Norwich Terrier Breed Origins and Caracteristics
Description:
With its little perky ears that look like those of a fox, the Norwich terrier is a small work dog and has a similar height to its dear cousin the Norfolk terrier. The ideal height for this dog is around twenty-five to twenty six centimeters and its ideal weight is around six kilograms. It has water resistant coat that has a rough texture, is straight and well adhered to its body; its undercoat is dense. It has very hairy eyebrows and a mustache, besides this, the hair is short on it head, ears and muzzle. The key to the coat of the Norwich terrier is that it looks natural and its coat only requires some minimal care. These dogs come in different colors such as red, golden, black and red, or grayish. It has oval shaped dark eyes and black eyebrows. The expression of its eyes is smart and looks similar to that of a foxes. The ears of this dog stick upwards are medium sized and pointy. The skull is wide and slightly rounded; the muzzle has a wedge shape and it has a defined stop. The neck has a medium length and is strong looking; the body is moderately short, compact and deep. Docking the tail is optional, however find out about the laws in your country concerning this procedure. The shoulders should be well inclined back; its elbows closed to the body; the front legs should look straight for digging, and the hind legs wide.
Ideal owner:
Norwich terriers are small but very smart and are great companions to kids and adults; they seem to be untiring vigilantes as well. This dog is able to adapt well to the city life but it absolutely loves the country where it can run about freely, hunt and dig. If it has been raised with a cat, they can get along just fine; otherwise it will try to continually hunt it down. These little terriers enjoy being outdoors where they can run around for hours on end if allowed. They have a very strong hunting instinct and are fearless little fellows and this can sometimes lead them to get into trouble so keep an eye on them. For senior citizens this dog can be an excellent companion and are capable of cheering even the gloomiest day.
Growth:
These dogs usually have small size litters, usually only around four puppies or less. Their average weight is around 140 grams at birth on average. 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 Norwich 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. The ideal weight for an adult is around six or seven kilograms. The pointy ears should become evident at around ten to twelve weeks of age, however these might fall again when the dog is teething. This dog reaches its full height before it is a year old. As puppies they are very playful and active and might even end with their owners patience, which is why it is important to get it trained and allow it to have a lot of exercise. Adolescence is marked by the shedding of its puppy coat to its adult coat. During this time its coat requires more attention and will need "stripping". With age this dog tends to become more calm and serious.
General health:
The Norwich and Norfolk are very similar and are actually related. Until a little white ago, these two were considered separate breeds. This dog is in general 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.
