Norfolk Terrier Breed Origins and Caracteristics
Description:
The Norfolk terrier is a small sized work dog that has medium sized v shaped ears, which it carries close to its cheeks. Its eyes are oval shaped, well sunken into its orbits and are usually brown or black; its eyes seem to express a lot of vivacity, intelligence and devotion. The height of this dog is around twenty-five to twenty six centimeters and it weighs around five and a half to six kilograms. Despite its small size, it should have good bone structure and body substance, as well as have the aspect of a robust work dog that moves around freely. It has a wiry protective coat and the length of the outer coat should be around three to five centimeters. It has fringes of hair on its head, ears and neck and a little on its legs as well, however in general it has a very polished look. The head of this dog should look slightly rounded and wide, its muzzle should have a wedge shape to it and it should have a well-defined stop. The neck has a medium length and should look strong; the chest is moderately long; the tail is usually docked to give it a more balanced look; the front legs should have good structure and the hind ones should look strong and wide with the hocks lowered down and straight. The Norfolk comes in a variety of colors such as red, golden, black, reddish, or grayish.
Ideal owner:
The Norfolk terrier is a small sized but very confident dog. It can be very rambunctious and enjoys being with its family and loves getting the attention of the kids in the house. It has the capacity to play for hours on end and is always willing to adapt its schedule to its owner's. Because of its small size it is the perfect dog for people that live in small apartments or flats. One complaint the owners of these dogs have though is that it loves digging and barking. It is a very quick learner and it enjoys training sessions. It is recommended to start its training sessions at a very young age so as to control its anxiousness to bite and dig. Puppy Norfolk's are very loud and playful; they can get on one's nerves, but be patient. However, due to this factor it is very important the owner gets it well trained in obedience and allows it to get plenty of exercise.
Growth:
These dogs usually have small size litters, usually only around four puppies or less. Their average weight is around 140 grams at birth. The tail is docked during the first week of life, however make sure to find out about the laws on docking in your country before taking your dog to get docked. The Norfolk terrier grows and develops very quickly. At eight weeks the average weight is around one kilogram and a half; at around six weeks it should weigh around five kilograms. At adolescence it sheds its puppy coat and its wiry adult coat becomes evident. Stripping its coat will be necessary during this time and its coat will require more care than before. As it ages it becomes more serious and balanced.
General health:
One great thing about the Norfolk terrier is that just like its cousin the Norwich terrier, it is very healthy and is not affected by very serious hereditary diseases. This dog is not very prone to health problems, which is a big advantage for the future owner. These little fellows just seem to overflow with energy and liveliness. This dog really enjoys spending a lot of time outside playing around and digging in the ground. However, make sure to keep a good eye on it as since it has a strong and fearless character it can sometimes get into trouble. One of the biggest health worries is their skin; allergies have been seen in this breed and the owner must make sure to give it the right diet and take good care of its coat. The care its coat requires is not difficult and probably the most important will be that the owner learns how to "strip" the dog's coat. Otherwise have a professional dog groomer do this for you. Problems with ear infections have also been seen in this breed and the owner will need to check its ears regularly. Make sure to start taking it to the professional dog groomer at a young age so that it gets used to these sessions without fear. This dog's life span is over ten years.
