimously.

This is the history behind the current breed standards used by the CKC. The Manchester Terrier 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.