| Training | |
| Sensitivity to strangers | |
| Affection for family | |
| Suitable for first-time owners | |
| Ease of grooming | |
| Energy level |
Contents
The Norfolk Terrier or Terrier of Norfolk is a little ball of fur with an English accent, it is impossible not to fall in love with it.
Today we are going to talk about a little, cute and beautiful dog breed that is famous for its ability to hunt rodents. The four-legged protagonist of this article is the Norfolk Terrier, a dog of British origins. This dog breed has very recent history, and still it is not very popular in its motherland, but maybe you have seen some specimens on the street.
Needless to say that it belongs to the Terrier’s family, a type of dog breed that usually hunts small prey anywhere. As we mentioned before, it is a relatively new dog breed, created between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. It is a British dog; in fact, Norfolk is a region of eastern England, and the motherland of this little friend.
The Differences Between Norfolk and Norwich Terrier
Now we will need a map of the UK to understand the distinctions between these two dog breeds of the group of Terriers. We are talking about the Norfolk and Norwich; we could say that in some point they are “relatives”.
The Norfolk and the Norwich, are both similar but also quite different in some characteristics, the most obvious distinction are the ears. The Norfolk has hanging ears, and the Norwich has straight ears that point upwards.
But which are the ancestors of these dog breeds? These Terriers come from Ireland, and mated with mixed breed dogs from nomad societies.
Originally, the name of the Norfolk Terrier was different; it was called Cantab which is short for Cantabrigian: Why did it have this name? It referred to the students of the University of Cambridge. It seems that it was very popular in the academic field!
To understand how this dog breed spread through America, we need to travel back in time to the First World War: It was Frank Jones, an Irish merchant, who bought and sold many specimens in the US, initially with the name Jones Terrier.
On a more official level, we must point out that the Norfolk Terrier was recognized in the year 1934, many years after its “cousin”: the Norwich.
Norfolk Terrier: Physical Characteristics
The Norfolk Terrier is a small-sized dog breed; however it has a strong, compact and well-defined body structure. Its back is straight and square-shaped, and it has short and solid legs. Some people think that the small-sized body is a problem for this little fluffy dog, but actually this characteristic makes it an excellent hunting dog of small animals.
In other words, its body makes it particularly fit to enter and drive away animals from their burrows, and afterwards it chases the prey very quickly. The Norfolk Terrier has a rounded head and a quite extravagant stand. The eyes are almond-shaped and dark-colored, usually black or brown.
Its tail is always straight and it is bigger on the base than on the tip. It is essential that the ears are triangle-shaped and slightly rounded on the ends, and above everything else they must hang to the cheeks (the characteristic that differentiates the Norfolk from the Norwich Terrier). Both males and females weigh 11-13 lb (5-5.5 kg).
As for the coat, we can say that it has wired hair, which means that it has rough hard hair that sticks to its body, but also slightly furry on the muzzle and eyebrows.
The colors can be:
- Red
- Wheat
- Gray
- Black and Tan
The standard does not allow spots or white dots on the coat.
Norfolk Terrier: Temperament
Like many Terriers, it is an active and cheerful dog, but not excessively vigorous. The Norfolk is perhaps the most peaceful and well-balanced Terrier. In this sense we can say that it is an excellent companion dog, also it is sociable, affectionate and it is not unmanageable.
After all, it loves to be with its family and has an excellent relationship with children. On the other hand, it does not like being alone and it could suffer a lot. In general, we can say it has a great relationship with other dogs. This dog breed can adapt perfectly to life in an apartment because of its small size and peaceful nature.
A daily walk of an hour can be a universal cure; you must be careful because one of its favorite’s hobbies is: digging holes of course! Some people assure that the Norfolk Terrier is too active and therefore deserves the title of “little demon”; this is could not be more wrong, if it is properly trained in a coherent way, and if you let it unwind in a park, this little British dog will be active but would not cause any troubles.
Norfolk Terrier: Health
This dog breed can have some heart issues on the mitral valve, or some common conditions such as hip dysplasia and patella luxation. However, in general we can say that it has good health, a robust body and it is very resistant. Moreover, its coat’s grooming is not complicated at all; it does not need excessive cleaning to guarantee it has a royal English look.
As for its diet, it does not have any particular needs, but you should be careful with its weight, due to its small size it can be prone to obesity, overweight or other related diseases.
Norfolk Terrier: Price, Breeders, and Puppies for Sale
The Norfolk Terrier is a dog breed difficult to find, but widely spread in its homeland. However, since the second half of the 20th century, it has become more popular in the US. Nowadays, we can say that surely its popularity will rise up.
In this sense, it is quite difficult to give an exact price of this dog breed; the Norfolk Terrier does not have a place in the market yet, and that is the reason the prices can vary a lot. As a reference we can say that a Norfolk Terrier puppy can cost between 800-1300 dollars, 600-1000 English pounds, but only if it has noble parents.
Obviously, you must be careful with deceitful sellers, so it is important to purchase from a reliable breeder, to insure that your puppy has been:
- Raised to have good character and good health;
- Carefully selected (its parents were chosen without any genetic diseases);
- Properly socialized, so that it is not too aggressive or fearful;
- Vaccinated and well-cared for
Now that we have mentioned the most important aspects, you can go to your new four-legged friend, who is certainly waiting for you.
You may be interested in reading another article related to other dog breeds such as:
- Miniature Pinscher
- West Highland White Terrier
- Australian Terrier
- Xoloitzcuintli
- Peruvian Inca Orchid
- Norfolk Terrier
- Scottish Terrier
- Papillon and Phalène
- Shetland Sheepdog
