Norwich Terrier

The Norwich Terrier came into existence in the 1800’s and is from England. The dogs were used as rodent exterminators in stables and runners for fox hunts as well as companion animals. The ears of the Norwich Terrier have been of much debate and there were long standing controversies over whether the animal’s ears should be cropped or left to drop. It was in the 1930’s that distinguishing of the drop ear at the Norwich Terrier finalized the standards for the breed.

The Norwich Terrier is the smallest of the Terriers, and range from 11-12 pounds and no more than 10 inches in height. The colors of the dogs range in variety from red, black and brown and all of the different potential color combinations. Like the ear controversy, tails being docked is a hot topic of conversation. There are some medical concerns associated with tail docking and has spurred on debate as to whether it should be a practice associated with the dogs.

The life expectancy of the Norwich Terrier is 12 to 16 year and it is considered one of the healthier breeds. There are some health problems that can occur but with reputable breeders the health issues can be addressed with genetic testing. This helps reduces the potential for major problems. Problems prone to the Norwich Terrier are epilepsy, spine disorders and incorrect bites as well as many others. A new issue arising in the Norwich Terrier community is breathing issues often associated with cross breeding of the animal.

Even though the Norwich Terrier breed is small they are know for their courage and are very intelligent. The Norwich Terrier is very affectionate and is very energetic and thrives on living an active life. They crave the companionship of the owner and should be kept as indoor dogs. The Norwich Terrier tends to lend itself to being assertive but they are not commonly dangerous in the sense that they are aggressive, problematic or intimidated by other animals. This breed is very sensitive to discipline and needs to be treated with a kind hand as to not cause behavioral problems. The animal does not bark unnecessarily but will bark to ward off strangers in protection of their home. The dogs are good with children, and would do well in a family atmosphere. They are dogs that are easily introduced into homes with dogs already in the house. The only problem that may occur can be if small rodents are the pet in the home the Norwich Terrier may confuse it as prey and hunt the other animals.

Good methods of keeping your Norwich Terrier in shape are taking dogs for walks. Daily walking is suggested and jogging is acceptable. With the right amount of endurance training the dogs can accompany their owner on bike adventures. Norwich Terriers were bred as working dogs as far as rodent extermination and thrive best of doing activity for several hours in the day. These dogs although small should not be associated with lap dogs as they need much more physically activity in the day.

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