English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan)

(Breed Standard)

Partha Sekhar Chatterjee

International All Breeds Dog Show Judge

These English Toy Terrier dogs are cleanly built and well balanced. They are elegant and compact. The dogs are very alert and could acquit themselves satisfactorily in the rat pit and are never unduly nervous. 

The head is long, narrow with a flat skull, which is wedge-shaped. Jaws held tightly together within compressed lips. Foreface tampers gently to provide wedge- shaped impression, front and profile similar. The nose is black. Its eyes are black, small, almond shaped, obliquely set and sparkling. The ears are candle- flame in shape, with pointed tips and are placed high upon back of skull and proportionately close together. From nine months of age ear carriage must be erect. Entire inside of ear should face front. The leather of ear is thin. The jaws are strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite. The teeth are level and strong. 

The neck is long, graceful, slightly arched. The shoulders are well laid back. Line of the neck is flowing into shoulders and is sloping off elegantly. 

The legs falling straightly from shoulders with elbows close to chest providing a straight front. 

The body is compact with the head and legs proportionate thus producing a correct balance. The back is slightly curved from behind the shoulders to loins, falling again to root of tail. The chest is narrow and deep with well sprung ribs. The loins are well cut up and the buttocks gently rounded. 

They have a good turn of stifle with the hocks well let down, turning neither in nor out.

The feet are dainty, compact, well arched with black nails. The two middle toes of the front feet are slightly longer than the others. Hairy feet are undesirable. The tail is thick at the root and tapers to a point. It is set low and does not reach below the hock. 

It moves in a trot with ease and precision. There should be flowing quality to indicate true soundness.

The coat should be thick, close and glossy. These are normally coloured black and tan. The colours are clear and well defined. The forelegs are tanned to the knees in front and continue inside and back of forelegs to just below the elbows. Hindlegs well tanned in front and inside. Muzzle is tanned with a black nose. A tan spot above each eye and each cheek.

They weigh 2.7 to 3.6 kg. and measures 25 to 30 cm. at the shoulder. 

Any departure from the above may be considered a fault in proportion to its degree. All males should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended in to the scrotum.

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