Norfolk Terrier Profile

Other Names: Norfolk

Country of origin: Great Britain

Dog Group Kennel Club: Terrier

General appearance:

The Norfolk Terrier has a protective weatherproof coat that is harsh, broken, and wiry. The outer coat lies close and flat to the body. The undercoat is soft in texture. A Norfolk Terrier is one of the smallest terriers around today. Norfolks should have a slightly round head with a broad skull and a strong wedge shaped muzzle. The eyes should be small, oval in shape and dark with a keen expression. The ears should be medium in size, V shaped with slightly rounded tips and drop forward close to he cheek. The chest should be deep with a short back and level topline. The front legs should short, straight and powerful, the back legs should be broad, strong and muscular. The feet should be round and cat like in appearance. Tail docking is optional and if docked it should be to half its length. Tails are high set and carried erect.

Colours: all shades of red, wheaten, black and tan, or grizzle.

Size:

Bitch   25cm (10") 26cm (10") 

Dog    25cm (10") 26cm (10")

Weight:

Bitch 6.5kg (14lbs) 6.5kg (14lbs)

Dog  6.5kg (14lbs) 6.5kg (14lbs)

Temperament:

They are intelligent, lively and friendly little dogs that can be a bit wilful at times. They will get on well with older children and many elderly people seem to favour this breed. They are known to bark and dig a lot and therefore need adequate training and exercise. The Norfolk Terrier is always ready to play and loves children. Generally they are good with other dogs and cats, but may view smaller pets as prey. In some cases they may exhibit jealousy. They are amiable companions who enjoy being in a family environment. They possess sensitivity and may be stubborn. They are sociable, hardy and alert.

Movement:  Moving straight forward from shoulder. Good rear angulation showing great powers of propulsion. Hindlegs follow track of forelegs, moving smoothly from hips. Flexing well at stifle and hock. Topline remaining level.

Care and training:

The Norfolk Terrier requires daily brushing. They are a non-shedding breed and do not shed their coats naturally. Therefore, a professional grooming session to strip the coat twice a year is highly recommended. This allows the new weatherproof coat to come through which is an important feature of this breed. Although the hard adult coat doesn’t appear until the puppy becomes an adolescent, grooming should be started at an early age; as this terrier can object to being restrained due to its independent streak.

As puppies they could try the patience of a saint at times, as they are so lively and playful.  The Norfolk Terrier can be difficult to housetrain. Crate training is the preferred method. As with any Terrier breed, firmness, fairness, and consistency are the keys to success. Norfolk Terriers are adept in the areas of learning and performing tricks, agility, and obedience.

Overall Exercise: 40 - 60 minutes per day.
This little terrier will adapt to life in the city but does prefer the country life. They love the outdoors and like nothing better than to be allowed to dig for hours.

Feeding requirements: The Norfolk Terrier is an undemanding dog to feed with no special dietary requirements; they generally have a good appetite.

Exercise: Med

Grooming: Med

Noise: Med 

Personal Protection: Medium

Suitability As Guard Dog: Low

Level of Aggression: Medium

Compatibility With Other Animals: Medium

Suitablity for Children: Medium

Often docked? Yes

Average litter: 3

Life expectancy (yrs):12 - 14

Health issues: Cardiomyopathy, patellar luxation, heart murmurs and mitral valve disease, back problems, skin problems and genetic eye disorders.

History: Bred in the town of Norwich and in the county of Norfolk, which is in the East Anglian setting of England, they were mainly used to control rats and hunt vermin and foxes. They were a mixture of gypsy's dogs that were crossed with weaver's pets. It is thought that the genetic makeup of this breed is of Irish Terrier, Glen of Imaal Terrier, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Border Terrier and Cairn Terrier. The breed was just a regular farm mongrel in the 1800s, and it had no official recognition or name until the 1880s. The breed became largely popular among Cambridge University students, who wanted to name it the Cantab Terrier. It was not until the 1900s that the breed developed into what it is today. A Mr. Frank "Roughrider" Jones began breeding his Glen of Imaal Terrier with a female Cairn terrier. These were bred to a Dandie Dinmont Terrier as well, and from there the breed began. Mr. Jones helped form the basis for the breed, and early Norfolk Terriers were called Jones Terriers in the U.S. In the 1930s, the breed was accepted by both England and America. Both the Norfolk and Norwich were born in the same litters at the time, and both prick eared and drop eared varieties emerged from the same whelp. The Norwich and Norfolk Terriers were considered the same breed until 1964 when two different classification were created based on their ears. This separation occurred in England in 1964, but it took until 1979 for the U.S. to separate the breeds. The Norfolk has drop ears, and the Norwich has prick ears. Some remember the difference by saying the Norwich terrier's ears are pointy like a "wich's" hat while the Norfolk's ears are in a fold. Others remember the difference by saying the Norfolk's ears are flat like the county of Norfolk, while the Norwich ears are erect like the Norwich Spire's Cathedral.