During the first half of the nineteenth century the chief accomplishment of this terrier was rat-killing.  There are some extraordinary accounts of his adroitness, as well as courage, in destroying these vermin.  The feats of a dog called Billy are recorded.  He was matched to destroy one hundred large rats in eight minutes and a half.  The rats were brought into the ring in bags, and as soon as the number was complete Billy was put over the railing into their midst.  In six minutes and thirty-five seconds they were all destroyed.  In another match he killed the same number in six minutes and thirteen seconds.

It was a popular terrier in Lancashire, and it was in this county that the refining process in his shape and colouring was practised, and where he came by the name of the Manchester Terrier.

Like the White English Terriers the Black and Tan has fallen on evil days.  It is not a popular dog among fanciers, and although many good ones may be seen occasionally about the streets the breed suffers from want of the care and attention that are incidental to the breeding and rearing of dogs intended for competition at shows.

There are many who hold the opinion that one of the chief reasons for the decadence in the popularity of the Black and Tan Terrier, notwithstanding its many claims to favour, is to be found in the loss of that very alert appearance which was a general characteristic before the Kennel Club made it illegal to crop the ears of such as were intended for exhibition.  It must be admitted that until very recently there was a considerable amount of truth in the prevalent opinion, inasmuch as a rather heavy ear, if carried erect, was the best material to work upon, and from which to produce the long, fine, and upright, or “pricked” effect which was looked upon as being the correct thing in a cropped dog; hence it followed that no care was taken to select breeding stock likely to produce the small, semi-erect, well-carried, and thin ears required to-day, consequently when the edict forbidding the use of scissors came into force there were very few small-eared dogs to be found.  It has taken at least ten or a dozen years to eradicate the mischief, and even yet the cure is not complete.

Another factor which has had a bad effect is the belief, which has become much too prevalent, that a great deal of “faking” has been practised in the past, and that it has been so cleverly performed as to deceive the most observant judge, whereby a very artificial standard of quality has been obtained.

The standard of points by which the breed should be judged is as follows:—­

* * * * *