About ETTs

When the uninitiated come across their first English Toy Terrier, the inevitable first comment is that it looks like a mini doberman. This leads to their best guess that what they're seeing in this compact body of muscle, attentiveness, and delight is a Miniature Pinscher, when in fact, the longer body and sloping hind quarters of the like of a little greyhound should be the dead giveaway.

Other distinct differences are the tail set: the pinscher, if not docked, will hold its tail arched well over the back, while the ETT's curves downward, following the shape of the hind quarters before tapering off in a little flourish.

While Min Pins come in several different colours including a black and tan version, the ETT is never anything but black and tan.

And finally, there's a clear distinction in the way they go about their historical purpose, ie, rat-killing. Pinschers are called such because of they way "pinch" their prey: they jump on them and nip at them, and while they are sometimes wont to give their quarry a shake, it's not their primary way of approaching a kill. ETTs, on the other hand, rely on a different method: one grasp of the scruff of the rat's neck, and the ETT shakes its head at an alarming rate, breaking the rat's back in the process.

Of course, these days, ETTs are more likely to be trying to kill your slipper or one of their dog toys than a rat, but it's handy to look at these physical differences between the two breeds since they are often mistaken for each other.

All this being said, the most important difference is that Min Pins originate from Germany, while the ETT originates in England. The reason this matters is that the ETT holds the position of being the oldest native toy breed in the country, tracing its roots far back into antiquity. One antecedent was even mentioned by Pliny in a book from 55 BC. A distinctly familiar-shaped terrier can be seen in the Bayeaux Tapestry, and an unmistakable black-and-tan terrier features in an illustration from a book of prayers dated from the early 1500s.

A pair of Black & Tans on the right

Upon the formation of the Kennel Club in 1873, Black and Tan Terriers were represented in two sizes, the larger of which was, and still is, called the Manchester Terrier. In the 1920s, the breed was split into separate breeds, and the smaller one then received the designation "Black and Tan Terrier (Miniature)". It wasn't until 1962 that we got the current designation of English Toy Terrier, or ETT.

So much more could be said about the history of these wonderful little dogs, and so much more could be said about their general temperaments (good), their trainability (great), their habits and traits and compatibility with both other dogs and children, but there's no need to expand too much here: Roy Wilson has written the definitive book on the breed and can be downloaded as a Kindle edition from Amazon.

One of the aims of this website, however, is to build up a picture over time as to what it's like to live with an ETT in your home, how to care for it, to appreciate its versatility, and how -- inevitably -- to make room for a few more of them.

They are ever-so collectible!