AN INTRODUCTION TO –
THE NORFOLK TERRIER
The Norfolk Terrier makes an excellent family pet, a happy, friendly, intelligent and active little terrier.
Norfolks, like all living creatures, need daily exercise to keep fit and healthy. Real exercise and interesting walks, not just a mooch around the garden. Norfolks kept indoors and exercised only occasionally will not thrive.
Many Norfolks adore water and, tragically, they have drowned in swimming pools and ponds, having fallen in and been unable to get out. Another potential fatal danger lies in wait - they have no road sense and their subtle colouring and small size make them difficult to see and liable to accidents. Extreme vigilance is needed at all times. Special care must be taken if your dog lives in town. Never believe that ‘heel’ is as good as a lead.
Gardens must be securely fenced for, although not all Norfolks are escapologists, some love hunting and most are inquisitive. Remember that Norfolks are terriers, originally bred as ratters and not as lap dogs, they dig, they catch mice and rats - although their temperament is generally true to the Standard, which is for a ‘lovable disposition, not quarrelsome’.
Norfolk puppies must be socialised and trained from a young age. It pays to be a knowledgeable owner and it is essential to bring up the Norfolk puppy with firmness, love and understanding.
Still keen? Then if you are lucky enough to find a Norfolk Terrier, you will gain a delightful pet. He, or she, will love you and your family and make a wonderful companion for years to come.
GETTING YOUR NORFOLK TERRIER
Your first step will be to talk to a breeder. The Norfolk Terrier Club of Great Britain can supply a list of breeders, and may know if there are any puppies for sale. Breeders usually have a waiting list so do not expect a choice of puppies. Norfolks have small litters and are only bred in moderation. A visit to a breeder’s kennel gives a good idea of the Norfolk’s character and it helps the breeder to be sure that you will provide a good home for their puppy. Expect a rigorous examination and offer references if necessary. Breeders have to be certain that their puppies are not being passed on to unapproved markets or undesirable destinations. You may have to wait your turn to buy a puppy but the waiting will be well rewarded.
RESCUE AND WELFARE
Older Norfolk Terriers are sometimes available for re-homing, usually through bereavement, change of family circumstances and occasionally incompatibility. Sometimes a breeder will look for a pet home for a dog they no longer wish to show or breed from.
Rehomed Norfolks normally settle extremely well. If you are interested in an older dog please contact the Club for more details.
THE NORFOLK TERRIER CLUB OF GREAT BRITAIN
Contact details available on our website
www.norfolkterrierclub.co.uk
THE NORFOLK COAT
The Norfolk Terrier Standard describes the coat as ‘hard, wiry, straight, lying close to the body. Longer and rougher on neck and shoulders. Hair on head and ears short and smooth, except for slight whisker and eyebrows. Excessive trimming undesirable.’
Norfolk coats are quite easy to manage but have to be hand-stripped about twice a year to remove the old ‘blown’ coat and to allow the new weatherproof coat to come through. A blown coat is long, soft and shaggy and can be easily pulled out without discomfort – this is hand stripping.
Norfolks with the correct coat should normally never be clipped, as this will soften the hair and spoil the harsh wiry coat that is a feature of the breed. While this hard coat is the ideal, some Norfolks have softer and less harsh coats and others may find it too stressful to be hand stripped, these may be kept tidy with a stripping rake (Coat King), thinning scissors or clippers. But this may make the coat woolly, very light in colour and no longer weather resistant. Older Norfolks also might be more sensitive to being hand stripped and will find it more comfortable to be clipped.
You can learn to strip your own Norfolk – come to one of our grooming and stripping teach-ins. Otherwise go to a professional. More detailed information on hand stripping can also be found on our website.
Day to day care consists of keeping hair out of the dog’s eyes, scissoring long hair on the feet and if necessary, a little off the legs, belly and chest to keep the dog cleaner in muddy weather. Cutting the hair in the area of the anus with sharp scissors will ensure that there is no build-up of debris under the hair. A good brush and comb all over body and legs (right down to the skin) will get rid of knots, tangles and loose dirt. The soft undercoat will normally take care of itself – some will come out with grooming, never try to remove it.
Ears will keep their soft, velvety appearance if pale straggly hairs are pulled out as they appear.
NORFOLK TERRIERS AS FAMILY DOGS
Norfolks are, in general, good with children if puppies are treated with respect, and not as toys or playthings. New owners should, from the start, insist on correct behaviour from the puppy and the children alike. Every animal is an individual so, if your puppy is to live with young children, it is sensible to discuss this with the breeder. Many Norfolks are good with cats, especially if they are brought up with them, and some can be trustworthy with other small animals too, but it pays to be cautious. Remember, as with all terriers, that their instinct is to hunt and kill vermin. This is their nature.
THE HEALTH OF NORFOLK TERRIERS
The Norfolk Terrier is a robust breed, from which the Kennel Club currently requires no tests. The Club and its Breed Health Subcommittee take great interest in the health of the breed and produces a health statement for the Kennel Club each year, and has a practicing veterinary surgeon as its coordinator. ‘Health’ is on the agenda of every committee meeting and the AGM. On-going projects include our Breed Health Snapshot, which invites owners to report any health issues to the subcommittee for recording, a Cardiac Auscultation Survey and a Patella Scheme (using the Putnam Scale).
In 2014/15 the Club produced the biggest breed health survey ever done on the breed in the UK. A follow-up Breed Health Survey was also completed for 2019/20. Details of all these can be found on the Club website. We know where the UK Norfolk Terrier stands in terms of research and surveys for dog-wide breed health issues. We appreciate all contributions to our efforts and invite all owners of Norfolk Terriers in the UK to join in the Club’s initiatives.