Home / Breeds / Compare / Rat Terrier vs Manchester Terrier
The Rat Terrier is a small terrier from United States, developed to hunt vermin above and below ground, from rats in the barn to foxes and badgers in the earth. From England, the Manchester Terrier is a small terrier whose traditional work was to work vermin above ground and below it, from barn rats to foxes and badgers in their earths. This page puts the two side by side on the numbers that actually differ: size, exercise, grooming, what each costs to keep, and the health tests a breeder should show you.
The biggest gap is energy: the Manchester Terrier is rated 4 of 5 against 3 of 5 for the Rat Terrier.
The next biggest gap is grooming needs: the Manchester Terrier is rated 3 of 5 against 2 of 5 for the Rat Terrier.
The third gap worth noting is lifespan: the middle of the Manchester Terrier range is 15.5 years against 15 years for the Rat Terrier.
| Rat Terrier | Manchester Terrier | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Terrier | Terrier |
| Origin | United States | England |
| Height | 10 to 18 in | 15 to 16 in |
| Weight | 10 to 25 lb | 12 to 22 lb |
| Lifespan | 12 to 18 years | 15 to 16 years |
| Coat | A single, smooth coat lying close and glossy, in the pied patterns the breed is known for, always with some white in the mix. Shedding is steady but the upkeep is tiny: a weekly brush with a grooming mitt keeps it clean. | Short, smooth, glossy coat lying tight and close, dense and jet black with rich tan points. Shedding is light and grooming minimal. |
| Temperament | Bold, scrappy, cheerful and full of self belief | Feisty, bright, affectionate and always busy |
| Energy | 3 of 5 | 4 of 5 |
| Trainability | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Grooming needs | 2 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Shedding | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Barking | 4 of 5 | 4 of 5 |
| With children | Better with older children | Better with older children |
| With other dogs | With early socialization | With early socialization |
| With strangers | Friendly with strangers | Friendly with strangers |
| Apartment fit | Well suited | With enough exercise |
| Daily exercise | 45 to 90 min | 45 to 90 min |
| Food per month (model) | $15 (1.4 cups a day) | $15 (1.4 cups a day) |
| Insurance per month (model) | $29 to $55 | $30 to $56 |
| Monthly total (model) | $44 to $70 | $45 to $71 |
| Yearly total (model) | $531 to $843 | $535 to $847 |
| Lifetime total (model) | $6,370 to $15,171 | $8,027 to $13,554 |
| Breeder health tests | 5 recommended tests | Panel not published yet |
| Health watch | Patellar luxation, heart checks and primary lens luxation (DNA tested) are the standard panel for this hardy farm breed. Ask to see health test results for both parents before you commit to a puppy; a good breeder will offer them before you ask. | Von Willebrand disease (DNA tested) and patellar checks are the standard notes for this sleek, generally healthy breed. Ask to see health test results for both parents before you commit to a puppy; a good breeder will offer them before you ask. |
Rat Terrier: scores 15 on the first-time-owner rule (trainability weighted double, then calmer energy, grooming and barking), against 13 for the Manchester Terrier.
Rat Terrier: is rated "Well suited" for apartment life against "With enough exercise" for the Manchester Terrier.
Both are listed the same way for children and tie on the tie-breaks; supervision matters more than the breed label here.
Level on shedding. Shedding is only a proxy for loose hair in the home; no breed is allergen-free, so time spent with the breed matters more than this row.
Rat Terrier: runs about $1 a month less than the Manchester Terrier on modeled food plus insurance ($57 against $58 at the midpoints).
The five verdicts on this Rat Terrier and Manchester Terrier page follow published rules: first-time owner = 2 x trainability + (6 - energy) + (6 - grooming) + (6 - barking); apartment = the apartment rating, then barking, exercise and weight; children = the children rating, then trainability and stranger friendliness; allergy = lowest shedding, then grooming; budget = the lowest monthly modeled total. Level scores are declared ties.
On the modeled figures the Manchester Terrier costs more month to month: about $58 a month at the midpoint of food plus insurance, against $57 for the Rat Terrier. Run across the lifespan ranges, the model gives $8,027 to $13,554 for the Manchester Terrier and $6,370 to $15,171 for the Rat Terrier. These are planning estimates, not quotes.
They are level: both plan on 45 to 90 minutes a day, and energy is rated 3 of 5 for the Rat Terrier against 4 of 5 for the Manchester Terrier.
On our ratings, yes: both are rated 3 of 5 for shedding. The coats still feel different in the house. Rat Terrier: A single, smooth coat lying close and glossy, in the pied patterns the breed is known for, always with some white in the mix. Shedding is steady but the upkeep is tiny: a weekly brush with a grooming mitt keeps it clean. Manchester Terrier: Short, smooth, glossy coat lying tight and close, dense and jet black with rich tan points. Shedding is light and grooming minimal.
The Rat Terrier, on the published ratings: "Well suited" for apartment life against "With enough exercise" for the Manchester Terrier, barking rated 4 of 5 against 4 of 5, and a daily exercise plan of 45 to 90 minutes against 45 to 90 minutes.
Choosing between more than two? Open the comparison tool and put up to four breeds side by side, or read all written breed comparisons.
Every Rat Terrier and Manchester Terrier fact on this page follows the standards and club guidance summarized on that breed's profile. Cost figures are modeled estimates for planning, labeled with their basis, and are neither quotes nor veterinary advice. Health test panels are the recommendations published by the breed clubs and CHIC, as set out on each breed's health testing page.